Paramount Skydance Unveils AI-Driven Ad Tech and Pluto TV Overhaul at NYC Upfront Event

On Tuesday night, the Paramount Skydance leadership team delivered their upfront pitch to advertisers from Omnicom at Storied in New York City. The intimate gathering, limited to around 100 attendees, avoided the traditional May upfronts week to offer a tailored experience for ad agencies. Similar events were held in Los Angeles and Chicago.

The presentation emphasized David Ellison’s vision to transform Paramount into a tech-driven media powerhouse, leveraging A-list talent and franchises. Key advancements teased included:

• Fixed ad units for Paramount+ series
• Agentic buying powered by AI
• A “complete evolution” of Pluto TV, planned for this summer

“Our goal is to build a leading media and entertainment company that strengthens competition, better serves the creative community and delivers even more compelling stories to audiences around the world,” Ellison told attendees.

Ellison added, “We are doing exactly that by investing in great content and attracting and empowering exceptional talent, both in front of and behind the camera, and equipping our people with cutting-edge technology that enables them to do their best work.”

Highlighted projects included:

• The Daily Show
• Taylor Sheridan’s The Madison and Dutton Ranch
• The upcoming series Discretion, starring Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman
• Fear Not, starring Anne Hathaway
• Sports properties such as the NFL, The Masters, March Madness, and the UFC

“When I was at Netflix, we would have crawled over broken glass for a long way to have the kind of IP that Paramount has, and the rich library and the history,” said Cindy Holland, Paramount’s chief of direct-to-consumer, during a conversation moderated by Uzo Aduba.

The event featured in-person appearances by talent including Kelly Reilly, Elle Chapman, Cole Hauser, Ronny Chieng, Ms. Pat, Ian Eagle, and JJ Watts, along with a musical performance by Wyclef Jean.

A short film directed by Jon M. Chu showcased Paramount’s talent, featuring Will Smith, the Duffer Brothers, and Tom Cruise atop the Paramount water tower.

“We believe deeply in the power of stories to entertain, connect, and inspire audiences everywhere,” Ellison said. “All of us in this room understand that we’re competing for something incredibly scarce: attention. And attention only comes when audiences truly care about what they are watching. That’s where the opportunity lies.”

He continued, “When storytelling and marketing are aligned, something really powerful happens. Brands stop feeling like interruptions and start becoming part of the experience. It’s no longer just about reach. It’s about resonance. In a world of endless choice, our goal at Paramount is simple: to connect what audiences love with what brands value.”