Is AI already replacing ad agency jobs? A new report suggests 33,000 jobs will be replaced by 2030, but there are signs that it’s already happening.

Disintermediation is getting real, upfront advertisers want their programmatic CTV spending accounted for, and Google shares early results from the Privacy Sandbox.

AI enhances B2B advertising: LinkedIn’s latest feature levers OpenAI models to improve ad creation efficiency.

Advertising employment peaks: AI advances may promise potential disruption.

Walmart sees growth opportunities regardless of the macroeconomic environment: The retailer looks to boost its international sales, improve its digital presence, and expand its retail media business.

TikTok promotes learning and automation at product summit: Simplicity is a big buzzword for TikTok this year, with automation at the heart of simplifying the ad creative process.

Generative AI is the topic of the moment, and the dollars are following: Spending on AI-centric systems worldwide will jump to $154 billion this year from $121 billion last year, according to the International Data Corporation. If you’re not already using the tech, it’s time to get startedHere’s how retailers are using the AI.

Even as suspicions surrounding ChatGPT and generative AI swirl, marketers know the new tech will turn search—and its ad dollars—on its head. As search shifts toward chatbots, the way brands advertise with Google and Microsoft will change completely, creating problems for publishers and agencies.

Walmart ramps up automation to lower fulfillment costs: The retailer is investing in technology to optimize inventory planning and delivery speed.

Tech’s nightmare becomes reality: As Amazon lays off thousands more, the talent bloodletting shows no signs of letting up. It’s a symptom of impulsivity in the tech industry that could come back to haunt it amid the tight labor market.

The labor market is extremely challenging for retailers and restaurants: Quit rates are on the rise, which is making it difficult for companies seeking to improve the customer experience.

Forty-two percent of marketers said they plan on exploring AI and automation as a strategy in 2023, according to an August 2022 Sagefrog survey

B2B marketing leaders have lost their focus on the benefits of email marketing. Email is a key distribution channel, and investments will allow relevant messages with high engagement rates and ROI to be delivered efficiently and effectively.

Programmatic display ad spending is growing despite challenging economic conditions. Where it’s growing, and how fast, depends on how much data advertisers can access.

Microsoft is the latest to resort to layoffs: The company is reducing its headcount by 5% as it pivots to plug AI into its key products, subscriptions, and cloud services. But AI still has a lot of hurdles to jump.

“We used to talk about ‘omnichannel’ and we should just be talking about ‘commerce.’” That’s according to our analyst Suzy Davidkhanian, speaking on our “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast.

Not all startups are feeling the VC funding pinch: Investors are still funding startups, but they’re more selective, gravitating toward tech areas that show promise for enterprises without the risk.

Amazon continued to dominate ecommerce in 2022: But advertising, not retail, was the company’s biggest success story this year—although not enough to prevent the layoffs of 20,000 employees.

IT and technology spending will register anemic mid-single-digit growth throughout our forecast period. Property and casualty tech leaders must maximize spending to support their organizations’ bottom line in a time of extraordinary pressures on profitability.

To stand out against competitors, tech leaders must sharpen their agility to act quickly on emerging opportunities, zero in on key priorities, and carefully allocate budgets.