Amazon accused of ‘peak absurdity’ over office badge scan email: Employees say the tech giant falsely accused them of not following return-to-office policies. Clear policies and communication are necessary.
Meta rehires laid-off workers: Big Tech competition and economic improvement mean the company needs the employees it cut, calling into question the “year of efficiency” strategy.
Key stat: Generative AI adoption will climb to 77.8 million users in the two years following the November 2022 release of ChatGPT, more than doubling the adoption rate of both tablets and smartphones, according to our forecast.
Streaming surge: Disney boosts ad-supported Disney+ subscribers; profitability challenges persist despite $87 billion revenue.
Key stat: 61% of US paid search marketers think future chat-based search advertising will be very or extremely effective, according to NP Digital.
On today's episode, we discuss whether Amazon can keep expenses down while also keeping customers happy, where the company will place its bets on grocery, and how its advertising arm has performed of late. "In Other News," we talk about why most retailers site searches aren't working and how many streaming viewers will watch ads to save a few bucks. Tune in to the discussion with our director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman and analyst Zak Stambor.
We’re seeing record bankruptcies among VC-backed startups. Factors include rate hikes, investment shortages, and bank collapses. AI funding rises, but potential oversaturation looms.
Cloud gaming expansion is in the works and could sustain user engagement amid content strikes.
More European troubles for Meta: The social media giant will be fined nearly $100,000 per day in Norway over data privacy violations.
Retail media is one of the fastest growing ad channels we track, due in part to the allure of closed-loop attribution powered by retailers’ first-party consumer data. But advertisers are starting to curb their enthusiasm given measurement challenges stemming from the lack of methodological standards across platforms. As it stands, it’s nearly impossible for advertisers to compare platforms against each other, which can lead to misallocation of budgets.
The initial wave of excitement over generative AI is fading, leaving many retailers asking, “Now what?” Some might want to look toward Shopify, which is incorporating generative AI capabilities across its platform to help sellers build and scale their businesses more quickly. Or maybe take a cue from eBay, which is using the tech to make more accurate and helpful product recommendations. Meanwhile, Etsy is working to democratize access to machine learning models to help speed up deployment across its organization.
Since Google debuted its Search Generative Experience AI-based interface in beta three months ago, it’s made a lot of updates to alleviate early concerns from testers. But according to search expert Lily Ray, Google still has some work to do to fix issues with its new AI-driven experience. Meanwhile, Microsoft—which is still a very distant rival—continues to innovate on Bing Chat, which Ray called “the best AI product that’s out there right now.”
A $5B lawsuit over Chrome’s ‘Incognito mode’ privacy moves closer to trial. Plaintiffs argue Google misused data, but Google stands firm on its transparency.
AI-enhanced Bing Chat heads to Chrome, Safari: Microsoft tries to counter Google’s search dominance and grow revenue as Bing outgrows its Edge beginnings.
Amazon dominates the Arm-server market, boosting AWS’ edge in AI, IoT, and edge computing. Custom chips offer performance and cost advantages over competitors like Google and Microsoft.
Google faces criticism for ending Chromebook support before the school season—with 13 models affected. A watchdog emphasizes potential security risks and need for clearer retailer communication.
US advertising and PR sector witnessed job growth in July: Amid the broader economic slowdown, how long can the rally last?
The country is mandating 90 kW chargers and aiming for 150 kW in high-traffic zones. State subsidies for highway chargers show why success of EV adoption requires government involvement.
Instagram’s Threads updates after dwindling usage, X delays payouts amid other debts, and TikTok modifies its EU algorithm due to the Digital Services Act.
“Google is facing increasing competition on every front, and a good quarter of growth is helpful to bolster its position,” our analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf said on a recent “Behind the Numbers” podcast episode. She explains what’s impacting Google’s recent growth, the challenges it’s up against, and how the company is bracing for competition.