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The Alphabet-Apple AI Deal Just Made Google’s Parent the World’s Second-Most Valuable Company

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The Alphabet-Apple AI Deal Just Made Google’s Parent the World’s Second-Most Valuable Company

The Alphabet-Apple AI Deal Just Made Google’s Parent the World’s Second-Most Valuable Company

Alphabet’s deal with Apple sends investor optimism into a frenzy. As shares spike, Google’s parent reaches a $4 trillion valuation.

2026 marks a new dawn for investors, tech enthusiasts, and Wall Street alike.

The fears of the AI bubble exploding have quietened down for now. Because there is another fish to fry- better and more sophisticated avenues of investment in AI.

And that’s precisely what investors are zeroing in on.

What makes us say that?

Well, the Apple and Alphabet AI deal that just drastically shifted investor sentiments.

It sent Google’s parent company’s valuation leaping to new heights. Alphabet’s share price surged. And now, it has hit a new financial milestone- one that uncovers the gradually slipping faith that the market continues to hold in AI.

Alphabet’s market valuation now sits at $4 trillion. The current second-most valuable company across the globe, and the fourth to hit these numbers since NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Apple.

The milestone unravels a new string of hope in AI that seemed to be dwindling since late 2025. But the tech powerhouses remain adamant.

Even Apple seems excited about integrating AI into its iPhone models.

This is basically what the entire deal boils down to. Apple chose Google’s Gemini to power its digital assistant, popularly known as Siri. As Siri comes installed in every model, so will Gemini once the deal materializes.

The details are still being worked upon. And the deal’s valuation is also being kept under wraps.

According to an Apple spokesperson, it was the most capable AI model that could truly empower Apple’s foundations. This reinstates the shape of AI’s future. One that had been weakened after underwhelming launches from ChatGPT, whose GPT-5 was deemed quite a fluke.

But Google has put its foot down. It has had a good run with some of its high-profile AI launches last year- from NanoBanana to the latest version of Gemini. These have played a crucial role in Alphabet’s surge ahead of its rival, OpenAI. At least, that’s the story around town.

For the tech investors, it’s a ray of hope. But that’s merely one side of the coin.

The users speculate otherwise. It sounds like all smoke and mirrors. Because, as AI-led growth seems to stall, the AI forerunners want to find a workaround.

As they keep on passing money to and from each other, the real question is- is any of it of much value?

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Is Australia’s Social Media Ban Falling Flat? Meta Disagrees.

Is Australia’s Social Media Ban Falling Flat? Meta Disagrees.

Meta has banned over 50k under-16 social accounts. But the Australian govt. remains in doubt- could the ban have fallen flat?

In the latter part of 2025, the Australian govt. became a stellar example- it sanctioned a social media ban for teenagers. And basically, everyone under the age of 16.

And now that it has been a couple of weeks, the media is circling back to the current state of the ban. Was it even slightly successful?

Meta and the Australian govt both hold disparate opinions.

The govt has come to a realization that the ban implementation was a bit murky. At least that’s what the federal opposition stressed.

Many of the previously banned accounts were active again. And some of the under-16 accounts aren’t even banned in the first place. This lack has instilled serious alarms across the govt. The age verification tools and software that should’ve been difficult to bypass? They became a laughing stock. Nothing, a little bit of makeup, good lighting, and edits couldn’t steer them around.

The teens found a workaround in the blink of an eye.

But it’s also something the federal govt anticipated. And they had actually made it apparent that the ban couldn’t be rolled out perfectly down to the bone. Something that Meta also agrees upon, saying that the entire plan of action is multilayered. The primary layer? Ensuring that the framework remains compliant with the law. It’s the refinement of what the current one lacks.

But it isn’t as if the tech powerhouse has been sitting on its hands.

Meta had banned over 544,052 accounts between the 4th and 11th of December:

1. 330,639 on Instagram

2. 173,497 on Facebook

3. 39,916 on Threads

Even after all of this, Meta is facing yet another dilemma- how does it gauge the age of the user without an industry standard?

How does the tech giant find a balanced workaround without hampering users’ privacy?

For now, it’s calling for a better solution forward rather than a blanket ban. Because the first step to successful ban execution is finding a juncture between Meta’s methodology and what the Australian govt truly wants out of this ban.

So, the govt is also lending a helping hand. It has asked platforms to assess whether this social media ban applies to them. And in the off-chance that the teens migrate to the alternatives (X’s alternative, Bluesky), there must be compliance.

After a hot minute, the UK has also been under similar pressure. Will other countries follow suit?

That remains a curious question.

CRM Overhaul That Actually Moves the Needle: Optrua + ADG Drive Leads Up 80%
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CRM Overhaul That Actually Moves the Needle: Optrua + ADG Drive Leads Up 80%

CRM Overhaul That Actually Moves the Needle: Optrua + ADG Drive Leads Up 80%

Optrua’s CRM modernization with ADG didn’t just update software- it delivered an 80% jump in lead capture. So, what actually worked?

Let’s drop the fluff: Optrua and Advantage Design Group didn’t slap a new CRM interface on top of old chaos and call it digital transformation. They faced a real mess: misaligned sales processes, zero leadership visibility, rising database costs, and a CRM that was more of a burden than a tool.

ADG had a legacy system that trapped opportunities and kept sales leadership in the dark. Rather than rip and replace, Optrua chose a phased, business-first approach grounded in understanding how ADG actually works, not how the press release version of their business should work.

That matters.

Too many CRM projects focus on tech over truth: fresh dashboards, shiny modules, and zero clarity on how work actually flows. It wasn’t that. Optrua rolled up its sleeves and re-engineered the way ADG captures and tracks leads, increment by increment.

The result?

An 80% jump in lead capture. No vague “user engagement improved.” Real lead metrics went up. Costs went down. Internal teams gained tools and knowledge that they can sustain.

Here’s the lesson: CRM modernization isn’t a one-and-done project. It’s about fixing the root- business process and people alignment. Optrua’s Care Plan keeps the momentum going rather than letting gains stagnate.

If your next CRM update is still about software features instead of real outcomes, you’re doing it wrong. This initiative didn’t just modernize tech. It modernized how work gets done.

Anthropic's Plans to Raise $10bn Isn't About AI Hype. It's About Gaining Power.
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Anthropic’s Plans to Raise $10bn Isn’t About AI Hype. It’s About Gaining Power.

Anthropic’s Plans to Raise $10bn Isn’t About AI Hype. It’s About Gaining Power.

Anthropic’s latest funding talks push its valuation into rare air. And this isn’t just another AI cash grab.

Anthropic just signaled it wants big money.

More specifically, a $10 billion raise, which would peg it at a market valuation of $350 billion. That’s nearly twice what it fetched just a few months ago. Investors such as Singapore’s GIC and Coatue are lined up. The round could close fast.

This isn’t startup modesty.

It’s a bet that AI platforms are no longer merely hype. They’re the central pillars of future enterprise tech. Claude, Anthropic’s core product, is winning developer trust, especially for coding and automation tasks. That helps justify investor interest.

But let’s be clear. A $350 billion tag puts Anthropic in rarified air- bigger than most countries’ GDPs. It assumes that enterprise adoption will continue to rise and that AI tools will essentially become the infrastructure. That’s bullish. Is it realistic? Harder to prove. Part of this boom is the same capital fervor that has pushed rival valuations skyward. OpenAI itself has flirted with even higher private values.

Backing away from Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and even Nvidia isn’t trivial. It gives Anthropic strategic wings and computing firepower. But heavy capital flows also concentrate risk around a handful of players. If the market bends or demand cools, these giants could be the most exposed.

Ultimate takeaway? Investors are betting on AI as infrastructure, not a short-term bubble. Anthropic’s rise is real. But valuations this lofty hinge on future revenue materializing at scale, not just buzz. If the company delivers enterprise utility and margin growth, the round could seem smart.

If it doesn’t? The logic behind $350 billion gets a lot thinner.

Omnicom Unveils Power Play for Measurable Marketing: The New Omni
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Omnicom Unveils Power Play for Measurable Marketing: The New Omni

Omnicom Unveils Power Play for Measurable Marketing: The New Omni

Omnicom revamped Omni platform will connect data, creativity, and sales under one system. Less AI hype, more accountability. And a clear signal of where enterprise marketing is headed.

Omnicom just put its chips on the table with a revamped AI-driven marketing intelligence platform called Omni. This is not another vanity project. It’s a bet that brands can only scale if marketing data, creative work, media channels, and actual sales outcomes are present within the same system.

That’s the pitch.

Let’s be clear: Omni isn’t about replacing humans. It’s about giving teams a single pane of glass where audience insight, creative execution, and measurable results live together. That’s something most legacy martech stacks still can’t do well.

Omnicom leans heavily on its identity graph and rich data foundation, including Acxiom RealID™ and commerce signals, to connect the dots from ad impression to actual, tangible sales. In an era where attribution feels like guesswork, that’s a strategic play.

The platform promises speed and clarity. AI is there to accelerate analytics and production, not to generate canned campaigns. That’s smart. Automation that doesn’t strip away craft gives creative teams room to think rather than just doing.

Of course, this launch doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Omnicom’s broader strategy, built around its Interpublic acquisition and a unified “Connected Capabilities” model, is designed to lock in client budgets and fend off rivals with bigger tech firepower.

This feels like a practical evolution, not hype. Omni won’t fix every marketing problem.

However, it’s a credible swing at bridging data, creativity, and outcomes in one place. For brands tired of disjointed tools, that’s worth watching.

WPP Unveils New Suite of AI Agents to Equip Clients with Better Outcomes
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WPP Unveils New Suite of AI Agents to Equip Clients with Better Outcomes

WPP Unveils New Suite of AI Agents to Equip Clients with Better Outcomes

WPP is amping up its business strategy. As 2026 kicks off, a new suite of AI agents is its first move.

WPP just introduced Agent Hub on its AI platform WPP Open.

But it’s not another watered-down tech demo. It’s an internal app store for agentic AI built on 150+ ready-made agents powered by WPP’s own decades of data, strategy, and creative muscle.

It isn’t fringe hype. It’s the holding company slamming its “collective intelligence” into a product clients can actually use.

Call it what it is: packaged know-how.

The brand analytics agent taps approximately 30 years of proprietary brand equity data. Behavioural science and analogies agents take frameworks that live in human brains. And now they live in AI logic.

Creative brain is basically WPP’s century-plus of creative instinct in software.

The messaging is classic WPP spin with a purpose: “human brilliance, amplified by AI.” They frame it as democratising expertise- no silos, no single guru blocking access. Clients and teams receive these agents instantly, with validation gates and compliance checks to keep outputs trustworthy.

Here’s the real deal: this isn’t about replacing strategists or creatives. It’s about scaling the most intelligent thinking inside WPP across every brief at lightning speed. It’s a defensive play and an offense.

Agencies lose excuses (“We don’t have enough brainpower/data”), and clients get smarter results faster, assuming the agents truly deliver consistently.

But let’s be blunt: agentic AI only matters if it makes work measurably smarter and not just faster. WPP’s pitch is solid: clients get access to deep expertise via software, not only people.

Now the ball’s in the clients’ court-

Will this actually shift outcomes or merely add another layer of tech marketing?