Server-Guided Ad Insertion (SGAI)

A hybrid streaming approach where the server marks ad breaks in the manifest and the player fetches and plays the ads itself.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Server-guided ad insertion (SGAI) is a hybrid streaming approach in which the server marks ad breaks in the manifest and the player fetches and plays the ads itself. It aims to combine the seamless experience of server-side insertion with the flexibility, personalization, and client-side tracking of client-side insertion.