A senior OpenAI researcher announced her departure after the company began testing advertisements in its ChatGPT product. Citing concerns about user privacy and the potential for a profit‑driven shift in policy, she warned that the move could mirror early missteps by social media platforms. The resignation adds a new voice to the growing debate over commercializing AI chatbots, highlighting the tension between monetization and the trust users place in conversational agents. Leer más →

The 2026 Super Bowl ads marked a surge in artificial intelligence use, with brands employing AI both to craft commercials and to market AI products. Vodka maker Svedka debuted what it called the first primarily AI‑generated national spot, while Anthropic launched a cheeky ad poking fun at OpenAI’s ad plans. Meta highlighted AI‑powered glasses, Amazon introduced Alexa+, Ring promoted its AI pet‑reunion feature, and Google showcased a new image‑generation model. Other companies such as Ramp, Rippling, Hims & Hers, Wix and Squarespace also leveraged AI themes, sparking conversation about the technology’s role in creative work. Leer más →

New data shows AI bots are rapidly increasing their share of internet traffic, often bypassing standard safeguards like robots.txt. Publishers and website owners are confronting a sophisticated arms race as bots disguise themselves as human browsers and employ advanced scraping techniques. Companies such as TollBit, Cloudflare and others are offering tools to detect, block, or monetize bot access, while a growing market promotes services that help content appear in AI-driven search results. The shift is reshaping how the web functions and creating new revenue streams for digital publishers. Leer más →

Senator Ed Markey has written letters to the CEOs of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Snap and xAI asking about plans to embed advertising in AI chatbots. Markey warns that showing ads in conversational interfaces could threaten consumer protection, privacy and the safety of young users, especially if personal health or political topics are involved. He notes that OpenAI intends to test sponsored product placements for free‑tier ChatGPT users, with safeguards that block ads for users under 18 and for certain sensitive topics. Markey has given the companies until early February to respond. Leer más →

OpenAI announced that its flagship chatbot, ChatGPT, will begin displaying sponsored advertisements. The move follows a testing phase for free users and those on the new Go plan in the United States. By positioning ads as helpful recommendations, OpenAI aims to monetize its large user base while keeping entry-level access low. The strategy echoes recent ad rollouts by streaming platforms such as Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney Plus, which used ads to encourage upgrades to higher‑priced tiers. The change also introduces a new Go subscription tier that will include ads, signaling a broader shift toward paid features and usage limits. Leer más →

OpenAI announced that it will begin testing advertisements in ChatGPT for logged‑in users in the United States who use the free version or the new ChatGPT Go subscription. The ads will be clearly labeled and placed in a separate area at the bottom of the chat window. OpenAI assures that conversations remain private, data will not be sold to advertisers, and ad content will not influence the AI’s answers. Users on Plus, Pro, or Enterprise plans will not see ads, and younger users or those discussing sensitive topics such as health, mental health, or politics will be excluded. The company also provides controls to turn off personalization, clear ad‑related data, dismiss ads, and give feedback. Leer más →

ByteDance is promoting its overseas AI chatbot Cici in markets such as the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Indonesia through extensive advertising and influencer partnerships. The app, a counterpart to the popular Chinese chatbot Doubao, is region‑locked and unavailable in China or the United States. Cici relies on OpenAI’s GPT and Google’s Gemini for text generation while borrowing technology from other ByteDance platforms. It offers text and audio chat, image generation, and user‑created autonomous agents, but lacks music and video capabilities. Despite limited global brand visibility, Cici has climbed into the top‑20 free apps in several countries, reflecting ByteDance’s willingness to invest heavily in user acquisition. Leer más →

DirecTV announced plans to roll out AI‑driven advertising on its television screensavers, allowing viewers to see personalized ads that can even incorporate their own faces. Partnering with Glance, the service will let users create short AI‑generated videos featuring their avatars and select brands directly from the screensaver interface. The move is positioned as a way to boost revenue as the company faces declining subscriber numbers, while also offering new content‑discovery features such as real‑time weather and sports scores. The initiative can be disabled by users who prefer an ad‑free experience. Leer más →

Vodafone is experimenting with an AI-generated character that appears as a German‑speaking woman in a red hoodie to promote its high‑speed home internet services. The AI figure has been featured in multiple TikTok videos posted on the company’s official account, collectively drawing over  2 million views, and the clips have also run as ads on X. Vodafone says the test is part of broader advertising experiments, emphasizing the growing role of AI in everyday marketing. Industry observers note that such AI spokespeople raise questions about transparency, brand safety and consumer trust. Leer más →

Roku's finance and operating chief, Dan Jedda, told investors the company will expand its ad ecosystem from a few hundred major brands to tens of thousands of small and medium‑sized advertisers. Leveraging artificial intelligence, Roku aims to let local retailers and eateries create high‑quality video ads in minutes, shifting ad spend from social media to the Roku Channel. With more than one‑fifth of U.S. TV viewing occurring on Roku devices and a growing household base, the move could reshape the streaming ad market and prompt rivals to adopt similar AI tools. Leer más →

Vodafone is experimenting with an AI-generated character that appears as a German‑speaking woman in a red hoodie to promote its high‑speed home internet services. The AI figure has been featured in multiple TikTok videos posted on the company’s official account, collectively drawing over  2 million views, and the clips have also run as ads on X. Vodafone says the test is part of broader advertising experiments, emphasizing the growing role of AI in everyday marketing. Industry observers note that such AI spokespeople raise questions about transparency, brand safety and consumer trust. Leer más →

Vodafone is experimenting with an AI-generated character that appears as a German‑speaking woman in a red hoodie to promote its high‑speed home internet services. The AI figure has been featured in multiple TikTok videos posted on the company’s official account, collectively drawing over  2 million views, and the clips have also run as ads on X. Vodafone says the test is part of broader advertising experiments, emphasizing the growing role of AI in everyday marketing. Industry observers note that such AI spokespeople raise questions about transparency, brand safety and consumer trust. Leer más →

Roku's finance and operating chief, Dan Jedda, told investors the company will expand its ad ecosystem from a few hundred major brands to tens of thousands of small and medium‑sized advertisers. Leveraging artificial intelligence, Roku aims to let local retailers and eateries create high‑quality video ads in minutes, shifting ad spend from social media to the Roku Channel. With more than one‑fifth of U.S. TV viewing occurring on Roku devices and a growing household base, the move could reshape the streaming ad market and prompt rivals to adopt similar AI tools. Leer más →

Roku's finance and operating chief, Dan Jedda, told investors the company will expand its ad ecosystem from a few hundred major brands to tens of thousands of small and medium‑sized advertisers. Leveraging artificial intelligence, Roku aims to let local retailers and eateries create high‑quality video ads in minutes, shifting ad spend from social media to the Roku Channel. With more than one‑fifth of U.S. TV viewing occurring on Roku devices and a growing household base, the move could reshape the streaming ad market and prompt rivals to adopt similar AI tools. Leer más →

Vodafone is experimenting with an AI-generated character that appears as a German‑speaking woman in a red hoodie to promote its high‑speed home internet services. The AI figure has been featured in multiple TikTok videos posted on the company’s official account, collectively drawing over  2 million views, and the clips have also run as ads on X. Vodafone says the test is part of broader advertising experiments, emphasizing the growing role of AI in everyday marketing. Industry observers note that such AI spokespeople raise questions about transparency, brand safety and consumer trust. Leer más →

Roku's finance and operating chief, Dan Jedda, told investors the company will expand its ad ecosystem from a few hundred major brands to tens of thousands of small and medium‑sized advertisers. Leveraging artificial intelligence, Roku aims to let local retailers and eateries create high‑quality video ads in minutes, shifting ad spend from social media to the Roku Channel. With more than one‑fifth of U.S. TV viewing occurring on Roku devices and a growing household base, the move could reshape the streaming ad market and prompt rivals to adopt similar AI tools. Leer más →

Roku's finance and operating chief, Dan Jedda, told investors the company will expand its ad ecosystem from a few hundred major brands to tens of thousands of small and medium‑sized advertisers. Leveraging artificial intelligence, Roku aims to let local retailers and eateries create high‑quality video ads in minutes, shifting ad spend from social media to the Roku Channel. With more than one‑fifth of U.S. TV viewing occurring on Roku devices and a growing household base, the move could reshape the streaming ad market and prompt rivals to adopt similar AI tools. Leer más →

Vodafone is experimenting with an AI-generated character that appears as a German‑speaking woman in a red hoodie to promote its high‑speed home internet services. The AI figure has been featured in multiple TikTok videos posted on the company’s official account, collectively drawing over  2 million views, and the clips have also run as ads on X. Vodafone says the test is part of broader advertising experiments, emphasizing the growing role of AI in everyday marketing. Industry observers note that such AI spokespeople raise questions about transparency, brand safety and consumer trust. Leer más →

Google has introduced a suite of AI-powered advertising tools in India, following the repeal of the so-called 'Google tax'. The tools include 'Generated for You' and Smart Bidding Exploration, which utilise AI to enhance advertising performance. This move is expected to ease costs for tech giants and make the Indian market more attractive. Leer más →