Brands and agencies are embracing generative AI (genAI) to create highly localized and personalized campaigns at scale. At a recent Automattic event, marketing leaders highlighted how new technology makes previously cost-prohibitive efforts feasible. The advertising industry has shifted from fear to fluency—recognizing that AI fills gaps and scales output but that people decide what resonates. While agencies two years ago feared AI would displace creative jobs, today, they see human craft as the element that gives AI-generated work meaning. For marketers, the strategy is to invest in AI tools but prioritize upskilling teams to direct them.
President Donald Trump is continuing his immigration crackdown with a signed proclamation that adds a $100,000 fee to all new applications for H-1B visas, potentially complicating and clamping down on the market for AI-skilled workers in the US. While intended to spur domestic hiring, the reality is that the US lacks sufficient AI training infrastructure to meet current demand. With a pre-existing lack of employer investment in workforce development to grow US employees’ AI skills, the policy risks shrinking the AI talent pool even more and slowing innovation.
Nvidia is putting $5 billion into Intel, buying common stock at $23.28 per share for a 4%–5% stake. The two companies plan to co-develop custom PC and data center chips that blend Nvidia’s GPUs with Intel’s x86 CPUs and manufacturing muscle, per ABC News. For Intel, it’s a last chance to remain relevant in advanced computing. For Nvidia, it’s a strategic hedge—ensuring supply resilience and expanding influence over x86 chip design. The partnership will reshape the semiconductor industry and strengthen US tech leadership.
Nvidia is putting $5 billion into Intel, buying common stock at $23.28 per share for a 4%–5% stake. The two companies plan to co-develop custom PC and data center chips that blend Nvidia’s GPUs with Intel’s x86 CPUs and manufacturing muscle, per ABC News. For Intel, it’s a last chance to remain relevant in advanced computing. For Nvidia, it’s a strategic hedge—ensuring supply resilience and expanding influence over x86 chip design. The partnership will reshape the semiconductor industry and strengthen US tech leadership.
Meta is making its boldest play yet for wearable computing, unveiling $799 Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses with a lens display, onboard Meta AI, and a neural wristband for gesture control. Meta won’t stand alone in the field for long if it can prove smart glasses are more than a novelty. Apple, Google, Amazon, and Snap will follow, each layering AR into their ecosystems and competing to define the next advertising frontier. For brands, this means new hooks—ads woven into navigation, translation, and real-world interactions—that feel less like interruptions and more like an extension of everyday life.
While social media drives discovery, it serves primarily as a path to purchase—not as the final destination. Over three-quarters (78%) of US consumers say their purchases are influenced by brands on social media, per Clutch’s From Scroll to Sale report. However, only 15% use social media platforms or apps to make direct purchases. The opportunity in social media commerce lies not just in driving discovery, but closing the gap between interest and action. Brands can earn trust by setting up mechanics like secure checkout to promote cybersecurity and maintaining consistency between marketing voice and website appearance to avoid confusing customers.
In this podcast episode, we discuss the backlash to Delta’s decision to use personalized AI pricing, how consumers feel about dynamic pricing, and if there is a way for retailers to implement it without losing shopper trust. Listen to the discussion with Analyst and guest host, Rachel Wolff, Vice President of Content, Suzy Davidkhanian, and Senior Analyst, Zak Stambor.
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.
Reddit has become one of the most effective social platforms for marketing-driven sales and consistently outperforms other social networks on return on ad spend (ROAS). The platform delivers more marketing-driven sales relative to its share of spend than 4 out of 5 other platforms, per a TransUnion study commissioned by Reddit. The authenticity that makes Reddit valuable can also be fragile. Brands should focus on making original content that’s not recycled from other platforms and is relevant to the niches they want to target, rather than chasing virality, to maximize campaigns and avoid alienating the communities they want to reach.
Google, the latest Big Tech company to reach a $3 trillion market cap, is committing £5 billion ($6.39 billion) to expand its UK footprint and anchor AI and cloud growth in one of its most important ad markets. Google expects the expansion to help drive as much as £400 billion (about $511 billion) in AI-related economic activity for the UK by 2030 while supporting about 8,000 local jobs annually. By building infrastructure, tech giants are laying the groundwork for ad expansion across Europe. Each multibillion-dollar bet buys influence, regulatory goodwill, and a stronger grip on the region’s digital backbone.
Sell-side ad company Magnite announced a lawsuit against Google on Tuesday over alleged monopolistic and anticompetitive behavior in ad exchanges that hindered Magnite’s growth, following an April ruling that Google operates an illegal ad tech monopoly. The lawsuits against Google give advertisers a rare chance to strengthen their own position without overhauling their tech stack.
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.
New studies from leading AI labs OpenAI and Anthropic reveal how generative AI (genAI) is being used, painting a picture of rapid adoption. OpenAI’s analysis found that 73% of ChatGPT interactions were personal rather than professional. In stark contrast, Anthropic’s report on its Claude AI software found an overwhelming business focus on automation. For CMOs, the opportunity is to design campaigns and brand experiences that are approachable enough for personal use and scalable enough for enterprise integration. Marketers who frame AI as both empowering and efficient will be best positioned to earn trust across the adoption divide.
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.
Hispanic audiences are leading shifts in digital behaviors, streaming at high levels, adopting AI tools, and using creator apps that position them as both content producers and consumers. That demographic is embracing streaming more than the general population, per Nielsen’s Curating the Narrative report, with a cord-cutting rate about 35% higher. Hispanic audiences aren’t just passive consumers—they’re actively crafting and customizing their media experiences and leading early tech adoption. Brands should diversify media outreach—instead of leaning solely on traditional TV or linear content—to avoid missing engagement opportunities.
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 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.