Smart home devices have started to reach the mainstream. While security remains the core, categories like lighting and utility are bringing device interoperability to a growing number of households.
OpenAI’s partner list gets messy: Apple’s suit adds another public dispute as OpenAI courts brands, users, and IPO investors.
Meta starts charging for AI: Paid tiers for users and developers could make AI a new revenue pillar for Meta and a bigger part of marketers' tech budgets.
AI exposes CX gaps: AI pays off across use cases, but weak escalation and bot transparency threaten brand trust.
AI users seek direct answers: Answers to specific questions are AI's top search use case, making authoritative content as important as clicks.
Almost half (44%) use AI, but limited training and low confidence keep most nurses double-checking outputs, reducing time savings from the tech.
In today’s podcast episode, we discuss what SpaceX’s IPO says about xAI’s position in the AI race, why so many AI companies are rushing to go public this year, whether these IPOs will drive business growth or become a distraction for shareholders, and how much these AI giants are actually competing with one another. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Analyst Jacob Bourne and Principal Analyst Nate Elliott. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.
EU regulators challenge Meta’s app designs: Meta may have to redesign “addictive” social media features, testing ad performance and platform mechanics.
Regions adds personalized insights that turn transaction data into timely, in-app coaching.
Live sports reward streamers with user acquisition: Exclusive events create can't-miss moments that offer engagement and advertising opportunities.
5G-Advanced gives luxury brands an edge in UAE: Du’s network can reduce mobile friction where premium shopping journeys happen.
A wrap-up of the most popular payment stories so far this year.
Netflix adds more short-form video offerings: New publisher deals could fill in content gaps and help it compete for daily attention beyond binge viewing.
Captioned content is a user expectation: Subtitles boost ad attention and clarity, making them a creative must—not just an accessibility feature.
OpenAI ads open in European markets: OpenAI is seeking proof that ads can fuel revenues before its IPO.
Sony shows digital purchases have limits: Deleting content consumers bought could lead them to question digital bundles, purchases, and media offers.
Cloudflare challenges Google: New crawler defaults give publishers more control over AI scraping and could prompt Google to split search and AI crawling.
Google's AI Mode healthcare ad test signals expanding AI ad inventory, though disclosure-heavy healthcare ads remain excluded for now.
But many doctors aren’t convinced that wearable-generated health data has enough clinical value to influence their decisions.
AI is increasingly shaping how consumers discover and evaluate products before they buy. As agentic commerce gains momentum, brands are rethinking what it takes to turn AI-driven discovery into completed transactions.