TechCapsules

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Server‑Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) is allowing connected‑TV (CTV) platforms to embed advertisements directly into video streams, making them resistant to traditional browser‑based ad blockers. By stitching ads at the server before delivery, SSAI reduces buffering, lowers latency, and creates a viewing experience closer to linear TV. However, this delivery method also obscures device‑level signals that independent measurement firms rely on to verify impressions, viewability, and audience engagement. Advertisers can receive server logs confirming insertion, but lack assurance that the ad actually reached the screen or was seen. As ad spend shifts increasingly toward CTV, the industry faces a tension between robust delivery and transparent, third‑party verification, prompting calls for new measurement standards separate from the SSAI layer.