David Kohl, co-founder of Symitri, sat with ID5 at Cannes to discuss driving better performance for buyers, the value of high-quality data amid the surge of AI, new regulations, curation, and more.
Put these insights into action.
Learn how we can help you build a forward-thinking strategy
This June in Cannes, David Kohl, Co-Founder of Symitri, joined ID5 for a focused conversation on the forces reshaping digital advertising. The setting may have been the Croisette, but the discussion carried weight for anyone invested in the future of the open Internet. In just seven minutes, Kohl outlined how identity, AI, and data curation can be combined to solve one of the industry’s biggest challenges — connecting the full round trip from reach to response.
At Symitri, we believe this round trip — reaching the right person, measuring what happens in real-time, learning from it, and making the next impression even smarter — is the key to how the premium open Internet can thrive in the years ahead. It’s a framework that moves beyond fragmented solutions and aligns every stage of the advertising process into one continuous, performance-driven loop.
In this informative video interview, Kohl covers four pressing topics that were top of mind on the Croisette…
Addressability Isn’t the Finish Line
Too often, industry conversations stop at addressability. Being able to identify and reach an audience is important, but without a feedback loop that connects targeting to measurement, valuable opportunities are lost. The real gains come when identity is paired with high-quality signals and constant optimization — a process that compounds results over time and strengthens the open Internet’s ability to compete.
Privacy as a Performance Driver
This is where privacy becomes more than a compliance requirement. Protecting and curating the consumer data you’ve earned the privilege to collect isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s a direct driver of performance. Data stewardship builds trust, increases efficiency, and reduces the need for sweeping global regulations, because the market is already incentivized to protect what has become its most valuable asset.
AI Will Be Common — Data Will Be Rare
The rise of AI only makes this more urgent. As models become commoditized, the edge will go to those who control the richest, most trusted, and most exclusive datasets. Algorithms will be available to everyone; the real differentiation will come from the quality of the data they run on.
The Path Forward Closes the Loop in Real-Time
Bringing these threads together, the future belongs to those who unify identity, AI, and curated first-party data into a single performance system. By closing the loop in real-time from targeting to measurement to optimization — and treating consumer data as the high-value competitive asset it truly is — the open Internet doesn’t just compete, it wins. The result: scalable performance, sustainable revenue for publishers, and stronger protections for consumers.
Conclusion
The open Internet is at a crossroads. The forces of walled gardens, AI aggregation, and signal loss are accelerating — but so are the opportunities for those willing to rethink how performance is built. The strategies in this conversation aren’t abstract concepts for the future; they’re actionable now for advertisers, publishers, and partners ready to control their own outcomes.
The choice is clear: keep competing for a shrinking share of addressable inventory, or connect the full round trip and compete on scale, trust, and measurable results.
Watch the full seven-minute Cannes conversation to see how these ideas can be applied to your own corner of the media and marketing value chain.