The new feature will strengthen the company’s focus on artificial intelligence and conversational marketing, building on Sponsored Snaps, the adverts already placed in users’ Chat inboxes.

Until now, those ads were one-way messages, but with this update, users can reply, ask questions and receive recommendations from AI agents representing brands.

Snap said the aim is to place advertising inside spaces where people already talk and interact, rather than sending them elsewhere.

Ajit Mohan, chief business officer at Snap Inc., said: “Conversation is becoming the most valuable real estate in advertising. AI is accelerating that shift, turning chat into the place where people discover products, ask questions, and make decisions in real time. 

“The real opportunity isn’t just putting ads into those environments, it’s designing formats that feel native to how people already talk.”

The company said the format gives advertisers access to Snapchat’s nearly one billion monthly active users. Brands can bring their own AI tools onto the platform and use them to drive awareness, app installs and purchases.

Snapchat also shared new usage figures to support the launch, saying users sent more than 950 billion chats during the first quarter of 2026 alone. The company added that more than half a billion users have messaged its My AI chatbot since it launched in 2023.

According to Snap, 85% of users regularly use the Chat feed. It also said 57% of teenage users send messages daily, while four in ten do so several times a day.

The company further noted that Sponsored Snaps already deliver 22% more conversions with nearly 20% lower cost per action. It added that full-screen ad views generate twice as many conversions compared with some other ad placements.

Snapchat is starting the new product with an alpha launch alongside credit reporting and data firm Experian.

Steve Hartmann, head of Integrated Marketing at Experian, said: “This partnership reflects our commitment to meeting consumers where they are, with trusted insights that empower smarter financial decisions.

“AI Sponsored Snaps delivers a natural, conversational experience, allowing Snapchatters to connect with Experian about credit and money management right where they already feel comfortable. 

“We’re making financial education more accessible and intuitive by becoming part of their everyday conversations.”

The post Snapchat Launches AI-Powered Ads in Chat Feed with Direct Brand Conversations appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The e-commerce giant posted third-quarter revenue of $180.2 billion, up 13% year-on-year, surpassing analyst expectations of $177.8 billion. 

Earnings per share stood at $1.95, beating the projected $1.57, while operating income reached $17.4 billion, a figure that would have climbed to $21.7 billion if not for one-time charges, including a $25 billion Federal Trade Commission (FTC) settlement and $1.8 billion in severance costs.

AWS led the growth, generating $33 billion in revenue, up 20.2%, its highest rise since 2022. 

The Amazon cloud arm now contributes more than 60% of Amazon’s total operating income despite representing just around 15–17% of overall sales. 

CEO Andy Jassy credited the growth to surging demand for artificial intelligence and core infrastructure services.

“AWS is growing at a pace we haven’t seen since 2022,” Jassy said. “We continue to see strong demand in AI and core infrastructure, and we’ve been focused on accelerating capacity.”

The company plans to increase its capital expenditure to about $125 billion this year, with even higher spending expected in 2026. Most of this investment will target AI infrastructure, mirroring similar commitments from Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta, which are also ramping up spending on chips and data centres.

Despite a challenging week that saw a prolonged AWS outage disrupt several major platforms, Amazon cloud performance outshone expectations. Analysts estimate AWS revenue growth at 17.95%, making the 20% rise a strong recovery.

The performance has put Amazon back among the top-performing tech giants, reversing a period of underwhelming stock performance that had made it the weakest among the so-called “Magnificent Seven.”

Ethan Feller, a stock strategist at Zacks Investment Research, observed that the report reflects a renewed operational strength:

“The report confirms Amazon’s operations are firing on all cylinders after a year of relative underperformance. Despite the stock’s nearly flat growth this year, the company’s fundamentals never meaningfully weakened.”

Amazon projected fourth-quarter net sales between $206 billion and $213 billion, above the $208.12 billion average forecast compiled by LSEG. Jassy’s tone during the earnings call was notably upbeat.

“I look at the momentum we have right now, and I believe that we can continue to grow and click like this for a while,” he said. “I think there are multiple places where we can expect to continue to grow,” he added, citing advertising and retail segments.

Advertising has become a powerful revenue engine, rising 24% year-over-year to $17.7 billion, supported by sponsored listings and new ad formats on Echo Show screens and smart shopping carts. 

Meanwhile, North American sales grew 11% to $106.3 billion, and international sales climbed 14% to $40.9 billion.

However, Amazon’s restructuring continues. The company confirmed it had cut 14,000 corporate jobs, part of a larger plan that could affect up to 30,000 roles. Jassy clarified that the layoffs were not financially or AI-driven.

“It’s culture,” he explained. “Our growth created too many layers of workers and it can lead to slowing you down.”

The job cuts came alongside the one-time $25 billion FTC settlement over allegations that Amazon misled consumers about Prime membership cancellations.

Nonetheless, Amazon’s outlook remains strong. With AWS revenue surging, advertising expanding, and e-commerce stabilising ahead of the holiday season, the company appears stable for continued growth, even as global trade issues weigh on consumer trust.

The post Amazon Cloud Drives $330 Billion Market Value Surge as AWS Records Fastest Growth Since 2022 appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The tax charge, linked to cross-border payments made between 2022 and 2025, led to a net income of $2.5 billion and diluted earnings per share of $5.87, below analysts’ expectations of $3 billion and $6.97. 

The company reported an operating margin of 28%, noting it would have exceeded its 31.5% guidance without the unexpected charge.

Chief Financial Officer Spence Neumann explained that the tax issue is not unique to Netflix, saying it affects “other global streaming and technology companies operating in Brazil.” The company added that the development does not mean a long-term threat to its financial outlook.

Despite the setback, Netflix forecast fourth-quarter revenue of $11.96 billion, slightly above Wall Street’s $11.90 billion projection, and projected earnings per share of $5.45, just ahead of analysts’ estimates. “We’re finishing the year with good momentum and have an exciting Q4 slate,” Netflix said in its letter to shareholders.

The company’s shares, which had risen 39% this year before the report, fell 5.6% to $1,171.24 in after-hours trading on Tuesday. Paolo Pescatore, an analyst at PP Foresight, said, “All things considered, this was another robust quarter, despite a blip due to an unforeseen expense.”

Netflix continues to diversify beyond streaming, investing heavily in advertising, gaming, and new technologies. The company said it recorded its best ad sales quarter in history, driven by its ad-supported plan launched in late 2022. 

Although it withheld figures, analysts believe advertising could become a growth driver by 2026 as subscriber growth steadies.

Netflix’s gaming vision is also in focus. With over 80 titles in development or live, including tie-ins to popular series like Stranger Things and The Queen’s Gambit, the company is testing cloud gaming in select regions to allow users to play directly on TVs and PCs without downloads. Analysts, however, caution that gaming will take time to deliver meaningful revenue.

Co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters addressed industry consolidation and acquisition speculation during an analyst call. Sarandos said the company remains selective: “Nothing is a must-have for us to meet our goals that we have for the business.” 

Peters added that ongoing mergers in the media sector don’t necessarily alter Netflix’s competitive position, stating, “Watching some of our competitors potentially get bigger via (mergers and acquisitions) does not change in and of itself, at least our view, the competitive landscape.”

Netflix plans to close the year with several major releases, including the final season of Stranger Things, new international hits like Berlin (a Money Heist spinoff), and two live NFL games on Christmas Day.

Although its path this quarter was impacted by a financial stumble, Netflix appears to be leaning into its strengths such as content, technology, and advertising, to maintain growth in the streaming market.

The post Netflix Misses Q3 Targets as $619 Million Brazil Tax Hits appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

But even when a gaming operator manages to clear those hurdles, there’s still one last gatekeeper standing tall: telecom companies.

In a market where mobile connectivity is the lifeline of online gaming, telcos hold the power to make the experience seamless—or suffocating. And lately, their quiet stranglehold is becoming more obvious.

Data as the New Gaming Tax

Let’s be blunt: data in Nigeria is still too expensive for the kind of immersive, interactive gaming ecosystem regulators and operators dream of. Every spin, every live draw, every streaming-based interaction eats into a user’s data bundle.

When those bundles vanish too quickly, casual players bow out, and operators lose not because of poor content, but because of prohibitive data economics.

Now add the kicker: telcos often strike exclusive partnerships with a handful of platforms, offering “free data” or “special bundles” for certain foreign entertainment apps. Local gaming platforms? They’re rarely on that list. It’s another form of subtle exclusion—if you want preferential data access, you’ll have to play by our terms.

The Telco Tollgates

Beyond data pricing, telcos control the gateway of Value Added Services (VAS), where lotteries, trivia, and SMS-based games often begin. Here too, operators report selective approval processes, endless compliance costs, and in some cases, outright demands for revenue splits that make state taxes look polite.

It’s a tollgate system where operators must keep paying to stay visible on the very networks their players use. And just like with Meta, Google, and app stores, the real losers are consumers who face higher costs and fewer choices.

The Bigger Picture

What makes telcos’ role even more critical is that they aren’t just passive pipes. In many markets, they’re moving aggressively into gaming themselves, bundling games with data offers, or even co-owning platforms.

This dual role as both gatekeeper and competitor creates conflicts of interest that Nigerian regulators must start addressing.

Possible Solutions

Gaming-Friendly Data Plans – Just as we’ve seen social media bundles, telcos should be pushed (or incentivized) to create affordable gaming data plans that support local operators.

Regulatory Oversight – The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) cannot stand at arm’s length here. If the NCC is serious about digital inclusion, gaming, which employs, entertains, and generates revenue, must be part of its policy focus.

Operator Alliances – Local gaming operators need to negotiate collectively with telcos. Fragmented requests get ignored, but a unified industry voice demanding fairer VAS terms and data pricing could carry weight.

Innovation Bypass – Where telcos drag their feet, operators should explore leaner technologies like Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) that consume less data, or partnerships with fintechs that allow micro-data financing as part of gaming wallets.

Closing the Blackmail Series

If there’s one thing this “blackmail” thread has shown, it’s that Nigeria’s gaming industry isn’t just regulated by governments—it’s indirectly policed by tech giants, financial systems, app store policies, and now, telecoms. Each claims neutrality, but their selective barriers amount to economic gatekeeping.

To truly thrive, Nigerian gaming must confront not only its internal regulatory fragmentation but also the external chokeholds imposed by global and local digital monopolies.

Because here’s the truth: when telcos, app stores, and platforms decide who can be seen, paid, and accessed, they aren’t just shaping the market, they’re shaping the future of gaming itself.

And unless Nigeria pushes back with strategy and unity, the house will always win.

 ‘Gaming Grid’ is your weekly pulse on Nigeria’s gaming industry, its trends, and its trailblazers. Stay plugged in on TechEconomy.ng as we unpack the opportunities beyond the odds.

The post The Last Mile Blackmail – How Telcos and Data Costs Squeeze Nigeria’s Gaming Future appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

On Friday, Google will ask U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema to reject the idea of dismantling its advertising tools, which are central to the digital ad ecosystem.

The case focuses on the competition within the market for ad tech services used by website publishers to sell online ads. At the hearing in Alexandria, Virginia, Judge Brinkema will consider the possible remedies to restore fair competition in the sector, with more detailed discussions to follow on specific actions.

Google is working hard to avoid the drastic move of selling off its advertising assets, hoping to head off a situation like another ongoing case in Washington, where the Department of Justice is seeking the sale of Google’s Chrome browser to combat its online search monopoly.

In the ad tech case, the U.S. Department of Justice is pushing for the sale of Google’s Google Ad Manager, a key tool in the company’s ad server and ad exchange operations.

Google’s publisher ad servers help websites store and manage ad inventory, while ad exchanges enable content creators to sell those ads. These tools, integral to how ads are sold across the internet, have raised antitrust issues.

Earlier this year, Judge Brinkema ruled that Google had violated antitrust laws by linking its ad exchange with its ad server, a practice that stifled competition and harmed publishers. She acknowledged that this anti-competitive conduct was detrimental not only to publishers but also to the global online ecosystem, ultimately affecting users.

Despite this, Google argues that breaking up its ad tech business is not the right solution, claiming that such a move could hurt innovation and consumers alike.

The company’s defence rests on the assertion that users continue to choose Google because it provides a better product, not because of coercion or unfair advantage.

They are particularly keen to avoid a scenario where they are forced to divest parts of their business, which Google believes could lead to greater harm in the long run.

Interestingly, Google has also been exploring ways to address regulatory concerns outside the United States.

It has previously considered selling its ad exchange in order to satisfy antitrust regulators in Europe, underscoring the broader international nature of the competition cases it faces.

The post Google Fights to Keep Its Ad Tech Business Intact as Antitrust Case Continues appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Profit grew by 25%, with earnings hitting $6.61 per share. Wall Street expected less. Netflix delivered more.

What’s fuelling the engine? Price hikes, for one. In January, Netflix raised subscription fees in key markets including the U.S., UK, and Argentina. France is next. And for those trying to outsmart the system through password sharing, the platform responded with an $8.99 charge per extra member.

But there’s more. Netflix has quietly changed its strategy. It no longer shares how many subscribers it gains or loses. That metric, once treated like gospel, has been tossed aside. 

Now the focus is squarely on money—revenue, profit, margins. All signs point to a company that’s matured and wants the world to know it.

Operating income came in at $3.3 billion, a solid 27% increase, smashing expectations. The operating margin hit 31.7%, more than three percentage points above its own target. That’s not just strong; it’s aggressive efficiency.

Co-CEO Greg Peters didn’t sugar-coat anything when speaking to analysts. “We’re paying close attention to consumer sentiment and where the broader economy is moving. Based on what we’re seeing, there is nothing significant to note.” His tone was measured but confident—Netflix knows where it’s going.

We also got a rare glimpse into the advertising push. Netflix has launched its own ad tech platform in the U.S., and plans to take it global. “We believe our ad tech platform is foundational to our long term ads strategy,” the company said in its report. 

The goal? Better targeting, fresh ad formats, and more value for advertisers. And yes, they expect ad revenue to double in 2025.

Live content is another power play. After grabbing attention with last year’s Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul boxing event, Netflix is going all in. There’s a rematch between Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor on the cards. WWE’s Monday Night Raw is already part of the streaming menu. The company has gone beyond being a content library to a live stage now.

In Nigeria, the ripple effect has been real. Last July, Netflix hiked its Premium Plan by 40%—from ₦5,000 to ₦7,000. That came just three months after the Standard Plan jumped from ₦4,000 to ₦5,500. Users grumbled. Netflix didn’t blink. These increases form part of its wider goal: make more money from existing users.

Let’s not forget the massive subscriber gain Netflix saw at the end of 2024—18.9 million new members. But with slower growth forecast for 2025, the company is tightening its grip on profitability, not popularity.

The post $10.5 Billion in 3 Months: Netflix Cashes in on Price Hikes, Ads and New Moves appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Enhancing its advertising tools and attracting more brands to its platform, the image-sharing platform has been focusing on direct response ads, which encourage specific user actions such as app downloads and website visits. 

A driver of this success has been its investment in automated advertising solutions, particularly its Performance+ suite. These tools have made it easier for advertisers to set up campaigns with fewer inputs. CEO Bill Ready highlighted this advantage, stating, “Advertisers that were using these tools required 50% fewer inputs to create a campaign now.”

Mark Shmulik, an analyst at Bernstein, noted, “If you’re a smaller ad platform, the less time and more automated you can make it for the advertisers, the easier it is to get them to try you out.” He added, “We think the progress Pinterest has shown is sustainable.”

In its fourth-quarter earnings report, Pinterest recorded revenue of $1.15 billion, slightly exceeding market estimates. The growth was driven by increased advertising activity from retail, technology, and financial services sectors, offsetting weaker spending from the food and beverage industry. 

The platform also reported an 11% increase in global monthly active users, reaching a record 553 million.

At least 27 brokerage firms have raised their price target for Pinterest following its earnings announcement. If the current momentum holds, the company stands to gain over $4 billion in market value, adding to its previous valuation of $22.7 billion.

Pinterest’s stock has historically been sensitive to earnings reports. In November, shares dropped 14% after a weaker holiday quarter forecast, but in April last year, the stock jumped 21% following strong first-quarter results.

For the upcoming quarter, Pinterest has projected revenue between $837 million and $852 million, surpassing analysts’ average estimate of $832.8 million. Its adjusted core earnings forecast, ranging from $155 million to $170 million, also outperformed expectations.

Even with its strong performance, Pinterest’s stock trades at 17.88 times its estimated earnings for the next year—lower than Meta’s 27.37 times and Snap’s 25.40 times. 

However, analysts are bullish on the company’s growth, with Citi analysts reaffirming their “buy” rating, saying they have “greater conviction that Pinterest is in the earlier days of its transition to an always-on, performance platform.”

The post Pinterest Shares Surge 20% | Market Value Jumps $4 Billion as Revenue Hits $1.15 Billion appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

This is one of the artificial intelligence firm’s marketing strategies as it seeks to expand its reach beyond the tech industry.

The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched televised events globally, making it a prime platform for advertisers looking to capture a massive audience. 

Companies pay a premium to showcase their brands during the game, with this year’s 30-second ad slots reportedly costing up to $8 million, according to Adweek’s Chief Content Officer, Zoe Ruderman.

While OpenAI has become widely recognised since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, the upcoming Super Bowl advert will be the company’s first major commercial promotion. Other tech giants, such as Google, have previously used the Super Bowl to highlight their AI advancements.

The NFL championship game, scheduled for 9 February, will be held at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, home to the New Orleans Saints. Last year’s event attracted an estimated 210 million viewers, reiterating its huge advertising opportunity.

OpenAI, partially owned by Microsoft, has grown at a fast pace with ChatGPT reaching over 300 million weekly active users within two years of its launch. In December, the company appointed Kate Rouch as its first chief marketing officer, a sign of its increased focus on branding and outreach.

The AI developer is also reportedly in discussions to secure up to $40 billion in funding, potentially valuing the company at $340 billion. However, OpenAI has yet to issue an official statement regarding its Super Bowl advertising plans.

The post OpenAI to Make Super Bowl Advertising Debut with First-Ever TV Commercial appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

And with the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies, that speculation is more relevant than ever.

Will tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot eventually become so sophisticated that they replace copywriters, designers, and illustrators as some have predicted? And even if they don’t, how will they change the skills required for those positions?

Outside of those specific roles what skills will be most useful in the future, particularly as digital and physical world advertising become increasingly integrated?

While it would be foolish to make hard and fast predictions, especially for an industry that moves as fast as advertising does, there are a few emergent trends that give us a good idea of where it’s going.

Those already working in the sector, or aiming to do so, would do well to look at these trends and understand how they might impact their career trajectories.

Even in an AI world, authenticity still matters

At the start of 2023, numerous headlines were describing how AI tools could easily replace creatives, especially as they become increasingly sophisticated.

As the year has progressed, it’s become clear that the picture’s nowhere near that simple.

A research paper released in July, for instance, showed that the quality of answers from ChatGPT was nowhere near perfect, and its creators explicitly highlighted the probability of “AI hallucinations” e.g the generation of incorrect or misleading results.It’s also notable that “authentic” was the US dictionary Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2023.

This not only suggests that AI tools may take more time to reach maturity than many thought but also that, even as the technology advances, people still crave authentic experiences. That includes the adverts they’re exposed to daily.

None of this, of course, is to say that AI tools can’t be helpful to creatives. They can be. But making full use of them requires people to build up new skills. You have to know what prompts will give you the output you want, for instance.

Creatives won’t be the only ones who need to develop AI-based skills either. With AI also playing an increasingly important role in things like audience segmentation, ad placement optimisation, and performance analytics, anyone working in those areas will also have to build up their AI skills.

The ongoing integration of physical and digital worlds

A true metaverse, whereby the virtual and physical worlds integrate seamlessly,  is still being worked on by tech giants, and the integration of AI will take a huge load off the shoulders of human developers.

There are few areas where that integration is more visible and more relevant than in advertising. Whether it’s a point-of-sale activation that requires people to scan a QR code for a discount or a full-blown augmented reality (AR) campaign, advertising is increasingly at the forefront of showing what’s possible when it comes to the unification of the physical and digital worlds.

That doesn’t only mean in-house marketing teams need to break down the silos between different specialties, it also means that even the out-of-home (OOH) agencies responsible for things like billboards will have to up their digital skills. Digital-first agencies, meanwhile, will have to look at how they can broaden their physical advertising capabilities.

In the face of this kind of unification, those with the skill sets needed to bring these two worlds together will be in high demand. With that in mind, advertising professionals on either side of the divide would do well to grow their physical or digital skills.

Adaptability is everything

What the above two trends show is how important adaptability is in advertising. It’s a fast-moving field where things change all the time.

The skills that you have in the industry might not be the ones that keep you growing within it. As such, workers don’t only need to be aware of industry trends but how they might affect them in the future.

Those workers also need to be able to access resources that can help them build up the skills necessary to ride those shifts. It’s something that we’re profoundly aware of at Aleph and is one of the reasons why we launched our Digital Ad Expert platform.

Make no mistake, these shifts won’t be any slower in African markets either. In fact, as the continent continues to experience rapid jumps in connectivity, the continent could leapfrog the rest of the world and set the tone for the future of advertising.

Anyone in the industry or looking to get it into it needs to be ready.

The post What Does the Future of Working in Advertising Look Like?  appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising has long been a cornerstone of brand promotion, but with the digital shift, the industry has encountered new challenges, including fraudulent practices.

This article by PHILIP ODIAKOSE aims to explore the landscape of fraud in Out-of-Home (OOH) media buying, emphasizing the critical importance for brands to implement independent media monitoring strategies and ensure compliance to protect their OOH media asset investments and brand equity.

Understanding Fraud in OOH Media Buying:

Fraudulent activities in OOH media buying encompass various deceptive practices, such as ad placement discrepancies, misrepresented viewership data, and manipulated performance metrics.

These practices undermine the authenticity and efficacy of OOH campaigns, misleading brands about the actual reach and impact of their advertisements.

These bad practices are always common when brands contract their OOH media buying and allow the same agency to provide compliance.

This is the case of the media buyers being “the accused, the judge and the jury.”

Impact on Brands:

The repercussions of OOH media buying fraud are significant. Brands investing in OOH advertising are likely to suffer from inflated costs, diminished ROI, and compromised brand credibility due to inaccurate performance metrics. Such fraudulent activities not only dent financial resources but also erode consumer trust, leading to a negative impact on brand reputation.

The Role of Media Monitoring:

Media monitoring emerges as a pivotal solution in combating fraud in OOH media buying. Leveraging an independent media monitoring consultant, brands can track and analyze the placement and performance of their OOH assets from an unbiased and independent perspective. Continuous monitoring enables the detection of irregularities, discrepancies, and non-compliance, empowering brands to take prompt corrective action.

Importance of Compliance:

Adherence to industry standards and best practices is crucial in mitigating the risks associated with OOH media buying fraud.

Compliance with regulations, such as those set by OAAN (Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria), ensures transparency, accuracy, and accountability in OOH advertising campaigns. Brands that prioritize compliance contribute to a more reliable and trustworthy advertising ecosystem.

Strategies for Mitigation:

To effectively combat fraud in OOH media buying, brands should adopt a multi-pronged approach. This includes establishing clear contractual agreements with vendors, conducting regular media audits of OOH placements, leveraging location-based data for verification, and investing in independent OOH media monitoring for audit and complaints.

Conclusion:

Fraud in OOH media buying poses a significant threat to brands’ advertising investments and credibility. Prioritizing media monitoring and compliance with industry standards are indispensable steps in safeguarding brands against fraudulent practices.

By staying vigilant and ensuring accountability in Out-of-Home media, brands can uphold their integrity, maximize campaign effectiveness, and foster trust among their target audience.

*Philip Odiakose is the Chief Media Analyst and Managing Consultant at  P+ Measurement Services and TMKG Consulting, members of the Media Monitoring and Audit Group (MMAG).

The post X-raying ‘Fraud’ in Out-of-Home (OOH) Media Buying – Why Brands Must Prioritize Media Monitoring, Compliance appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.