AI Advertising & Search: eMarketer forecasts US AI ad spending will hit $32.03B in 2026, with 80%+ going through paid search listings that sit alongside AI Overviews—so “AI” budgets are still largely managed like search. Marcom Partnerships: Fire AI and Three Fourth Solutions team up to connect sentiment/review intelligence with PR, content, influencer marketing and comms planning. CMO Moves: VIRGIO names Hansa Nigam as chief marketing officer to drive growth at the fashion-tech intersection of style, tech and sustainability. Customer Engagement Tech: Chinese Wok launches WokVerse, an AR/gaming waiting-experience platform accessible via QR codes to turn downtime into a long-term brand touchpoint. PR/Media Labor: The NUJ backs AFP Istanbul journalists striking for fair wages after stalled talks and rejected offers. Marketing Ops & Data: Corning Credit Union replaces slow data-request workflows with self-service natural-language search via Tursio. AI for PR Workflows: Featured launches “Workflows,” always-on PR automations that scan media opportunities and deliver matches to inbox/Slack. Brand/Entertainment: Believe reorganizes global commercial and artist services to “supercharge” artist development; Praytell opens a Singapore office to expand in Asia. Consumer Trust & Claims: BIEPA pushes back on misleading E20 petrol claims spreading online, urging verified sources. Local Business Matchmaking: Shreveport Market Match aims to connect contracts and companies through a new procurement platform.