AI-powered platform makes data more effective, scalable, and cost-efficient for brands
The Trade Desk has unveiled Audience Unlimited, a next-generation upgrade to its third-party data marketplace, designed to make digital advertising more precise, scalable, and cost-efficient for global brands.
Third-party data has been a critical tool for advertisers to optimize campaigns, but high costs and complexity have limited adoption. Typically, advertisers spend around 20% of media budgets on such data. Audience Unlimited aims to change this by using AI to evaluate and score thousands of data segments from hundreds of trusted, privacy-conscious providers. Brands can now integrate relevant data into campaigns seamlessly, at lower, inclusive costs versus traditional a la carte pricing.
Samantha Jacobson, Chief Strategy Officer, The Trade Desk, explained:
“Audience Unlimited is going to transform how marketers view third-party data. By securing bulk pricing and applying advanced AI, we’re making it easier and more cost-effective for brands to layer in as much data as they need to optimize performance.”
To support the rollout, The Trade Desk is introducing Koa Adaptive Trading Modes, two AI-powered approaches to campaign management:
- Performance Mode: Operates as a co-pilot, dynamically optimizing bids and targeting to maximize efficiency, with Audience Unlimited included at no extra cost.
- Control Mode: Gives advertisers manual control over campaign structures while offering AI recommendations. Audience Unlimited here is priced at 3.3%–4.4% of impression costs.
Industry leaders welcomed the move as a game-changer. Michael Beebe, CEO, Dstillery, said it marks a “fundamental shift” in how advertisers integrate data into campaigns. Anne Acker, SVP, LiveRamp, added that it “paves the way for smarter media buying, removing guesswork from segment selection.”
Audience Unlimited and Koa Adaptive Trading Modes will roll out to select agencies on Kokai in late 2025, with global availability slated for early 2026.
