Google experiments with chat ads: The tech giant plans to embed its Search and Shopping ads into the AI-powered SGE conversational mode.

Retail media’s rise in popularity is being boosted by increasing ecommerce sales, a wide variety of ad formats, and established retailer-brand relationships. But an increasingly crowded space may have advertisers feeling overwhelmed, which could put a bit of strain on retail media’s growth.

Consumers are frustrated by intrusive or invasive ad experiences, and they’re concerned about how advertisers use their data. Here’s how consumers perceive their ad experiences across media channels, how they avoid ads, and how brands, advertisers, and publishers are responding.

On today's episode, we discuss what Facebook's new virtual reality (VR) ads look like, the ad formats that will be unique to VR, and what's driving VR headset growth. We then talk about the breakdown of what Americans are watching on TV, whether we will ever see ads on Disney+ and Netflix, and whether YouTube TV has the answer for sports fans. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analysts at Insider Intelligence Victoria Petrock and Paul Verna.

Nearly 30% of internet users of all ages in France will use ad blocking software or tools this year, to limit their exposure to digital ads. Annual growth rates will drop below 10%, however, and continue to decline.

Ad blocking user growth is slowing in the UK, with rates much lower than in France and Germany. But it’s still costing publishers revenues. Better advertising and messaging are on the horizon, which might help slow rates still further.