Hi friends! Writing this from my brother's childhood bedroom in the San Fernando Valley...the Cannes of LA!
I’m excited to keep these AI + Marketing digests going weekly, but there’s just too much happening in AI + marketing to fit into a regular LinkedIn post with its tight character count, so I’m moving it to a newsletter format.
Let's see how this goes!
Same idea each week: a quick, no-fluff roundup of tools, headlines, events, jobs, social posts, and more, that I think are worth your time.
Have any suggestions/thoughts/feedback/things I should add? Let me know in the comments! I want this to be the most useful post it can be for you!
Check out the newest weekly newsletter here!
Top AI + Marketing News
Reddit launches “Community Intelligence” AI ad tools at Cannes.
Reddit announced new AI-powered ad features during the Cannes Lions Festival (will keep tracking what is going on at the festival!), including a Social Listening Tool and Conversation Summary Add-Ons that highlight real user comments beneath ads. The tools tap into Reddit’s 22 billion+ post archive and are designed to help brands sound more human. The company’s stock jumped nearly 7% after the announcement.
My take: A smart (and very Reddit) move, letting real conversations shape ad context instead of generic brand speak. Using AI to surface authentic community voice > replacing it.
Barbie gets a brain: Mattel partners with OpenAI.
Mattel is teaming up with OpenAI to launch AI-powered Barbie and Hot Wheels toys, allowing kids to talk to their dolls via ChatGPT-like models. Mattel keeps full IP rights while OpenAI provides the tech.
My take: My Cabbage Patch doll already ate my hair in the 90s. I don’t need it to be giving me sass, too. Also, it was fun/creative for me to make up conversations between my Barbies. No audio/AI needed.
Google’s AI Overviews are killing traffic for publishers.
Several outlets, including Business Insider and The Cut, have reported traffic drops up to 55% since Google rolled out AI Overviews in search results.
My take: As a former Journalism major this hurts my soul. Staying close to this one as publications need to think about reaching an audience (and monetizing) in different ways….again.
Runway x AMC Networks: Hollywood’s gen-AI testbed.
AMC will use Runway’s video-gen models for marketing visuals and pre-viz, signaling wider adoption of AI in both promotion and production.
My take: Don’t make my Mad Men AI.
Amazon says AI will reduce its corporate workforce.
CEO Andy Jassy told employees this week that AI will boost productivity, but also eliminate a “significant” number of jobs, especially in roles that can be automated.
My take: Another day, another message from a tech CEO about AI and its workforce. This isn’t just a company issue, it’s a systemic one. If AI is reshaping the workforce at this scale, we need policy, education, and corporate responsibility moving in sync. Otherwise, efficiency will come at a big human cost. (Also shout out to my brother Brett for sending this news to me!)
New AI + Marketing Tools
(Now in the AI Marketing Directory!)
Scrunch AI
Raised $4M to pioneer Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), helping brands stay visible in AI-driven search results.
Higgsfield Speak
New tool for motion-driven talking videos, ideal for dynamic video marketing.
Flick.social (Iris AI Assistant)
Flick’s new “Iris” AI assistant develops brand-specific strategies, generates content ideas, schedules posts, and delivers analytics, making end-to-end social media management more collaborative and data-driven.
Smartly.io
An AI-powered advertising platform for automating creative production, optimizing cross-channel campaigns, and predicting performance trends. Smartly.io is being adopted by teams seeking to unify creative and media buying with advanced analytics.
SocialPilot (AI Assistant)
A social media management platform that now includes an AI assistant for content creation, scheduling, and analytics, streamlining workflows for agencies and businesses.
Posts I Love
Emily Kramer explains exactly how to run a “Marketing AI Hackathon,” giving you a day-long framework for shipping usable projects instead of handing down vague “everyone should use AI” mandates. Read her step-by-step playbook.
Yi Lin Pei surveyed 203 product marketers and found that 95 percent use AI every week; her LinkedIn post includes screenshots of real workflows and tool stacks that you can copy tomorrow.
Melanie Morris warns that detectable AI-generated copy can erode trust and throttle reach, offering practical fixes such as adding a human editing layer and prioritizing genuine insight over speed.
Nicholas Guy breaks down Forbes’ “Top Creators 2025” list and argues that long-term brand ambassadorships and creator-owned IP are replacing one-off influencer posts. He notes the importance of treating leading creators as joint-venture partners, not one-slide ad placements.
Events on My Radar
AI Marketing Summit 2025
June 20, Online
Deep dives on AI-powered marketing, automation, and growth strategies. Ideal if you're looking for tactical, no-fluff sessions to apply AI across your funnel. Register
The AI Summit London
June 2025, London, UK
One of the largest industry AI events, focused on enterprise adoption, responsible AI, and cross-sector collaboration. Great for seeing how AI is actually being implemented across industries, including marketing. Register
CDAO Government:
June 25–26, Washington, DC
A public-sector-focused event exploring data, AI, and governance across government agencies. If you’re in a regulated space or curious about responsible AI deployment at scale, this one’s worth bookmarking. Register
AI4 2025 (AI4 Business Conference):
August 12–14, Las Vegas, NV
Covers applied AI across marketing, finance, retail, and more, with strong enterprise case studies. A solid pick if you want exposure to AI beyond just marketing, especially if you work cross-functionally or on strategy. Register
Cool AI Marketing Jobs
Scribe - Product Marketing Lead, GTM Launch Strategy & Campaigns
Unlearn.AI - Director of Product Marketing
Grammarly - Product Marketing, Competitive Intelligence
Deepgram - Director of Community Growth
Meta - Consumer Product Marketing Manager, AI
Calvin Klein - Director, AI Strategy & Marketing Operations - Calvin Klein
Thank you for reading til the end. Some gifts 🎁!
Marketing for Founders 101 Doc
Crowdsourced, zero-budget tactics for launch platforms, SEO basics, and positioning. Think of it as a living mini-MBA. Thank you Edo Stra for putting together! See resource
AI Marketing Tool Database
My continuously updated directory of 100+ generative-AI tools for marketers is here. Browse, filter, and find exactly what fits your stack.
What did I miss? Anything on your mind this week? Share in the comments or reach out!