Core roles
AIP involves three main actors:| Role | Description |
|---|---|
| Platform | Any AI surface that uses an ad network(AIP Operator) SDK to send anonymized intent. |
| Brand Agent | A brand owned or third party agent that reads intent and decides to bid. |
| Operator | Any ad network that implements AIP. AdMesh is the reference operator. Any compliant operator may implement AIP. |
Event units
AIP uses three verified units of engagement.Only one unit can settle for each serve token.
| Unit | Meaning | Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| CPX (Exposure) | A verified sponsored response was shown and met exposure criteria. | Exposure event recorded |
| CPC (Click) | User clicked or interacted | Click event verified |
| CPA (Conversion) | User completed a signup or transaction | Conversion verified |
No event is billed twice. Exposure criteria are defined by the operator and applied consistently across all platforms.
Life cycle of an AIP event
Below is the typical flow from intent to settlement:- User expresses intent inside an AI conversation.
- Platform sends anonymized context to the operator using a PlatformRequest (UCP format).
- Operator runs a real time auction.
- Brand agents submit bids in response to a ContextRequest (UCP-like format).
- Operator selects the winning bid and returns it to the platform.
- Platform displays the sponsored response.
- User may see, click, or convert.
- Operator verifies the event and settles the payout in the ledger.
Verification and settlement
Every AIP event uses a serve token that links all downstream actions.The serve token is generated once per sponsored response and cannot be reused.
This guarantees:
- one verified charge per event
- no double billing
- consistent upgrade rules (CPA over CPC over CPX)
- deterministic settlement through connected wallets
Transparency and compliance
AIP is designed to be simple and verifiable:- no personal identifiers
- every event is signed
- works with any network that supports the schema
- full audit trail is available to all parties
- The protocol is transport-agnostic and can coexist with other advertising systems.