In this episode of The Yield Doctor, James Deaker sits down with Alanna Laforet—CEO of Laforet Productions and former head of the IAB Tech Lab—to unpack where AI is actually transforming digital advertising today, and where it’s headed next.

With experience spanning DoubleClick, Google, Omnicom, and Conde Nast, Alanna brings deep insight into how AI is reshaping media planning, creative optimization, and the ad tech stack itself.

We explore:

What’s real vs. hype in current AI implementations

How startups and holding companies are approaching AI differently

Whether AI will democratize the industry or entrench the big players

The potential for AI tools like ChatGPT to act as publishers

The risks of fraud, fake content, and over-optimization in a post-AI world

Whether you’re a publisher, advertiser, or just curious about the future of ad operations, this conversation is packed with insight and candid perspective.

📌 Chapters included in the description below

🔗 Connect with Alanna Laforet:

LinkedIn: [Insert Link]

Email: [email protected]

Alanna discusses the areas where GenAI will have the most impact on the AdTech ecosystem

00:00 Introduction & Guest Background

01:07 Current AI Impact in Digital Advertising

03:01 Real AI Adoption Inside Companies

04:45 Startup Frenzy & Market Fragmentation

06:00 The “Layer Cake” Problem in Ad Tech

08:13 Toward End-to-End Systems with AI Plugins

09:45 Where AI Will Have the Most (and Least) Impact

11:08 Could AI Platforms Become the Next Big Publishers?

13:36 Democratization vs. Walled Gardens

15:33 AI and the Return of Imagination

16:54 Publishers: Winners or Losers in the AI Shift?

17:38 The Ethics & Dangers of AI-Generated Content

19:53 What Excites Alanna About AI’s Future

21:31 Where to Find Alanna + Closing Remarks