Google is pushing further into automation of the ad buying workflow, announcing that its demand-side platform, Display & Video 360 (Display & Video 360), is evolving into an AI-powered media buying system underpinned by its Gemini models.
The news was announced during Google’s NewFronts event in Manhattan on Monday, where the search engine giant described DV360 as an end-to-end operating layer for media planning, activation and reporting.
Despite Gemini being integrated into DV360 since last year, the AI models are now moving upstream into the planning process itself.
“Marketers can upload their media plan and automatically translate it into a comprehensive campaign setup,” said Bill Reardon, general manager of the enterprise platform at Google Ads, during the event.
In effect, Gemini is now designed to interpret a marketer’s intent and convert it into executable campaigns, reducing manual inputs traditionally required across trading desks and agency workflows.
The shift positions Gemini as a central operating layer across DV360, with Google leaning into automation across media planning, buying and optimisation.
Additional AI-driven updates announced at NewFronts include real-time campaign management capabilities for connected TV (CTV), particularly around live sports inventory fluctuations. Google is also introducing Ads Advisor, an AI agent embedded in the Google Ads interface, designed to help marketers build custom reporting dashboards and surface insights more efficiently.
Alongside automation, Google is also strengthening its cross-channel measurement capabilities with Confidential Publisher Match, a new identity framework designed to securely connect first-party advertiser data with signals from streaming platforms such as Roku. The system operates within a privacy-safe trusted execution environment, enabling attribution without exposing raw user data.
“This shift empowers you with a cross-device conversion memory, connecting a CTV impression directly to a purchase,” said Reardon.
Google is also integrating retail media data into its measurement stack through a partnership with Kroger. The collaboration will allow advertisers to incorporate Kroger’s first-party shopper data into YouTube and other Google inventory, alongside new SKU-level reporting within DV360.
“This really changes how brands think about YouTube and its direct impact on sales,” said Christine Foster, group VP of commercial strategy and operations at Kroger.
The integration aims to give advertisers clearer visibility into how media spend translates into in-store and online purchases, particularly at a product level.
Google’s NewFronts messaging placed significant emphasis on YouTube as the cornerstone of its advertising ecosystem.
While no new ad formats were introduced, Google is expanding access to existing offerings. Pause ads and creator takeovers – where brands can buy out a creator’s inventory for a set period – are now available through DV360, further integrating YouTube into programmatic buying workflows.
This reinforces YouTube’s role as both a premium media destination and a key supply source within Google’s broader ecosystem, tightening the loop between planning, buying and measurement.
The news came at the same time as YouTube announced they would also be embedding Gemini into its creator marketing tools, rebranding BrandConnect as Creator Partnerships and introducing a range of AI-driven matching capabilities.
The updated system allows advertisers to use natural language queries to identify suitable creators. For example, marketers can request creator recommendations based on niche audience attributes, content themes or engagement metrics.
“You can say, ‘Find me US tech creators reviewing sports gear with high Gen Z retention,’ and our AI will surface creators who match,” said Melissa Nikolic, director of product management for YouTube Creator Ads, during a call with media.
Gemini analyses billions of data points – including subscriber growth, audience behaviour and brand mentions – to generate recommendations and streamline discovery at scale.
The new Creator Partnerships platform integrates with YouTube Studio, Google Ads and DV360, effectively centralising creator marketing within Google’s ecosystem. Advertisers will also be able to shortlist creators, compare performance signals and initiate outreach to multiple partners directly within the platform.
Taken together, the updates point to Google further consolidating its advertising stack – linking DV360, YouTube and Gemini into a more tightly integrated ecosystem.
By embedding AI deeper into both the buy-side workflow and owned inventory, Google is positioning DV360 not just as a DSP, but as an automated buying environment that naturally directs spend toward its own properties.
“Gemini, with DV360 and YouTube, will be core to the success of the future of advertising,” she added.
