Mobile Dev Memo Podcast

Karl Stillner, CEO and co-founder of Bright Canary, builds tools to help parents understand their children’s digital activity. Conversation covers which parents worry most, how COVID changed device use, the unique harms of social media, tools parents can use today, regulatory developments like Sammy’s Law, and recommended ages for phones and social networks.

Alfred Succer, founder of Nova Nuggets, dives into the realm of sovereign AI, emphasizing the significance of controlling AI environments for privacy and security. He highlights vulnerabilities in public LLMs, such as data residue and model contamination. Alfred discusses the growing need for on-premises model hosting, especially in regulated industries, and the economic advantages it holds. Unexpected applications in agriculture and conservation also emerge as intriguing new frontiers. Tune in to discover how sovereign AI can transform enterprise practices!

Francesco D'Orazio, President and Chief Product Officer at Pulsar, specializes in audience intelligence. In their discussion, he explores how AI revolutionizes audience insights, balancing existing user optimization with new audience expansion. Francesco highlights the importance of structured data for AI outputs, and how simulations can predict audience reactions effectively. He argues for integrating product and marketing insights, and advocates for a shift towards hypothesis-driven analysis to avoid testing paralysis. A fascinating peek into AI's future in audience understanding!

Jonathan Moffie, Head of Agentic Product at Magnite and founder of Streamer.ai, dives into the world of generative AI in CTV advertising. He explains how GenAI transforms ad production, discussing its effectiveness compared to social media and the quality expectations for CTV creatives. The conversation also touches on how GenAI can benefit local advertisers and the importance of integrating creative tools with media buying to enhance return on ad spend. They explore dynamic in-stream product placements and the barriers advertisers face in the CTV landscape.

In this discussion, Amanda Engelman, Director of Product for Advertising at Shopify, dives into the innovative Shopify Product Network. She explains how it connects merchants, enabling them to showcase products from other Shopify sellers on their storefronts. Amanda clarifies that SPN isn't just an ad network—it's a new form of merchandising and sourcing. She highlights merchant reactions, the commission model, and future expansion ideas, illustrating how this initiative could reshape the e-commerce landscape.

Peter Stuart, founder of Velora Digital and former editor of Cyclingnews, dives into the transformative power of AI in media. He shares his journey in cycling journalism and the philosophy behind his AI-first approach, detailing how it streamlines editorial workflows while still valuing human oversight. Stuart tackles skepticism around AI in publishing, emphasizing the need for transparency in AI-generated content. He also discusses the potential for small teams to leverage AI for greater output, and the exciting future he envisions for Velora Cycling.

Join Anindya Ghose, an NYU professor specializing in AI and digital advertising, and Vilma Todri, an Emory professor focused on digital user behavior, as they explore the efficacy of generative AI in ad creation. They discuss their fascinating findings that AI-generated ads can boost click-through rates by up to 19%, while modifications by humans may underperform. They also delve into how less creative constraints enhance AI output and reveal the differences between visual and textual AI's effectiveness in marketing. Perfect for anyone intrigued by the intersection of AI and advertising!

Rishabh Jain, CEO and co-founder of FERMÀT Commerce, dives into the fast-evolving world of AI in eCommerce. He discusses the transformative impact of chatbots on shopping habits, especially around Black Friday, and explores the future of 'agentic commerce.' Jain also highlights how retailers are adapting their strategies to incorporate AI search and personalization while critiquing OpenAI's Instant Checkout. With insights on ad attribution challenges, he outlines effective tactics for enhancing visibility and engagement in a changing landscape.

Mikołaj Barczentewicz, a law professor and EU data protection expert, dives deep into the proposed Digital Omnibus package aimed at reforming GDPR. He discusses the motivation behind the reforms and how they could impact small businesses and the EU's AI industry. Mikołaj critiques whether the changes will genuinely alleviate compliance burdens and highlights ongoing political opposition. He also explores the implications of cookie consent changes and the balance between user choice and privacy. Expect insights on the evolving landscape of EU tech regulation!

Simon Whitcombe, Vice President of Global Business Group at Meta, shares his insights on how Meta's Business AI tools are transforming advertising. He discusses the AI business assistant that optimizes ad performance and its broader applications beyond advertising. Simon emphasizes the importance of creative differentiation over mere volume increases and tackles advertiser feedback on AI adoption trends among small and large businesses. They also explore the evolving digital advertising landscape post-COVID and how AI tools are expanding opportunities for small businesses.