On today’s podcast episode, host Bill Fisher is joined by our forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood and analysts Paul Briggs and Matteo Ceurvels to examine the podcast landscape around the world, looking at changes in listenership and the advertising opportunities that the format affords.
It’s a promising start for global AI safety guidelines yet lacking in concrete actions and accountability. Will other nations join the regulatory effort?
Rumors swirl about OpenAI’s ‘Q*’ project: A secret AGI project could be linked to Sam Altman’s firing. It shows how generative AI is a loose cannon without regulation.
The tight labor market has driven up store associates’ pay: That’s a solid investment given that well-paid staff typically have longer tenures, which helps them deliver a better customer experience.
Generative AI triggers a hiring surge amid tech industry layoffs: Marketplace fanfare over the technology could shift hiring and resources from other critical areas, like cybersecurity.
Steep discounts drove record Black Friday online sales: Ecommerce sales surged on the day after Thanksgiving, while brick-and-mortar sales grew just 1.1% YoY.
Cyber Monday will top $13 billion in US online sales, while Black Friday will crack $10 billion for the first time, according to our June 2023 forecast.
Chairman Martin Gruenberg faces calls for his resignation.
Open banking has propelled the growth of alternative credit, but the model isn’t risk-free
This could make it harder for riskier consumers to get approved for credit cards in the future
The approval is a potential sign of thawing geopolitical tensions; Mastercard was approved after a summit between Xi and Biden
’Tis the season for a deluge of holiday ads, as everyone tries to score a piece of the $1.317 trillion holiday sales pie (per our June 2023 forecast). To break through the noise, brands need to zero in on what resonates with consumers—and maybe even have a little fun.
The parcel industry is ready for the holiday surge: Carriers like the US Postal Service, FedEx, and UPS should have more than enough capacity to handle the holiday peak.
Shein and Temu have a long way to go before they can truly threaten Amazon: While their aggressive ad strategies are successfully driving site visits, conversions are proving more elusive.
Roughly one in seven self-checkout users has purposely shoplifted: Rampant theft is causing Target, Walmart, and others to rethink their uses of the technology.
Brand loyalty vs. brand backlash: Consumers want companies to support social causes despite the corporate dilemmas that could result.
Primary care docs don’t have enough time in the day: We explore the issues impacting PCPs’ ability to deliver more holistic care to their patients.
Seeing health information on social media isn’t believing: 82% of US adults think most of the health information they see on social media is false or misleading. But two-thirds of them can’t tell what’s true from false.