X starts rolling out a rebuilt ad platform that uses AI

In short: X says it has begun rolling out a rebuilt advertising platform that uses AI to help advertisers target and manage campaigns.

What happened

X, the social network owned by Elon Musk, says it has started a phased rollout of a new ads platform. A phased rollout means it will reach advertisers in stages, not all at once.

The company says the rebuilt system uses AI, which is software that can spot patterns and make decisions based on data, to improve how ads are chosen and shown to people. X says this should help marketers run more targeted campaigns and have more control over settings.

X also says the new platform will improve ad “retrieval and ranking,” which is a way of deciding which ad to show and in what order (like a fast sorting system that picks the best match first). The goal, according to X, is better ad placement and more precise targeting.

The move comes as X tries to grow ad revenue again. TechCrunch cited forecasts from eMarketer estimating X ad revenue at about $2.26 billion in 2025 and $2.46 billion in 2026. That would still be about half of Twitter’s 2021 ad business, before the company was renamed to X.

TechCrunch also notes that X merged with Musk’s AI company, xAI, last year. X’s head of global advertising at xAI, Monique Pintarelli, said in a statement posted on X that advertisers should expect continuous updates and new features.

Why it matters

Ads pay for many free online services. If X’s new system makes it easier for brands, including smaller businesses, to create and manage ads, it could bring more advertising back to the platform and change what kinds of ads people see in their feeds.

Source: TechCrunch AI