🗞️Latest AI and digital marketing news🗞️
Top 10 Highlights Since September 1, 2025
1. OpenAI Makes Bold Moves—$1.1B Statsig Acquisition & AI-Powered Hiring Platform
• On September 2, 2025, OpenAI agreed to acquire statsig, a product-testing startup, for $1.1 billion, appointing its CEO as OpenAI’s CTO of Applications.
• In early September, they also unveiled plans for an AI-driven hiring service meant to rival LinkedIn.
• Plus, they’re set to launch their own AI chip in partnership with Broadcom in 2026.
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2. HubSpot’s “AI Marketing Playbook” & The Loop Framework
• At Inbound 2025, HubSpot launched The Loop, a four-stage AI marketing framework aimed at redefining strategy building—from crafting voice to adapting content and learning from results.
• They also debuted 15+ Breeze AI agents to automate CRM analysis and improve customer engagement.
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3. HubSpot’s AI-Human Hybrid Teams & Research Integration
• Alongside The Loop, HubSpot rolled out a deep research connector for ChatGPT, a proprietary data hub, and introduced a goal-oriented AI system. Their AI tools now resolve over 50% of support tickets.
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4. Google’s AI Search Zeroing Out Publishers
• Publishers are sounding the alarm: Google’s AI Overviews and “AI Mode” are slashing referral traffic—up to 89% drops for some sites—causing a full-blown “Google Zero” crisis.
• Publishers are pushing back through licensing deals and evolving monetisation models to stay afloat.
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5. AI Influencers Take Center Stage
• Hyper-realistic digital personas—like “Tinsley”—are emerging as brand ambassadors. Powered by tools from Meta, Synthesia, and others, AI influencers offer scalable, cost-effective marketing alternatives .
• But the human touch still wins: studies show human influencers deliver better engagement and earn more.
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6. China Mandates AI-Generated Content Labeling
• China has passed a law requiring social media platforms to clearly label AI-generated content with watermarks or metadata. Platforms like WeChat, Douyin, and Weibo are now in compliance.
• This is the first major legal stance on AI content transparency—and others are watching closely.
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7. Seaya Invests in Adsmurai to Accelerate AI Marketing Expansion
• Spanish investment firm Seaya injected capital into Adsmurai, a €100M-valued digital marketing firm. The move is aimed at scaling their AI investments—and international growth—with revenues expected to hit €140M in 2025 and €400M by 2029.
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8. Agentic AI + Retail: Smarter Shopping Experience Ahead
• AI-driven shopping is levelling up in 2025 with agentic AI tech—optimising everything from customer service to logistics and enabling cool features like virtual try-ons and predictive content creation.
• But retailers must balance automation with trust—consumers remain both excited and uneasy about AI.
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9. HubSpot’s Market Challenges Amid AI Push
• Despite its AI innovation, HubSpot’s stock has dropped 32% in 2025, and investor sentiment remains cautious. The company is doubling down on trust, user control, and long-term AI-human workflow integration.
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10. The Rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
• Marketers are shifting focus to GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)—optimizing visibility within AI-generated content and generative search results through tactics like llms.txt and structured metadata.
• It’s a new frontier beyond SEO—essential for ensuring your content is surfaced in AI-driven channels.
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TL;DR – Shaping the Future
Here’s the skinny: AI isn’t just a tool anymore—it’s the game itself. We’re talking:
• Acquisition power plays and proprietary platforms (hello, OpenAI).
• Sharpening hybrid AI-human workflows (HubSpot leading the charge).
• The existential threat for publishers and pivot to licensing (thanks, AI-powered search).
• Ethical and regulatory shifts—content transparency is in the spotlight (China leads).
• Innovating further with AI-generated influencers, virtual shopping experiences, and AI optimizations (GEO, real-time shopping personalization).
• Strategic AI governance expanding in fashion and marketing leadership roles.
So, if you’re building digital marketing strategies—whether for ecommerce, content, or client services—lean into AI, build ethical guardrails, ensure your brand gets seen in AI-first channels, and never forget the human connection is still your best edge.
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Trish Beven
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