AI is rewriting the advertising industry — and the next trillion-dollar frontier may belong to OpenAI. 📲
In this episode of Rethinking Tech, hosts Aparna and Harinda unpack how the ad industry really works, why tech companies became ad companies, and what it means when LLMs and generative AI start selling influence at scale.

From hyper-personalized ads to political micro-targeting, from data extraction to democracy itself, they explore how AI is transforming advertising into one of the most powerful — and dangerous — forces in society.

• 📢 How the advertising industry evolved into a trillion-dollar global machine

• 💸 Why tech companies like Google, Meta — and now OpenAI — rely on ads for survival

• 🧠 How personalization, data, and LLMs create the most persuasive ads ever built

• ⚖️ The ethical dilemma of micro-targeting and psychological profiling

• 🗳️ How AI-powered ads can influence elections and democratic processes

• 🌍 The geopolitical power struggle behind AI advertising

• 🤖 What happens when AI systems start shaping what we see, buy, believe — and vote for

00:00 Introduction to Advertising and AI
01:15 The Evolution of the Ad Industry
03:45 Tech's Role in Advertising
06:25 The Size and Impact of the Ad Market
08:43 Personalization and Targeting in Ads
11:29 The Future of Advertising with AI
14:07 OpenAI's Potential Move into Advertising
19:03 The Dilemma of Personalized Advertising
21:44 AI's Impact on Democracy
22:30 Political Advertising in the Digital Age
25:13 The Role of AI in Information Consumption
28:42 Geopolitical Implications of AI and Advertising
31:00 Ethics of Advertising in Society

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🎧 In this episode, Aparna and Harinda explore:⏰ Chapters📌 Stay Connected