SpaceX's record-shattering public debut has become the first major test of whether investors will continue funding AI companies that burn billions while chasing distant profitability. The rocket company's $75 billion raise, larger than all US IPOs combined over the past two years, signals both the enormous capital requirements of AI development and growing uncertainty about returns. "The move itself is a kind of a double-edged sword for xAI," said our analyst Jacob Bourne on a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers," referring to Elon Musk's AI startup that SpaceX acquired earlier this year. "On the one hand, it now has access to SpaceX's resources and clout. The downside is that xAI now is part of SpaceX's lack of profitability story."
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Become a ClientOn today’s podcast episode, we discuss the three biggest questions surrounding Netflix right now: Will the shift from a few long weekly viewing sessions to multiple short daily ones undermine Netflix’s ability to attract audiences for regularly scheduled programming? Should Netflix consider a free tier? Has Netflix been left out in the cold when it comes to bundled services? And more. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Senior Analyst Ross Benes and Daniel Konstantinovic, Senior Editor of our Marketing and Advertising Briefing. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
82% of weekly AI users use Google Search every day, compared with 71% of all internet users, according to a May 2026 survey from EMARKETER.
Havas expands through acquisitions as consolidation accelerates: Marketers gain simpler agency relationships but fewer independent firms to choose from.
29% of US digital buyers picked up their online order at the store in May 2026, up from 22% in 2023, making it the only delivery method to grow every single year, according to a June report from Bizrate Insights and EMARKETER.
Back-to-school season is getting harder for retailers. Many parents plan to increase their budget from last year, but they’re taking longer to make decisions. That forces retailers to adapt to a longer, more complicated buying journey. “Parents are already building their back-to-school shopping lists, and most of them aren't moving in a straight line from seeing an ad to buying something,” said Rod Paolucci, global head of marketing at Channel Factory.
A new seller app and verification tools strengthen Marketplace as Meta competes for merchants and secondhand shoppers.
Michaels’ rapid rollout underscores how lower-cost AI tools are making conversational shopping a practical option for more retailers.
Global compliance records can derail US bank ambitions.
Ongoing benefits can be more compelling than rates in earning primary banking relationships.