Welcome to this week’s AI and Marketing Weekly Round-Up, where we bring you the latest developments transforming how businesses engage, automate, and grow. From evolving search experiences to small business innovation and Salesforce’s next big move, here’s what you need to know
Salesforce Revives Talks to Acquire Informatica
Salesforce has resumed discussions to acquire data-management software firm Informatica, aiming to enhance its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. The move is part of Salesforce’s broader strategy to leverage proprietary data for generative AI applications. Informatica’s technology, which assists enterprises in organising and cleansing their data, is seen as crucial as AI models increasingly rely on high-quality data input.
Analysts suggest Salesforce could acquire Informatica at a lower price than previously discussed in April 2024, with potential valuations estimated between $20 and $26 per share. Informatica’s stock surged over 17% on the news, while Salesforce shares fell 3.6%. Despite execution challenges, Informatica’s cloud business is expected to grow by 25% year-over-year.
This aligns with Salesforce’s recent pivot from AI ‘copilots’ to autonomous ‘agents’, such as its Agentforce 2.0 platform, which enhances AI-driven decision-making. Analysts project a modest 1% revenue lift from AI products in fiscal 2026, with Salesforce forecasting overall revenue growth of 8%.
What this means for your business:
Enterprise software is evolving fast. Expect more integrations between AI and your existing platforms—especially in customer service and data processing.
What to do next:
Review your current CRM, automation, and data tools. Consider how AI enhancements like agentic functionality could streamline or elevate how you serve clients.
Google Expands Ads in AI-Powered Search
Google is intensifying its integration of ads within its AI-driven search features, expanding placements in AI Overviews and AI Mode on desktop in the U.S. and other markets. AI Mode, built around the Gemini AI chatbot, enables longer, exploratory queries, which present new opportunities for ad targeting—though not yet directly.
Currently, ads in these spaces come from existing campaigns and are shown based on user context like demographics and search intent. However, marketers have voiced concerns that AI-generated summaries reduce the likelihood of users clicking through to websites, making visibility and performance measurement more challenging.
What this means for your business:
As AI-generated summaries increase, your paid search ROI could shift. Being seen may no longer equal being clicked.
What to do next:
Audit your ad strategies and landing page performance. Begin testing alternative ad formats—like video, visual shopping, or branded answers—that may adapt better to AI-mode environments.
Small Businesses Deepen AI Integration Across Operations
Small and midsize businesses are doubling down on AI in 2025, according to Verizon Business’s State of Small Business Survey. A significant 38% of SMBs now use AI for marketing, recruitment, customer service, and even cybersecurity. Nearly half (47%) have upgraded their digital security in the past 12 months, and over 76% report that social media continues to be a key driver of growth.
However, the survey also found that over half of SMBs struggle to keep content fresh or to stay on top of fast-moving digital trends—highlighting a growing need for smarter, AI-supported content strategies. AI is also increasingly used to fill staffing gaps and enhance efficiency.
What this means for your business:
You don’t need to be a tech giant to benefit from AI. SMBs are using it to reduce admin load, sharpen marketing, and improve retention.
What to do next:
Explore low-barrier AI tools that solve immediate friction points—such as scheduling, social content creation, or chatbot support—before investing in complex systems.
Google’s AI Mode: A Double-Edged Sword for Marketers
Google has officially launched its AI Mode search experience, offering a conversational, Gemini-powered alternative to traditional search. It builds on the earlier AI Overviews but aims to improve accuracy and user experience by breaking down complex queries into synthesised responses linked to sources.
However, it still comes with a disclaimer, especially when surfacing content related to health, finance, and news—acknowledging the ongoing risks of misinformation. For marketers, the challenge is clear: as AI-generated answers grow more sophisticated, organic traffic from Google may shrink.
This shift makes it more important than ever to structure content in ways that are easily surfaced by AI and to diversify how people discover your brand across other channels.
What this means for your business:
AI Mode shifts discovery from link-based to answer-based. You may no longer be competing for clicks—you’re competing to be the answer.
What to do next:
Optimise your content to address common customer questions clearly and directly, using structured formats that AI can easily interpret and reference.
Ready to apply the insights from this week’s AI and Marketing Weekly Round-Up to your business?
Get in touch with our team to explore how these shifts can unlock smarter, more responsive marketing for you.
