AI News and Commentary from Debra Aho Williamson


Catch me on stage at Cannes Lions!
Join me at the Women Leading the AI Evolution Summit on Monday June 16.

Semrush data shows how AI Overviews are reshaping search
For now, Google is playing it safe with ads in AI Overviews. 95% of keywords with AI Overviews either have NO ads or extremely low cost-per-click.

OpenAI, Copilot scoop up ex-Facebook execs Fidji Simo, Mark D’Arcy
As AI companies push deeper into commerce and advertising they will need leaders who know the ad business and who can inspire teams to think big and develop innovative, groundbreaking products. Just like a little startup called Facebook did

Zuck’s interview with Stratechery was an AI advertising power flex
Here are three big takeaways from Zuck’s interview with Stratechery.

Meta beats earnings expectations in first quarter 2025
Q1 2025 was a good quarter for Meta, but it was before the economic turmoil really kicked in and before the seesaw of the tariffs began.

AI and China will be the top themes for Meta Platforms’ quarterly earnings
Here’s what I’m watching when META reports Q1 2025 earnings this week.

Sonata Insights is One Year Old!
One year ago, I made a strategic pivot toward researching the impact of AI on consumer behavior and marketing strategies.

From Buckets to Bots: The Shared DNA of the Ice Bucket Challenge and AI Image Trends
The Ice Bucket Challenge pioneered a viral format of personalized participation + public sharing, and today’s AI image trends are its digital descendants. They both thrive on the same formula.

What does an OpenAI social network mean for social media and advertising?
It could mean three things: more data, new ad revenue monetization and social commerce.

Could Meta use AI as an antitrust defense?
Meta made Llama open-source rather than closed. It’s a different strategy than it has used for its social networks.

Consumers and AI: Why the Media Connection Is More Important Than Ever
I believe AI platforms are poised to become the next important media destination. Here’s why.

Behind the scenes at the Seattle AI Film Festival
These AI-generated films weren’t soulless or lifeless. They were full of art and artistry. What an incredible showcase it was.

Puma Just Made a Bold Play in AI Advertising. Did It Win?
Puma’s new AI ad - made with AI agents - is a big leap forward for the advertising creative process. But will consumers react well to ads made with AI? My research with IAB says maybe not.

AI Traffic to Retail Sites Surges 1,200% in 7 Months
The AI shopping revolution isn’t coming. It’s here.

New research: How publishers are approaching audience development and AI
51% of publishers are concerned about traffic erosion from AI platforms. But 31% are seeing more traffic from the LLMs.
That's just one of the many findings from my new research in partnership with Brian Morrissey's The Rebooting.

What Coca-Cola learned by leaning into AI for ads
Here’s what PJ Pereira of Silverside AI said: Lean into uncertainty, build flexibility into the process and adapt in real time.

Meta reveals an intriguing ad idea: Talk back to ads, using AI
Meta’s Clara Shih revealed at the HumanX conference that eventually we might be able to talk to the ads we see, using AI.

Help Me Build the Future of AI Cinema in Seattle!
I’m super excited to announce my involvement in the Seattle AI Film Festival as an advisor, judge and speaker!

ChatGPT on mobile is a sleeping giant
ChatGPT mobile app usage is on a steady climb. I believe consumers will use it on mobile far more than desktop over time.