In this month’s digital news, Google’s parent company Alphabet has announced a £5bn investment in the UK’s artificial intelligence sector. Google launches Asset Studio in Google Ads, bringing AI-driven creative production in-house.
Amazon DSP will now let brands buy Netflix inventory programmatically, boosting both streaming and CTV options. The European Commission fined Google €2.95B for abusing dominance in AdTech, with possible divestment on the table.
Apple’s upcoming iOS 26 will mostly preserve Google Ads tracking, though stricter privacy in Safari may complicate attribution, giving marketers time to adapt. Snap launched its App Power Pack with Playable Ads, Sponsored Snaps, and SKAN-friendly tools, promising up to 25% more installs.
Google owner Alphabet pledges £5bn AI investment in UK
Google’s parent company Alphabet has announced a £5bn ($6.8bn) investment in the UK’s artificial intelligence sector, ahead of President Donald Trump’s state visit. The funds will go towards infrastructure, data centres, and research, including the expansion of a £735m facility in Hertfordshire and major support for London-based DeepMind, led by Nobel Prize winner Sir Demis Hassabis.
Alphabet president Ruth Porat said the UK offered “profound opportunities” in advanced science, praising the government’s AI strategy while warning of risks if benefits were not captured. Chancellor Rachel Reeves called the move a “vote of confidence” in Britain’s economy, as the pound strengthened on expectations of US investment flows. Alphabet, now valued at over $3 trillion, joins other tech giants at the top of global markets, driven by its “AI First” strategy. The new data centre will use air-cooling, recycle heat for schools and homes, and run on 95% carbon-free energy. Addressing concerns about jobs, Porat said AI would create new industries and enhance roles in healthcare and other sectors, urging people to see AI as a collaborative tool rather than a threat.
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Google launches Asset Studio for ad creative production
Google launches Asset Studio, an AI-driven creative platform within Google Ads. The tool enables advertisers to generate, edit and scale images and video without third-party software, signalling Google’s shift from a media buying service to a full creative production hub.
Asset Studio combines Imagen 4 for high-resolution image creation and Veo for dynamic video generation, supporting varied aspect ratios and advertising formats. Advertisers can upload product photos and apply text prompts to create lifestyle imagery, use bulk editing for up to 100 images, and maintain brand consistency through style references.
Collaborative features include shareable links for approvals and ad previews across Search, Display, YouTube and Discovery. Currently in beta, Asset Studio integrates directly into Google Ads, streamlining workflows and reducing production costs. It forms part of Google’s wider AI advertising strategy, aligning with Performance Max campaigns and ongoing AI-powered optimisation and targeting tools.
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Brands using Amazon DSP will be able to directly buy Netflix inventory
Netflix is partnering with Amazon DSP so advertisers using Amazon’s demand-side platform will now be able to buy Netflix’s ad inventory programmatically starting in Q4, in major markets including the U.S., UK, France, Spain, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Italy, Germany, and Australia. This move helps Netflix broaden its advertiser base and scale its ad business, while giving brands more flexibility and reach. For Amazon, it strengthens its ad-tech dominance, expanding its reach beyond retail media into streaming and connected TV (CTV), using its established targeting, measurement, and shopper data tools.
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European Commission fines Google €2.95 billion over abusive practices in AdTech
The European Commission has fined Google €2.95 billion for abusing its dominance in the AdTech market by favouring its own services, notably AdX, over rivals. Between 2014 and today, Google used its ad server and buying tools to give AdX unfair advantages, harming competitors, advertisers, and publishers. The Commission ordered Google to stop these practices and address conflicts of interest in the AdTech supply chain, with 60 days to present proposals. If inadequate structural remedies, including divestment, may follow. The fine reflects the seriousness and duration of the infringement and Google’s history of antitrust violations.
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iOS 26 testing reveals mixed impact on Google Ads tracking parameters
Testing of iOS 26 beta versions shows Google Ads’ gclid tracking remains intact in normal browsing, with restrictions applying only in private mode, advanced Safari privacy settings, or when links open via Mail and Messages. Contrary to speculation, automatic stripping is not the default. Safari Technology Preview builds displayed inconsistent behaviour, suggesting ongoing development. Apple’s privacy-first stance continues through gbraid and wbraid parameters, which support attribution but not remarketing. Google counters restrictions with Enhanced Conversions, Consent Mode 2, server-side tagging, and custom workarounds to maintain measurement accuracy. iOS 26 launches in September 2025, giving marketers time to adapt.
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Snap announces a suite of new products for app advertisers
Snap has unveiled its new App Power Pack, a suite of tools tailored for app advertisers that includes fresh ad formats like Playable App Ads, allowing users to test-drive a mini version of an advertiser’s game without exiting Snapchat, with enhanced bid strategies, targeting improvements, and interactive features.
Designed to work with both Apple’s SKAdNetwork (SKAN) and non-SKAN campaigns, the App Power Pack is delivering at least a 25% boost in app installs, as per Snap. The rollout also brings Sponsored Snaps into the ad auction, delivering ads directly via the Chat feature, which lifted unique converters for installs and in-app purchases by 18% in Q2.
Additional enhancements include App End Cards, which automatically showcase two images pulled from the App Store at the conclusion of Ads or Stories to increase engagement and downloads. These tools arrive as the global mobile gaming market is on track to expand from $126 billion in 2025 to beyond $164 billion by 2030, highlighting Snap’s deeper commitment to app marketers.
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