Tony Katsur and the IAB Tech Lab in 2025

Digital advertising is constantly evolving, and staying ahead of the curve is crucial for both publishers and advertisers. The danger lies in taking the wrong path, building a fragmented future without common industry foundations.

That’s where the IAB Tech Lab comes in, listening to the industry, bringing order, standards and protocols where needed.

Following the publication of their 2025 roadmap, I sat down with Tony Katsur, CEO of the IAB Tech Lab, to explore some of the most pressing topics shaping the future of the industry, as well as his personal insights.

We left no stone unturned in our discussion.

We began with the challenges of Connected TV (CTV), exploring the IAB Tech Lab's efforts to develop standards and best practices to fulfil the need for accurate targeting and measurement in a fragmented landscape.

From there, we jumped into the ongoing debate around identity solutions, including the recent publication of an ID-less solutions guidance, which brings more clarity and agreement around the topic.

We covered the “Curation craze” and the evolution of the “Seller Defined Audiences” into a more inclusive “Curated Audiences”.

I was particularly interested in understanding Tony's position on fingerprinting, following Google's announcement that it will loosen its stance towards the practice, and after the UK ICO called the changes "irresponsible."

We concluded by analysing the IAB Tech Lab's initiative regarding AI platforms, specifically addressing the challenge of IP protection through the development of an API to help publishers protect their content from unauthorised use for the training of AI models.

Overall, the conversation provides a fascinating window into the future from someone who, as I half-jokingly put it, is often "the adult in the room" when discussing these complex industry dynamics.

Enjoy the full video below (free registration required)!