Lorraine Donnelly. Credit: Yahoo DSP
The AdNews end-of-year Perspectives, looking back at 2025 and forward to next year.
And see the AdNews 50 plus page state of the market report, Forecast 2026
Lorraine Donnelly, head of data, AUSEA, Yahoo DSP
As I reflect on 2025, I realise there has been a sense of instability that has become impossible to ignore.
From postponed privacy reforms to rapid technological shifts, the industry has had to adapt on the fly. Some days it has felt like trying to hit a moving target while blindfolded.
But amid the turbulence, there’s also excitement. I’ve seen teams experiment, innovate and lay the groundwork for a very different kind of advertising landscape.
If we really want to evaluate how this year has gone, it’s important to step back and look beyond the day-to-day questions. Without focussing on the unknown, 2026 looks set to be a year where the seeds planted this year can begin to flourish - bringing clarity, opportunity and a chance for marketers to operate with more creativity and confidence than ever before.
Navigating the shifting privacy landscape - yep, still
Privacy has been one of the most talked-about issues this year, yet tangible progress has been slow, no thanks to the continuous delays.
With the next round of Australian reforms now expected early next year, many businesses remain unsure of what compliance will look like in practice.
For Australian businesses, the reforms highlight the importance of designing privacy processes that put customer experience first. It also underscores the need for experimentation - testing consent messaging, opt-in mechanisms and communication strategies now can provide valuable insights before regulations are formally enacted.
Equally important at this time is education, which businesses should make a priority throughout 2026. It’s important to recognise that while it is typically executives who may be concerned with privacy compliance and responsible data use, these are not issues reserved for senior professionals.
Every person who makes decisions with customer data - which is often those more junior - needs to understand the changes and implications to ensure consistent, compliant and customer-focused practices throughout the organisation. This is a fantastic time for businesses to begin laying the groundwork with employees to ensure they are adequately prepared.
Harnessing the potential of agentic AI
One of the most fascinating developments this year has been the rise of agentic AI - a space that is quickly becoming revolutionary for ad tech.
What has really stood out is the rapid uptake in knowledge and investment: industry players are not only exploring what these tools can do, but also starting to integrate them into workflows in meaningful ways.
What’s become clear is that agentic AI is more than just chatbots or virtual assistants. It’s about giving marketers the ability to automate complex workflows, optimise campaigns in real time and integrate data across platforms with far less friction.
We’re already seeing new interoperability principles and shared standards emerging as the industry comes together to streamline how systems work with one another. These efforts are helping reduce repetitive manual tasks, create more scalable processes and minimise the need for ongoing customisation - as well as giving us a whole lot of new acronyms to learn!
By next year, we may see Australian agencies running live campaigns that demonstrate just how transformative these tools can be - not as a replacement for human creativity but as a way to unlock it.
This technological shift is creating new opportunities for agencies at all stages of maturity. Over the past 12 months, many have accelerated experimentation, upskilled teams and explored AI-driven workflows to deliver smarter, more adaptive solutions for clients.
Others are taking a more measured approach, focusing on co-development, pilot programs or bespoke applications that align to existing systems and operating models. Across the industry, data literacy and AI adoption are becoming core capabilities, rather than niche skills, enabling all marketers to work smarter, faster, and more strategically.
While 2025 has felt like the starting point for agentic workflows, the real momentum is coming from what’s happening now: better standards, stronger interoperability and clearer processes that make scale possible.
Any large transformation needs preparation and experimentation. The industry is on the brink of becoming smarter, faster and more connected - those who embrace these shifts will be shaping the future of advertising for years to come, and that’s something to really be excited about.
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