AI Mode promises cleaner search summaries, but cutting out website links might backfire with users and crater referral traffic for publishers.

This week, marketers look beyond Google Search to YouTube, ChatGPT, and Amazon, while dealing with an influx of consumer data. Meanwhile, women’s sports are on the rise as advertisers invest more in leagues, teams, and athletes.

Apple’s delay underscores how hard on-device AI is to get right. Meanwhile, Alexa+ and Gemini also stumble, proving voice assistants aren’t an easy win.

A lot happens in a week, so every Friday we're going to analyze all the new data and provide you with some of the key takeaways. Welcome to the Friday 5. This week, the economic blackout day made an impact, ecommerce buoys beauty, and luxury spending continues.

Mobile ad fraud is evolving: A new scheme exploited bid requests and fake installs, highlighting why marketers must invest in fraud detection to protect ad spend.

DuckDuckGo keeps AI search optional, giving privacy-conscious consumers rare control over how, when, or if they see AI-generated answers.

The rule would require larger payment apps to be regulated like banks. Ending this rule would be a win for Apple Pay and Google Wallet

Generative AI (genAI) is fundamentally changing how consumers shop online, potentially eliminating the "treasure hunt" experience that drives impulse purchases and changing how marketers push products.

Microsoft brings AI ad features to Copilot: It’s vying for ad dollars in an increasingly competitive chatbot space.

Reddit’s user base and ad revenues are growing rapidly, as is its prominence in search engines like Google. Here’s how marketers are showing up on the platform in ways that resonate with users.

Microsoft, Google enhance genAI offerings for clinicians: We examine the race between startups, health tech companies, and Big Tech giants to show healthcare organizations how their AI tools will drive efficiency-–and why Microsoft could have a leg up on the competition.

Honor will invest $10 billion to shift from smartphones to AI devices, betting on agentic AI and industry partnerships to compete with Apple, Google, and Samsung.

US smart wearable users will surge past 100 million by 2025 as AI capabilities drive adoption. Generational preferences, device convergence, and rising form factors like smart glasses and rings will reshape the market through 2028.

Figure AI shifts into overdrive: Slashing its original timeline, the startup is pushing humanoid robots into homes this year—either a sign of rapid AI progress or a risky bet to stay ahead.

Google fights AI-driven fraud with QR codes: As security threats grow, it’s ditching SMS codes in favor of QR authentication—another step toward passkeys and a future with fewer phishing vulnerabilities.

Satya Nadella admits Microsoft underestimated Google’s dominance in search, a mistake that could prove costly as AI-driven search products gain market share.

This week, consumers are concerned about tariffs but continue shopping via mobile and on low-price retailers associated with China. Consumers are also less focused on fast delivery and flocking to Google for reviews.

A budget-friendly premium tier could pull podcast fans away from Spotify, offering ad-free listening where they already watch—on YouTube, and increasingly, on their TVs.

Latin America’s digital revolution is marching full steam ahead, with consumers spending more than a third of their day online. As social commerce and retail media propel the region’s digital economy to new heights, the runway for growth remains long.​