The push for personalised marketing is stronger than ever, but so are concerns about privacy. Adobe’s AI-powered website assistants aim to enhance user experience, Google is making bigger moves in AI search, and Meta is experimenting with ad-free subscriptions. But as marketing gets more personal, how much privacy are users willing to trade?

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1. Adobe’s AI Website Assistants Are Here

Adobe doesn’t always make headlines in our digital marketing wrap-ups, but when it does, it’s usually a big deal. Best known for Photoshop, Adobe also runs a massive business in online marketing tools, one of which just got a serious AI upgrade.

The company recently rolled out new AI-powered agents, which help websites personalise content based on where users are coming from (a TikTok ad versus a Google search, for example) and customise chatbot interactions. Marketers can even tell the AI their goals, and it will suggest and implement website changes – no more waiting on a developer.

According to Amit Ahuja, SVP of Adobe’s experience cloud unit, users will now expect websites to function like chat apps as AI-powered interactions become the norm.

What this means for you:

Adobe’s AI agents represent a great opportunity to improve how you engage your online audiences. They can help you dynamically personalise content, anticipate user needs, and optimise your website’s performance in no time. This can result in faster adjustments, more relevant user interactions, and potentially higher conversions – all with less effort.

2. Google Goes All In On AI – And It’s Affecting Publishers

Google’s struggle with balancing user convenience, web publisher interests, and its own ad revenue has only intensified with the rise of its nemesis: AI-driven search. Once merely an indexer of web results, Google is now aggressively reprogramming its service, providing features like AI Overviews and a new conversational AI Mode.

Publishers, however, who were once partners in this system, now find themselves competing with AI-generated content while watching their traffic dwindle. Despite the company’s assurances that it still prioritises traffic to publishers, internal tensions suggest otherwise. AI-generated spam is thriving, much to the chagrin of websites who have spent a lot of time and resources on high-quality content.

Unfortunately, it looks like this change is here to stay. As Google CEO Sundar Pichai says, we are only “at 1% of what humanity’s information needs are today,” suggesting that this is just the beginning of a critical tech revolution.

What this means for you:

While search engine optimisation remains important in 2025, you need to implement adjustments to your strategy to be prepared for any sudden changes.

Instead of just relying on Google traffic, build direct connections with your audience through email, social media, and community-based platforms. Strengthen your presence on different platforms to avoid being at the mercy of algorithm changes.

It’s also a good time to start brainstorming content that AI cannot mimic – ones that contain unique insights, expert opinions, and original research.

Rankings are still crucial, but the real focus is on engagement, trust, and authority.

3. Pay or See Ads? Meta’s New Plan

In other news, Meta is planning to charge European users for an ad-free experience: US$14 for Instagram or US$17 for both Facebook and Instagram on mobile. The company is offering users a choice: keep using the platforms for free with targeted ads, or pay to remove them.

This proposal comes as a response to EU regulations requiring user consent for personalised ads, which threaten Meta’s main revenue stream. Whether regulators will accept the plan – and whether users will pay – is uncertain.

Some see it as Meta’s way of complying with the law while keeping its business intact. However, critics argue the pricing makes the ad-free option unrealistic for many, leaving most people with little choice but to accept tracking.

Either way, it’s an unprecedented move, which can change the future of digital privacy.

What this means for you:

If Meta’s ad-free model gains traction in Europe, it’s not unreasonable to believe other regions might follow suit, either due to regulatory pressure or changing user expectations. This could widen the gap between audiences who can afford to pay for privacy and those who would rather trade personal data for free access.

This divide could potentially signal differences in purchasing power, with higher-income users becoming harder to reach via traditional ads. Hence, brands may need to explore new ways to engage premium yet privacy-conscious consumers.

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