The advertising technology sector witnessed a significant development as The Trade Desk unveiled “Audience Unlimited,” an artificial intelligence-powered platform designed to transform how third-party data is utilized in digital advertising. This announcement triggered a substantial market response, with the company’s shares surging more than 5%. However, this positive momentum raises questions about whether the innovation can fully offset the stock’s challenging performance, which has seen declines approaching 58% since the start of the year.
Addressing Industry Challenges Through Artificial Intelligence
At the core of this new platform is a solution to a persistent industry problem: advertisers have traditionally been hesitant to incorporate third-party data due to difficulties in assessment and the substantial costs involved, which could consume up to 20% of media budgets. The AI-driven Audience Unlimited platform aims to revolutionize this process by automatically evaluating data segments for relevance while scanning thousands of curated segments from hundreds of trusted data providers.
The system offers advertisers two distinct operational approaches:
• Performance Mode: Includes Audience Unlimited at no additional cost with AI functioning as a full-time co-pilot
• Control Mode: Provides manual oversight with fees representing either 3.3% or 4.4% of impression costs
Kokai Platform Gains Traction After Initial Challenges
Concurrent with the AI announcement, The Trade Desk reported significant progress with its Kokai platform through the introduction of “Koa Adaptive Trading Modes.” These enhancements to the existing system appear to be addressing previous user dissatisfaction that had negatively impacted the company’s 2025 outlook.
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Current metrics indicate robust platform adoption, with over 70% of client expenditures now flowing through Kokai. Company leadership projects complete migration to the platform by year-end, representing a crucial achievement for an organization that previously faced substantial transition difficulties.
Divergent Perspectives Among Market Analysts
Despite these technological advancements, financial experts remain divided in their assessment of The Trade Desk’s prospects. Price targets among Wall Street firms demonstrate considerable variation, ranging from $47 to $135 per share – a substantial spread compared to current trading levels.
Recent analyst actions highlight this divergence: Guggenheim recently reduced its price objective from $75 to $55, while other institutions maintain more optimistic positions. The competitive landscape continues to present challenges, with significant pressure from industry giants Google and Amazon, though potential antitrust proceedings against Google might eventually benefit The Trade Desk.
While growth opportunities in connected television advertising offer potential upside, the central question remains whether these AI innovations provide sufficient momentum to recover from the stock’s significant decline.
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