Dhruv Patel on AI, Upsells & Rokt’s $600M Ecommerce Strategy

1. How does the ACE generative AI tool differ from traditional ad‑optimization tools, and what measurable impact has it made on advertiser ROI so far?

The ACE (Adaptive Content Engine) generative AI tool represents a step-change in creative optimization for performance marketing within the Rokt platform. Unlike traditional ad-optimization tools that rely heavily on manual A/B testing or rule-based systems, ACE leverages advanced generative AI models trained specifically on Rokt’s proprietary Transaction Moment dataset. This enables it to generate and adapt ad creatives in real time, tailored to highly specific transactional contexts and consumer intent signals.

Whereas traditional systems typically iterate on a limited set of static variants, ACE dynamically crafts new creative variations that reflect subtle but impactful differences in tone, format, copy, and visual elements. It uses natural language generation, machine learning, and experimental design to systematically find the wording that resonates best with each audience, often yielding substantial conversion lifts (on average ~21% lift in conversion rates). It does so with a deep contextual understanding of what performs best on Rokt.

Advertisers using ACE have seen measurable performance gains, with the tool consistently delivering improvements in click-through rates, conversion rates, and ultimately return on investment (ROI). In benchmark testing, ACE-generated creatives have outperformed legacy variants by +20% conversion rates across key verticals. These gains translate into more efficient customer acquisition and higher revenue per impression, particularly for brands focused on maximizing the impact of performance marketing budgets.

2. What synergies are you seeing post‑acquisition of Aftersell, particularly in terms of upsell opportunities during cart, checkout, and post‑purchase moments?

Aftersell’s native “Upsells” capability has already lifted average-order-value by 15 %+ for thousands of Shopify merchants. By merging that engine with the Rokt Brain, we’re now deploying the same bespoke cross-sell logic to enterprise-scale retailers on Rokt’s network, unlocking materially larger revenue pools. Integrating Rokt Thanks into Aftersell lets merchants convert what was once a passive confirmation page into a high-intent engagement surface, delivering fresh incremental profit while preserving a premium shopper experience. The enhanced commercial model from this gives us reinvestment firepower to keep building first-party tools that compound those gains for merchants.

And, with Aftersell anchoring us in the DTC ecosystem, Rokt Ads can now reach a new segment of brands while simultaneously giving the entire network access to a broader pool of high-quality advertisers. Ultimately, this leads to more ad demand diversification and better results for our ecommerce partners and advertisers. 

3. You grew revenue by 40 % YoY to reach $600 million. What were the key levers of that growth, and what does 2025 look like from a revenue‑strategy perspective?

In 2024, we drove a 40 % year-over-year lift to $600 million by landing a wave of new ecommerce partners—vastly expanding supply—and by unlocking higher spend from existing advertisers across the network. For 2025, our plan is to compound that momentum by focusing on four priorities: first, elevating relevancy so every impression shown to shoppers performs better; second, broadening demand by winning new client segments and verticals; third, rapidly scaling Rokt Pay+, which turns the payments page into a profit engine; and fourth, integrating mParticle to deepen our CDP capabilities. Alongside these initiatives, we will keep pushing both supply and demand growth aggressively, onboarding bigger brands and powering transactions at an even faster clip.

4. What are the most overlooked moments in the ecommerce transaction journey where you are delivering hidden value for clients?

Ecommerce teams usually fixate on acquisition and product pages, but the quiet profit is hiding in checkout. For example, Rokt turns what merchants see as a cost center (the payments step) into a revenue engine by letting payment providers and BNPL partners compete for a placement, so every click monetizes itself without adding friction. In other placements, such as the cart, our ML can surface in one-click add-ons that lift AOV before the order even finalizes, while the order-confirmation page surfaces premium first- or third-party offers that convert at engagement rates multiples above standard ads. By optimizing these moments, Rokt consistently unlocks incremental dollars per transaction and upgrades overall unit economics that most brands never realize are possible.

5. What advice would you give to ecommerce brands looking to drive more value at the point of transaction without compromising customer experience?

To drive more value at the point of transaction without compromising the customer experience, it’s critical to start by letting data guide every decision. Treat each checkout change as a hypothesis: instrument the funnel end-to-end, set clear success metrics such as incremental revenue per session or attachment-rate lift, and test relentlessly. Evidence-backed micro-optimizations always win over sweeping, unvalidated redesigns and protect the shopper experience while surfacing new revenue. Equally important, ensure strong foundations, especially identity resolution. When you can reliably recognize a shopper across devices and sessions, you can present tailored offers, payment methods, and loyalty nudges that feel helpful rather than intrusive, which ultimately drive more incremental revenue. A strong data foundation turns checkout into a moment of relevant value instead of an upsell that clutters the journey.

6. How does your recent appointment—and those of your fellow leaders—support Rokt’s broader goals for growth and innovation?

My role as CPO is to integrate our products—Rokt Ads, Pay+, Thanks, and Aftersell—into one cohesive, AI-powered platform that helps brands and retailers deliver more relevant experiences at the moment of transaction. It’s about turning our data and AI advantage into products that are simple to use, drive real results, and become essential to our partners.

Claire, as Chief AI Officer, is making sure our models continue to get smarter, faster. Her team is building the AI capabilities that power everything from relevance to creative generation—like our new ACE (Adaptive Content Engine) tool—and making sure that innovation is responsibly applied and easy to integrate into our products.

Pete, as SVP of Advertiser Partnerships, is focused on growing and strengthening our advertiser ecosystem. He’s helping us bring in new categories and deepen relationships with top brands, which feeds even more data and demand into the platform.

Together, we’re tightening the loop between product, AI, and partnerships—so Rokt can keep pushing the boundaries of real-time relevance and fuel the next phase of our growth.

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