AI in Marketing

In a recent conversation on the podcast "Hard Fork," hosts Casey Newton and Kevin Roose explored the future of higher education in the age of artificial intelligence with Princeton Professor D. Graham Burnett. Burnett, a historian of science and technology, shared insights from his essay, "Will the Humanities Survive Artificial Intelligence?" which discusses AI's potential impact on higher education, particularly in the humanities. Burnett suggested that AI could actually benefit the humanities by encouraging a focus on deep, existential questions about what it means to be human.

Burnett's optimistic view comes amidst widespread concern over the decline of humanities studies. He believes AI can revitalize this field by fostering a more profound engagement with the life of the mind. During the podcast, Burnett also shared how he has been incorporating AI into his teaching, encouraging students to engage in extended conversations with chatbots. These interactions, he argues, can reveal insightful aspects of both the student and the AI, offering a unique learning experience.

The discussion highlighted that while no single approach to integrating AI in education will suit every discipline, the humanities have unique opportunities to leverage this technology. Burnett's work presents thought-provoking possibilities for how colleges and universities might adapt to this new technological landscape, suggesting that rather than threatening the humanities, AI might actually enrich them. As the academic year begins, Burnett's insights offer valuable food for thought for educators pondering the intersection of AI and education.

From classrooms to influencers

In 2025, influencer marketing has hit a new stride, boasting a global spend of $32.55 billion. The industry now prioritizes return on investment, embracing AI and showing a preference for micro and mid-tier influencers. According to Later's comprehensive study, which involved over 1,000 creators and 200+ U.S. marketers, the approach has shifted from chasing follower numbers to fostering long-term partnerships and utilizing AI for efficiency. Despite a drop in creator participation in brand deals, down to 78% from last year's 94%, this is attributed to creators diversifying their income rather than a decline in influencer marketing's effectiveness. Micro creators are seeing a median CPM of $119, with Instagram Reels and TikTok videos leading as the most engaging content formats. This evolution underscores a smarter, more sustainable influencer marketing landscape where measurable value reigns supreme.

Switching gears to AI geopolitics

In a bold move that positions the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a rising contender in the global artificial intelligence (AI) arena, the UAE has announced the open-sourcing of its AI technology, K2 Think, developed to rival the likes of OpenAI in the U.S. and DeepSeek in China. This strategy, revealed on September 9, 2025, by the Institute of Foundation Models, aims to democratize access to cutting-edge AI technology, mirroring efforts by major players in the U.S. and China who have similarly shared their AI models with the world. K2 Think, which claims performance parity with its American and Chinese counterparts, is a product of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence’s research efforts. This initiative underscores the UAE's commitment to establishing itself as a hub of AI innovation and intellectual creativity, challenging the notion that AI technology will remain dominated by a few nations. The project has stirred mixed feelings in Washington, especially considering the UAE's collaboration with G42, an Emirati company that recently procured over 10,000 computer chips from the U.S., highlighting the complex geopolitics surrounding AI technology exchange and development.

Now, onto robotics expansion

RobCo, an innovator in robot-as-a-service (RaaS) automation, has marked its US expansion by setting up a new headquarters in San Francisco and launching two assembly sites in Austin. This strategic move, bolstered by acquiring Rapid Robotics' assets, team, and clientele, is a response to the pressing labor shortages and a push towards reshoring manufacturing in the US. With recent studies showing a significant portion of US manufacturers ramping up automation efforts, RobCo's timely expansion aims to meet the burgeoning demand. The company's unique offering combines modular robots, AI-driven software, and a flexible pay-as-you-go model, making automation more accessible and cost-effective. Serving industry giants like BMW and Wildpack Beverage, RobCo's solution is poised to revolutionize how businesses of all sizes approach automation amidst the evolving industrial landscape.

Exploring digital twin ventures

On September 8, 2025, Aechelon Technology, in collaboration with Niantic Spatial, ICEYE, BlackSky, and Distance, unveiled Project Orbion, the first AI-enabled digital twin of Earth. This pioneering venture aims to revolutionize situational awareness and decision-making by providing a dynamic 3D model of the planet, complete with real-time weather and accurate physics. Utilizing a combination of satellite imagery, radar intelligence, and AI, Project Orbion delivers an unprecedented level of detail, making it possible to monitor natural disasters and troop movements with remarkable precision. The collaboration also explores future integration of Niantic Spatial's Visual Positioning System with Aechelon's simulation systems, enhancing ground teams' capabilities in challenging environments. Project Orbion represents a significant leap forward in synthetic reality, offering a new dimension in global observation and AI training.

Discussing cybersecurity threats

In a sophisticated supply chain attack, hackers compromised a maintainer's account to inject malware into NPM packages, affecting over 2.6 billion downloads weekly. The breach, confirmed by maintainer Josh Junon, was initiated through a phishing attack from a fake npmjs support domain. The phishing emails threatened account lockouts to manipulate maintainers into clicking malicious links. The resulting malware, hidden in package updates, targets web transactions, specifically hijacking cryptocurrency transfers to redirect funds to attacker-controlled wallets. This malware monitors for crypto transactions in browsers, swapping legitimate wallet addresses with fraudulent ones. The NPM team has since removed malicious package versions, including a notably affected 'debug' package with 357.6 million weekly downloads. This attack underscores the growing threat to software supply chains, highlighting the critical need for heightened security measures.

Finally, delving into AI partnerships

Meta has struck a deal to license AI image and video generation tech from Midjourney, a leading startup in the field. Announced by Meta's Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang, this partnership aims to integrate Midjourney's advanced technology into Meta's future AI models and products. The collaboration highlights Meta's strategy to blend world-class talent and ambitious tech developments with industry partnerships to enhance its product offerings. This move could position Meta to better compete with top AI models from companies like OpenAI and Google. Previously, Meta launched Imagine and Movie Gen, tools for AI-driven image and video creation across its platforms. The agreement with Midjourney, which has remained independent without outside funding, underscores Meta's aggressive push in the AI sector, following a significant hiring spree for AI researchers and investments in AI startups.