AdCP — activate

Task: Activate a signal for use on a specific platform/account. Response Time: Minutes to days (asynchronous with potential human-in-the-loop) Request Schema: https://adcontextprotocol.org/schemas/v3/signals/activate-signal-request.json Response Schema: https://adcontextprotocol.org/schemas/v3/signals/activate-signal-response.json The activate_signal task handles the entire activation lifecycle, including:

Initiating the activation request
Monitoring activation progress
Returning the final deployment status

Request Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`signal_agent_segment_id`	string	Yes	The universal identifier for the signal to activate
`action`	string	No	`"activate"` (default) or `"deactivate"`. Deactivating removes segments from downstream platforms for data governance compliance (GDPR, CCPA).
`destinations`	Destination[]	Yes	Target destination(s) for activation (see Destination Object below)
`account`	AccountRef	No	Account for this activation. Associates with a commercial relationship established via `sync_accounts`.
`pricing_option_id`	string	Yes (if signal has pricing options)	The pricing option selected from `pricing_options` in the `get_signals` response. Records the buyer’s pricing commitment at activation time. Pass this same value in subsequent `report_usage` calls.

Destination Object

Each deployment target uses a type field to discriminate between platform-based and agent-based deployments:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`type`	string	Yes	Discriminator: “platform” for DSPs, “agent” for sales agents
`platform`	string	Conditional*	Platform identifier (e.g., ‘the-trade-desk’, ‘amazon-dsp’). Required when type=“platform”
`agent_url`	string (URI)	Conditional*	URL identifying the sales agent. Required when type=“agent”
`account`	string	No	Account identifier on the platform or agent

*platform is required when type="platform", agent_url is required when type="agent". Activation Keys: If the authenticated caller has access to any of the deployment targets in the request, the signal agent will include activation_key in the response for those deployments. Permission Model: The signal agent determines key inclusion based on the caller’s authentication and authorization. For example:

A sales agent receives keys for deployments matching its agent_url
A buyer with credentials for multiple DSP platforms receives keys for all those deployments
Access is determined by the signal agent’s permission system, not by flags in the request

Response Structure

All AdCP responses include:

message: Human-readable summary of the activation status
context_id: Session continuity identifier for tracking progress
data: Task-specific payload (see Response Data below)

The response structure is identical across protocols, with only the transport wrapper differing:

MCP: Returns complete response as flat JSON
A2A: Returns as artifacts with message in text part, data in data part

For asynchronous operations like activation, both protocols support:

Status tracking: Check completion status via task_id
Progress updates: Real-time updates on activation progress

Response Data

{
  "deployments": [
    {
      "type": "platform",
      "platform": "string",
      "account": "string",
      "activation_key": {
        "type": "segment_id",
        "segment_id": "string"
      },
      "estimated_activation_duration_minutes": "number",
      "deployed_at": "string"
    }
  ],
  "errors": [
    {
      "code": "string",
      "message": "string",
      "field": "string",
      "suggestion": "string",
      "details": {}
    }
  ]
}

Field Descriptions

deployments: Array of deployment results for each deployment target
- platform: Platform identifier for DSPs (either platform or agent_url will be present)
- agent_url: URL identifying the deployment agent (either platform or agent_url will be present)
- account: Account identifier if applicable
- activation_key: The key to use for targeting (see Activation Key below). Only present if the authenticated caller has access to this deployment.
- estimated_activation_duration_minutes: Estimated completion time for async operations
- deployed_at: ISO 8601 timestamp when activation completed
errors: Optional array of errors and warnings encountered during activation
- code: Standardized error code for programmatic handling
- message: Human-readable error description with context
- field: Field path associated with the error (optional)
- suggestion: Suggested fix for the error (optional)
- details: Additional activation-specific error details (optional)

Activation Key Object

The activation key represents how to use the signal on a deployment target. It can be either a segment ID or a key-value pair: Segment ID format (typical for DSP platforms):

{
  "type": "segment_id",
  "segment_id": "ttd_segment_12345"
}

Key-Value format (typical for sales agents):

{
  "type": "key_value",
  "key": "audience_segment",
  "value": "luxury_auto_intenders"
}

Protocol-Specific Examples

The AdCP payload is identical across protocols. Only the request/response wrapper differs.

MCP Request - Sales Agent Activation

{
  "tool": "activate_signal",
  "arguments": {
    "signal_agent_segment_id": "luxury_auto_intenders",
    "pricing_option_id": "po_cpm_usd",
    "destinations": [{
      "type": "agent",
      "agent_url": "https://wonderstruck.salesagents.com"
    }]
  }
}

MCP Response - Synchronous (Key-Value)

Immediate response with activation key:

{
  "$schema": "/schemas/signals/activate-signal-response.json",
  "message": "Signal successfully activated on Wonderstruck sales agent",
  "context_id": "ctx-signals-123",
  "deployments": [{
    "type": "agent",
    "agent_url": "https://wonderstruck.salesagents.com",
    "is_live": true,
    "activation_key": {
      "type": "key_value",
      "key": "audience_segment",
      "value": "luxury_auto_intenders_v2"
    },
    "deployed_at": "2025-01-15T14:30:00Z"
  }]
}

MCP Request - DSP Platform Activation

{
  "tool": "activate_signal",
  "arguments": {
    "signal_agent_segment_id": "luxury_auto_intenders",
    "pricing_option_id": "po_cpm_usd",
    "destinations": [{
      "type": "platform",
      "platform": "the-trade-desk",
      "account": "agency-123-ttd"
    }]
  }
}

MCP Response - Asynchronous (Segment ID)

Initial response:

{
  "$schema": "/schemas/signals/activate-signal-response.json",
  "message": "Initiating activation of 'Luxury Auto Intenders' on The Trade Desk",
  "context_id": "ctx-signals-123",
  "deployments": [{
    "type": "platform",
    "platform": "the-trade-desk",
    "account": "agency-123-ttd",
    "is_live": false,
    "estimated_activation_duration_minutes": 30
  }]
}

After polling for completion:

{
  "$schema": "/schemas/signals/activate-signal-response.json",
  "message": "Signal successfully activated on The Trade Desk",
  "context_id": "ctx-signals-123",
  "deployments": [{
    "type": "platform",
    "platform": "the-trade-desk",
    "account": "agency-123-ttd",
    "is_live": true,
    "activation_key": {
      "type": "segment_id",
      "segment_id": "ttd_agency123_lux_auto"
    },
    "deployed_at": "2025-01-15T14:30:00Z"
  }]
}

A2A Request

Natural Language Invocation

await a2a.send({
  message: {
    parts: [{
      kind: "text",
      text: "Please activate the luxury_auto_intenders signal on The Trade Desk for account agency-123-ttd."
    }]
  }
});

Explicit Skill Invocation

await a2a.send({
  message: {
    parts: [{
      kind: "data",
      data: {
        skill: "activate_signal",
        parameters: {
          signal_agent_segment_id: "luxury_auto_intenders",
          pricing_option_id: "po_cpm_usd",
          destinations: [{
            type: "platform",
            platform: "the-trade-desk",
            account: "agency-123-ttd"
          }]
        }
      }
    }]
  }
});

A2A Response (with streaming)

Initial response:

{
  "taskId": "task-signal-001",
  "status": { "state": "working" }
}

Then via Server-Sent Events:

data: {"message": "Validating signal access permissions..."}
data: {"message": "Configuring deployment on The Trade Desk..."}
data: {"message": "Finalizing activation..."}
data: {"status": {"state": "completed"}, "artifacts": [{
  "artifactId": "artifact-signal-activation-abc123",
  "name": "signal_activation_result",
  "parts": [
    {"kind": "text", "text": "Signal successfully activated on The Trade Desk"},
    {"kind": "data", "data": {
      "context_id": "ctx-signals-123",
      "deployments": [{
        "type": "platform",
        "platform": "the-trade-desk",
        "account": "agency-123-ttd",
        "activation_key": {
          "type": "segment_id",
          "segment_id": "ttd_agency123_lux_auto"
        },
        "deployed_at": "2025-01-15T14:30:00Z"
      }]
    }}
  ]
}]}

Protocol Transport

MCP: Returns task_id for polling-based asynchronous operation tracking or webhook-based push notifications
A2A: Uses Server-Sent Events for real-time progress updates and completion
Data Consistency: Both protocols contain identical AdCP data structures and version information

Webhook Support

For long-running activations (when initial response is submitted), configure a webhook to receive the complete response when activation completes:

const response = await session.call('activate_signal',
  {
    signal_agent_segment_id: "luxury_auto_intenders",
    pricing_option_id: "po_cpm_usd",
    destinations: [{
      type: "platform",
      platform: "the-trade-desk",
      account: "agency-123-ttd"
    }]
  },
  {
    webhook_url: "https://buyer.com/webhooks/adcp/activate_signal/agent_id/op_id",
    webhook_auth: { type: "bearer", credentials: "secret-token" }
  }
);

When activation completes, you receive the full activate_signal response:

POST /webhooks/adcp/activate_signal/agent_id/op_id HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer secret-token

{
  "deployments": [{
    "type": "platform",
    "platform": "the-trade-desk",
    "account": "agency-123-ttd",
    "activation_key": {
      "type": "segment_id",
      "segment_id": "ttd_agency123_lux_auto"
    },
    "deployed_at": "2025-01-15T14:30:00Z"
  }]
}

See Webhooks for complete details on webhook configuration and reliability.

Scenarios

Async Activation - Initial Response (Pending)

Message: “I’ve initiated activation of ‘Luxury Automotive Context’ on PubMatic for account brand-456-pm. This typically takes about 60 minutes. I’ll monitor the progress and notify you when it’s ready to use.” Complete Response:

{
  "$schema": "/schemas/signals/activate-signal-response.json",
  "message": "I've initiated activation of 'Luxury Automotive Context' on PubMatic for account brand-456-pm. This typically takes about 60 minutes. I'll monitor the progress and notify you when it's ready to use.",
  "context_id": "ctx-signals-def456",
  "deployments": [{
    "type": "platform",
    "platform": "pubmatic",
    "account": "brand-456-pm",
    "is_live": false,
    "estimated_activation_duration_minutes": 60
  }]
}

Async Activation - Final Response (Deployed)

Message: “Excellent! The ‘Luxury Automotive Context’ signal is now live on PubMatic. You can start using it immediately with the activation key provided. The activation completed faster than expected - just 52 minutes.” Complete Response:

{
  "$schema": "/schemas/signals/activate-signal-response.json",
  "message": "Excellent! The 'Luxury Automotive Context' signal is now live on PubMatic. You can start using it immediately with the activation key provided. The activation completed faster than expected - just 52 minutes.",
  "context_id": "ctx-signals-def456",
  "deployments": [{
    "type": "platform",
    "platform": "pubmatic",
    "account": "brand-456-pm",
    "is_live": true,
    "activation_key": {
      "type": "segment_id",
      "segment_id": "pm_brand456_peer39_lux_auto"
    },
    "deployed_at": "2025-01-15T14:30:00Z"
  }]
}

Sync Activation - Sales Agent (Immediate)

Message: “Signal successfully activated on Wonderstruck sales agent. Use the key-value pair in your targeting configuration.” Complete Response:

{
  "$schema": "/schemas/signals/activate-signal-response.json",
  "message": "Signal successfully activated on Wonderstruck sales agent. Use the key-value pair in your targeting configuration.",
  "context_id": "ctx-signals-ghi789",
  "deployments": [{
    "type": "agent",
    "agent_url": "https://wonderstruck.salesagents.com",
    "is_live": true,
    "activation_key": {
      "type": "key_value",
      "key": "audience_segment",
      "value": "luxury_auto_context_v2"
    },
    "deployed_at": "2025-01-15T14:31:00Z"
  }]
}

Success with Warnings

Message: “Successfully activated ‘Luxury Automotive Context’ on PubMatic, but noted some configuration issues. The signal is live and ready to use, though performance may be sub-optimal until the account settings are updated.” Complete Response:

{
  "$schema": "/schemas/signals/activate-signal-response.json",
  "message": "Successfully activated 'Luxury Automotive Context' on PubMatic, but noted some configuration issues. The signal is live and ready to use, though performance may be sub-optimal until the account settings are updated.",
  "context_id": "ctx-signals-def456",
  "deployments": [{
    "type": "platform",
    "platform": "pubmatic",
    "account": "brand-456-pm",
    "is_live": true,
    "activation_key": {
      "type": "segment_id",
      "segment_id": "pm_brand456_peer39_lux_auto"
    },
    "deployed_at": "2025-01-15T14:30:00Z"
  }]
}

Warnings about suboptimal configuration are conveyed in the message field. The errors array is reserved for actual failures — the activate_signal response uses a strict success/error discriminated union where deployments and errors are mutually exclusive.

Error Response (Failed)

Message: “I couldn’t activate the signal on PubMatic. Your account ‘brand-456-pm’ doesn’t have permission to use Peer39 data. Please contact your PubMatic account manager to enable Peer39 access, then we can try again.” Complete Response:

{
  "$schema": "/schemas/signals/activate-signal-response.json",
  "message": "I couldn't activate the signal on PubMatic. Your account 'brand-456-pm' doesn't have permission to use Peer39 data. Please contact your PubMatic account manager to enable Peer39 access, then we can try again.",
  "context_id": "ctx-signals-def456",
  "errors": [
    {
      "code": "DEPLOYMENT_UNAUTHORIZED",
      "message": "Account brand-456-pm not authorized for Peer39 data on PubMatic",
      "field": "deployment.account",
      "suggestion": "Contact your PubMatic account manager to enable Peer39 data access for your account",
      "details": {
        "account_id": "brand-456-pm",
        "deployment_url": "https://pubmatic.com",
        "data_provider": "peer39",
        "required_permission": "third_party_data_access"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Error Codes

Activation Errors

SIGNAL_AGENT_SEGMENT_NOT_FOUND: Signal agent segment ID doesn’t exist
ACTIVATION_FAILED: Could not activate signal for unspecified reasons
ALREADY_ACTIVATED: Signal already active on the specified platform/account
DEPLOYMENT_UNAUTHORIZED: Can’t deploy to platform/account due to permissions
INVALID_PRICING_MODEL: Requested pricing model not available for this signal

Configuration Warnings

SUBOPTIMAL_CONFIGURATION: Signal activated but account settings may impact performance
SLOW_ACTIVATION: Activation taking longer than expected but still in progress
FREQUENCY_CAP_RESTRICTIVE: Signal activated but account frequency caps may reduce performance

Error Handling Philosophy

Status vs Errors

Task Status: Indicates overall activation outcome (deployed, failed, etc.)
Errors Array: Contains specific issues, warnings, and remediation steps
Partial Success: Signal can be deployed while still having warnings in errors array

Error Types

Fatal Errors: Prevent activation (status = failed)
Warnings: Signal activates successfully but with caveats (status = deployed + errors)
Configuration Issues: Non-blocking problems that affect performance

Usage Notes

Account-Specific: Include the account parameter for account-specific activations
Platform-Wide: Omit the account parameter for platform-wide activations
Async Operation: This is a long-running task that provides status updates
Monitoring: Use task ID to monitor progress via polling or SSE
Idempotent: Safe to retry if activation fails

Implementation Guide

Generating Activation Messages

The message field should provide clear status updates and actionable information:

def generate_activation_message(status, signal_info, request):
    if status == "pending":
        return f"I've initiated activation of '{signal_info.name}' on {request.platform} for account {request.account}. This typically takes about {signal_info.estimated_duration} minutes. I'll monitor the progress and notify you when it's ready to use."
    
    elif status == "processing":
        progress_details = get_progress_details()
        time_remaining = calculate_time_remaining()
        return f"Good progress on the activation. {progress_details}. About {time_remaining} minutes remaining."
    
    elif status == "deployed":
        actual_duration = calculate_actual_duration()
        timing_note = "faster than expected" if actual_duration < signal_info.estimated_duration else "as expected"
        return f"Excellent! The '{signal_info.name}' signal is now live on {request.platform}. You can start using it immediately in your campaigns with the ID '{signal_info.platform_id}'. The activation completed {timing_note} - just {actual_duration} minutes."
    
    elif status == "failed":
        error_explanation = explain_error_in_context(error_code)
        next_steps = get_remediation_steps(error_code)
        return f"I couldn't activate the signal on {request.platform}. {error_explanation}. {next_steps}"

Documentation

​Request Parameters

​Destination Object

​Response Structure

​Response Data

​Field Descriptions

​Activation Key Object

​Protocol-Specific Examples

​MCP Request - Sales Agent Activation

​MCP Response - Synchronous (Key-Value)

​MCP Request - DSP Platform Activation

​MCP Response - Asynchronous (Segment ID)

​A2A Request

​Natural Language Invocation

​Explicit Skill Invocation

​A2A Response (with streaming)

​Protocol Transport

​Webhook Support

​Scenarios

​Async Activation - Initial Response (Pending)

​Async Activation - Final Response (Deployed)

​Sync Activation - Sales Agent (Immediate)

​Success with Warnings

​Error Response (Failed)

​Error Codes

​Activation Errors

​Configuration Warnings

​Error Handling Philosophy

​Status vs Errors

​Error Types

​Usage Notes

​Implementation Guide

​Generating Activation Messages

Request Parameters

Destination Object

Response Structure

Response Data

Field Descriptions

Activation Key Object

Protocol-Specific Examples

MCP Request - Sales Agent Activation

MCP Response - Synchronous (Key-Value)

MCP Request - DSP Platform Activation

MCP Response - Asynchronous (Segment ID)

A2A Request

Natural Language Invocation

Explicit Skill Invocation

A2A Response (with streaming)

Protocol Transport

Webhook Support

Scenarios

Async Activation - Initial Response (Pending)

Async Activation - Final Response (Deployed)

Sync Activation - Sales Agent (Immediate)

Success with Warnings

Error Response (Failed)

Error Codes

Activation Errors

Configuration Warnings

Error Handling Philosophy

Status vs Errors

Error Types

Usage Notes

Implementation Guide

Generating Activation Messages