Exploring the Future of Ad Tech and AI: Insights from Scott Tieman, Global Managing Director at Star

Disclaimer: Unofficially CES is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by CES.

We had the opportunity to speak with Scott Tieman, Global Managing Director at Star, during CES 2025. In our conversation, Scott shared valuable insights into how his company is transforming digital product innovation and leveraging AI to solve complex client challenges. Here’s a snapshot of our conversation:

Q: Can you start by telling us a bit about yourself and your background?

Scott Tieman: Absolutely. I’ve spent the majority of my career working in consulting and professional services. I was part of the early team at Accenture Interactive that helped transform it from an idea into what is now Accenture Song, a major growth driver for the company. Over my time there, I led multiple initiatives, including building out our personalization offering and launching Accenture’s media agency services business.

After a decade at Accenture, I joined Star, a product innovation consultancy. Our focus is on designing custom digital products and platforms that solve real-world challenges for agencies and ad tech companies.

Q: What does Star do, and how do you help your clients?

Scott Tieman: At Star, we build custom digital products and technology solutions for marketers, advertisers, and data scientists. Many of the platforms used in the ad tech space today were designed and developed by Star.

A great example is our work with a large agency holding company. Over the past decade, we’ve been their primary digital transformation partner, helping them build everything from data reporting suites to meta-DSP tools that allow agencies to manage video campaigns from one central hub. Recently, we’ve been helping them integrate AI tools to enhance their operations across 68 global markets.

Q: AI is transforming how technology is built today. How are you helping clients manage legacy systems while integrating AI?

Scott Tieman: That’s a great question. We’re seeing a shift from standalone AI tools to AI deeply embedded into platforms. Many agencies are investing in what we call next-generation platforms, where AI is at the core.

We help clients think beyond just use cases and really embed AI into their workflows. For example, AI can enable media planners, creative strategists, and production teams to work more efficiently by surfacing relevant data, predicting outcomes, and optimizing processes in real-time. It’s about ensuring the entire organization can leverage AI for smarter decision-making.

Q: With agentic AI on the rise, what do you think will be the real impact on people and technology?

Scott Tieman: I think AI is less about replacing people and more about enhancing human capabilities. What we’re seeing is that AI allows people to do more at scale and focus on higher-value tasks. It creates opportunities for people to work in new and exciting ways.

For example, some companies are experimenting with self-service AI tools that replace certain enterprise systems. However, it’s still early days, and while these tools can be disruptive, they’re not necessarily going to replace entire departments. Instead, we’re seeing people working hand-in-hand with AI to achieve better outcomes.

Q: At CES, what are the key themes you’ve noticed?

Scott Tieman: There are a few key themes that stand out:

1. Technology is moving from a cost center to a profit center in agencies. Instead of viewing technology as a necessary expense, agencies are now building revenue-generating platforms.

2. There’s a lot of focus on integration and consolidation. Large agencies are centralizing their tech stacks to achieve scale and efficiency.

3. And, of course, AI is at the forefront of every conversation. It’s transforming how agencies approach everything from creative production to media buying.

Q: If you had a magic wand and could build any product or service for your clients, what would it be?

Scott Tieman: If I had a magic wand, I would create next-gen platforms that enable seamless collaboration across organizations. These platforms would personalize workflows, integrate AI to improve efficiency, and offer predictive capabilities.

For example, imagine a platform that knows your role, understands your workflow, and can predict what you need next—whether it’s a report, an analysis, or even creative suggestions. These systems would allow users to interact conversationally and adapt to specific business needs. That’s the type of future we’re building toward at Star.

Subscribe | Forward

/

Not affiliated with CES or the Consumer Technology Association (CTA).

ClickZ is a Contentive publication in the Events division