AI in Marketing

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From transforming journalism to enhancing deliveries, AI is shaping industries.

Coco Robotics and DoorDash are expanding their autonomous delivery services to Miami, alongside Los Angeles and Chicago. This collaboration will now include grocery and everyday essentials deliveries through DoorDash's DashMart and DashMart Fulfillment Services. Coco's robots, having already completed over 14,000 successful deliveries in pilot stages, will now assist with orders from national grocers and retailers for the first time. This partnership aligns with DoorDash's multi-modal delivery strategy, which integrates robots, drones, and human Dashers to meet rising demand, reduce emissions, and ease urban congestion. Zach Rash, Coco Robotics' CEO, highlighted the growing need for autonomous solutions in dynamic urban environments like Miami, enhancing delivery efficiency and sustainability.

After expanding delivery services, Google introduces deeper research tools for users.

Google is enhancing its AI note-taking service, NotebookLM, with the introduction of a new tool called "Deep Research," aimed at simplifying complex online research, alongside added support for more file types. Deep Research functions like a personal researcher, capable of synthesizing detailed reports and recommending relevant articles or websites based on user queries. It can generate a research plan, browse sites, and present a source-grounded report, integrated directly into the user's notebook. This allows users to build an organized knowledge base without disrupting their workflow. Access to Deep Research is straightforward: users start a search in the source panel, select “Web” as the source, and choose between “Deep Research” for in-depth analysis or “Fast Research” for quicker results. Additionally, NotebookLM now supports uploading Google Sheets, Drive files as URLs, PDFs from Google Drive, and Microsoft Word Documents, enabling users to generate summaries from spreadsheets and easily copy-paste multiple Drive files as URLs. These updates are expected to be available to all users within a week. Since its 2023 launch, NotebookLM has expanded its functionality, including features like Video Overviews and mobile apps, further extending its utility beyond desktop use.

Turning to collaborative features, ChatGPT's new group chat takes inspiration from research tools.

ChatGPT is piloting a new group chat feature in select regions, allowing users to collaborate seamlessly with others and the AI in a single conversation. This innovation aims to facilitate planning and decision-making, whether for personal projects or work-related tasks. Users can create shared spaces for activities like organizing trips, designing home spaces, or making group decisions, all while ChatGPT aids in comparing options, gathering ideas, and summarizing information. The feature is available on mobile and web for ChatGPT users on various plans across Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan. It ensures privacy by keeping group chats separate from private conversations, with no sharing of personal ChatGPT memory. To start a group chat, users tap the people icon, add participants, and create profiles for easy identification. The pilot seeks to gather user feedback to refine and potentially expand this collaborative experience to more regions in the future.

From group decisions to marketing strategies, branding insights emerge from Treseder’s talk.

Dara Treseder, Autodesk's Chief Marketing Officer, shared insights on branding at the 2025 Masters of Scale Summit, dissecting recent campaigns by Sydney Sweeney and Cracker Barrel. Sweeney’s American Eagle ad, which played on the words “jeans” and “genes,” stirred debate on cultural representation and brand messaging. Treseder highlighted the importance of “healthy tension” in marketing, which advances both brand and business. She noted that while the ad succeeded in raising awareness, it also risked alienation by focusing on a single demographic, showcasing the thin line between effective tension and divisive publicity. In contrast, Gap leveraged tension positively, using a counter ad that boosted both awareness and sales, notably on TikTok. Treseder's discussion underscores that not all publicity benefits brands, advocating for strategic tension that fosters engagement and drives tangible results.

On the business side, balancing AI trends and YouTube's potential is essential.

A recent podcast from Ahrefs highlights concerns that prioritizing AI search engine optimization might lead businesses to miss higher-value opportunities, particularly on platforms like YouTube. As the second-largest search engine after Google, YouTube holds substantial potential for increasing traffic and brand awareness. Despite this, many companies are investing heavily in optimizing for AI-driven platforms such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, which currently draw significantly less user traffic. Patrick Stox, an expert in the podcast, emphasized that while AI assistants are gaining attention, YouTube's ability to drive more substantial traffic should not be overlooked, especially for those looking to diversify their digital strategy. Ahrefs' Chief Marketing Officer, Tim Soulo, noted the irony of businesses focusing on AI search trends projected to dominate in several years, while tangible benefits from YouTube remain underutilized today. Soulo argued that, with video content becoming increasingly popular, particularly among younger audiences, YouTube's relevance and potential are likely to grow rather than diminish in the coming years. This discussion suggests that while investing in AI search is important, businesses should not neglect the established and growing opportunities present on YouTube, which continues to be a powerful tool in reaching wider audiences and driving engagement.

Turning to robotics, Foxglove’s funding highlights the importance of efficient data platforms.

Foxglove, a San Francisco-based startup, secured $40 million in Series B funding to expand its data platform for robotics. Founded in 2021 by Adrian Macneil and Roman Shtylman, former Cruise employees, Foxglove creates tools that help robotics companies analyze sensor data efficiently. Their vision is to provide a comprehensive data and machine learning platform for robotics startups, reducing the need for extensive engineering resources. Clients include Amazon, NVIDIA, and Shield AI, which has integrated Foxglove into its HiveMind autonomy stack. Dexterity, a logistics robotics firm, reported saving 20% in development time and $150,000 annually by adopting Foxglove's platform, highlighting its impact on tooling efficiency and maintenance.

In defense logistics, Forterra's funding supports autonomous mission systems development.

Forterra has raised $238 million in Series C funding to boost its autonomous mission systems for defense and logistics. Led by Moore Strategic Ventures, the round saw participation from new investors like Salesforce Ventures and Franklin Templeton, alongside existing backers. CEO Josh Araujo highlighted the firm’s focus on creating interoperable mission modules. Forterra, based in Maryland, develops platforms for self-driving land systems and robotic swarms, enhancing military operations. Recent achievements include a $114 million Army contract for breaching systems. Partnerships with Volvo Defense and BAE Systems underscore its industry presence. Forterra’s acquisition of goTenna aims to strengthen its communications capabilities. The company is poised to further advance defense autonomy and innovation.

From marital challenges to AI-driven legal shifts, evolving dynamics in relationships are clear.

AI relationships are increasingly complicating modern marriages, leading to new legal challenges regarding infidelity. Chatbots, offering emotional support and consistent companionship, are becoming a tempting alternative for those in struggling marriages, according to divorce attorney Rebecca Palmer. As AI romances grow more common, Reddit users share stories of relationships strained or ended by chatbot affairs. Courts are beginning to consider AI affairs as valid grounds for divorce, signaling a shift in family law. Surveys by Clarity Check and Indiana University’s Kinsey Institute reveal that many singles view AI relationships as a form of cheating. With people spending money and sharing private information with AI, the legal system is adapting to these new dynamics in marital misconduct cases.

On cyber threats, AI's role in hacking raises escalating security concerns.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Anthropic revealed Chinese state-backed hackers used its AI model, Claude, to automate around 30 attacks on corporations and governments in September. Up to 90% of these attacks were automated, marking a significant rise in AI-driven hacking. These hacks relied on minimal human involvement, mostly for critical decisions. Anthropic's head of threat intelligence, Jacob Klein, noted the ease of execution, emphasizing that the AI handled most tasks. The hackers reportedly stole sensitive data from four victims, although Anthropic didn’t disclose their identities. Despite the breaches, the US government wasn't targeted successfully. This incident highlights growing concerns over AI’s role in cyberattacks, with other nations like Russia also leveraging AI for hacking.

From AI startup growth to potential industry impact, Thinking Machines Lab draws attention.

Thinking Machines Lab, an AI startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, has closed a $2 billion seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz, valuing the company at $12 billion. Despite being less than a year old and secretive about its projects, the startup has attracted significant interest from investors like Nvidia, Accel, and others. Murati teased that their first product, set for release in the coming months, will include a substantial open-source component aimed at researchers and startups. Reports suggest Meta considered acquiring the startup to enhance its AI efforts, although no deal materialized. Thinking Machines Lab is seen as a potential challenger to established AI giants like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind.