AI Google reveals how AI decides which businesses get recommended Google's VP of Product explains the technical mechanisms behind AI search recommendations and provides actionable strategies for businesses seeking visibility.
Data This week: Tech giants post record quarters as Amazon reshapes ad infrastructure Big Tech earnings exceeded expectations late October while behind-the-scenes infrastructure moves signaled deeper industry realignment than quarterly numbers suggested.
Data Texas secures $1.375 billion from Google in privacy settlement Texas finalized an unprecedented $1.375 billion privacy settlement with Google, establishing the largest recovery by any single state for data protection violations.
Retail Amazon advertising hits $17.7B as AWS accelerates with Anthropic AI cluster Amazon advertising revenue reached $17.7 billion in Q3 2025, growing 22% year-over-year. AWS hit $33 billion with Project Rainier running Anthropic Claude models.
Audio Udio settles copyright lawsuit, partners with Universal Music Group Udio disables downloads as part of licensing deal with Universal Music Group, settling copyright infringement litigation through industry-first agreements.
Social Reddit reaches 116 million daily users with $585M revenue in Q3 Reddit reported Q3 2025 results showing 116 million daily active users, $585 million revenue up 68%, net income of $163 million, and 40% adjusted EBITDA margin.
Display Google expands PayPal Hyperwallet to China and Argentina publishers Google extends AdSense, AdMob, and Ad Manager payment options to China and Argentina on October 30, 2025, adding PayPal and cash pickup flexibility.
Social Meta reports 26% revenue growth amid infrastructure spending surge Meta's third quarter advertising revenue reached $50.1 billion, though net income plummeted 83% due to a one-time tax charge related to new federal legislation.
AI Microsoft cloud revenue hits $49.1 billion as AI investments accelerate Microsoft reports 18% revenue growth reaching $77.7 billion in first quarter, driven by Azure expansion and commercial bookings surge exceeding 100% in constant currency.
Display Alphabet reaches $102.3 billion in quarterly revenue milestone Alphabet posts 16% revenue growth to $102.3 billion in Q3 2025, marking first-ever $100 billion quarter. Google Search revenues up 15%, Cloud grows 34% to $15.2 billion.
Video Fubo and Hulu + Live TV complete merger, creating sixth-largest pay TV provider Fubo and Disney's Hulu + Live TV finalized their business combination on October 29, 2025, forming a vMVPD with nearly 6 million subscribers in North America and new leadership.
Search Google search ranking volatility detected around October 28 Multiple tracking tools report search ranking fluctuations on October 28, 2025. SEO professionals observe traffic declines coinciding with new ad layout changes affecting organic visibility.
Data Media Rating Council issues draft standards for digital ad auction transparency Media Rating Council releases September 2025 public comment draft outlining transparency requirements for digital advertising auctions, affecting display, audio, video, search, and retail media channels.
Data Check My Ads challenges auction transparency standards Watchdog organization submits critical comments warning MRC proposal risks codifying unequal transparency for closed-loop platforms while creating conflicts of interest.
Data AWS becomes central infrastructure for advertising beyond Amazon's own business AWS RTB Fabric announcement on October 23 reveals Amazon's strategy to control advertising infrastructure, with cloud services generating 70% of company profits.
Data Chrome enforces secure connections by default in October 2026 Chrome 154 will enable "Always Use Secure Connections" by default in October 2026, warning users before accessing public sites without HTTPS encryption.
Data Wunderkind launches identity-based audience targeting for Meta Ads Manager Wunderkind introduced Audiences for Meta on October 29, 2025, enabling brands to sync first-party identity data with Meta Ads Manager for precision targeting.
Social G2 and Reddit partner to streamline B2B software brand presence G2 partners with Reddit to help B2B software brands extend verified profiles to Reddit Pro accounts, addressing AI search shifts and community engagement challenges.
Display Google adds political ads to Transparency Center Google expanded its Ads Transparency Center to include political advertisements, enabling users to search and analyze political campaigns worldwide with spending data and creative details.
AI Gemini iOS app traffic revealed through undocumented user agent New undocumented user agent "GeminiiOS" discovered by analyst identifies traffic from Gemini's iOS app WebView, exposing measurement gaps in Google's AI traffic.
Retail Criteo abandons France to enable potential U.S. acquisition French ad tech firm Criteo exits France for Luxembourg to bypass merger restrictions, clearing path for U.S. buyers while posting $470 million quarterly revenue.
Social Meta expands advertising formats on Threads with catalog ads Meta introduces Advantage+ catalog ads and carousel formats to Threads on October 28, 2025, expanding creative options for the platform's 400 million users.
AI Adobe Express introduces AI assistant for conversational content creation Adobe launches conversational AI assistant in Express on October 28, enabling creators to design and edit content through natural language interactions.
Social Adobe expands GenStudio with custom AI models and ad platform integrations Adobe announced October 28 new GenStudio capabilities including Firefly Foundry custom models, advertising platform integrations, and AI-powered content scaling tools.
AI One-third of brands will damage trust with AI self-service in 2026 Forrester predicts 33% of companies will harm customer experiences with premature AI deployment in 2026 as display ad budgets face 30% cuts and privacy lawsuits surge 20%.
