Ari Emanuel says AI agents could make Google and Amazon search ad models obsolete
Overview
Ari Emanuel, executive chairman of WME Group and executive chair and CEO of TKO Group Holdings, says AI agents could make search-based advertising models obsolete once humans leave the loop.
He made the argument in an interview with Ben Thompson of Stratechery, published October 15, 2026, to discuss his memoir Roll the Calls.
Emanuel also says OpenAI's promise not to use Muse data for advertising may have handicapped the company. The report does not describe Muse or the terms of that promise, and it does not include a response from Google, Amazon, or OpenAI.
Written by AI from the articles below · updated Oct 15, 6:55 AM ET
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- StratecheryBlogAri Emanuel says AI agents threaten Google and Amazon search ad models
AIAri Emanuel, Executive Chairman of WME Group and Executive Chair and CEO of TKO Group Holdings, discusses his memoir Roll the Calls with Ben Thompson of Stratechery. Emanuel argues that AI agents could make search-based advertising models obsolete once humans leave the loop, and says OpenAI's promise not to use Muse data for advertising may have handicapped it.
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