In the ever-evolving digital advertising landscape, organisations have long relied on third-party vendors for ad measurement and analytics. These external solutions often come at significant costs—both financially and in terms of data control. However, Viharika Bhimanapati, a Microsoft Certified Azure AI Engineer Associate and AWS AI expert, saw an opportunity to challenge this norm. By spearheading the development of an AI-powered in-house ad measurement system, she not only reduced vendor dependencies but also redefined how her team approached advertising data management through intelligent automation.

“Our goal was not just to cut costs but to take full control of our advertising data. By leveraging AI, we could ensure precision, transparency, and adaptability, which third-party solutions often lack,” says Viharika.

Her initiative marked a strategic shift in ad performance monitoring, analysis, and optimisation. By integrating AI tools like Microsoft Copilot and GitHub Copilot, the system empowered teams to reclaim data ownership while adding unprecedented intelligence to the ad measurement process. This AI-enhanced solution has since become the backbone of the organisation’s ad tech strategy.

From Cost Center to AI-Driven Profit Engine

Viharika’s project was not just a financial decision—it was a transformation. By eliminating external vendor costs, the AI-powered system delivered substantial savings. “We turned what was traditionally seen as a cost center into a driver of profitability and intelligent ad spend optimisation,” she explains. “Every dollar saved reinforced the power of AI-driven internal innovation over expensive, outsourced alternatives.”

Beyond financial benefits, the system enabled greater customisation. Teams could tailor ad measurement metrics to align with specific business objectives. “With AI-driven insights, we moved from generic ad reports to highly refined metrics that better align with our advertising goals,” she adds.

AI-Driven Real-Time Insights

A significant breakthrough was the integration of cloud-based ad measurement with AI-powered analytics services. By utilising tools like Grafana and Splunk, teams could access real-time metrics and respond proactively to trends and potential issues.

“This level of visibility was a game changer. Our teams could make data-driven decisions on the fly, optimising ad strategies in real time,” says Viharika. “Automation, powered by Microsoft and GitHub Copilot, reduced the need for manual intervention, allowing us to focus on strategy rather than routine tasks.”

Technical Mastery and Scalable Innovation

Viharika’s approach demonstrated a deep command of AI and cloud technologies. The solution integrated core AWS services such as S3, EC2, EMR, and real-time processing tools like Kinesis and Flink, ensuring efficient data management. “We built a modular, scalable system using Python scripts refined with AI-powered assistance, which streamlined data validation and transformation,” she explains.

By incorporating AWS Glue for data transformation and leveraging microservices with Kubernetes, Docker, and Hadoop, the system achieved high efficiency. AWS Lambda functions and Spark streaming jobs ensured optimal performance and data integrity.

Setting the New Standard for Ad Measurement

The impact of Viharika’s project extends far beyond immediate gains. “This AI-powered system established new benchmarks for ad measurement, giving us better control, accuracy, and predictive capabilities,” she states.

Her success serves as a model for companies looking to bring ad measurement in-house. “As more businesses embrace AI-driven innovation, our system proves that internal solutions can not only match but exceed the performance of third-party vendors,” Viharika concludes.

About Viharika Bhimanapati

Viharika Bhimanapati is a Microsoft Certified Azure AI Engineer Associate and AWS Certified AI professional with deep expertise in designing AI-powered, scalable automated systems. Her groundbreaking work in ad tech sets new industry standards, combining technical precision with AI-driven strategic solutions. Passionate about AI innovation, she continues to drive efficiency and cost savings while transforming business operations.