SSPs Beyond “Pipes”: OpenX’s Matt Sattel on the Future of Curation, SPO, and AI

Marketecture: Get Smart. Fast.

Ari Paparo talks with OpenX CRO Matt Sattel about how supply-side platforms are evolving in 2025, from simple “pipes” to intelligent systems focused on quality, transparency, and outcomes. They discuss trends shaping the ecosystem, including curation, data-driven SPO, MFA, and request duplication, as well as the growing influence of AI and automation. The conversation also looks at the challenges of operating in a two-sided marketplace and why agility and accountability matter more than ever.

Takeaways

• OpenX positions itself as a “smart pipe,” emphasizing innovation and quality over raw scale.

• SPO should be data-driven, not just a commercial negotiation.

• Request duplication and MFA inflate metrics—OpenX focuses on clean, direct supply.

• OpenX Select enables agencies and partners to curate transparent, self-built deals.

• Real-time automated data-fee discounts push more dollars into working media.

• AI powers “Results by OpenX,” optimizing toward performance outcomes like CTR and CPA.

• Transparency and reporting through Snowflake-based tools remain central to OpenX’s pitch.

• AI’s impact on web traffic is most visible in commerce and shopping verticals.

• OpenX’s agility and independence let it respond faster than larger SSPs.

• Sattel sees rebuilding trust and collaboration in the two-sided marketplace as the industry’s biggest challenge.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Advertising Week Banter

01:31 OpenX’s Evolution and Buy-Side Perspective

02:59 Defining the “Smart Pipe” Approach

05:09 Redefining Supply Path Optimization (SPO)

07:07 Quality, Duplication, and Clean Supply

10:27 Curation and the OpenX Select Platform

14:06 Automated Discounts and Data Transparency

17:25 AI-Driven Performance: Results by OpenX

20:58 The Broader Impact of AI on Audiences

22:06 Agility, Independence, and Market Challenges

23:45 Closing Thoughts and the “Sleeping Giant” Analogy

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