Meta Wins. Writers, Artists & Creators Lose.
Plus: We're starting to talk like ChatGPT, AI commercials think we're stupid, and YouTube wants to kill your clicks.
👋 Happy Friday AI Marketers. This week, Meta and Anthropic both celebrated legal victories, giving them the green light to train their models on copyrighted material. Game developers are being wrongly accused of using AI. And voiceover work may be the next job on the chopping block. Let’s get you caught up…
Meta Wins AI Copyright Case, but There’s a Catch
Meta scored a landmark court victory when a judge ruled it was legal to train AI models using copyrighted books from authors like Sarah Silverman and Ta-Nehisi Coates. The judge reasoned that Meta’s use qualified as "transformative," meaning it didn't directly harm the market for the original works.
But there's a significant catch. The judge also emphasized this ruling applies narrowly to the specific facts presented, leaving room for future lawsuits. Particularly if authors can demonstrate market harm. Meta wins for now, but the legal debate over AI training is just beginning.
Why Does Every Commercial for AI Think You’re a Moron?
From Meta’s frantic, forgetful boyfriend to Google’s nervous dad outsourcing his daughter’s fan letter to an AI, commercials depict users as helpless and socially inept. These bizarre portrayals aren't just funny. They show Silicon Valley’s struggle to pitch AI realistically. Beneath the humor lies a deeper question: Is AI meant to enhance our lives or replace our basic human abilities?
Video Game Developers Being Accused of Using AI (Even When They Aren’t)
Game creators are facing backlash from players wrongly accusing them of using AI-generated visuals, even when art is authentically handmade. Indie studios like Stamina Zero and Chessplus have struggled to convince fans their work is genuine. This unexpected problem highlights how suspicion around AI use can unfairly damage reputations, making trust and transparency critical for creative teams moving forward.
YouTube Adds an AI Overviews-Like Search Results Carousel
YouTube rolled out a new AI-powered carousel in search results, summarizing content with AI-generated descriptions similar to Google's AI Overviews. For creators, this means potential visibility challenges as users may get information without clicking through. The feature is initially limited to Premium subscribers in the U.S., but its impact could reshape how audiences discover video content.
AI-Powered Startup Studio Plans to Launch 100,000 Companies a Year
Startup studio Audos plans to use AI to help everyday entrepreneurs rapidly launch thousands of small businesses annually. Backed by a revenue-share model, Audos provides tools, funding, and instant market testing. It's an intriguing approach, making entrepreneurship accessible even without technical skills. But will founders embrace sharing revenue indefinitely for convenience? Audos bets that widespread entrepreneurial dreams outweigh any hesitation.
🎥 I sifted through a billion YouTube videos. Here’s one for you:
You’ve got to hear this to believe it. ElevenLabs just rebuilt their Voice Design model to deliver broader expressive range, more personality, improved accents, and increased support for 70+ languages. For better or worse, voiceover work will never be the same.
🎙️ My top 3 podcast episodes this week:
THE OPENAI PODCAST
Sam Altman on AGI, GPT‑5 and What's Next
OpenAI launches its first podcast with host Andrew Mayne interviewing Sam Altman about GPT‑5, AGI timelines, Project Stargate, new research workflows, and even AI-assisted parenting. It’s not a conversation about marketing, but it is one every marketer should hear.
MARKETING AGAINST THE GRAIN
How I Turned Perplexity Labs into a Marketing Machine
Learn marketers can build hyper personalized campaigns at scale with Perplexity Labs. Discover prompts that segment audiences, tap real-time signals on platforms like LinkedIn, and turn AI into a true competitive advantage.
THE EXIT FIVE CMO PODCAST
The Future of B2B Marketing AI Execution and…
Dave Gerhardt teams up with HubSpot’s Kieran Flanagan to map AI’s impact on B2B marketing workflows, content creation and team structure. Hear why top marketers will specialize at the outer edges of creativity or technical execution, and the risks of staying stuck in the middle.
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
Lead and execute AI-powered customer campaigns with Simon AI to double output without extra effort in a CDP–driven environment.
Details →
Head of Marketing – AI Enabled Growth
Vellox Group
Build a marketing engine that embeds AI from day one, owning GTM strategy, pipeline, content and automation for an aviation tech SaaS.
Details →
Senior Director, Digital Marketing
JLL
Drive market penetration and lead gen using AI tools for content creation, automation, analysis and real‑time campaign optimization in real estate services.
Details →
VP of Marketing
Inspectorio
Lead global AI‑enhanced campaigns from segmentation to personalization using automation and analytics to grow this supply chain visibility platform.
Details →
Senior Director, Product Marketing – AI
Five9
Own go‑to‑market strategy for Five9 Genius AI suite in contact‑center products, including launches, messaging, enablement and partner programs.
Details →
📅 AI marketers are gathering across the country and around the world for conferences, summits, and industry events. Here’s where to join them:
WordCamp Montclair
Montclair, NJ, June 28
DigiMarCon
Washington DC, DC, July 1–2
DigiMarCon
New York City, NY, July 7–8
ANA Digital & Social Media Conference
Carlsbad, CA, July 14–16
OIGA Conference and Trade Show
Oklahoma City, OK, July 14–16
Momentum AI
San Jose, CA, July 15–16
DigiMarCon
Honolulu, HI, July 18–19
AI in Production
Asheville, NC, July 18
eCommerce Summit
Seattle, WA, July 31
Have an event to add? Send me the details.
