The AI Platform Is Closer Than Some Rivals, but It Still Faces Barriers

Meta is tightening teen safeguards for its AI companions in a move that could help make future chatbot ads more viable.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the new Disney-OpenAI deal: why Disney did the deal, what's in it for OpenAI, and everything that might happen next. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Analyst Ross Benes, and Principal Analyst Max Willens. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

AI was everywhere at CES 2026, from robots to toilets and toys. The race to define the next computing interface is on, agentic ad tech is emerging, and health wearables are pushing further into physiological data. Best in show: Lego’s Smart Brick.

Heavy consumer AI health use raises pressure on OpenAI and peers to tighten safeguards fast.

Young people overwhelmingly confide in chatbots even as questions around safety and mental health risks mount.

Amazon bets on AI health guidance paired with doctor access—something ChatGPT and Claude don’t offer.

Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol promises a common standard for agentic commerce. But AI-driven checkout will remain small for the foreseeable future, keeping the focus on how AI influences discovery rather than where transactions are completed.

ChatGPT will begin testing ads, but while its massive userbase positions the platform to deliver ads to engaged audiences, brands must weigh the risks.

Super Bowl campaigns aren’t one-size-fits-all; brands are now splitting between full-scale TV buys and multi-channel activations that extend beyond the broadcast.

AI companions present ad potential through high trust and engagement, but safety and regulation pose real risks to advertisers.

As consumer health AI tools expand, companies must tread carefully or risk eroding consumer confidence.

In the crowded clinical market, trusted data, accuracy, and speed will shape adoption.

"Retailers are reinventing the ways that they connect with their customers in real life," said our analyst Blake Droesch during a recent “Behind the Numbers” episode. "The D2C revolution that we saw play out online has now really reached its limitations, giving way to a disconnection between brands and their customers."

As genAI assistants play a more prominent role in shopping, retailers and brands will have to rethink how their loyalty programs support direct consumer relationships, and how loyalty benefits can be surfaced in AI conversations.

AI search advertising is growing, but lingering problems mean overindexing risks wasted spend before ad formats mature.

Its new ChatGPT for Healthcare aims to win over physicians and health systems with HIPAA-safe, evidence-based tools.

Our analysts (or “bakers”) compete in a Great British Bake Off–style episode, discussing why Google may overtake OpenAI in 2026 and how the AI boom could get a reality check this year. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Principal Analyst Nate Elliot and Analyst Jacob Bourne. Listen everywhere, and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

ChatGPT Health lets users upload medical data for personalized wellness advice—a feature likely to gain traction as folks trade in data privacy for AI-powered health insights.