AI search

Advertisers are still figuring out what value ChatGPT’s ads may offer. Are LLMs the next frontier for search, or a new channel entirely?

AI startup Limy raised $10 million in seed funding, with a plan to show brands how AI agents are driving sales for their businesses. Plus: The CMA ruled that Google must give publishers more autonomy over the use of their content.

AirOps’ new Page360 platform helps brands update their content to better perform across traditional search, AI search and online forums.

ChatGPT’s initial ad rollout didn’t come as a surprise. Now, advertisers are figuring out how to make the most of this new channel.

Traffic is down, but publisher content is still driving purchases. Partnerize’s new attribution model lets publishers see what’s working and strike fair compensation deals.

Unusual, a new AI discoverability startup, analyzes how brands appear within AI search and provides suggestions on how to better rank.

Enjoy this weekly comic strip from AdExchanger.com that highlights the digital advertising ecosystem … 

Omnicom unveils the latest version of its ID and analytics tool; there’s a new Google Search update in town; and Omnicom Media addresses CTV ad frequency.

The era of “managed decline” is over; the era of existential clarity has begun. Publishers are no longer guessing what the post-platform world looks like. We are living in it.

AI search platforms are introducing ads. But if the ads don’t add value and maintain authenticity, platforms risk losing consumer trust.

Bringing programmatic ads to AI chatbots marks a shift in the business model for AI search, while traditional publishers must find new ways to monetize.

Thanks to mitigated tariff effects and the AI boom, WPP Media’s 2025 ad spend forecast has good news for marketers.

On Google and Meta platforms, AI search becomes the default; TTD might cut its costs; and apparently, toddlers like AI slop on YouTube.

Adobe acquires SEO tech business Semrush; brands want to know what AI search engines think of them; and the LGBTQ community is an under-targeted audience.

Enjoy this weekly comic from AdExchanger.com that highlights the digital advertising ecosystem … 

Remedies in the federal search antitrust case against Google landed with a thud earlier this week. Most publishers and ad industry pundits were sorely disappointed.

Spotlight recently partnered with Cheil UK to help the agency give its clients better insights that they can use to stand out in AI search.

Bluefish helps advertisers track and optimize how they show up in an LLM’s search results. Its latest funding will expand its team and product suite.

Perplexity didn’t just try to buy Chrome; product placement in TV and film is on the rise; and the FCC is on one again.

Microsoft’s AI assistant, Copilot, is a product of trial and error. Past mistakes paved the way for today’s iteration which has led to performance improvements and increased customer trust.

Happy first IPO-aversary, Reddit. (And happy 20th birthday.) The market got you a present. Reddit’s stock soared nearly 18% in after-hours trading on Thursday thanks to a revenue beat in the first quarter.

As most generative AI search engines focus on general adoption and subscription licenses, Perplexity AI is zagging toward advertising and commerce applications.

Taz Patel joined Perplexity in December as head of advertising, just a few weeks after the company began experimenting with ads on its platform.

Even if the industry finds a way to replace the cookie, it won’t matter if publishers no longer have traffic to monetize.

Netflix explores building its own ad server. Also: Tech companies continue trying to influence the legal definition of privacy.