On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the second biggest digital ad player’s (Meta) vision for the future of ads, if it will lead to money saved or more commercials, and why the 30-second AI-made TV ad for Kalshi matters more than most. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, and Principal Analyst Yory Wurmser. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what area of people's lives artificial general intelligence (AGI) will change the most, the argument for AI developers asking permission from society to build these models, and when AGI might actually get here. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, and Analysts Jacob Bourne and Grace Harmon. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
The news: Cloudflare, which serves 20% of the web and 35% of the Fortune 500, launched beta tests of Pay per Crawl, a private marketplace that lets websites charge AI companies for scraping content. It’s a strategy other content delivery networks (CDNs) will likely follow that could signal the end of AI’s unchecked scraping. Key takeaway: Though still in beta, Pay per Crawl could give websites a new layer of protection—and a path to profit—if AI companies agree to pay for content they've long used without compensation. If AI wants to keep reading the internet, it may finally have to pay the bill.
The news: Consumers increasingly trust shopping suggestions from AI, even more than product suggestions from content creators, positioning the technology as a trusted and personalized guide rather than a back-end tool. 27% of US consumers trust AI shopping recommendations, per Walmart’s Retail Rewired Report, compared with 24% who trust suggestions from social media influencers. Our take: AI retail tools are most likely to succeed if they offer both speed and a sense of user control. Retailers should let users set spending caps and offer options to pause or customize recommendations to help AI agents feel more like a trusted assistant than a pushy salesperson.
The news: A Microsoft AI pilot study showed a fourfold improvement in diagnostics compared with a panel of real doctors, but researchers acknowledged the continued need for human expertise. The takeaway: It’s evident AI is not a replacement for doctors, but it is a tool they should start adopting. There’s a window of opportunity for doctors and healthcare systems to grab a first-mover advantage by presenting AI as a co-pilot and a value-add that leads to more accurate diagnoses and more time spent with patients.
US advertisers will spend $25.9 billion on AI search ads in 2029—13.6% of all search ad spending, up from just 0.7% in 2025, according to EMARKETER's May forecast.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the various definitions of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and try to come up with the best one we can. Then we look at how smart humans are compared to current AI models. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, and Analysts Jacob Bourne and Gadjo Sevilla. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Our analysts took a look at the first half of this eventful year and provided their own very specific—albeit unlikely—predictions at what could happen in the second half of the year and beyond.
The news: US shopper interest in generative AI (genAI) assistants has spiked 223% between 2023 and 2025, per Chain Store Age. 69% of US consumers surveyed by CouponFollow have used AI assistants for shopping. Our take: Retail AI strategies must match their audiences. Those geared toward younger consumers should highlight AI use and innovation and even let AI guide purchases. For older consumers, focus on AI to inform, not take control.
The news: While major companies are picking up generative AI (genAI) for coding, many developers remain skeptical about using it without human oversight. Three-quarters (78%) said AI tools have made them more productive, but a similar share (76%) don’t entirely trust AI-generated code, per Qodo’s The State of AI Code Quality report. Our take: Remaining skepticism from developers—one of the professions closest to AI—shows that companies use genAI as a support tool and co-pilot rather than a replacement for human judgment. Training employees on AI’s weaknesses and requiring review can help reduce errors.
The news: Google is bringing its generative AI (genAI) suite deeper into classrooms, launching Gemini and NotebookLM tools as part of Google Classroom for students under 18. It’s the first time NotebookLM—a research and note-taking AI—will be accessible to minors, per The Verge. Our take: Marketers and edtech players should align with Google’s expanding education stack. Building AI-integrated tools that plug into Google Classroom, optimizing content for Gemini-powered workflows, and creating solutions that run smoothly on Chromebooks can address the needs of a captive audience.
The news: In a bid to push deeper into creative ad tools, Meta is in talks to acquire Play AI, a voice cloning startup, per Bloomberg. According to sources, Meta is interested in the startup’s tech and key staff and is looking to integrate its voice features into customer service and content creation applications. Key takeaway: Creators and brands should treat AI voice tools as a way to enhance, not replace, creative work. They should use voice tools judiciously for fast testing or global reach. The goal isn’t to mimic people—it’s to scale content responsibly.
The news: Consumers who are more familiar with AI are also more likely to mistrust an AI-assisted diagnosis from their doctor, per a recently published Journal of Medical Internet Research survey. Our take: Physicians and healthcare marketers can’t assume people who are familiar with AI will be more comfortable with AI uses in healthcare. Marketers need to talk about AI as a tool with many positive effects like freeing doctors for longer personal interactions and resulting in fewer mistakes.
Back-to-school spending is steady in 2025, but shopper behavior is split. Parents are prioritizing tech and clothing—yet these are also the first to be cut when budgets tighten. Consumers are shopping earlier, seeking deals, and using AI to keep costs down. With shopping habits divided by generation and income, retailers must stay flexible, personalize offers, optimize for AI, and create seamless cross-channel experiences.
The news: AI-fueled résumés have pushed LinkedIn job applications up 45% YoY, overwhelming recruiters and upending hiring norms. Recruiters now face an avalanche of lookalike résumés and fake identities—some even auto-submitted by AI bots. Many are turning to AI-powered hiring platforms to fight fire with fire, per The New York Times. Our take:By relying on AI tools to chase efficiency, both sides could drive up skepticism and erode the core goal: finding the right person for the right role. Businesses with open roles should prioritize clarity, human relevance, and judicious restraint in their own use of AI.
The news: Under pressure to deliver on AI investments, Big Tech companies like Meta and Apple are seeking to acquire AI startups. Failing that, they’re looking to hire away founders and key personnel to boost their own capabilities. Our take: The recent complications between OpenAI and Microsoft reveal that partnerships and investments aren’t always compatible with a startup’s growth. Expect Meta and Apple to pit money over mission as they hire away founders and key engineers, leaving AI startups high and dry, similar to how Google hired ex-Googlers from AI chatbot startup Character AI. The AI startup talent pool could be shrinking as startups and founders get acqui-hired by Big Tech.
In the first half of 2025, tariffs rattled retailers, consumer trust wavered in the face of muted DEI efforts, and fast-fashion platforms like Shein and Temu braced for policy whiplash. Meanwhile, private label products surged in popularity, and the retail world took a closer look at generative AI—not just for buzz, but for tangible impact across the shopper journey. Here are the top stories from H1 2025 and why they matter for the rest of the year.
The news: Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said AI-driven efficiencies will reduce the company’s headcount. “As we roll out more generative AI and agents …we will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs,” Jassy said in a letter to employees. “In the next few years, we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce.” Our take: Companies that pursue an AI-first mission by laying off employees risk lower team morale, a resistance to AI adoption among workers, and damaged consumer trust. Still, Amazon’s scale, deep pockets, and cloud infrastructure dominance may insulate it from backlash or major fallout.
The news: Meta’s $14 billion investment in Scale AI drove Google to cut ties with the startup. With Meta now owning a 49% stake, Google could be concerned that contracting with Scale would give Meta access to its proprietary data. Our take: Big Tech is racing to consolidate control over AI and cloud security infrastructure. Independence and agility could help companies avoid vendor lock-ins and data entanglement as regulators close in.
The news: Adobe aims to help brands and publishers improve content placement in AI browsers, search tools, and chatbots with its new suite of AI tools—LLM Optimizer. What it does: LLM Optimizer tracks which content and offerings—such as website details, products, or articles—are being shown in AI interfaces and where they’re appearing. Our take: Adobe’s new tools, especially outcome metrics and actionable recommendations, can help marketers and brands craft tailored SEO for each platform—browsers, AI Overviews, and chatbots—and surface data-driven solutions to help improve their AI search presence.