MadTech Daily: OpenAI Ads Set to Miss Forecast by 90%; Disney+ Weighs Free Ad-Supported Tier

In today’s MadTech Daily, we discuss OpenAI’s ad business targets, Disney considering and ad-supported free tier, and much more…

In today’s MadTech Daily, we look at Apple suing OpenAI over alleged trade secret theft involving former employees, Microsoft striking a deal with Nine to feature its journalism in Copilot AI results, and Integral Ad Science appointing Lidiane Jones as its new CEO. 

In today’s MadTech Daily, we cover Brussels ramping up pressure on Meta over its alleged "addictive" platform design, Google expanding AI disclosure rules across Search, YouTube, and Discover ads, and an export control gap that has reportedly allowed OpenAI and Google services to reach blacklisted Chinese firms.

In today’s MadTech Daily, we cover Netflix expanding its short-form video offering through publisher content deals, YouTube becoming the UK's leading podcast platform, and OpenAI launching the GPT-Live-1 voice model for ChatGPT.

It's an exciting MadTech Podcast this week as ExchangeWire's Lindsay Rowntree and John Still are joined in-person by our APAC/MENA Editor Charlotte Mceleny, as they record on location in Singapore. Former WPP China Executive Gets Life Sentence for Advertising Kickbacks Di Fei, former chief investment officer at GroupM's China operations, has been sentenced to life in prison over a bribery scheme in which he and colleagues allegedly received 1.2 billion yuan (~$176 million) in kickbacks between 2019 and 2023. Two colleagues also received lengthy sentences - 14.5 years and four years respectively.Australia's ACCC Sues Amazon Over Unfair Prime Video Ad Contract TermsAustralia's competition regulator, the ACCC, is suing Amazon over unfair contract terms affecting more than one million annual Prime subscribers. It alleges Amazon used five one-sided clauses to introduce ads into Prime Video from mid-2024 without offering refunds, forcing subscribers to pay extra to keep an ad-free service they'd already paid for upfront.Shopee and Meta Launch Instagram Affiliate Partnerships Shopee and Meta have extended their Facebook affiliate program to Instagram, letting eligible creators across Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Brazil tag Shopee products in Reels and Feed posts and earn commissions on completed purchases. The companies are also piloting paid affiliate ads, as Shopee builds out creator-led commerce to counter TikTok Shop's growth.

In today’s MadTech Daily, we cover Netflix expanding its short-form video offering through publisher content deals, YouTube becoming the UK's leading podcast platform, and OpenAI launching the GPT-Live-1 voice model for ChatGPT.

In today’s MadTech Daily, we look at Vista and Quinti making a takeover bid for Criteo, LiveRamp launching its first brand campaign following its Publicis deal, and Outvertising searching for a new CEO after Chris Dunne steps down.

In today’s MadTech Daily, we discuss Sky agreeing to a £1.6bn deal to acquire ITV’s broadcast and streaming business, Uber pausing its European Eats expansion amid its pursuit of Delivery Hero, and Alibaba Cloud capturing 40.1% of China’s AI cloud market.

In today’s MadTech Daily, we cover Meta naming a new CMO and its first-ever Chief Data Officer, Australia suing Amazon over Prime Video ads, and OpenAI expanding hiring to develop new AI advertising formats. 

In today’s MadTech Daily, we cover Sony’s plan to end PlayStation disc production in 2028, and Google being ordered to pay Klarna USD$1.5bn (£1.19bn).