Show Me the Money: Terence Kawaja’s 10 Bold Bets on AI, Ads, and the Future of AdTech

Terence Kawaja, founder and CEO of LUMA Partners, took the stage live at Marketecture Live to break down the collision of AI and advertising with his signature mix of candor and sharp analysis. While acknowledging the uncertainty ahead, he made one thing clear: the industry is moving fast from AI hype to real, measurable impact, and the winners will be the ones who prove it in their numbers. Takeaways Show me the money for AI in 2026 Advertising will fuel LLMs Shift from CPM to performance-based models Intent data is the most valuable signal Rise of the LLM ad ecosystem AI-driven transparency in media buying Creative as a performance driver Ad tech consolidation Agility is the key skill set New entrants reshaping the industry Chapters 00:00 Introduction from Marketecture Live 00:48 Why “No One Knows” What Happens Next in AI + Ads 02:11 Prediction #1: AI Hype vs. Real Financial Results 05:06 Prediction #2: Ads as the Core LLM Business Model 06:32 Prediction #3: The Shift to Performance & Intent Based Ads 09:46 Prediction #4: The LLM Ecosystem Opportunity 11:45 Prediction #5: Transparency vs. Agency Economics 13:23 Prediction #6: The Push for AI Standards 14:28 Prediction #7: Creative as the New Performance Lever 16:04 Prediction #8: Ad Tech Consolidation & Evolution 17:39 Prediction #9: Agility as the Ultimate Advantage 19:11 Prediction #10: New Entrants & M&A Wave 20:14 Bonus Prediction & Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices