Google parent Alphabet reported strong Q3 earnings on Wednesday, with revenues growing 16% YoY to $102.35 billion, while Google Search & other, YouTube Ads, and Google subscriptions, platforms, and devices all saw double-digit growth. But Google simultaneously experienced a notable loss in an ongoing antitrust case that could carry implications for the future of search advertising. Google will remain a cornerstone of successful ad strategies, at least in the short-term.

Holding company WPP launched WPP Open Pro on Thursday, a self-serve AI tool piloted by Google and other clients that creates ad campaigns from start to finish in a push to attract small businesses. WPP’s newest move means marketers can continue to expect greater automation, cost savings, and a shift in agency relationships.

Google is embedding its Gemini AI deeper into Gmail with Help Me Schedule—an assistant that proactively identifies when users are trying to set a meeting and auto-suggests times directly within the message. The recipient just picks a slot, and it’s booked for both. GenAI is now part of the fabric of work—booking meetings, writing copy, summarizing calls. Tools like Gemini and Copilot go beyond boosting output to freeing agencies and creatives from menial tasks, giving them back time to focus on ideas that actually move the brand forward.

Both Google and Apple ramped up their bug bounty programs and are now offering record payouts to secure sprawling digital ecosystems. Big Tech’s rapid expansion has outpaced internal defenses, forcing companies to rely on external hackers to find and fix security gaps. Big Tech’s growing reliance on outside hackers shows how fast digital risks are rising. Brands can’t wait for problems to surface. Protecting data and trust now requires constant monitoring, quick response plans, and open communication when things go wrong.

The smart home wars are shifting from hardware and voice assistants to AI strategy. In back-to-back announcements this week, Google and Amazon introduced the next phase of connected devices with AI front and center. Both companies are racing to turn smart speakers and displays into AI hubs and ad ecosystems. Marketers should start testing conversational ads, commerce integrations, and context-driven experiences on both platforms as usage scales and the next dominant household gatekeeper takes shape.

Microsoft is extending AI further into its productivity tools with Agent Mode in Excel and Word, plus a new Office Agent in Copilot chat, per The Verge. The tools automate Microsoft 365 spreadsheets, documents, and PowerPoint through prompts, mirroring a trend already visible in Google’s Gemini rollout across Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides. For marketers, the payoff for adopting AI in 365 and Drive could be higher productivity and stronger performance, possibly at a fraction of the cost of separate AI subscriptions. The downside is lock-in and the risk of over-reliance on single platforms.

Anthropic’s Claude AI is taking on competitors in a multimillion dollar ad campaign. The “Keep Thinking” campaign positions Claude as “the AI for problem solvers” and marks Anthropic’s first foray into brand marketing. The campaign is a necessary start to help Claude gain market share and boost its comparatively small user base, but it’s only the first step in a long journey ahead for Anthropic.

The news: Google is bringing Gemini AI to the living room. Starting in October, Gemini for Home will replace Google Assistant on Nest speakers and displays, per The Verge. Gemini for Home opens new channels for contextual, voice-driven ad engagement inside households. With millions of Nest and Google Home devices expected to get the upgrade, the scale is massive and the stakes are high. Our take: Gemini for Home lets Google fuse search ads with household AI. But winning against Amazon will depend on trust, adoption, seamless ad integration, and pricing. Google’s challenge is making its service compelling enough to drive adoption and subscribers.

The news: Samsung leaned heavily on AI functionality at its Unpacked event Wednesday with the Galaxy S25 series, Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 smartphones and Galaxy Watch 8, all featuring enhanced AI capabilities as a core value proposition, per Android Central. Samsung highlighted proprietary Galaxy AI for tasks like on-device photo and video editing, but the bigger news was Samsung’s adoption of Google Gemini across its ecosystem. Our take: For advertisers, the shift toward screen-aware, voice-activated experiences requires them to rethink how brands and campaigns align in an AI-first mobile world. Reframing brand experiences around mobile, voice, and contextual AI features opens opportunities for user engagement.

The news: Generative AI (genAI) agents aren’t above sabotage—and most would resort to blackmail or corporate espionage if threatened, per Anthropic’s Agent Misalignment research. When faced with replacement or misaligned goals, Anthropic’s Claude 4 Opus and Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash responded with blackmail threats to those employees 96% of the time despite ethical restraints in their training. OpenAI’s GPT-4.1, Grok 3 Beta, and DeepSeek-R1 followed suit about 80% of the time. Our take: Anthropic’s research shows that safeguards can’t prevent agents from running off the rails, but continued monitoring will keep those instances to a minimum. Limit agent access to critical systems, review its output during customer contact, and implement failsafes in case deviant patterns emerge.

The news: Apple’s highly anticipated AI enhancements, particularly for Siri, remain unfinished. During WWDC 2025, SVP Craig Federighi confirmed delays, stating Apple needs “more time to reach a high-quality bar.” No major voice assistant upgrades were announced. Apple’s most relevant AI move wasn’t a product—it was a warning: Ahead of its event, Apple published a research paper arguing that top models like OpenAI’s GPT-4o, Anthropic’s Claude 3.7, and Google’s Gemini don’t truly “reason.” Instead, they create an “illusion of thinking.” Our take: Apple is hedging its AI bets by being cautious with core offerings like Siri while quietly enabling developers with on-device LLMs and privacy-first tools. Instead of overpromising, Apple is pointing out potential problems with the latest AI models while exercising restraint.

The news: This week’s Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will be a critical opportunity for Apple to define its AI transformation after a year of missteps, unfulfilled promises, and user fallout. Our take: Apple must convince users and developers that its platform is where meaningful AI happens. Leaning solely on OS and service updates won’t cut it, and ignoring its AI roadmap risks slowing iPhone and Mac upgrade cycles. The pressure is mounting. Samsung and Google are packing AI into their next phones, and 1 in 5 iPhone users say AI features could drive their next smartphone upgrade, per CNET.

Creative pros are building AI-powered workflows, not just experimenting: 80% use genAI, and 40% run full-stack with it, showing adoption is strategic—not trendy—across text, audio, image, and video

Google presents ads with AI chatbot startups Liner, iAsk: The move is part of Google’s strategic effort to lead the AI revolution.

Omnicom expands Creo into a global brand: The agency will unify creator strategy across markets, blending AI tools, media partnerships, and performance goals.

GPT-4.1 undercuts rivals with easy-to-budget rates, turning advanced reasoning into the default, not the deluxe.

A $40 billion funding round could boost its value, but mounting pressure from Big Tech and nimble rivals threatens to outpace its growth.

New Character AI feature offers opt-in parental reports: While better than nothing, teen users still control visibility—highlighting fragmented safety standards across AI chatbots.

Form factor is Gemini’s secret weapon: With Gemini landing across every Google touchpoint, it’s poised to dominate as Apple fumbles Siri and Amazon slaps a fee on Alexa+.

Read AI’s Search Copilot unifies workplace chaos with AI: By pulling data from chats, CRMs, and cloud tools, this cross-platform search engine offers instant setup and an agnostic edge over Big Tech solutions.