Observed Signal · Mar 17, 2026 · Product Launch · Source: AdExchanger · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Perion Shifts Focus: AI Beyond the Hype Cycle
Perion CEO Tal Jacobson criticized AI hype while describing how the company is rebuilding around AI-driven media trading. Perion is centering its strategy on Outmax, an AI media trading agent that allocates budgets across CTV, digital-out-of-home, retail media, YouTube, Meta and TikTok. The company last year paid $65 million to acquire Greenbids, an AI-powered media optimization tool, and cites outcomes-based optimization as the primary objective of its systems. Jacobson said Perion has applied machine learning for years and emphasized that manual ad-ops work is likely to decline as automation increases. The interview also touched on Perion’s company evolution (founded in 1999 as IncrediMail), a solid recent Q4 performance, and growing demand in digital out-of-home inventory.
Perion’s strategic pivot to an AI-native media trading agent and a $65M acquisition signals increased vendor investment in cross-channel AI optimization (CTV, DOOH, retail media, social). This matters to programmatic buyers and publishers but is not a major platform policy or industry-defining shift.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Perion is rebuilding around an AI media trading agent called Outmax that allocates budgets across CTV, DOOH, retail media, YouTube, Meta and TikTok.
- Perion acquired Greenbids for $65 million last year; Greenbids is an AI-powered media optimization tool.
- Perion was founded in 1999 as an email client called IncrediMail and evolved into a multichannel advertising platform.
- Scibids was acquired by DoubleVerify for $125 million in 2023 (mentioned for context).
- Perion reported a strong Q4 performance according to CEO Tal Jacobson (referenced in the interview).
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Perion CEO: AI Layoffs Are Cost-Cutting, Not Replacement
In an interview, Tal Jacobson, CEO and Director of Perion, says AI-related layoffs across agencies and tech firms are primarily cost-cutting measures intended to free capital for future AI infrastructure investment, rather than evidence that AI can fully replace scaled teams. Jacobson describes Perion’s unified ad tech platform that measures and optimises media across channels including CTV, DOOH, social and web, notes that AI recommendations are currently human-reviewed, and outlines product formats like picture-in-picture for live CTV and combined OOH/CTV targeting and measurement capabilities.
Perion Partners with Acrossmedia241 to Expand Outmax
Perion announced a distribution partnership with Acrossmedia241 to bring its AI agent Outmax to agencies and brands in Greece and the broader Central and Eastern European (CEE) market. The collaboration leverages Acrossmedia241’s agency relationships and work with Greek tourism boards to provide regional market access, and builds on Acrossmedia241’s experience with Perion’s DOOH. Outmax will layer optimization across major digital channels and leading DSPs to unify performance toward advertisers’ custom business outcomes. Perion will publicly launch the partnership at the Programmatic & Beyond Conference in Athens on July 9, 2026, where it will be a Grand Sponsor. Perion framed the move as part of a partner-led expansion strategy previously used in China (GIMC) and Africa (McSorely Media/Mediamark) to accelerate revenue and lower customer acquisition costs.
Perion Launches Ask Perion Agentic Mobile App
Perion announced Ask Perion, a self-serve agentic interface built into the Perion One platform and a companion mobile app, debuting at Cannes Lions 2026. The product bundles two AI agents — an Insights Agent that answers campaign-performance questions in plain language and a Planning Agent that turns marketing briefs into structured cross-channel media plans. Perion says the offering is the first phase of a self-serve execution model on its AI-native infrastructure, intended to reduce cost-to-serve, speed campaign turnaround, and improve operational efficiency. Tal Jacobson, Perion’s CEO, framed the launch as a foundational step toward the company’s scalability and growth targets outlined in its 2028 plan.
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