Chalice AI vs Scope3

Chalice AI: Brand-Specific Models for Programmatic

This AdExchanger Talks podcast episode features Ali Manning, COO and co-founder of Chalice AI, discussing the company's approach to letting brands bring their own models into walled gardens, DSPs and SSPs. Chalice positions its software as continuously running, refreshable models (including generative AI) that optimize for brand-specific business outcomes rather than standard proxies like clicks or video completion. Manning describes challenges around the term "custom algorithm," explains Chalice's origin story, and gives a client example (Bayer’s One A Day) where Chalice used AI modelling and DSP bidding to drive offline "new to brand" sales. The conversation also touches on containerization and agentic bidding as possible ways to realize more precise programmatic outcomes.

• The article is a podcast interview with Ali Manning, COO & Co-Founder of Chalice AI.
• Chalice AI is described as a startup that enables brands to bring their own models into walled gardens, DSPs and SSPs.
• Chalice uses generative AI and continuously refreshed models to optimize for brand-specific outcomes rather than standard DSP proxies.

Introducing Apostra

Scope3 is becoming Apostra. Apostra gives advertisers and their agents direct access to everywhere brands can reach consumers.

Shopify Uses Meta's Muse for Agentic Checkout; O'Kelley's Startup Pivots to AI Agents

The article is a digest covering two separate news items: First, Shopify is integrating Meta's Muse AI model to enable agentic checkout experiences, allowing AI agents to perform purchases on behalf of users. Second, Brian O'Kelley's startup, Scope3, is pivoting to focus on AI agent advertising technology, shifting its core business toward solutions for the growing agentic commerce ecosystem. These developments highlight the increasing role of AI agents in e-commerce and advertising.

• Shopify is integrating Meta's Muse AI model for agentic checkout.
• Brian O'Kelley's startup is pivoting to AI agent technology.
• The digest covers two separate industry news items.

Apostra Bets on Agentic Ad Layer

Scope3 has rebranded as Apostra, pivoting from its original carbon emissions calculator mission to focus on enabling agent-to-agent ad buying and selling. The company, led by adtech veteran Brian O'Kelley, has been building agentic advertising infrastructure since early 2025, including the Ad Context Protocol (AdCP) open standard and a platform that allows AI agents to negotiate and execute media buys. Apostra has already managed $1.2 million in media spend over the last three months, with clients in the U.S., U.K., France, Brazil, the Netherlands, and South Africa. The company faces competition from the IAB Tech Lab's AAMP 3.0 standard, which also aims to standardize agentic media buying. O'Kelley acknowledges the shift away from sustainability but argues AI is the biggest growth area. The article questions whether the industry needs such a neutral layer or if open standards suffice.

• Scope3 rebranded to Apostra, shifting focus from sustainability to agentic advertising.
• Apostra's platform manages $1.2 million in media spend over the last three months.
• Apostra launched Ad Context Protocol (AdCP) as an open standard for agent-to-agent media transactions.