Ep. 147: The Partnership Layer of AI with Google’s Ravi Viswanathan

AdTechGod sits down with Ravi Viswanathan, Strategic Partnerships Lead at Google, to discuss his journey from software engineering to partnerships, more than a decade at Google, and how AI could reshape advertising. They explore generative creative, new ad-supported business models, consumer value exchange, and Ravi’s approach to building trusted partnerships. Takeaways: - A technical background can create credibility and deeper trust in strategic partnerships. - AI’s impact extends beyond productivity into creative generation and entirely new advertising experiences. - Advertising could increasingly subsidize services such as mobile plans, hardware, and other everyday costs. - Successful ad-supported models require a transparent and fair value exchange with consumers. - Great partnerships begin by understanding the partner’s problem rather than focusing on what you want to sell. - Curiosity, technical fluency, and trust can lead to stronger client relationships and long-term career growth. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the AdTechGod Pod 00:13 Meet Ravi Viswanathan, Strategic Partnerships Lead at Google 01:12 Ravi’s Career Journey: Engineering to Strategic Partnerships 04:07 Why Technical Knowledge Matters in Partnerships 05:05 Why Ravi Has Stayed at Google for 11 Years 07:30 The Continuing Evolution of Advertising 08:09 How AI Is Changing Careers and Advertising 10:02 AI-Powered Pricing, Targeting, and Generative Creative 10:40 Will Consumers Accept Fully AI-Generated Advertising? 14:22 What’s Next for Advertising? 16:10 Advertising Across New Screens and Consumer Touchpoints 17:27 The Future of Ad-Supported Business Models 20:07 Creating a Fair Value Exchange for Consumers 20:45 Misconceptions About Working With Google 22:38 Ravi’s Career and Partnership Advice 24:23 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices