Today’s Digest covers Meta doubling down on AI automation, Big Tech facing legal pressure with Google settling and Apple pushing back, as well as digital video and audio surging in Australia as broadcast spend declines.

Meta Doubles Down on AI Automation for Ads and Product Risk/Privacy Assessments 

Meta is working toward enabling end-to-end AI ad creation for brands by the end of next year. The company aims to allow advertisers to input product details and a budget, with AI generating creative assets, determining audience targeting, and even suggesting media spend allocations. Meta’s vision includes hyper personalised ad delivery based on real time. The initiative is part of Meta’s continued investment in AI, which is supported by advertising revenue that made up more than 97% of the company’s income in 2024.

Meta is also preparing to automate up to 90% of product risk and privacy assessments using AI, according to internal documents seen by NPR. The shift is designed to accelerate the rollout of new features across apps like Instagram and WhatsApp, replacing human-led evaluations with AI-generated risk analysis. The AI-led system will reportedly deliver “instant decisions” to product teams after they complete a standardised questionnaire, identifying potential risks and compliance requirements prior to launch.

These developments position Meta at the forefront of AI adoption in digital media and marketing, but they also raise questions about transparency, content control, and the broader implications for the ad tech ecosystem.

Big Tech Under Legal Pressure: Google Settles, Apple Pushes Back

Google has agreed to invest USD$500m (£393m) over the next decade to restructure its internal compliance systems, resolving shareholder litigation that alleged company leadership failed to mitigate antitrust risks. The proposed settlement, filed in a US District Court in San Francisco, stems from derivative claims targeting executives at parent company Alphabet including CEO Sundar Pichai and co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

As part of the settlement, Google will establish a dedicated risk and compliance board committee, separating it from the audit and compliance function currently in place. Additional measures include the creation of a senior level committee reporting directly to Pichai and a cross functional internal compliance group embedded within Google’s product teams.

While denying any wrongdoing, the company said the move reflects its “longstanding commitment to compliance” and is intended to avoid drawn out litigation.

Apple, on the other hand, has filed a legal appeal challenging the European Commission’s recent enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which mandates that the tech giant open its ecosystem to third-party services and competitors. The company argues the order is “unreasonable,” claiming it threatens user privacy and undermines innovation.

AUS Ad Revenue: Digital Video and Audio Surge as Broadcast Spend Declines

According to the IAB Australia Internet Advertising Revenue Report, total internet ad spend reached AUS$4.2bn (£2.2bn) for the first quarter of 2025. Video advertising led the charge, increasing 23.3% year-on-year to hit AUS$1.17bn (£884m). This segment now accounts for 28% of all internet-based advertising and includes formats such as pre-roll ads on news sites, social media video, YouTube, BVOD, and video podcasting. Internet advertising spend in Australia rose 11.6% in the first quarter, reflecting a continued migration from traditional broadcast channels to digital video and audio formats.

Meanwhile, Guideline SMI data from media agencies recorded a 5.1% decline in linear TV ad revenue in January. It remains uncertain whether this reflects a genuine shift in advertiser budgets to digital or a change in how TV networks are allocating and reporting their revenue.

Display advertising experienced a modest decline of 0.9% year-on-year, totalling AUS$461 million. Among ad categories, retail, automotive, and entertainment and media retained their positions in the top three, though all registered year-on-year decreases in spend.