Google’s life advice chatbots could trigger internal tension: It’s testing 21 tools based on generative AI, but ethicists are worried about safety and emotional dependence, which could pose commercial challenges.
Google AI will summarize news articles—but only after clicking through: What’s supposed to be an olive branch to worried publishers raises more questions than it answers.
Programmatic advertising digital display ad spend will make up 90% of digital display ad spend in the US this year, and that share is growing, according to our forecast. Most of the $132.96 billion in spend will go to video, but non-video ads still make up a large portion. Here are five charts summarizing where programmatic ad spend is headed and the identity challenges it faces right now.
Stability and predictability have returned to the global ecommerce market after three years of uncertainty. Digital sales will increase by 8.9% this year and 9.4% next year—exactly the same projections generated in our last forecast. Total retail sales growth will be in the mid single digits.
Walmart is set up for success: The retailer’s long-standing focus on value puts it in a prime spot to benefit when consumers are seeking deals and spending cautiously.
Amazon implements new seller fee as FTC antitrust case looms: The retailer will take an additional 2% cut on sales from merchants not using its fulfillment services.
Cost is the most important factor for 59% of US brand-side marketers when selecting an agency, according to a joint report from the Association of National Advertisers, 4A’s, and Advertiser Perceptions.
Aldi’s Winn-Dixie acquisition marks a departure for the discount grocer: The deal will allow Aldi to experiment with larger stores, but it could force a shift in its private label strategy.
Though growth is slowing, digital grocery will continue to fuel overall ecommerce growth in the US. “Growth is no longer driven by new adopters, but heavy digital grocery users,” our analyst Blake Droesch said on a recent “Reimagining Retail” podcast episode. Here’s how retailers like Instacart, Amazon, and Walmart can capitalize on frequent buyers.
Digital health startups to watch: We spotlight virtual behavioral health provider Better Life Partners and school-based telemental health company Daybreak Health on the back of fresh funding.
Blue Shield of California drops Caremark for piecemeal PBM model: We examine if the insurer’s decision could start a trend and take some power away from dominant pharmacy benefit managers.
Medicaid disenrollment hurts consumers, providers: More than one-third of Medicaid members say their health plan hasn’t contacted them about renewing their coverage. Consumer spending will take a hit.
Trained by AI today, replaced tomorrow? Hitachi unveils an AI-powered job-training technology that provides a solution to the knowledge-transfer problem. It also raises job security questions.
Why is the AMPTP suddenly so eager to end strikes? Its members had to negotiate upfront commitments without guarantees of new content, and a window for fall productions is closing.
YouTube Music introduces Samples: New feature with a TikTok-like vertical video feed should help users discover new music based on their preferences.
Peacock expands its reach beyond the home: Exclusive live sports to be shown in commercial venues, diversifying audience and increasing brand visibility.
Buy Buy Baby and Harmon still have strong brand equity: That’s why both brands, which were owned by Bed Bath & Beyond, are set to reopen.
Strategic upskilling is essential as AI usage increases the likelihood of job disruption and transformation. Investing in employees has never been more important.
Google to launch Gemini this fall with multimodal features: It wants to topple OpenAI’s commercial generative AI lead with a new family of models. Timing with fall classes could be crucial.
On today's episode, we discuss the ways in which firms are prepared—and unprepared—for AI, what happens when companies have finished test-driving generative AI, and what to make of Meta giving away its AI model. "In Other News," we talk about when we can expect to see GPT-5 and how Apple’s lip-reading technology could be a step toward artificial general intelligence. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Jacob Bourne and Gadjo Sevilla.