AI Agents for Marketers

Hey, welcome back to AI Marketing Brief, where the AI news hits harder than a plot twist in a Christopher Nolan movie. We've got Google shaking up search results, xAI grabbing a cool $6 billion, and Vox Media teaming up with OpenAI for some content magic. Grab your popcorn, it's showtime.

Here’s what we got for you today:

• Google's AI Overviews could signal a breakthrough or a bubble burst for marketers

• Musk’s xAI secures a massive $6 billion Series B funding round

• How tech professionals are up-skilling in the AI era

• Hubspot’s use cases for AI Agents in marketing

The Impact of Google’s AI Overviews on Traffic

Google's AI Overviews (AIOs) has organic traffic plummeting in some markets. Analyzing 1,675 keywords, AIOs appeared in 42% of queries, often stealing clicks from cited URLs. Despite a strong SEO performance being key to getting cited, AIOs can still hurt traffic because of lack of links back to sources. Google's AI experiment might be the canary in the coal mine, signaling a breakthrough boom in search traffic and/or a bubble burst in SEO’s value.

Google's New AI-Powered Search Ads: A Game-Changer or Just Sneaky?

Google's latest move blurs the line between helpful AI and stealthy advertising. Their new AI-powered visual search ads, showcased at Google’s Marketing Live event, blend seamlessly with search results, making ads look like genuine AI suggestions. Imagine snapping a photo with Google Lens and being led straight to shopping options—no words needed. It’s a bold, almost sneaky integration of ads into everyday searches, transforming the way users engage with content and shop online.

My take: Google’s AI might save it’s search volume and engagement, but maybe the play for marketers is paid rather than organic.

xAI's $6 Billion Series B Funding Announcement

A giant has entered the arena. Elon Musk’s xAI just turbocharged its innovation engine with a colossal $6 billion Series B funding round. Heavyweights like Valor Equity Partners and Andreessen Horowitz are backing this AI juggernaut. From open source Grok-1 to the image-savvy, multimodal Grok-1.5V, xAI is on a rocket-fueled trajectory. Expect groundbreaking tech and products soon.

WSJ: Tech Workers Race to Ride the AI Wave

Techies are scrambling to morph into AI maestros as companies pivot hard towards artificial intelligence. Asif Dhanani, laid off from Amazon, is one of many retooling his resume for AI roles, but competition is fierce. With AI boot camps and self-taught skills, workers aim to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving landscape. WSJ says the AI job market is sizzling, but only for those with the right chops.

AI Agents: The Future Marketers You Can't Afford to Ignore

Hubspot leaders Kipp and Kieran dive into how AI Agents are revolutionizing marketing. Their top use cases:

• Advertising: Manage hundreds of personalized ad variants, boosting conversion rates.

• Analytics: Automate data insights to refine strategies.

• Content: Automate content creation from research to posting.

• Project Management: Automate menial tasks, freeing up time for strategic and creative work.

Prepare for Agents by mapping your customer journey and identifying tasks for automation.

My take: Audit how you spend your time. Find work that you do every week or every day. Build or buy agents that save you time and help you do better work.

Three more (rapid fire) stories for you:

• Adam Ryan, CEO of Workweek, suggests that AI could replicate Morning Brews's unique voice, allowing them to expand into multimedia and B2B content without losing their distinctive touch.

• a16z says AI Voice Agents are poised to revolutionize phone calls, offering B2B and B2C solutions that replace labor and provide access to previously expensive services like sales.

• Vox Media and OpenAI's partnership deal enhances ChatGPT with the media mogul’s content. Leveraging OpenAI's technology, Vox Media aims for product innovation that drives better outcomes for readers and advertisers.

That’s everything going on in AI for marketing this week. Never a dull week. See you next Friday. In the meantime, connect with me via the social icon links below.