The year started with a flurry of commerce media news, from Meijer Media expanding into off-site channels to Microsoft’s new ad capabilities.

Its new Advanced Planning Unit will study AI’s societal and economic impacts, aiming to refine business strategy amid soaring investments and mixed customer reactions.

Microsoft bets big on AI and cloud, but TikTok acquisition could reshape its ad strategy: Investors weigh future growth against spending risks and competition.

The pressure is on as regulators in the US and the EU raise red flags over user data and national concern issues, while OpenAI accuses it of stealing APIs.

A series of major milestones are on tap for total media and digital media ad spending around the world in 2025, although growth will be uneven across countries and regions.

As genAI expands beyond chatbots, app categories like banking and messaging could see AI-driven disruption, reshaping mobile habits and spending trends

While AI adoption could save employees significant time, most still see it as a draft generator—helpful, but far from a finished product.

GenAI is taking the search market by storm, but market dynamics will stay largely the same this year.

Netflix’s ad business reaches maturity: The company is launching its own ad tech stack ahead of Upfronts.

Amid leadership upheaval and falling stock, it could be an attractive target for Amazon or Spotify, which could benefit from Sonos’ hardware expertise.

OpenAI can use other cloud providers, but Microsoft retains API exclusivity through 2030—suggesting it may be offloading some costs while keeping strategic advantages.

OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank’s mega-investment in US data centers could fuel AI’s growth. However, soaring energy and water demands may slow the pace.

Oracle surged 6% amid AI collaboration news. Apple, SpaceX, and Microsoft align with government priorities, leveraging investments for strategic gains.

Job cuts at Meta and Microsoft could strain remaining workers as companies shift focus to AI amid changing corporate and political dynamics.

Retailers and tech giants are rushing to roll out AI-powered search.

Biden’s proposal to restrict AI chip exports to 120 countries faces backlash from Nvidia, which says the policy risks stifling innovation and harming economic growth.

Organizations will prioritize governance in 2025 as they ramp up genAI investments in pursuit of business transformation.

Easing AI regulations could unleash unprecedented investments. But it also raises ethical concerns that policymakers must balance with growth.

As OpenAI pushes for artificial general intelligence, its reliance on complex deals and high computing costs may force it to prioritize financial viability over human-centered AI.

With tools like OpenAI’s Swarm and Google’s Mariner, businesses are using smarter AI to automate decisions, disrupt roles, and redefine how work gets done.