In this episode of the Programmatic Digest, Hélène Parker sits down with Dr. Augustine Fou, founder of Fou Analytics, to unpack the realities of ad fraud, attribution, AI, and programmatic optimization.

Dr. Fou challenges some of the metrics and tools our industry has relied on for years, explaining how bots can manipulate signals like CTR and how algorithms can unintentionally optimize toward fraudulent inventory. The conversation also explores the limitations of traditional fraud detection, the importance of independent verification, and how traders can use more granular data, including placements and Seller IDs, to better understand where their budgets are actually going.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple question: Are we optimizing for metrics, or are we optimizing for real business outcomes?

ICYMI, Episode 203 is live!