Can We Talk? Google AI Mode Now Has Two-Way Conversations.
Plus: Adobe Firefly goes mobile, Reddit dominates AI search, and the existential ad agency crisis in Cannes.
👋 Happy Thursday AI Marketers. Another busy week! Google drives one more nail into the coffin of traditional search, adding full-on conversations to AI Mode. It’s time for your brand to cozy up to Reddit. And TikTok is taking AI-powered ads to the next level. Let’s get you caught up…
Google's AI Mode Can Now Have Back-and-Forth Voice Conversations
Google is rolling out a major upgrade to its AI Mode, launching Search Live, a voice-enabled conversational search experience designed to compete with Perplexity AI and OpenAI’s voice search offerings.
Search Live allows users to tap a "Live" icon in the Google app to initiate fluid voice interactions, ask follow-up questions naturally, and receive AI-generated audio responses instantly.
It’s another big step away from traditional search, toward what seems like an inevitable zero-click future. Optimizing content for spoken questions, multi-step queries, and real-time voice engagement will become increasingly important as consumers embrace a frictionless, hands-free internet.
How Reddit is Influencing Brand Visibility on AI Search (and What Marketers Can Do About it)
With ChatGPT and Bard increasingly pulling answers directly from Reddit, getting noticed in AI-driven search means mastering “answer engine optimization” (AEO). Ad Age reveals practical ways to boost your Reddit visibility, ensuring your content gets served up when AI is on the hunt for reliable, engaging information.
Adobe’s Firefly AI App Comes to iOS & Android
Adobe’s Firefly generative AI tools are now on mobile. The new app brings text-to-image, text-to-video, and AI editing tools directly to iOS and Android. Creations sync instantly with Creative Cloud, connecting mobile and desktop workflows.
CMOs: The Time Is Now To Assign an AI Leader
It’s time for CMOs to get serious about designing an AI-forward team. And to start by naming a trusted leader to steer strategic planning, budgeting, and team restructuring around AI. Someone who understands the tools, the tech, and how to communicate clearly with executives. Here’s how.
Advertising’s AI Apocalypse
The elephant in the room at Cannes Lions? Agencies like WPP and Omnicom are merging or downsizing, while Meta and Google continue to introduce powerful AI tools that sidestep their services. Media buyers and ad execs aren’t exactly thrilled about the automation and consolidation threatening their industry.
🎥 I sifted through a billion YouTube videos. Here’s one for you:
Here's how AI video gets practical. TikTok just unveiled updates to its Symphony suite of AI-powered ad tools. Marketers can now instantly turn static product images, mood boards, or brand visuals into five-second video ads and generate clips from text prompts. The tools won’t just live on TikTok, they’ll be integrated into Adobe Express and WPP Open.
🎙️ My top 3 podcast episodes this week:
MARKETING AGAINST THE GRAIN
How to Rank 1 in ChatGPT Results (AI SEO Strategy)
HubSpot’s Kipp Bodnar, Kieran Flanagan, and Aja Frost explain how AI search disrupts traditional SEO and share how to optimize content specifically for ChatGPT. Discover why winning in AI-powered search matters and how to secure the top spot in generative AI results.
THE MARKETING COMPANION
Content and Compromise
Mark Schaefer and Amanda Russell tackle the tension between creative authenticity and marketing effectiveness. Learn practical ways to balance audience building, SEO performance, and staying true to your brand without losing your edge.
EXPONENTIAL VIEW
The Problem with Altman's Gentle Singularity
Azeem Azhar analyzes Sam Altman’s "Gentle Singularity" essay, agreeing AI’s rapid evolution has started but cautioning its smooth progression depends entirely on effective policy, competitive openness, and personal skill-building. Understand what marketers should expect as AI adoption accelerates.
Have a favorite podcast to recommend? Shoot me the details.
🚨 AI-forward companies are looking for AI-forward marketers:
Senior AI Campaign Manager
Simon Data
Run performance marketing campaigns powered by AI, using advanced segmentation and automation tools to increase efficiency and impact.
Details →
Vice President of Marketing
Legion
Lead marketing for an AI company focused on agentic systems, using Legion's own multi-agent stack to run hyper-personalized, always-on campaigns.
Details →
Senior Product Manager, Marketing Technology
Audible
Build and scale marketing tech tools that enable smarter customer engagement, collaborating across teams to implement AI solutions that improve performance.
Details →
Associate Manager, Marketing Tech and AI Solutions
DoorDash
Prototype AI-powered tools and improve marketing data systems, working cross-functionally to turn complex signals into measurable business results.
Details →
Senior Marketing Manager
Helix Center for Applied AI and Robotics
Own marketing strategy for Helix, a high-profile AI consultancy serving the Fortune 500. You'll drive positioning, visibility, and cross-functional campaigns aimed at establishing Helix as the go-to partner for enterprise AI transformation.
Details →
📅 AI marketers are gathering across the country and around the world for conferences, summits, and industry events. Here’s where to join them:
VidCon Anaheim
Anaheim, CA, June 19–21
Pubcon Pro Austin
Austin, TX, June 19–20
DigiMarCon Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, FL, June 20–23
B2B Connect
San Diego, CA, June 23–25
CommerceNext Growth Show
New York City, NY, June 24–26
DigiMarCon Atlanta
Atlanta, GA, June 25–26
Observe
San Francisco, CA, June 25
WordCamp Montclair
Montclair, NJ, June 28
Have an event to add? Send me the details.
