The 2025 Identity Landscape Series: Adaptive Identity

Digital advertising is undergoing major change as privacy regulations, platform shifts, and consumer expectations reshape the landscape. When ID5 first launched the Identity Landscape series in 2022, the ecosystem looked very different. Chrome had only recently announced its intention to deprecate third-party cookies, and while privacy was already a priority, the legislative landscape was less fragmented; fewer U.S. state laws were in effect, and compliance frameworks were more centralized. Channels like CTV, digital audio and gaming were gaining traction but had yet to become core components in most media plans. At the time, identity was still viewed largely as a technical hurdle and primarily a web challenge, given the expected demise of third-party cookies. Today, identity is a strategic priority for all digital channels. 

This article marks the relaunch of the Identity Landscape series. In the coming months, we’ll explore how identity solutions are evolving, from identity graphs and data collaboration to buyer and publisher needs, and the complexities of identity in emerging channels. We begin with the rise of AI and how machine learning is enabling a new era of adaptive identity.

One of the most significant differences between the identity landscape in 2021 and today is the accelerated rise of artificial intelligence. While machine learning existed then, AI had yet to make a meaningful impact on adtech. Today, it’s emerging as a powerful tool for solving identity resolution.

AI can help the industry close the gap between scale and signal loss. Not only does it enhance campaign performance, it can power the very infrastructure needed to recognize and connect users across complex, consent-driven ecosystems. Machine learning powers identity by continuously interpreting signals, refining user profiles, and resolving fragmented data.

Here are three critical areas where AI drives value:

The growing complexity of the digital ecosystem, combined with tighter privacy constraints and platform restrictions, requires identity solutions that are dynamic, responsive, and built to adapt. This is where the concept of adaptive identity, powered by machine learning, comes into play.

Adaptive identity refers to a dynamic approach to recognizing users across channels and devices in a privacy-conscious way. Unlike static legacy solutions that rely on a single identifier, adaptive identity frameworks integrate multiple data points for both authenticated and non-authenticated users.

At ID5, our Adaptive Identity technology is built to learn and evolve, responding to signal loss, industry shifts, and regulatory changes so you can maximize performance and media value with confidence.

Designed to support both marketers and publishers across today’s fragmented landscape, it ensures identity resolution that is scalable, compliant, and cross-environment.

The modern media journey is complex. Audiences move fluidly between channels, devices, and contexts. Consider these shifts:

At the same time, the adtech ecosystem faces a growing patchwork of privacy legislation, from GDPR in Europe to CPRA in California, to newer state laws across the U.S. These regulations vary in scope and enforcement, but all point to the same trend: users must be given greater transparency and control over their data.

To understand the real power of adaptive identity, let’s look at how it plays out in everyday consumer journeys:

A user sees an ad while browsing on their laptop. They are then served the same ad repeatedly on their phone. Yet, without a unified view of the user, platforms can’t properly manage reach and frequency. Adaptive identity enables brands to monitor cross-screen exposure and apply frequency caps more intelligently, preventing oversaturation and ensuring messaging stays effective.

A user sees a brand ad on Prime Video, then makes a purchase via the mobile app the next day. However, CTV doesn’t support cookies, clicks, or direct measurement paths. With adaptive identity, marketers can connect the dots between a user’s CTV viewing and their later actions on mobile, enabling accurate measurement, even when there’s no clear user login or deterministic link.

Adaptive identity is more than a strategy; it’s the infrastructure that supports addressable, privacy-respectful advertising. At ID5, we’re committed to helping the ecosystem move beyond static identity toward a smarter, future-proof approach. The future of identity belongs to solutions that adapt - to user behavior, regulatory shifts, and technology changes alike.

Over the next few months, we’ll dive deeper into the technologies and strategies shaping the identity landscape: