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Meta is bringing generative AI to ads with:

  • Backgrounds for product images
  • Magic crops to stretch one asset across Meta’s many aspect ratios
  • Text variations

The first one is welcome news for any company with white background product shots, those don’t work well on social.

The last one is the AI-indication of an existing feature.

The second one is what I’m most excited about. Anything to streamline asset creation and optimization across placements is very welcome.

Magic crops plus text variation with more aesthetic automatic overlays would be a great next step to make it even easier to advertise across placements.

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A good listen on how to think about the current landscape of AIs and LLMs.

Add some Douglas Rushkoff quotes for additional context:

AIs are probability engines.

If AIs are based on us (our writing, knowledge, etc.), the only way to raise better AIs is to be better ourselves.

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Emotional labor has become a competitive advantage. Our commitment to showing up as a human, even (especially) when we don’t feel like it is precisely how we create value. And it’s this human work that helps us feel seen and valued as well.

-Seth

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Why am I extra bullish on podcasts right now?

TV and film producers prepare for potential post-strike production logjam

Once the actors’ strike ends the shows and movies still need to be made and the backlog will be big.

Content owners (Disney, Nickelodeon, Dr. Seuss, PBS, etc.) have been turning to audio to fill the entertainment gap and ad dollars are pulling back from TV because of the lack of new content.

The longer it lasts the more likely habits are to change in a meaningful way towards channels producing new entertainment.

Shocks cause shifts.

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More social shifting to messaging as Meta starts testing broadcast channels on Facebook, following the features success on other platforms.

Distribution of social content by users is increasingly moving to private channels.