Amazon Ads reported $19.64 billion in Q3 revenue, a slight 0.9% drop from the previous quarter, attributed partly to Prime Day’s shift to Q2. The company is focusing on agentic AI, with new offerings like Full-Funnel Campaigns and Digital Video Audio (DVA+), aiming to simplify media buying while retaining controls for buyers. Amazon describes its approach as “human-led, AI-supported,” but has not committed to full transparency on how individual Sponsored Ads auction prices are set.
Industry observers, including former McKinsey consultant Alex Brownstein, note that Amazon offers more transparency in some areas—such as publisher-level reporting for DVA+—but less detail on channel pricing in full-funnel campaigns. The company provides format-level reporting and uses shopping signals to predict and track sales over 12 months. Amazon maintains it disagrees with the FTC’s recent filing related to its advertising business.
The rise of agentic AI in advertising tools is prompting scrutiny from regulators and clients over data, decision-making, and pricing clarity. Brand leaders in regulated sectors will need to assess whether new AI-driven tools provide sufficient transparency and control for compliance and risk management. Ongoing industry debate and regulatory attention could shape future reporting requirements.
