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.
Zendesk’s integration of OpenAI’s GPT-5 into its customer service stack has resulted in 30% faster response times, 95% reliability, and resolution of up to 90% of tickets in some cases, per VentureBeat. Fewer handoffs, quicker response time, and higher reliability are wins for both brands and customers. But there’s a catch—over-reliance on automation risks alienating users who still want a human touch when problems get tricky. For CMOs, lean into AI for speed and scale, but keep people in the loop to protect trust and brand experience.
At Tuesday’s “Awe Dropping” Apple event, the hardware giant unveiled next-gen AirPods, Apple Watch models, and iPhone 17 series. Apple is pacing its AI rollout, waiting until users are ready and the tech can show real value. By banking on product innovation and design, it secures its dominance in the smartphone space. However, as rivals push out increasingly capable AI features, Apple’s silence may come across less like strategy and more like struggle. It may be time for Apple to consider more outside generative AI (genAI) partnerships, lest it fall too far behind to catch up—even on its own terms.
40% of US adults say most or some of the health information on TikTok is trustworthy—the highest rating among major platforms, according to July data from KFF.
Eli Lilly launched a platform called TuneLab that gives biotech firms free access to AI drug discovery models that have been trained on years of Lilly's research data. In return, companies will contribute their own data so Lilly can improve the performance of its AI models. Lilly might be taking a bit of a risk by opening up its models to other companies, but the potential payoff of developing high-powered AI tools that can drive faster drug discovery, development, and time-to-market is one that’s too good to pass up.
A recent Pew Research Center study reveals a dramatic shift in online behavior: When users encounter AI-generated search overviews, they're almost half as likely to click through to websites and more likely to end their browsing sessions entirely. This fundamental change threatens the traditional internet business model where human traffic drives ad revenue.
Brands are testing the waters with AI-generated influencers as AI becomes a staple of advertising and everyday life. Telecommunications brand Vodafone is the latest to jump on the trend. Despite consumer hesitancy, AI is increasingly shaping the ad ecosystem, necessitating that advertisers take a balanced approach to leverage AI for its creative and operational potential without alienating consumers.
A federal judge rejected Anthropic’s agreement to pay at least $1.5 billion to settle a landmark lawsuit brought by a group of authors. Judge William Alsup expressed concerns that the ruling would be forced “down the throat of authors,” per Bloomberg Law. The case could set a legal precedent for future copyright battles between creators and AI firms. If approved, the settlement could set a legal precedent for future copyright battles between creators and AI firms. It could also push regulators to be more stringent in requirements for content licensing deals and cause AI companies to move more carefully when scraping data, considering the costs of legal proceedings.
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.
IBM is positioning itself as a partner and integrator for enterprises at a time when various companies find themselves stuck in AI pilot limbo due to a lack of governance, per Marketech APAC. Its new global campaign, “Let’s create smarter business,” focuses on unifying its hybrid cloud, quantum computing, and business integration expertise to push enterprise AI from experiments to scale. CMOs should seize IBM’s ability to deliver safety and scale but protect agility. Build safeguards into contracts and keep internal or secondary partners ready to test new models as they emerge. That balance ensures AI adoption stays both credible and competitive.
OpenAI revised its projected cash burn through 2029 to $115 billion—about 230% higher than earlier estimates. This alteration demonstrates how capital-intensive model training and deployment have become and how far those costs are beyond what traditional startup economics can sustain. These financial forecasts illustrate a ballooning cash burn matched by surging investments and rising revenue expectations. OpenAI might need to explore tactics like affiliate links or in-chat advertising for monetization and added incentives and premium features to convert free users into paying ones.
AI is taking over tasks once handled by junior staff. Agencies and brands are embracing the efficiency and cost savings of AI—but at the risk of cutting the very pipeline that feeds future leadership, per MarTech. Marketers are realizing they can’t afford to treat AI as a zero-sum replacement for junior talent. The smart play is balance: Use AI for short-term efficiency while still investing in entry-level hires who can grow into long-term strategists and leaders. Pair automation with training, expand AI education, and let young staff lead adoption. That balance drives efficiency now while protecting tomorrow’s talent pipeline.
When consumers control digital discourse, brands face heightened pressure to get their messaging right, creating a market for AI-generated testing and vetting that detects potential backlash.
Warner Bros. Discovery has sued AI image generator Midjourney, alleging “mass theft” of copyrighted TV and film IP. The complaint highlights prompts producing near-identical images of characters like Bugs Bunny, Batman, Superman, and Scooby-Doo. Disney and NBCUniversal filed similar claims, arguing Midjourney diverts consumers from licensed products while profiting from subscriptions. Studios seek damages up to $150,000 per infringed work. The case raises critical questions over whether training AI on copyrighted content qualifies as “fair use.” With marketers already using AI image tools at scale, the lawsuit underscores mounting legal, financial, and reputational risks tied to unlicensed generative content.
Generative AI advertising is drawing consumer backlash after brands including J.Crew, Shein, and Skechers released campaigns marred by obvious AI flaws. Internet sleuths and critics pointed to distorted figures, suspicious likenesses, and poorly rendered images, accusing companies of chasing novelty at the expense of quality. The incidents highlight consumer frustration with brands prioritizing speed and cost savings over authenticity—particularly in fashion and retail, where heritage and trust are core to brand equity. Experts argue AI can accelerate creative production, but only when paired with human direction and craftsmanship. Missteps reveal the risks of treating AI as a replacement.
AI means something different to every retailer—and their level of adoption reflects that range.
The trend: Healthcare executives expect AI adoption to be the leading trend in the next two years and have high expectations for improvements in patient care, per a new survey from Sage Growth Partners. Sage surveyed 101 healthcare system and hospital C-suite executives during the second quarter about AI opportunities and investment plans. AI can help healthcare shift from reactive to proactive care by transforming the vast amount of data from health sensors into actionable insights. However, the key is to integrate this AI as a tool to support, not replace, a provider's judgment. AI predictive assessments and analytics add valuable information, but providers’ experience, critical thinking, and empathy are necessary not only for balanced diagnoses but also to maintain patients’ trust. A recent study in JAMA found that patients think physicians who use AI are less trustworthy, less competent, and less empathetic than those who didn’t. For now at least, AI use in healthcare is a significant perception hurdle requiring transparent disclosure and careful oversight.
The news: Even before the IFA 2025 show floor opens in Berlin, brands are flooding Europe’s CES with announcements pushing AI beyond PCs and phones into the smart home. Ambient intelligence promises proactive tech: Manufacturers unveiled ecosystems that link appliances, security, lighting, and entertainment—using “ambient intelligence” to replace voice and app commands with proactive, intuitive service. Our take: The race to ambient intelligence shows where innovation is headed—invisible systems that anticipate needs. But over-automation risks eroding consumer control and deepening dependence on walled gardens.
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.
Some 35% of US retail advertiser spending on Meta in Q2 2025 went to Advantage+ shopping campaigns, up from just 19% two years ago, per a July Tinuiti report.