Google is Winning the Real AI Race
Plus: NotebookLM's new Video Overviews, AI-powered age detection, and Midjourney's 24/7 live stream.
👋 Happy Friday AI Marketers. The big story this week is lots of little stories. But they all revolve around Google. The tech giant is releasing more new AI products and features than we can keep up with. And they’re all significant for brands and marketers. Still thinking Google is behind in the AI race? Let’s get you caught up…
Google’s AI Mode is Taking Over
Remember when "AI Mode" was just an experiment? A discreet toggle you may or may not have access to. A desperate reaction to the AI search hype surrounding ChatGPT and Perplexity? Well, now AI Mode is front-and-center. A big, shiny button. Glowing next to the iconic Google search box on its homepage.
AI Mode isn't playing second fiddle anymore, it’s positioning itself as the soon-to-be default mode. And after taking it for a spin, I can see why. With a slew of powerful new features, it’s not just a better way to search. It now handles image-based queries, live camera input, PDF uploads, and real-time chats about anything you’re looking at, essentially becoming a personal multimodal assistant. AI Mode is no longer an experimental side project. It’s quickly becoming the new way to “Google.”
NotebookLM Adds Video Overviews. Whoa.
Google just handed marketers a virtual content team. Think instant presentations or explainer videos created straight from your notes. Just add your docs, enter a simple prompt, and NotebookLM churns out polished, narrated Video Overviews. Content that used to take days. Whether pitching a new idea or quickly turning research into customer-facing content, brands and creators now have production superpowers.
Google is Crushing AI-Powered E-Commerce
Google’s latest shopping update lets customers realistically try on billions of clothing items virtually, using just one uploaded photo. Combine this with hyper-targeted price alerts, and suddenly e-commerce visuals and competitive pricing strategies become critical. If your brand isn’t optimized to shine in Google's frictionless AI-powered shopping spree, the competition will happily take your spot.
Google’s “Web Guide” Experiment is Reshuffling Traditional Search Results
The era of classic blue-link search results is under a new threat. Google's new Web Guide experiment uses its Gemini AI to organize search results by user intent, grouping content logically rather than ranking by keywords alone. For brands and content creators, this means traditional SEO tactics might soon be obsolete, replaced by strategies focused purely on aligning content with user intent.
Marketing to Kids? Google’s Age-Detection AI is Coming.
Google’s AI is working to identify users under 18, automatically shielding them from sensitive ads, inappropriate content, and personalized targeting. For brands marketing to young audiences, the rules are changing fast. This could be the ticket to safer online experiences, but will likely come with growing pains. How accurate will it be? What will Google determine to be unsuitable for children of different ages?
🎥 I sifted through a billion YouTube videos. Here’s one for you:
Midjourney TV just launched as a 24/7 live stream showcasing the day's top user-generated videos. Since day one, Midjourney has brilliantly featured community-created content to highlight what's possible and inspire experimentation. First, to promote its text-to-image tools. And now its text-to-video capabilities. Wondering how creators are using it? Tune in anytime for a peek at the day’s best content. Also viewable at: https://www.midjourney.tv
🎙️ My top 3 podcast episodes this week:
A16Z PODCAST
AI, Content, and the War for Your Attention
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes joins tech veteran Antonio García Martínez and a16z General Partner Erik Torenberg to unpack how AI-generated content is changing the attention economy, from "AI slop" filling our feeds to the sorry state of online advertising. All topics covered in Hayes' new book, The Sirens Call.
THE INFORMATION'S TITV
AI's Impact on Advertising, Enterprise and Software
The Information’s founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief, Jessica Lessin speaks with Joe Marchese about AI’s effect on advertising businesses. AWS's Shaown Nandi examines the Chief AI Officer role. And a look at Snowflake’s big investment in Hightouch, the data and AI platform for marketing and personalization.
MARKETING AGAINST THE GRAIN
Perplexity Comet: Testing the New AI Web Browser
Kipp Bodnar tests Perplexity's AI-powered browser, Comet, to see if it lives up to the hype. He explores practical use cases, assesses marketing workflow enhancements, and shares productivity tips for marketers considering AI-driven browsing as the next big shift in online behavior.
Have a favorite podcast to recommend? Shoot me the details.
🚨 AI-forward companies are looking for AI-forward marketers:
AI Strategy Consultant
Hightouch
Work with top enterprise brands to design and deploy AI-powered personalization strategies. You'll collaborate across marketing and engineering teams to build use cases around Hightouch’s AI Decisioning platform.
Details →
Director, Marketing GenAI Solutions & Modeling
Dow Jones
Lead the development of predictive models and generative AI tools to personalize content, optimize campaigns, and drive subscriber growth across The Wall Street Journal and other brands.
Details →
AI-Driven Marketing Coordinator & Campaign Manager
MedPro Disposal
Own AI-powered campaign strategy by scouting and implementing tools like ChatGPT, predictive analytics, and lead scoring models to streamline sales and marketing operations.
Details →
Marketing & GTM Ops Specialist
Coverflex
Design AI-native marketing workflows using tools like n8n, PromptLayer, and Make.com. This hands-on role blends automation, prompt engineering, and internal tooling for high-growth teams.
Details →
Director, CRM AI Transformation
eBay
Build eBay’s next-gen CRM system from the ground up using AI, personalization engines, and generative content frameworks. This strategic role blends MarTech, data science, and customer journey design.
Details →
📅 AI marketers are gathering across the country and around the world for conferences, summits, and industry events. Here’s where to join them:
Affiliate Summit East
New York City, NY, August 4–5
NAED Marketing Summit
San Antonio, TX, August 4–6
Digital Summit
Minneapolis, MN, August 6–7
CDAO
Chicago, IL, August 7–8
Ai4
Las Vegas, NV, August 11–13
eTail
Boston, MA, August 11–14
AI Accelerate
San Diego, CA, August 20–21
WordCamp
Portland, OR, August 26–29
Contact.io
Denver, CO, August 27–29
Have an event to add? Send me the details.
