An AMS POV by Michael Dobson, Global Chief Digital Officer
Google announced updates to its Gemini AI portfolio and broader AI initiatives. Large platforms like Google benefit from leveraging their established user bases, which helps maximize adoption and expand their product offerings.
These updates emphasize a clear trend. AI is no longer a backend innovation. It’s now the front door to the internet for many consumers (much like search was developed in the past). Whether simplifying a web page, guiding a child’s interaction with content, or understanding what a video really means and its ability to impact specific interactions, AI is reshaping how brands will reach, resonate, and remain relevant to consumers looking for solutions or simply planning or discovering products and services.
We will continue tracking how these tools are adopted, especially leading up to Google I/O later this month, and think proactively about how to weave these shifts into our planning, partnerships, and platform strategies.
Below is a topline overview of what was shared from Google’s updates, why it matters, and what it may signal for the media and advertising ecosystem:
Gemini 2.5 Pro Released
What’s new
Google unveiled an early look at Gemini 2.5 Pro I/O Edition, a major update that brings stronger video understanding and advanced code generation capabilities.
Why it matters
Video comprehension via Gemini is approaching parity with human-level summarization and analysis, opening potential for context-aware video targeting.
Enhanced coding features could streamline the creation of AI-driven landing pages, chatbots, and consumer tools, hinting at broader automation in customer experiences.
Video enhancements to provide a dynamic change based on analytics of behavior will drive a new level of dynamic creative that could be uniquely maximized but also need to be cautious with protecting consumer privacy of not feeling invasive.
The Takeaway
Expect increasing opportunities to align ad creative with AI-classified video content and deeper contextual metadata. Precision will move beyond basic keywords into how AI interprets a moment, including emotion, tone, and sentiment in video.
The “Simplify” Feature on iOS App
What’s new
A new tool lets users highlight complex or technical text on web pages and instantly receive an AI-generated simplified version.
Why it matters
AI is now directly mediating how users understand online content, especially in healthcare, finance, and education.
This feature democratizes access to information, but also means AI is becoming the new interpreter between brand and consumer.
Consumers will be influenced/informed by what is generated and interpreted as an outcome, answer, or solution, which could have many variables and skew the AI’s influence on the information provided.
The Takeaway
Marketers should consider how their content, especially native ads and long-form articles, will translate through tools like Simplify. Think clear, human-centered messaging that survives AI summarization and still conveys brand value.
Gemini for Children Under 13
What’s new
Google will soon enable access to Gemini AI for children via parent-managed accounts.
Why it matters
A new generation is being introduced to conversational AI as a daily utility, which will fundamentally shift digital habits and expectations from a younger age.
Long-term, this affects how future consumers will search, shop, and interact with media.
Adoption and behavior of younger consumers growing into everyday use of AI will significantly increase over time as children interact with AI at a younger age
The Takeaway
While ads to under-13s are restricted, the broader implication is that families and parenting content will need to evolve alongside AI tools. There’s white space in building family-friendly AI experiences, branded tools, and educational partnerships that grow with young users and their caretakers.
AI Partnership Expansion: Google Cloud x Optimum
What’s new
Optimum (Altice USA) is expanding its use of Google Cloud’s Vertex AI and Gemini to power customer service and personalization.
Why it matters
AI agents are now not only frontline customer support but also data collection and engagement hubs.
This reinforces how AI will be a key touchpoint across telecom, retail, and service-based brands.
The Takeaway Advertisers should start mapping how owned AI environments, such as chatbots or brand assistants, become part of the media funnel. If AI is guiding decisions, we must consider it both a targeting source and a potential media channel in itself.
