Programmatic advertising uses automated technology to buy and sell digital ad inventory, allowing for more precise targeting of audiences. It evolved from earlier ad networks as a way to centralize inventory sources, minimize costs, and enable smarter targeting through data. Programmatic exchanges function as marketplaces where publishers' ad space is bought and sold via real-time bidding or through private deals. This makes the process more efficient than manual negotiations and reduces overhead, driving the growth of programmatic as the dominant form of digital advertising. India in particular has seen rapid growth in programmatic, with spending projected to reach 800 crore rupees in 2017.