Meta is taking a structurally irreversible gamble worth roughly $200 billion in annual capital expenditure to prove that its AI vision works, BigGo writes in an analysis. The bull side of the argument questions whether AI can transform “every pixel of every photo into an auctionable ad,” BigGo says. The bull case is that Meta’s lease and other obligations may outlast the market’s patience. 

A bill that would require automakers to include AM radio in new passenger vehicles has been passed by the House of Representatives, WTVB reports. The bipartisan AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act was supported by safety advocates and rural lawmakers who argued that it serves as a lifeline during natural disasters and severe weather. 

Investment firm RedBird Capital Partners is acquiring Puck, the five year-old media startup that is valued at $250 million, Variety reports. Redbird is a backer of other media properties, including Paramount Skydance and its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. It could be awkward for Puck, which has been covering Paramount and the merger. But CEO Sarah Personette and Jon Kelly, co-founder and editor in chief, said in a memo to the staff that the merger “does not change our editorial independence, our differentiated business model, or the things that make Puck, Puck.” The deal will close in about a month pending regulatory approval. 

Barry Diller's People Inc. has withdrawn its bid to buy all public shares of MGM Resorts International, sending MGM’s shares tumbling by 8%. Reuters reports. People, the owner of a 27% stake, offered to purchase the remaining shares, worth more than $18 billion, in June. "We didn't feel the mix was coming together in the way we had hoped and have decided not to pursue taking the company private at this time," Diller commented. But People is interested in pursuing a strategic transaction with MGM. 

Artificial intelligence has expanded beyond individual outputs to running entire processes,  Alex Vasekin, CEO of Adtech holding, writes in TechHQ. That includes launching and managing campaigns, adjusting bids and overseeing analytics, traffic quality and fraud prevention. “What’s emerging isn’t a random collection of AI features but rather a whole new model for how advertising infrastructure works,” Vasekin says. 

Businesses using AI agents for customer service are getting a taste of their own medicine, Business Insider reports. Consumers are increasingly using AI Agents to call customer-service lines, wait on hold, negotiate bills or cancel subscriptions. These AI calls represent a small share of total volume, but banks, insurers, retailers and outsourcing firms are bracing themselves for greater growth. 

Citi is launching an advertising business with a new unit called Citi Commerce Media, Business Insider reports. The bank will allow brands to reach its 70 million customers with advertising on its app and website based on their spending histories. The platform will be informed by 6.5 billion annual transactions across more than 700 spending categories. The company claims it achieved a 15% lift with two pilot campaigns.   

McDonald’s said it will create its own media network, hoping to build a $1 billion business, CNBC reports. In a pilot starting last month, 450 restaurants began displaying advertising for other brands on its digital drive-through order boards. These were company owned stores, and the program has not yet been rolled out to franchises. McDonald’s is following in the footsteps of Amazon and Walmart. 

Retail marketers are gearing up for the holidays, with 55% increasing their budgets compared to 44% last year, according to Yahoo DSP’s 2026 Holiday Shopping Study, Chain Store Age reports. Of the agencies polled, 57% are planning increases, as are 54% of marketers. In addition, 77% of advertisers expect to launch their holiday campaigns by November. October is the biggest month, with 34% launching then. 

The city’s attorney, David Chiu, argued that Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) violated California’s Unfair Competition Law, a state law against insider trading. “These everyday investors are placed at a substantial disadvantage to sophisticated firms willing and able to pay extraordinary sums for advanced access to market-moving information,” wrote David Chiu, city attorney, in the lawsuit. “Trump Media’s scheme is unprecedented in its monetization of nonpublic information obtained through government service and sold on the private market.”