This week, Microsoft Advertising announced that it will shut down its Invest DSP by early 2026. The company claims that “AI-native” solutions have outgrown the need for traditional demand-side platforms. Whether or not you buy that framing, one thing is clear: Big Tech is once again rewriting the rules mid-game—and smaller advertisers are left to deal with the fallout.

At DSPolitical, we were once huge fans of Xandr (previously AppNexus). It was the foundation of what eventually became Microsoft’s Invest DSP—the very platform they’re now shutting down. It was a strong platform with impactful capabilities. But that relationship ended when Microsoft abruptly banned political advertising. We said it then and we’ll say it now:

When tech giants remove access to digital tools that are vital to democracy, voters lose.

Political ad bans don’t level the playing field—they tilt it even further in favor of the already powerful. Incumbents keep their name ID. Deep-pocketed corporate interests keep advertising. Advocates, reformers, and challengers are silenced. That’s not innovation—it’s abdication.

Now, with Microsoft walking away from the DSP space entirely, they’re confirming what we’ve known for a while: if your ad program relies on any single platform, you’re not future-proof—you’re exposed.

That’s why we’ve spent the past several years building an infrastructure that works because platforms change, not in spite of it. From deterministic ID matching to spine-to-spine CTV integrations, we’re giving Democratic campaigns and causes the tools they need to stay agile, precise, and resilient.

AI might reshape advertising. But democratic engagement isn’t something you can fully automate. It still takes strategy, intent, and platforms that don’t vanish when the business model changes.

We’re proud to be one of them. And while Microsoft is laying off thousands of workers to chase an AI-first future, we’re doubling down on building resilient, people-powered solutions that support campaigns, causes, and the voters they serve.

In this moment of upheaval, we’re not chasing shiny objects—we’re building what lasts.