This week: Paid digital advertising was all about year-end retrospectives and looking ahead. Google dominated headlines with its AI Mode expansion and major algorithm updates, while Meta stepped back from brand safety audits (raising some eyebrows), TikTok doubled down on sports content for 2026, and the programmatic world continued wrestling with transparency issues that just won't quit. Plus, AI chatbots started testing ads, because of course they did.
This week: The holiday week brought a flurry of platform updates and industry shifts that savvy advertisers need to know about. Snapchat challenged misconceptions about its audience demographics, Google rolled out new transparency features for Performance Max campaigns, Nielsen and Roku deepened their data partnership for CTV measurement, programmatic's transparency problem came into sharper focus, and contextual advertising made a comeback as cookies and traditional targeting methods continue to break down.
This week: Google introduced new ad formats and targeting capabilities while facing regulatory pressure, Meta expanded its AI integrations and announced partnership deals, Pinterest made a major acquisition in the CTV space, LinkedIn rolled out enhanced creative tools, and TikTok launched new discovery features for brands.
This week: Google rolled out AI Mode as default search experience and revived Website Optimizer documentation hinting at new A/B testing tools, OpenAI paused ChatGPT ads after CEO Sam Altman ordered urgent quality improvements, Meta's Oversight Board shaped platform policies while Pinterest reported rising post-Christmas activity, TikTok faced a potential December 16th shutdown (unless Trump intervenes), and Microsoft Ads introduced individual asset disapproval with precise 90% conversion reporting.
This week: Meta rolled out AI-powered ad recommendations as the default while simultaneously launching premium strategy sessions for top tier subscribers, ChatGPT and Perplexity pushed deeper into AI-powered shopping experiences that could reshape product discovery, Google expanded Custom Segments capabilities (though details remain frustratingly vague) and introduced direct video uploads to Performance Max, YouTube unveiled AI-powered tools for Shorts creation and music generation, and Snapchat doubled down on Q5 opportunities while Meta's ad platform experienced its annual "Glitchmas" holiday chaos.
This week: Google rolled out new AI features and ad products while facing regulatory heat in the EU, Meta expanded encrypted messaging on X and tested new commerce tools, TikTok launched holiday advertising guides and new creator protections, Microsoft retired its mobile advertising app in favor of web-only management, and Adobe dropped $1.9 billion to acquire Semrush in a major consolidation play.
