Taboola has released new research examining advertiser adoption of agentic AI solutions and the growing demand for AI-powered performance marketing capabilities across the open web.
The study, titled ‘The Agentic Advantage in Performance Marketing: Securing Incremental Growth Beyond Search and Social’, explores how advertisers are navigating an increasingly AI-driven advertising ecosystem and where they see future opportunities for performance growth.
According to the findings, 76% of advertisers are already experiencing measurable performance improvements through AI-powered advertising solutions, largely within search and social platforms. The report suggests that while agentic AI is driving stronger automation and optimisation in walled garden environments, advertisers are now looking to replicate similar efficiencies across broader digital ecosystems.
The study found that 80% of performance advertisers would increase ad spend on the open web if comparable agentic AI solutions were available outside search and social channels. Additionally, 86% said they would be willing to shift up to 25% of their performance marketing budgets towards such solutions.
The research also highlighted operational challenges linked to agentic AI adoption, particularly among larger advertisers. Integration into existing workflows emerged as the primary barrier. While only 9% of advertisers spending between USD 300,000 and USD 499,000 monthly identified integration as a challenge, the figure rose significantly among larger organisations, with 74% of advertisers spending between USD 1 million and USD 4.9 million per month citing it as the main obstacle.
The findings underline how AI-driven automation is becoming central to media planning, campaign optimisation and performance measurement strategies, while also exposing gaps in interoperability and workflow adaptation for enterprise-scale advertisers.
Adam Singolda, founder and ceo of Taboola, said, “Advertisers of all sizes are leaning into agentic advertising, and the results are following. Our research shows a clear demand for advertisers that want the same ‘always-on,’ AI-driven performance they see in walled gardens applied to the open web, however. They are looking for autonomous systems that learn continuously, pivot in real time, and turn every impression into a measurable outcome.”
The research announcement follows Taboola’s April 2026 launch of Realize+, the company’s agentic advertising solution designed to automate and optimise campaign performance using AI, first-party data and real-time decisioning.
According to Taboola, Realize+ combines a Decision Engine that reallocates ad spend dynamically with an Element Generator that automates creative production and audience targeting. The company has now expanded access to the beta version of the platform as part of its broader push into AI-led performance advertising solutions.
Taboola said the development reflects increasing advertiser demand for scalable performance technologies that can deliver measurable outcomes beyond traditional search and social ecosystems.
The company currently works with publishers and device manufacturers including NBC News, Yahoo, Samsung and Xiaomi, reaching approximately 600 million daily active users through its advertising platform.
