AI in Marketing

OpenAI plans to introduce an "adult mode" for ChatGPT in early 2026, following the release of GPT-5.2. This feature aims to provide adult users with more freedom and a personalized chatbot experience, including the ability to produce erotica. The decision comes after backlash over previous updates that reduced the chatbot's personality due to concerns about user mental health, highlighted by a lawsuit involving a teenager's suicide. OpenAI is testing age verification technology to ensure appropriate content delivery. However, studies suggest that emotional connections with chatbots can lead to psychological distress, raising concerns about the safety of allowing users to form attachments to AI personalities. OpenAI acknowledges the risk of emotional reliance on ChatGPT.

Following OpenAI's adult mode plans, we look at Google's core update.

Google released its December 2025 core update on December 11, marking the third core update of the year after those in March and June. The rollout, which began at 9:25 a.m. Pacific Time, may take up to three weeks to complete. Core updates involve broad changes to Google's ranking systems to enhance search results. Unlike updates targeting specific issues like spam, core updates reassess content across the web. Google updated its documentation to clarify that content improvements can affect rankings even without major updates. The update is listed as an “incident affecting ranking” on Google's status dashboard. Users should monitor their rankings and traffic, as fluctuations may occur during this period. Completion will be confirmed via the Search Status Dashboard.

While Google's update focuses on rankings, New York's legislation addresses AI performers.

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed two SAG-AFTRA-backed bills regulating AI performers in New York. One mandates disclosure when AI performers are used in advertising, while the other prohibits using a deceased performer's likeness for deepfakes without estate consent. The legislation aims to protect human commercial actors' jobs and ensure transparency in AI-generated images. The digital replica bill applies to performers who lived in New York at their death, updating post-mortem publicity rights. However, it exempts non-consensual replicas in entertainment and news. The advertising bill also exempts ads for films or TV shows with synthetic performers. SAG-AFTRA is advocating for a federal law, the No Fakes Act, to prevent non-consensual deepfakes of performers and non-performers.

Regarding AI performer regulations, the focus shifts to Perplexity's legal challenges.

Perplexity, an AI-powered search engine, is facing significant legal challenges from major publishers like The Chicago Tribune and The New York Times, which accuse it of copyright infringement. These lawsuits claim that Perplexity uses their content without permission to generate summaries, bypassing paywalls. The company argues it did not use the content to train models, but publishers insist the summaries are based on unauthorized material. Unlike tech giants such as OpenAI or Google, Perplexity lacks leverage and resources to negotiate settlements or licensing deals. This vulnerability puts its future at risk, as it cannot afford to license data or withstand legal battles. The situation highlights challenges for startups relying on external content without strong defenses.

Moving from Perplexity's copyright issues to the humanoid robotics market advancements.

The humanoid robotics market is rapidly advancing from prototypes to commercial deployment, driven by significant investment, reduced production costs, and large-scale manufacturing. In 2025, China saw 610 robotics investment deals, totaling $7 billion, marking a 250% increase from the previous year. Companies like Tesla, BYD, and Agility Robotics are scaling production, with costs dropping significantly. Unitree launched a humanoid priced at $5,900, challenging previous cost expectations. Commercial pilots in automotive, logistics, and consumer sectors are accelerating adoption, with mainstream deployment anticipated from 2026. The market report provides comprehensive analysis and forecasts for the industry, examining technology readiness, regional dynamics, and strategic insights for stakeholders in manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and consumer applications.