On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the top takeaways from the Google monopoly verdict, how the rise of AI search influenced the decision, and how much this ruling has any bearing on the Google ad tech case. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, and Senior Director of Briefings, Jeremy Goldman, and Principal Analyst, Yory Wurmser. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Social media managers (SMMs) report blind spots in AI’s ability to assist with trendspotting and market analysis, leading to wasted time, loss of employee trust, and delayed campaigns. With all of these pain points, marketing teams are finding that investment doesn’t always equal impact. CMOs should Involve their teams in AI tool selection to ensure real-world fit;Regularly evaluate whether applications are actually saving time; and provide training on prompt writing and the strengths of various models to cut down on wasted time.
Robotaxi deployments are moving from pilots to broader rollouts as companies try to cash in on advancements in autonomous driving. Lyft recently began robotaxi tests in Atlanta, and Amazon's Zoox launched in Las Vegas. For companies investing in robotaxis, the opportunity extends beyond passenger rides. These fleets could eventually serve as a backbone for cost-saving delivery services, expanding the commercial applications of the technology. With Uber and DoorDash testing delivery robots, robotaxis could be the next move in on-demand logistics, moving beyond transporting passengers to carrying packages, meals, and groceries.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss why Spotify is still considered the king of audio streaming, why advertising is not working out quite as they’d hoped (yet), and how they might become a social platform. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, and Senior Editor, Daniel Konstantinovic. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Microsoft and OpenAI revised their partnership with a new, nonbinding agreement that could pave the way for OpenAI to change its structure to include a public benefit corporation (PBC) arm. The agreement reportedly changes a clause that would rescind Microsoft’s access to OpenAI technology once the startup’s board decides it has reached artificial general intelligence (AGI), per The New York Times. Possible implications: Regulatory entanglements and antitrust concerns could ease, and if OpenAI’s PBC plans are successful, it could reshape how AI companies balance profits and responsibilities.
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.
Microsoft is reducing its reliance on OpenAI by bringing in rival Anthropic to power key enterprise features, per The Information. With Microsoft 365’s entrenched position in productivity software, Anthropic’s integration could shift enterprise adoption trends away from OpenAI. If Anthropic gains traction, OpenAI risks losing one of its strongest distribution channels and with it, its influence on how AI is embedded in daily workflows. Marketers should watch to see not just who wins contracts, but who defines the next generation of workplace software.
Major web publishers, including Reddit, Yahoo, Medium, and Quora, are joining forces to push for a new content licensing system for AI publishers. The group is backing Really Simple Licensing (RSL), an open standard that lets publishers dictate how AI bots scrape their content and includes payment and royalty requirements. If publishers’ collective action can successfully enforce licensing terms for content scraping, regulators may follow with broader mandates. Visibility inside generative engines could change, pushing marketers to further prioritize generative engine optimization (GEO) strategies and comprehension of how AI responses source, cite, and surface branded content.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how Americans view GenAI-made media, if the “AI concern gap” between AI experts and the general public will widen, and why some of GenAI’s negativity might not apply to ads. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson and Senior Analyst, Max Willens. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
The news: Microsoft will avoid a major EU antitrust fine by agreeing to sell its Teams app separately from Office 365 and Microsoft 365. Brussels is set to approve the deal after a positive market test, with no strong objections from rivals or customers, per Bloomberg. As part of the settlement, Microsoft must not only unbundle Teams but also lower prices on Office packages without it and improve interoperability with rival apps such as Zoom, Slack, and similar productivity tools. Our take: Microsoft sidesteps a fine but loses its bundling edge. The move levels the playing field for Slack, Zoom, and others—while showing the EU’s playbook is evolving from punishing fines to behavioral change.
The news: Apple will reportedly launch an AI-enabled web search tool powered by Google’s Gemini, potentially accelerating long-awaited software improvements and helping Apple enter the AI search race, per Bloomberg. The “answer engine” would be integrated with Siri and could help Apple compete with OpenAI and Perplexity. The feature, internally called World Knowledge Answers, will aggregate information from across the web into AI Overviews-esque summaries. It may eventually be added to Safari and Spotlight. Our take: Apple’s pivot toward external AI partnerships highlights how unready it is to compete head-to-head in foundational AI or search. While a Gemini integration could improve Siri and add powerful search capabilities, it could threaten Apple’s core advantage: total control over the user experience.
The news: AI startup Anthropic raised a staggering $13 billion, tripling its valuation to $183 billion, per CNBC. This momentum is driven by enterprise demand for Claude, Anthropic’s AI assistant, and a rapidly expanding customer base that now tops 300,000 businesses. The company’s annual revenues have also jumped fivefold in 2025 to $5 billion. Our take: Anthropic’s ascent is setting a new standard for AI startups—spurring rivals like Perplexity, Mistral, Intelligent Machines, and Safe Superintelligence to chase scale through aggressive fundraising, not quick exits. The message: In this market, go big or get left behind.
The news: Google has cut 35% of managers overseeing small teams, part of a sweeping drive to streamline operations. The focus: fewer layers, less bureaucracy, and a leaner leadership footprint. Many managers now serve as individual contributors, per CNBC. Our take: Google’s rapid thinning of management aims to make the tech giant more nimble and cost-efficient. The realignment signals a company eager to do more with less—possibly speeding decision cycles and innovation, but also tightening access to internal advocates and resources. Leaner teams could mean faster product rollouts and ad platform tweaks—but also less support and fewer points of contact for advertisers inside Google’s vast marketing machine.
The news: Instagram’s latest updates to direct messaging could help brands and creators better organize communications, making the platform a go-to for striking brand partnerships and engaging with customers. Meta added several filtering options to Instagram, including the option to sort DMs by unread or unanswered messages as well as by the senders’ follow count and verification status. Creators can also streamline inbox management with new folders. Our take: These are more than just admin updates—they’re features that pave the way for a future where DMs are central to engagement. Investing time and resources in intentional messaging workflows can help treat DMs as a high-impact channel and a meeting point between companies and consumers.
The news: Software now eats 40% of cybersecurity spend to defend against AI-driven attacks—11 points more than personnel (29%) and nearly triple hardware (15.8%), per Forrester’s 2026 Security Budget Planning Guide. Our take: Businesses should prioritize innovation that’s harder to cut—first-party data programs, customer-centric automation, and strategic partnerships. These amplify impact and deliver growth even when budgets are tight.
The news: Meta is struggling to retain talent after its splashy, expensive efforts to poach workers from OpenAI and Google, raising concerns about retention and the stability of its AI strategy. Multiple staff members recruited from OpenAI have returned to their former employer within weeks, per Wired. Some veteran Meta employees have also exited, potentially due to frustrations over the sky-high compensation packages offered to newcomers. Our take: This staff exodus intensifies concerns about Meta’s retention and organizational stability. Money may not equal loyalty, and the departures highlight both the limits of using compensation alone to win the AI talent race and a need to rethink how company culture, values, and mission factor into recruitment strategy.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the biggest discrepancy by device with regards to where we spend our time versus how many ad dollars are aimed there, why social players want to take a page from YouTube’s CTV playbook, and why sub OTT’s unusual path to advertising has created major misalignments. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Principal Forecasting Writer, Ethan Cramer-Flood, and Senior Analyst, Minda Smiley. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
The news: Nvidia’s latest earnings report shows that spending on AI infrastructure remains strong, even as some metrics normalize after explosive growth. Despite robust numbers, Nvidia’s stock dipped slightly on Thursday, owing in part to the market’s excessive expectations of the industry giant. Our take: Nvidia is still riding the AI wave but is entering a more complex phase as expectations outpace results. If investment outruns adoption or monetization, the sector risks overkill. The test will be whether user demand and AI application development can keep pace with this level of spending.
The news: Online retail traffic from generative AI (genAI) sources is exploding, highlighting how AI tools are intercepting and guiding the product search journey. GenAI traffic to US retail sites grew 4,700% YoY in July, per Adobe Digital Insights. 38% of US consumers have used genAI for shopping, and another 52% plan to do so this year. Our take: Brands need to market to both machines and people to avoid being excluded from AI results. Success will involve understanding how models interpret product data and reviews and aligning messaging with the signals AI uses to index and recommend products.
The news: Google Vids rolled out AI avatars, a Veo-powered image-to-video tool, and automatic transcript trimming. Google also announced that features like noise cancellation, custom backgrounds, video filters, and appearance options will be generally available next month. Our take: Brands should: Develop AI content guidelines that set up a clear voice, tone, and message structure to keep scripts brand-consistent. Use AI for speed, not substance. Let the technology handle repetitive tasks, but rely on human input for concepting and storytelling to ensure messages retain emotional nuance—something AI may lack. Pilot, then scale. Test AI video tools on low-risk internal content before expanding to public-facing campaigns.