Ä¢¹½AV

OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank’s mega-investment in US data centers could fuel AI’s growth. However, soaring energy and water demands may slow the pace.

Automating civil service tasks could save billions, but concerns over job losses, transparency, and AI reliability may dampen enthusiasm.

P&G’s investments in innovation are driving volume growth: The company gained share in Q2 and kept private labels at bay.

Adidas turned its business around in 2024: The sportswear company ended the year on a high as holiday shoppers clamored for its sneakers.

Ad budgets are slowly migrating from terrestrial radio to digital platforms, but the shift is stymied by slow platform subscriber growth and by YouTube.

Kantar Media is sold for $1 billion as measurement heats up: Private equity sees a big opportunity in the rapidly changing landscape.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss how much we will actually be using AI agents this year, what happens when they start talking to each other, and how much Apple is likely to move the smart glasses adoption needle. Tune in to the conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Technology Analyst Jacob Bourne and Senior Briefings Editor Gadjo Sevilla. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

60% of US retail professionals say charging customers for returns has resulted in an increase of adoption in their free return methods, while 54% say it has cut down on return rates, according to a September 2024 survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Happy Returns.

Instead of casting a wide net on social platforms and pursuing the creators with the highest follower accounts, marketers are now more focused on resonating with the right audience.

With the holiday season in the rearview mirror, our analysts are already looking ahead to what the rest of this year—including the 2025 holiday season—will look like. This year will be defined by unpredictability, as President Trump begins his second term during a time of mixed consumer sentiments. Here are four trends our analysts expect will continue in 2025.

TikTok’s temporarily shut down sparked concerns over political influence. Advertisers and users face mounting uncertainty over the app’s future.

Trump signs order for the US to leave the World Health Organization: The decision could turn into a public health nightmare for the US, while also impeding health initiatives worldwide.

In 2025, there will be a stronger focus on performance marketing as advertisers seek to prove their efforts are worth the investment.

An increasingly fragmented retail media ecosystem has made it difficult for advertisers to track campaign performance across multiple retail media networks (RMNs), said Liz Roche, vice president of measurement and media at Albertsons Media Collective.

This natural disaster could cost more than any in US history, raising profitability questions.

Oracle surged 6% amid AI collaboration news. Apple, SpaceX, and Microsoft align with government priorities, leveraging investments for strategic gains.

Kohl’s new CEO faces a tough challenge: The department store’s sales have declined for 11 consecutive quarters as it struggled to attract new shoppers without alienating long-standing customers.

Friend delays its AI pendant release and drops chatbot platform, betting on product refinement as it navigates resource constraints.

Now that Trump is in office again, crypto regulations could boost crypto ownership and payments momentum—slowly

A rewards integration coming later this year could make Synchrony a more attractive co-brand partner

The rule, which regulates payment apps like banks, is already on shaky ground given the CFPB is about to be overhauled under Trump

Social platforms agreed to tighten moderation of hate speech in the EU while loosening rules in the US, risking an unpredictable content environment.