Observed Signal · Aug 17, 2026 · Event · Source: onlinemarketing.de · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
DMEXCO Host Verena Gründel Urges AI to Deliver Value
In an interview ahead of DMEXCO 2026, Verena Gründel — DMEXCO host and Brand & Communications Director — argues that despite widespread AI adoption, measurable business value remains limited. DMEXCO’s 2026 theme “Scaling Intelligence” (Sept 23–24) aims to push companies from experimentation to scalable, revenue-generating AI use cases. Gründel and Commercial Growth Advisor Jenny Gruner highlight four transformation pillars (efficiency, decisions, revenue potential, business models) and warn that only a small share of companies achieve both increased revenue and cost reduction from AI. The piece also covers European leadership on AI safety, concerns about agentic cyberattacks, and the role of events like DMEXCO in spreading practical best practices and governance approaches.
DMEXCO is a major industry event shaping European discussion on scaling AI from experiments to measurable business impact; highlights (PwC stat) that few companies yet achieve ROI, and the conference could influence adoption, best practices, and regulatory discourse.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- DMEXCO 2026 is scheduled for 23–24 September with the motto “Scaling Intelligence”.
- Verena Gründel is cited as Host and Brand & Communications Director of DMEXCO.
- A PwC study referenced in the article found only 12% of companies both increase revenue and reduce costs through AI.
- DMEXCO 2026 will feature 17 stages, 11 summits, and dedicated DMEXCO Worlds covering Agencies, Commerce, Media and Tech.
- OnlineMarketing.de and t3n will run a DMEXCO special program with a livestream from their stand across both event days.
Connected Companies & Entities
“A PwC study cited in the article shows only 12% of companies both increase revenue and reduce costs through AI.”
“Koelnmesse is credited in image captions and associated with making Cologne Deutz the centre of digital innovation for DMEXCO.”
“Meta is referenced among major tech players affected by recent agentic-security test incidents and as a mega-player with growing ad revenue.”
“Google is referenced as a major tech player involved in recent agentic-security test incidents and as a mega-player with growing ad revenue.”
“OpenAI is mentioned among the model providers implicated in recent agentic-security test incidents.”
“Anthropic is mentioned for allowing Claude to be used via Slack as an agent-like team member and as one of the model providers noted in secu...”
“The Trade Desk is mentioned as the organiser of an Open Internet Summit that the article's interviewee attended.”
“The OVK within the BVDW is referenced for testing an ID-based system for cross-platform campaign management.”
“An Indeed study is referenced to illustrate that individuals may be further along with AI adoption than their companies.”
“Amazon is named among the mega-players with steadily growing advertising revenues.”
“OnlineMarketing.de is the publisher of the interview and is running a DMEXCO special programme and livestream with t3n.”
“t3n is mentioned as a partner with OnlineMarketing.de running a DMEXCO special programme and livestream.”
“Usercentrics Consent Management Platform is referenced in relation to embedded third-party content and consent management on the publisher s...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
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Dmexco 2026: Commerce Summit expands, focus on AI scaling
Verena Gründel, Brand and Communications Director of Dmexco, discusses the upcoming 2026 edition of the marketing trade fair. The event's motto is 'Scaling Intelligence,' reflecting a PwC study indicating only 12% of companies profit from AI. Dmexco plans to emphasize practical application over pilot projects, with a two-day Commerce Summit, expanded Expo, and a new CMO Lounge. Despite economic challenges, Dmexco reports growth in exhibitor numbers and rebooking, indicating resilience. The event will feature major platforms like OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and IBM, with a focus on integrating AI into specific topics like Retail Media, DOOH, and Future TV.
DMEXCO 2026: Scaling Intelligence at Koelnmesse
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Dmexco 2026: Scaling Intelligence Starts with Scaling Quality
In a guest commentary for Horizont, Rasmus Giese, CEO of United Internet Media, argues that the DMEXCO 2026 motto 'Scaling Intelligence' is timely, but scaling AI in advertising requires scaling high-quality data as its foundation. He emphasizes that AI is now integral to strategy planning, yet the technology must demonstrate measurable contributions to business success. Giese stresses the importance of making high-quality data usable across publisher and marketer boundaries, implying that data interoperability and quality are critical for effective AI-driven advertising. The article calls for a focus on data quality and collaboration across the ecosystem to enable true scalability of intelligence.
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