MadTech Daily: Apple Defends WebKit Crackdown; YouTube Tests AI Answers in Search Results

In today’s MadTech Daily, Anthropic teams up with Hg to launch a European AI consultancy, DeepSeek raises $15bn as it tries to close the gap with US AI rivals, and WPP’s chief AI officer says shopping bots could reshape who brands are selling to.

What does a reimagined approach to targeting look like? Is a new prediction economy emerging in advertising? In this mailbag edition of The MadTech Podcast, ExchangeWire CEO Rachel Smith and COO Lindsay Rowntree join John Still, head of content, to answer our listeners' burning questions on ad tech and media. They also examine Apple's explanation of its latest ad tech restrictions...Thank you to Azerion's Roxanne Harley and DAIVID's Barney Worfolk-Smith for this month's questions!•••0:00 Introduction0:49 Apple defends ad tech restrictions2:39 Ciaran interrupts…3:14 … back to Lindsay’s point13:28 Mindset & receptivity marketing23:09 The prediction economy35:49 British pop stars and wine

In today’s MadTech Daily, we cover Netflix expanding its ad measurement capabilities, Spotify reaching 306 million paid subscribers in Q3, and Meta growing revenue by 26% as Muse costs mount.

In today’s MadTech Daily, Publicis reaches settlement with the FTC over its planned LiveRamp acquisition, a New Mexico judge orders Meta to pay $25bn (£19bn) in penalties over misleading users on privacy, and retail media firm Kevel raises $52m (£19bn) and eyes acquisitions

In today’s ExchangeWire news digest: Australia moves to sue Meta, TikTok, Snap and Google over enforcement of its under-16 social media ban, Spotify launches paid memberships to help podcasters monetise their biggest fans, and Spark Foundry research finds 25-to-34-year-olds are the toughest consumers for UK brands to win over

In today’s digest, Apple defends its WebKit crackdown on ad tech identity resolution and signals more to come, YouTube tests AI answers at the top of search results, and Meta removes contract language over scraping business websites for AI training

In today’s MadTech Daily, Google rolls out Universal Cart, its AI shopping tool, in the US ahead of the holiday season, Universal Music Group launches layoffs and an executive shake-up across the US and UK, and Apple and Meta team up on an open AI model built for Mac

In today’s MadTech Daily, we discuss United reorganising its advertising business to support its tech push, WARC tracking shifts in ad spend among 25 global brands, and Alibaba’s Taobao adding AI to cross-border shopping.

Which vendors have been added to Apple's block list? What is ChatGPT Ads' annualised revenue run rate? How many new members joined the Standard for Publishers Usage Rights (SPUR)?ExchangeWire returns for the 6th quiz edition of The MadTech Podcast, with John Still, head of content, leading COO Lindsay Rowntree 4-1. Grainne Reid, head of marketing, puts them to the test on Apple's block list, ChatGPT ads revenue, and the SPUR coalition's membership numbers.The first story covers the latest iOS update blocking The Trade Desk from serving ads on Safari, and how Apple's related policy affects data vendors. The second is OpenAI's plan to turn ChatGPT ads into a standing line item on holding companies' media plans. The conversation explores ChatGPT Ads' success, and its potential impact on agencies.Finally, they look at what the recent surge in SPUR sign-ups reveals about the state of publishing landscape. Can publishers receive fair protections and compensation for their content in the AI era?•••0:00 Introduction1:20 Q1: Name two vendors on Apple’s block list3:20 iOS 27 blocks Trade Desk ads on Safari11:54 Q2: What is ChatGPT’s annualised revenue run rate?13:50 OpenAI wants ChatGPT ads on agency media plans22:04 Q3: How many new members recently joined SPUR?23:08 SPUR welcomes the NYT and many more…

In today’s MadTech Daily, Netflix cuts around 6% of its workforce as growth and engagement slow; Apple wins early access to OpenAI’s hiring records in its trade secrets case; and UK marketing budgets hit a two-year high in Q3