蘑菇AV

The news: Streaming and social media sites are the top beneficiaries of AI chatbot referral traffic. Out of 1.3 billion generative AI (genAI) search referrals in May, YouTube ranked first in traffic with nearly 40 million visits, per Similarweb. Our take: Focusing on what makes sites top the AI search results could help increase site visits. Expand knowledge-based articles, FAQs, and blog posts with educational and UGC content. Boost SEO with long-tail keywords that are likely to appear in prompts. Encourage inbound links since site authority is a factor in AI search results.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how Google embedding an AI chatbot into search changes things, why Anthropic鈥檚 Claude API could reshape search, and why tech companies might not be the winners of the AI search war. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, and Senior Analyst鈥檚 Gadjo Sevilla and Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Google presents ads with AI chatbot startups Liner, iAsk: The move is part of Google鈥檚 strategic effort to lead the AI revolution.

The news: Adobe aims to help brands and publishers improve content placement in AI browsers, search tools, and chatbots with its new suite of AI tools鈥擫LM Optimizer. What it does: LLM Optimizer tracks which content and offerings鈥攕uch as website details, products, or articles鈥攁re being shown in AI interfaces and where they鈥檙e appearing. Our take: Adobe鈥檚 new tools, especially outcome metrics and actionable recommendations, can help marketers and brands craft tailored SEO for each platform鈥攂rowsers, AI Overviews, and chatbots鈥攁nd surface data-driven solutions to help improve their AI search presence.

Our take: OpenAI鈥檚 first-mover advantage is under threat from all sides鈥攙ertically from specialized AI agents, horizontally from rival chatbots, and internally from talent wars and Microsoft. The news: OpenAI鈥檚 ChatGPT has rapidly become a mainstream AI tool, with new data showing that 34% of US adults have now used it鈥攁lmost double the 2023 figures, per Pew Research Center. For CMOs and CTOs, this means betting on ChatGPT鈥檚 current dominance while preparing for a fragmented future where no single platform reigns supreme. Finding the right AI solutions for specific use cases is a smarter play than betting the farm on an all-in-one solutions provider.

The news: Meta鈥檚 AI app is drawing backlash as users unknowingly publish private chats鈥攕ome serious鈥攗nder real names due to a confusing share feature, per TechCrunch. Many people thought they were using the chatbot or saving notes in private, only to find that their prompts鈥攚hich included topics like gender identity, medical concerns, tax evasion, and job interviews鈥攚ere visible to strangers. Our take: This episode poses significant issues for Meta regarding the metaverse, AI, and advertising.

The news: A Sprout Social report found that 41% of Gen Z turns to social platforms first for finding information, ahead of search engines (32%), AI chatbots (11%), and friends and family (9%). In an exclusive conversation with 蘑菇AV, Thomas Markland, founder of creator company HYDP, discussed the shift and the need for brands to adopt a social-first strategy. Our take: As social media users, especially younger generations, increasingly turn to social for product discovery, brands that are willing to adapt and are strategic with their creator partnerships stand to gain most.

The news: Marketing teams are rapidly integrating AI tools into search engine optimization (SEO) workflows. A vast majority (86%) of US SEO professionals and digital marketers use ChatGPT alongside traditional platforms like Ahrefs (64%) and Semrush (56%), per a Databox survey to understand how generative AI (genAI) is changing their work in 2025. Our take: As shifts from traditional search to AI chatbots continue to alter the marketing landscape, CMOs need to maintain a balanced approach to AI integration while preserving traditional SEO foundations. Combining AI鈥檚 efficiency with human oversight is key to ensure brand control while exploring emerging search and SEO opportunities.

The news: Generative AI (genAI) is taking on a multifaceted role in users鈥� lives, as an influencer, a personal companion, and a consumer proxy. 87% of genAI users would consider asking the technology for social or relationship advice, per Accenture鈥檚 Me, My Brand and AI: The New World of Consumer Engagement survey. Our take: Embedding AI tools like chatbots, agents, and recommendation engines into brand websites can help users shop faster and discover new content. Offering transparency around data use and building opt-out features could help users trust the tools more and give them the peace of mind to hand over personal information in exchange for assistance and recommendations.

The news: Under pressure to deliver on AI investments, Big Tech companies like Meta and Apple are seeking to acquire AI startups. Failing that, they鈥檙e looking to hire away founders and key personnel to boost their own capabilities. Our take: The recent complications between OpenAI and Microsoft reveal that partnerships and investments aren鈥檛 always compatible with a startup鈥檚 growth. Expect Meta and Apple to pit money over mission as they hire away founders and key engineers, leaving AI startups high and dry, similar to how Google hired ex-Googlers from AI chatbot startup Character AI. The AI startup talent pool could be shrinking as startups and founders get acqui-hired by Big Tech.

DeepSeek, a genAI chatbot that originated from China, astonished the world with its capability to match ChatGPT while costing significantly less to build and using less powerful GPUs. The launch has triggered an industry soul search that could potentially accelerate AI adoption worldwide.

Despite new safeguards, Meta faces backlash after chatbots discussed sexual topics with teens, threatening trust among parents, regulators, brands, and the celebrities lending their voices.

Amazon tests AI chatbot for consumer health questions: Amazon鈥檚 experimental Health AI chatbot could drive engagement with its One Medical and pharma services..

New Character AI feature offers opt-in parental reports: While better than nothing, teen users still control visibility鈥攈ighlighting fragmented safety standards across AI chatbots.

Research and planning across retail, travel, and finance are increasingly filtered through AI, making chatbots central to the customer journey.

Microsoft brings AI ad features to Copilot: It鈥檚 vying for ad dollars in an increasingly competitive chatbot space.