YouTube’s Made-On event involved several creator-facing updates to YouTube Studio, including lots of generative AI, as you can imagine. But what stuck out most to us was marketing and commerce tools.
In this edition of Localogy’s Local Radar, we focus on AI and SMB-SaaS startups addressing the auto vertical.
Taco Bell experienced some growing pains and oscillations in its AI deployment. This involved a chatbot-style AI agent to take orders drive throughs of 500 trial Taco Bell locations. The results were predictably uneven, embarrassing, and even comical at times.
As the dust – and public outcry – settle from the Cracker Barrel debacle, it’s time to marinate on its dynamics and learnings. Marketing thought leaders throughout the land are doing just that, including our go-to guru – SOCi CMO, Monica Ho. So naturally, we reached out to Monica to get her take.
Though Apple talked a big game when launching Apple Intelligence, it hasn’t stuck the landing. And now, there’s evidence of an alliance with Google to outsource AI functionality to Gemini. What does it all mean?
Starbucks this week launched a new internal tool that helps store managers automate inventory management using a combination of computer vision and AI. Known as AI-powered automated counting (it should probably come up with a snazier name), it lets users scan inventory to quickly count it.
Amazon this week launched a new shopping-oriented visual search feature. Known as Lens Live, it builds on Amazon’s existing Lens tool, and adds a real-time component. Users can point their phone cameras at various items or scenes to unlock shoppable product information about physical items.
Google received some good news in the form of a stay of divestiture for its Chrome browser. Though it still faces punitive and preventative antitrust measures, the biggest bullet has been dodged.
Ai-centric enterprise communications company Sendbird this week added to its arsenal with a voice-automation tool. Known as Senbird Voice AI, it’s meant to handle inbound customer service and offload the manual rigor that goes into it. It boasts features like response speed and natural voice interaction.
Google this week added to its rapidly expanding AI arsenal with a set of tools for generating talking-head videos. Use cases include product how-tos, support modules, or spokesperson-based video ads. This update adds avatars and other features to Google’s existing and underexposed Vids tool.
In this edition of Localogy’s Local Radar, we focus on AI and SMB-SaaS startups addressing the legal vertical.
We recently caught up with Network Solutions Director of Online Marketing Alicia Pringle, who’s been developing insights around the new holiday marketing playbook. The short version is that SMBs need to get a jump on holiday promotions now, including a few key SEO action items.
Location intelligence and data management platform Precisely today announced two products to support location-based marketing. The first is an audience insights tool called Dynamic Neighborhoods. And the second is Signal Engine, a tool to organize and gain insights from brands’ first-party data.
Google’s AI Mode just took its latest steps forward. And these steps involve both global and local expansion. For the former, it’s available in more countries. And for the latter, its agentic functions are now more capable for typical local search needs, like finding restaurants and booking appointments.
Agentic AI platform Sendbird this week announced a collaboration with AWS that should accelerate its exposure and adoption. This happens on a few levels, including helping AWS expand its agentic AI capabilities and positioning as a launch partner for AWS Marketplace’s AI Agents and Tools category.
Seattle-based retail tech provider Augmodo this week announced that it has secured $37.5 million. The round was led by TQ Ventures, with participation from existing investors Lerer Hippeau, NewFare, WIN, and Interlace. New investors in the round include Arena Holdings and Jefferson River Capital.
In this edition of Localogy’s Local Radar, we examine newly funded companies Rillet, LegalOn & Calo
When it comes to local search, standard best practices will only get you so far. The name of the game is to work with factors that are regional and vertically specific.
Vendasta roared out of the gates today with two interlinked announcements. The first is the launch of its AI Customer Acquisition and Engagement Platform for
Most AI engines are launching or have aspirations to launch their own browsers. This gives them a certain degree of control and independence over Google and Apple, while enjoying some vertical integration and positioning. We examine latest developments.
