The short version

Ben Thompson predicted on April 26, 2021: “Apple's ATT will accelerate the shift to first-party data and benefit the largest platforms with logged-in users — Facebook included, eventually.” Verdict: Called it. Thompson predicted ATT would ultimately strengthen the biggest logged-in platforms despite short-term Meta pain. Confirmed: Meta rebuilt its ad stack with AI (Andromeda, Advantage+) and posted record revenue 2023–25,…

Prediction by

Ben Thompson

On April 26, 2021

“Apple's ATT will accelerate the shift to first-party data and benefit the largest platforms with logged-in users — Facebook included, eventually.”

Follow-up

Thompson predicted ATT would ultimately strengthen the biggest logged-in platforms despite short-term Meta pain. Confirmed: Meta rebuilt its ad stack with AI (Andromeda, Advantage+) and posted record revenue 2023–25, while small advertisers and the open web absorbed the damage.

From the High Caliber AI network — see the AI for PR module in the course.