ChatGPT now drives 20% of Walmart traffic · Sept 29

Your weekly AI + Marketing roundup is here! What’s on for this week, 9/29?!.....

The shift happening right now isn't about tools. it's about decisions, y'all! Fast Company and MarTech both covered how AI is moving marketing from opinion-heavy debates to faster, evidence-based choices. The teams winning are logging their decisions, measuring outcomes, and letting AI tighten the loop.

ChatGPT is now driving 20% of referral traffic for Walmart and 15% for Target. Meanwhile, Amazon blocked AI bots and is betting on its own Rufus chatbot instead.

OpenAI launched their first major brand campaign focused on human moments over flashy tech specs (very different from its Super Bowl ad), and new research shows "AI-first" positioning can backfire without giving people choice and clear labeling.

Also covered: how to make your brand machine-readable, why productivity gains only stick if you reinvest the time, and Meta's new "Vibes" feed made entirely of AI-generated videos (which honestly feels like more AI slop we don't need...I won't be spending time in this human-less mess...).

As always!:

Are you tracking decisions and outcomes, or just shipping and moving on? And what do you think about ChatGPT driving up to 20% of retail referral traffic? Damn.

(Also, exciting, Etsy just announced its OpenAI partnership - go, team!)

And my new newsletter stack is coming soon! So pumped for what is to come...just taking a little longer than planned..but can't wait to make it easier for y'all to get this weekly, curatd news!

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Fast Company | 6-minute read

Overview: A practical look at how AI shifts marketing from opinion-heavy debates to faster, evidence-based decisions.

Key Points:

• Decision intelligence layers turn messy inputs into clearer next steps.

• Speed matters, but repeatable decision quality is the real win.

• Teams that log decisions and outcomes learn faster than those that just “ship.”

My take: The best part here is the focus on decisions, not tools. Write down your choices, measure the result, and let AI make the loop tighter next time.

MarTech | 7-minute read

Overview: “Next-best action” moves from slideware to daily practice when data, rules, and models align.

Key Points:

• Decisioning needs clean data, explicit guardrails, and clear outcomes.

• Orchestration beats one-off prompts; it’s a system, not a stunt.

• Evaluation frameworks are as important as the model you pick.

My take: Treat decisioning like a product. Define success upfront, let AI propose options, and keep humans accountable for the final call, plz.

Ad Age | 8-minute read

Overview: A forward view on what to build today so you’re not rebuilding in 2029.

Key Points:

• First-party data and permissions are the foundation for everything else.

• Creative systems need reusable components that scale across channels and assistants.

• Measurement shifts from clicks to task completion and long-term value.

My take: Super helpful guide that outlines a few ways to easily integrate AI now. Your future self will thank you!

Bain & Company | 6-minute read

Overview: Efficiency gains are real across back-office work; sales impact lags without data and workflow change.

Key Points:

• Copilots boost productivity where tasks are repetitive and documented.

• Sales outcomes depend on CRM hygiene and adoption, not model horsepower.

• Companies that reinvest time savings see compounding benefits.

My take: Reinvest saved hours into better discovery, tighter briefs, and cleaner data so the gains stick.

MarTech | 6-minute read

Overview: Models infer your “brand meaning” from the signals you publish (and the ones you neglect).

Key Points:

• Consistent language and structure help assistants retrieve you correctly.

• A living brand lexicon prevents drift into generic phrasing.

• Ontologies and knowledge graphs make positioning machine-readable.

My take: If you don’t define your voice, the model will. Publish your language rules and give AI the right info to describe you. There are so many ways to do this now with custom GPTs with Chat GPT, Gems with Gemini, Projects with Claude, and more.

Forbes | 5-minute read

Overview: Engagement moves from one-way content to ongoing, assistant-mediated conversations.

Key Points:

• Preference data powers relevance more than channel tricks.

• Utility and service drive repeat interaction better than gimmicks.

• Trust signals (provenance, disclosure) shape whether people opt in.

My take: Make yourself useful and easy to trust. If the experience saves time or answers something specific, people come back.

Retail TouchPoints | 6-minute read

Overview: In a zero-click world, the relationship you own matters more than the search result you rented.

Key Points:

• Loyalty programs become identity layers and value exchanges.

• Clear benefits and transparent data use keep opt-ins high.

• Owned channels smooth the path from answer to action.

My take: Loyalty is your hedge against algorithm churn. Give people a reason to identify themselves, then actually reward them for it.

The Drum | 5-minute read

Overview: Practical steps - data hygiene, governance, and training - that move teams from pilots to practice. See part 1 here.

Key Points:

• Centralize guidelines for prompts, disclosure, and provenance.

• Map workflows and approvals so AI fits the work you already do.

• Upskill cross-functionally; this isn’t just a “marketing tool.”

My take: Start where your real work happens. Document the process, set simple rules, and teach people how to use the tools responsibly.

Fast Company | 5-minute read

Overview: New research suggests “AI-first” positioning can backfire without choice and clear labeling.

Key Points:

• Preference for human touch varies by task and category.

• Disclosure softens backlash and builds credibility over time.

• Offering a human path often increases overall satisfaction.

My take: Give people a toggle and plain-English context. Let them choose AI or human and you’ll keep more of them!

Fast Company | 4-minute read

Overview: A mainstream brand push reframes AI around everyday usefulness instead of technical spectacle.

Key Points: • Messaging leans into “helpful and safe” over “flashy and new.”

• Mass-market creative demands clear, human language.

• Expect more category education from big model providers.

My take: Showcasing the (human) use case is the move...and how AI can help build connection...and not take us away from real-life moments. Love this campaign!

Daria lists her go‑to resources for new product marketers: April Dunford’s positioning books and talks, podcasts like Product Marketing Life and Women in PMM, PMM communities and file templates, and encouraging readers to add their own picks. See Post

Reid writes that voice will soon be a primary interface for AI, enabling natural prompting and richer signals; voice interactions like ChatGPT’s Wispr could make screens and keyboards optional, though typing will remain valuable for complex tasks. See Post

Karina writes Meta’s new feed called “Vibes,” made entirely from AI‑generated videos built off text prompts and remixes. She questions whether audiences will embrace AI‑only content or find it “AI slop,” while acknowledging that it lowers barriers for creators. TBH, I find it sloppy and not something I want to engage with…. My Instagram is already ads + influencer-filled…when can I see my real friends again?! See Post

Stephen riffs on Fast Company’s Mark Wilson: with AI tools, it’s now trivial to generate posts, but readers still invest time to read them. He warns that low‑effort AI content erodes trust and urges creators to put genuine thought into their messages. See Post

Citing Similarweb data, Smith reports that ChatGPT now accounts for roughly 20 % of Walmart’s referral clicks, 20 % for Etsy (hi, my place of work <3), ~15 % for Target, and 10 % for eBay. Amazon, however, has seen declines after blocking AI bots; it’s investing in its own Rufus chatbot. See Post

Amber explores how AI models can learn and reflect human taste. She envisions “taste‑as‑a‑service” APIs, aesthetic‑tuned LLMs and taste graphs, arguing that whoever builds this layer will create cultural infrastructure for the next wave of AI products. See Post

Not fully AI + Marketing, but love this post! Will writes that strategists overcomplicate plans. His advice: simplify, cut through chaos, and focus on a few high‑impact initiatives...the best strategies are clear and short. See Post

Nicole explains that ChatGPT Business/Teams and Enterprise users can now share Projects within their organization. You can invite specific teammates or open access to anyone with the link, and assign permissions: “Can Chat” lets colleagues continue existing conversations but not change instructions or files, while “Can Edit” allows them to update content. She suggests renaming chats with clear labels, keeping backups of Project instructions, and limiting edit rights to avoid accidental overwrites. See Post

All tools covered continue to be added to the 200+ AI + Marketing tool directory!

AA (Gaming & Tech Creator Platform) is paving the way for AI-driven creator commerce. The company is blending gaming, tech creators, and e-commerce to enable seamless buy signals within creator content. Best for: Creator Teams • Commerce Marketer • Gaming & Tech Brands

Perplexity launched a developer-grade Search API that gives apps access to its same index and structured results used in the Perplexity answer engine. It supports hybrid retrieval, sub-document precision, and real-time index updates. Best for: AI Developers • Search Engineers • LLM Builders

OpenAI has unveiled “ChatGPT Pulse”... a proactive feature for Pro users that curates personalized daily updates by analyzing user interactions, calendar/email integrations, and feedback. It presents information as visual cards you can glance through or dive deeper. Best for: Knowledge Workers • AI-Driven Productivity Users • Power Prompt Engineers

Perplexity rolled out an AI Email Assistant as part of its Max plan ($200/mo), integrating with Gmail/Outlook to prioritize emails, draft replies, schedule meetings, and adapt to your tone while awaiting your approval before sending. Best for: Executives • Productivity-focused marketers • Power users

Quickplay unveiled its “AI Studio” at IBC2025, allowing broadcasters and streamers to transform long-form video libraries into vertical clips and shorts automatically. It supports smart verticalization, trend spotting, metadata enrichment, and multi-platform publishing. Best for: Video Content Teams • Broadcasters • Social Video Marketers

HCLTech launched Unica+, an AI-first marketing platform designed to compete across the $94B martech landscape. It promises to infuse AI deeply into campaign execution, personalization, and operations. Best for: Enterprise Marketers • Martech Teams • Digital Transformation Leaders

Archive Intel introduced AI Marketing Review, a compliance automation tool built to audit marketing materials for adherence with SEC, FINRA, and regulatory rules especially for financial services marketers. Best for: Financial Marketers • Compliance Teams • Regulated Industries

In an academic preview, GenKOL introduced a modular AI framework to generate scalable virtual Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). It synthesizes visuals (garments, backgrounds, makeup) for promotional content, offering creative teams a new way to simulate influencer content. Best for: Brand Creators • Creative Directors • AI Content Labs

Best for: E-commerce Teams • Amazon Brands • Retail Analysts

Below are more interesting events added this week to the full AI + Marketing Events blog post!

October 13–14, 2025 - New York City

Covers digital marketing tech, social, and data strategies with a growing emphasis on AI. Strong for marketing leaders focused on transformation and practical adoption. Learn more

November 13, 2025 - New York City

Day-long summit moving beyond “if AI” to “how AI.” Practical sessions designed for brand and agency leaders looking to make AI an operational advantage. Learn more

Prosper AI - Founding Growth Marketing Manager

Microsoft - Sr. Product Marketing Manager - AI at Work Evangelist

HartleyCo - Head of Marketing

Monday.com - AI GTM Manager

Meta - Creative Director, Gen AI Monetization

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