Welcome to The Week in Generative AI, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that sums up the latest news surrounding this rapidly evolving technology.
Google sunsets video ad program, further prioritizing AI campaigns
Google on Wednesday announced it is sunsetting video action campaigns — call-to-action video ads that run on YouTube — and that, starting in the second quarter of 2025, these ads will be “upgraded” to its AI-powered ad product Demand Gen, Ad Age’s Garrett Sloane reports. By shifting this ad offering to Demand Gen, Google continues its AI push, this time aiming to increase efficiency and drive better results for advertisers, Sloane adds. Find the full story here.
Previously: “Google announces Android software update with Gemini AI features and new Pixel 9 series,” from the Aug. 16 edition of this column.
More AI launches and strategy:
- “Google’s AI-powered Ask Photos feature begins US rollout” (TechCrunch)
- “Canva says its AI features are worth the 300 percent price increase” (The Verge)
- “Amazon in licensing deal with AI robotics start-up Covariant, hires co-founders” (Chain Store Age)
- “Fossil Boosts Site Visit Revenue 14% with AI-Powered Customer Insights” (Retail Touch Points)
Anthropic announces new Claude Enterprise plan to take on OpenAI’s ChatGPT Enterprise
In a move to position itself as a top competitor of OpenAI’s ChatGPT Enterprise, Anthropic on Wednesday announced a new Claude Enterprise plan that “makes it easier and safer for teams across an organization to share proprietary data with powerful large language models,” Fast Company’s Mark Sullivan reports. This newest iteration of Claude Enterprise features integration with GitHub and allows companies to input in one shot twice the amount of information as was possible in previous versions, signaling that Anthropic is “moving from an AI assistant to a virtual collaborator for anyone,” Anthropic product leader Scott White tells Fast Company.
Previously: “Anthropic launches enterprise offering and iPhone app,” from the May 3 edition of this column.
See also: “Intel and other companies to build open generative AI systems for enterprise,” from the April 19 edition of this column.
More AI tools & advancements:
- “YouTube is developing AI detection tools for music and faces, plus creator controls for AI training” (TechCrunch)
- “Asus’ first Copilot Plus PC is getting a new Qualcomm chip” (The Verge)
- “YouTube Expands AI Comment Summaries to More Languages” (Social Media Today)
- “How Apple Intelligence is changing the way you use Siri on your iPhone” (TechCrunch)
TechCrunch explores “emotion AI”
Citing Pitchbook’s new Enterprise Saas Emerging Tech Research report, TechCrunch’s Julie Port explores “emotion AI” and its anticipated rise in an increasingly AI-crazed world. Defined by Port as AI “employing sensors for visual, audio and other inputs combined with machine learning and psychology to attempt to detect human emotion during an interaction.” Emotion AI is already available through cloud platforms including Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services, and aims to help other human-facing chatbots better understand the emotional secret sauce of conversation. Find the full story here.
See also: “When A.I.’s Output Is a Threat to A.I. Itself” (The New York Times)
OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever’s new safety-focused AI startup SSI raises $1 billion
Safe Superintelligence Inc. (SSI) — a safety-focused AI startup co-founded by Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI co-founder and its former head scientist — has raised $1 billion “to help develop safe artificial intelligence systems that far surpass human capabilities,” Reuters’ Kenrick Cai, Krystal Hu and Anna Tong report. Though SSI declined to make a valuation public, Reuters’ sources said the company is valued at $5 billion, with investors including venture capital firms Andreesen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital.
Previously: “Former OpenAI chief scientist introduces Safe Superintelligence Inc., a new startup focused on safe AI,” from the June 21 edition of this column.
Previously: “California passes AI safety bill,” from last week’s edition of this column.
More AI financial results:
More AI safety & regulation:
