Open banking and its uncertain future in the US dominated discussions across FinovateFall’s 2025 agenda. Financial institutions (FIs) that already offer open banking capabilities—and those finding new ways to use open banking—will have a competitive advantage over those waiting for more clarity. It’s important to remember who owns the data in question—the customers. And the ultimate question FIs should be asking themselves is: How can they leverage that data to provide the best experience possible for their customers? While it’s unlikely that next steps will include fee-less transfer of this data, FIs must consider how their next steps into open banking can set them apart from the competition. For now, the most obvious step is letting customers manage which parties can access their data.
Kroger raised its full-year core sales outlook for the second time in 2025, now expecting same-store sales growth of 2.7% to 3.4%, as demand for low-cost essentials remains strong among budget-conscious shoppers. The grocer’s Q2 results topped expectations for comparable sales and earnings, supported by growth in fresh food, ecommerce, and pharmacy, though total revenue narrowly missed analyst estimates. Following the collapse of its Albertsons merger, Kroger has prioritized profitability through store closures, job cuts, and online margin improvements while doubling down on private labels, promotions, and value-driven initiatives to defend market share against discount rivals like Aldi, Lidl, and Trader Joe’s.
Hims & Hers is expanding into a new men's health category by offering treatments for low testosterone. But it will need to navigate strict FDA oversight. The FDA has previously warned companies against exaggerated claims, stating that these treatments are only approved for men with low testosterone caused by specific medical conditions—not for general symptoms like fatigue from normal aging. Marketers must educate consumers on the FDA-approved status of their products, make it clear that a blood test will determine eligibility for a subscription, and avoid generalized messaging about the treatments' benefits for low energy or tiredness.
Oracle’s new AI portal, built on OpenAI’s technology, will let patients ask questions and get plain-language explanations about test results, diagnoses, and treatment options. Oracle understands patients are already using AI to interpret health records, so offering a safer, private way to do so is a smart move. Healthtech providers need to ensure AI tools for patients are highly accurate and offer clear guidance to users on how to use the tools, what the limits are, and when to seek human medical advice. Accuracy plus transparency is critical to building patient and provider trust.
The latest Apple Watch update will introduce a new feature that notifies users of potential high blood pressure, rather than providing continuous blood pressure readings. This strategic choice from Apple suggests that health wearables don't need to offer constant, highly technical readings to be useful. Smaller health wearable companies should take note: Doctors may not trust frequent wrist-based blood pressure data anyway. Instead of focusing on constant readings, the priority should be on developing features that provide meaningful, actionable insights for users and their doctors.
Amazon is developing two models of AR glasses to compete with Meta and Qualcomm in a bet that smart glasses could power the next wave of mainstream consumer devices. The company is planning a consumer version, internally named Jayhawk, and a model designed for delivery drivers, called Amelia, per The Information. The push in AR glasses reflects Amazon’s long-standing strategy of building hardware as a gateway to services and subscriptions. If successful, the device could lock consumers even more tightly into Amazon’s marketplace, collect constant user data for AI model and product improvement, and encourage daily engagement with Amazon platforms.
The news: Spotify will bring high-fidelity, “lossless” audio to premium subscribers over the next two months across 50 markets, putting an end to years of speculation that it might gate the feature behind a more expensive subscription tier. Our take: Lossless audio certainly won’t be a detractor for Spotify and could help make it an even stickier service with low churn—something the company already excels at. While it is unlikely to drive subscriptions and doesn’t address the company’s advertising pains, it doesn’t hurt to add features that will keep users from cancelling or drifting to competitors.
Warner Bros. Discovery shares spiked more than 30% after reports that Paramount Skydance is preparing a majority-cash takeover bid backed by Larry and David Ellison. The deal would fold WBD’s studios, HBO, DC, and streaming business into Paramount Skydance’s assets, which already include CBS, Paramount Pictures, and Paramount+. A merger would unite some of the world’s most valuable IP, creating a rival to Disney and Netflix. Investors cheered the news, lifting both companies’ stocks, though regulators are expected to scrutinize the transaction. If approved, the deal could reshape Hollywood’s power structure amid linear TV’s decline and streaming’s consolidation race.
The digital ad market is shifting fast. In court, Google admitted the “open web is already in rapid decline,” contradicting its public claims, as AI Overviews erode publisher traffic. The Trade Desk’s stock plunged 12% after Netflix’s Amazon DSP deal, with Morgan Stanley citing CTV headwinds and higher fees. Meanwhile, Reddit is positioning itself as a publisher ally, rolling out Reddit Pro to help offset traffic losses from search. Together, these moves underscore a fractured open web ecosystem: Google under pressure, The Trade Desk undercut by Amazon, and Reddit stepping up as publishers seek new discovery sources.
Connected TV (CTV) is nearing a third of overall TV ad spending as audiences shift attention to streaming platforms, per Madison and Wall. Linear TV still accounts for around two-thirds of overall US TV ad spending, but CTV increased its share by three percentage points YoY (excluding political ads). The path forward for advertisers depends on balance, not an either-or approach. Audience attention will continue shifting to CTV, making it a critical touchpoint—but with ad reach still low on streaming, linear will remain relevant.
The Google Pixel could grow to lead the smartphone market as sales surge, highlighting a strong consumer shift toward devices that balance competitive pricing, cutting-edge AI features, and ecosystem flexibility. The Pixel saw a whopping 105% YoY increase in sales in H1 2025, per Counterpoint Research, while overall global premium smartphone sales grew 8% YoY. Pixel’s growth points to an industry pivot where software-driven intelligence, rather than hardware specs alone, lead consumer choice. The smartphone race could move away from who offers the most storage or fastest processors and toward who delivers the most useful tools for daily life.
OpenAI struck a landmark $300 billion deal with Oracle to build AI data centers across the US, cementing Oracle as a critical partner in the race to scale artificial intelligence. The agreement, part of Project Stargate, covers more than half of the computing infrastructure OpenAI says it will need over the next five years, per The New York Times. AI’s future rests on who can actually deliver compute at scale. Marketers should diversify cloud and AI partners, experiment early, and prepare to shift strategies quickly as winners and losers emerge in this infrastructure race.
In this podcast episode, we discuss retailers’ priorities this holiday period, how they can stand out from the crowd, and how to balance sharp pricing with creating an emotional connection that lasts beyond the season. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and guest host, Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst, Sky Canaves, and Senior Analyst, Zak Stambor.
What CMOs say they expect to gain from AI: Efficiency and cost savings top the list of perks the industry hopes to gain from the disruptive tech.
China’s deflation shows no signs of going away. The consumer price index (CPI) fell 0.4% YoY in August, more than expected, as the country struggles through its third straight year of slumping prices. With US trade talks yet to yield definitive results, Beijing will have to move from lip service to direct action on the country’s economic problems. But in the meantime, retailers must gird themselves for drawn-out, costly price wars—and make sure they stay attuned to the changing needs, preferences, and desires of Chinese consumers.
US ad revenues grew 10.3% in Q2, excluding political advertising, continuing a trend of steady gains in 2025 despite tariff headwinds, per Madison & Wall. Digital advertising overall grew 15.8% and represented about a 70% share of ad spending. Ad growth is maintaining momentum, but the slowdown from 2024 indicates that advertisers are already becoming more cautious as tariffs and a recession could lead to a demand shock that affects advertising strategies.
Netflix and Amazon Ads have struck a global partnership to bring Netflix’s ad inventory to Amazon’s demand-side platform (DSP) across 12 markets, including the US, UK, France, Japan, and Brazil. The move expands Netflix’s programmatic footprint as it aims to nearly double US ad revenues this year and approach $3 billion globally by 2027. For Amazon, adding Netflix strengthens its DSP’s position; the deal underscores a shift toward centralized TV planning, where Amazon’s DSP increasingly serves as the central gateway for connected TV advertising.