Automated Advertising sales versus Programmatic ad sales 
What triggered this thought process was the article below: 
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/167853/the-shifting-tides-of-video-advertising.html?c=93485

Ad sales will be similar to the financial  industry ( Wall Street Traders) in many ways. For more complex sales there will be the need for  human interaction. For the simpler ad sales automation will increase over time as the tools and technology fall in place 

In the finance industry many times the imminent end of all human traders was announced with all trades forecast as becoming automated. The reality was that more complex financial intstruments were created which necessitated the need for the traders. In a similar manner Ad sales is becoming more complex. There is linear ad sales and VOD ad sales. There are multiple destination devices ( not just TV). Addressability is increasing particularly on Multiscreen devices. Thus although automation will increase the sale function is unlikely to be completely automated.