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Anker’s new Desktop Docking Station (pictured) has arrived in China. (Image source: Anker) Anker has launched the new Desktop Docking Station (14-in-1, Quad-Display, DisplayLink) in China. This previously rumored device is currently only available with a Black Myth Wukong special edition design. Features include support for up to three monitors, 140W charging of the host device and an integrated display. The Anker Desktop Docking Station (14-in-1, Quad-Display, DisplayLink) has been launched in China. Rumors about this charging device started in June, when various details and images were leaked. Now, a special edition version of the Desktop Docking Station, designed as part of a collaboration with Black Myth Wukong, has appeared. It has a black and gold design inspired by the RPG. Also known as model A83B3, it connects to the host via a 140W USB-C port with 10 Gbps bandwidth. There are three further USB-C ports, two with a 100W output and 10 Gbps bandwidth, and another 100W output with 5 Gbps. The maximum combined power output is 160W, and charging information can be viewed on the integrated display. A dial on one side appears to allow users to cycle through various screens. Other file transfer options on the new Anker Desktop Docking Station include two USB-A (5 Gbps) and one USB-A (480 Mbps), and there are also SD 3.0 and TF 3.0 card readers. Billed as a quad-display accessory, you can connect up to three monitors via two HDMI 2.1 ports (up to 8K@30Hz resolution) and DisplayPort 1.4 (up to 8K@60Hz resolution). When three displays are connected simultaneously, the maximum resolution over HDMI is 4K@60Hz, with the DP resolution staying at 8K@60Hz. Plus, there is support for the Anker Dock Manager app and DisplayLink software. The new Anker docking station’s remaining ports are 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, an audio jack, and an input for the 180W power supply. It is said to be compatible with various Windows and macOS (M1/M2/M3/M4 chip) devices, and it measures 195 x 92 x 47 mm (~inches). In China, the Anker x Black Myth Wukong Desktop Docking Station (14-in-1, Quad-Display, DisplayLink) is priced at CNY 1,699 (~$237). Given that Black Myth Wukong special edition products are slightly more expensive than the original versions, the RRP of the standard Desktop Docking Station is expected to be lower than this.  It is unclear when the Anker Desktop Docking Station (14-in-1, Quad-Display, DisplayLink) will be released in other markets like the US, where the older Anker Prime Charger (250W, 6 Ports, GaNPrime) is currently selling for $169.99 at Amazon. Related Articles Polly Allcock – Senior Tech Writer – 4412 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2021 I’ve been interested in technology for as long as I can remember. From a young age, I have loved gadgets and understanding how things work. Since graduating, I have worked for several technology companies across FinTech, AdTech and Robotics. Polly Allcock, 2025-08-20 (Update: 2025-08-20) Read More

Nonetheless, it is evident that Asus intends to charge $69.99 for its ‘Premium 2-in-1 Hard Case for ROG Xbox Ally’ case. Sporting a sturdier design than the equivalent for the ROG Ally (curr. $639 on Amazon), the 2-in-1 case also comes with a detachable pouch for storing the handheld’s power adapter. Moreover, the case itself has space for storing multiple microSD cards. Meanwhile, Best Buy has priced the ROG 100W Gaming Charger Dock at $99.99. Seemingly a replacement for the 65W variant offered for the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X, the 100W variant adds a secondary USB 2.0 Type-A port while retaining its predecessor’s HDMI 2.0 and existing USB Type-A port, as well as a USB Type-C output. The included USB Type-C cable has dropped from 200 cm to 100 cm in length, though. Please see Asus’ website for more details about both accessories. Read More

The HMD Vibe 2 features a fresh design with a larger camera module. (Image source: HMD Global, via JB Hi-Fi) HMD Global is expected to soon launch the Vibe 2, an affordable mid-range smartphone that has already been previewed by a retailer. Apparently, the design is somewhat reminiscent of the iPhone 17 Pro, with features including an improved main camera and a larger battery. Retailer JB Hi-Fi is already listing the as-yet-unannounced HMD Vibe 2, which is set to launch in Australia for A$288 (approximately $187). The affordable mid-range smartphone looks a little outdated with its wide chin under the display and a notch, but interestingly, HMD Global has opted for a very wide camera module in the style of the Apple iPhone 17 Pro. HMD Global is reportedly replacing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 with a Unisoc Tiger T606, which is even slightly slower, featuring two ARM Cortex-A75 performance cores with boost clock speeds up to 1.6 GHz and six Cortex-A55 efficiency cores. In return, the mid-range smartphone gets at least two significant upgrades. Firstly, the 13-MP main camera has been replaced by a 50-MP camera, but with only two useless 0.08-megapixel sensors.  Secondly, the battery capacity has been increased from 4,000 mAh to 5,000 mAh, and is charged as usual via USB-C with up to 10 watts. At least one variant of the new model is expected to be equipped with 4 GB of RAM and 256 GB of flash storage. The storage can be expanded via a microSD card. The HMD Vibe 2 features a 5 MP selfie camera. The display has grown to 6.75 inches, with HMD Global using an IPS panel with a 720p+ resolution and a refresh rate of 90 Hz. The device has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and the fingerprint sensor is located in the power button on the side of the case. HMD Global ships the Vibe 2 with Android 15, although it is unclear how long the affordable smartphone will receive software updates.  Related Articles Editor of the original article: Hannes Brecher – Senior Tech Writer – 18483 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2018 Since 2009 I have written for different publications with a focus on consumer electronics. I joined the Notebookcheck news team in 2018 and have combined my many years of experience with laptops and smartphones with my lifelong passion for technology to create informative content for our readers about new developments in this sphere. In addition, my design background as an art director at an ad agency has allowed me to have deeper insights into the peculiarities of this industry. Translator: Jacob Fisher – Translator – 2064 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2022 Growing up in regional Australia, I first became acquainted with computers in my early teens after a broken leg from a football (soccer) match temporarily condemned me to a predominately indoor lifestyle. Soon afterwards I was building my own systems. Now I live in Germany, having moved here in 2014, where I study philosophy and anthropology. I am particularly fascinated by how computer technology has fundamentally and dramatically reshaped human culture, and how it continues to do so. Hannes Brecher, 2025-08-19 (Update: 2025-08-19) Read More

Image: YouTube Over the past several months, the question surrounding Google’s next smart devices hasn’t been when they will arrive, but if they will arrive.  After all, Google’s been slowly but steadily discontinuing older smart products (the Nest Protect, the Nest x Yale Lock) while leaving their replacements to third parties. At time same time, its aging line of Nest smart speakers and displays has been languishing.  But Google has previously hinted that new Google Home smart devices are on tap for later this year, and during the company’s big Made by Google event today, we may have gotten a glimpse of one.  During some pre-recorded banter between Milwaukee Bucks player Giannis Antetokounmpo and F1 driver Lando Norris, the camera panned over to reveal a small, slightly squished sphere with a gray exterior and a telltale light ring encircling its narrow base.  That sphere was clearly a smart speaker housing Gemini, with Norris chatting with the assistant in its Gemini Live mode.  The speaker only appeared in passing and was never mentioned directly during the presentation, but it seems likely to be the first new Google smart speaker since the Nest Audio debuted in 2020. I hesitate to call it a new Nest speaker, as I’m not entirely sure Google will stick with the Nest branding in this new age of Gemini. (That’s just a guess on my part.)  Speaking of Gemini, note that Alexa-like light ring replacing the four pulsing LEDs that used to represent Google Assistant. Google did just tell us that Google Assistant will soon be replaced by Gemini on its existing and forthcoming smart devices, so perhaps the light ring on the new speaker visually calls out the changing of the voice-assistant guard. (Of course, the four LEDs will remain on Google’s older Nest speakers.)  So, when will we find out more about this mysterious new speaker? If Google holds a fall Made for Google event as it has in the past, the new speaker might officially break cover then. Stay tuned.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers. Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he has covered everything from smart speakers and soundbars to smart lights and security cameras. Ben’s articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men’s Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master’s degree in English literature. Read More

Image: Foundry Copilot Vision is one of those Windows features that deserves more attention than its receiving — which is quite little. It’s a built-in Windows technology that can “see” what you’re looking at and offer advice. The problem is that Copilot Vision is all over the map. It’s far better than a how-to article or video in using certain apps, because you’re not following instructions, you’re actually working on your PC and asking Copilot Vision for help. At its best, Copilot Vision is the friend or coworker that comes over to your PC and tells you what to do. In trickier applications — Adobe Photoshop, for example — it can walk you through tasks that you might be able to describe, but not do. It can even highlight what you’re supposed to click! In my book, that’s really helpful. At its worst, though, Copilot Vision just can’t do the job. Does Copilot Vision hallucinate a wrong answer? I’m not sure, but in certain applications it can’t read what’s on your screen. Copilot Vision isn’t Windows Recall, which constantly spies over your shoulder and takes snapshots for archiving. (I think that’s quite useful, too, but not in today’s climate.) You have to manually point it at an application you want it to see and then you flip it off when you’re done. I feel perfectly safe using it unlike Recall. What this video review / tutorial shows is what Copilot Vision is, how it works, and in what applications it shines — and stinks. Microsoft has a real advantage here, in that Copilot Vision is already part of Windows. Take a look at how it performs in our video and then try it out for yourself. Since you can launch it literally with a click or two, why not? Author: Mark Hachman, Senior Editor, PCWorld Mark has written for PCWorld for the last decade, with 30 years of experience covering technology. He has authored over 3,500 articles for PCWorld alone, covering PC microprocessors, peripherals, and Microsoft Windows, among other topics. Mark has written for publications including PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Popular Science and Electronic Buyers’ News, where he shared a Jesse H. Neal Award for breaking news. He recently handed over a collection of several dozen Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs because his office simply has no more room. Read More

Image: Corsair While older computers and storage drives might still use the common SATA or the older PCIe 3.0 interfaces to sling your bits of data around, more recent computing equipment typically supports the far faster PCIe 4.0 protocol. If you’re really lucky (or spent a lot of money), you might even have faster PCIe 5.0. But that’s a subject for another roundup. We’ve tested nearly three dozen PCIe 4.0 SSDs and our list includes the best of the bunch for various needs. Whether you want to upgrade, or add more storage to your PCIe 4.0 computer, there’s an SSD for you. Read on to learn more, including what to look for in PCIe 4.0 SSD. WD Black SN7100 SSD – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD Pros Top-notch HMB performance Affordable Sexy name Cons Slower random performance than DRAM designs Best Prices Today: ₹7,536 There can be a trade-off with HMB (host memory buffer) design SSDs, such as the SN7100. They are distinct for using the host system’s memory for primary caching duties, as opposed to packing their own DRAM. But while there may be some specific scenarios where DRAM drives excel over HMBs — such as in the writing of very large amounts of data — in the vast majority of applications, the two designs are very competitive and almost indistinguishable. Among all HMB SSDs we’ve tested, we were flat-out wowed by the SN7100’s performance. The 2TB version that we looked at was the fastest such SSD that we’ve run through our gauntlet of benchmarks. And when it comes to price, compared to DRAM designs, it’s really no contest. Indeed, the SN7100 is close to $50 less than our previous pick, the Solidigm P44 Pro, for both the 1TB and 2TB capacities. Combine that with an industry standard five-year warranty / 600TBW rating (terabytes that can be written) per TB, and you’re looking at probably the best PCIe 4.0 SSD for average users as well as gamers. Read our full WD Black SN7100 NVMe SSD review WD SN5000 NVMe SSD – Best budget PCIe 4.0 SSD Pros Good everyday performance Very affordable Fastest NVMe SSD of any ilk we’ve tested writing 450GB Cons Top performance requires HMB support Best Prices Today: ₹3,679 With PCIe 5.0 drives finally arriving, we’re finally starting to see companies offer budget PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives at compelling prices. Our previous pick, the WD Blue SN580 NVMe SSD, has just been supplanted by WD’s Blue SN5000. At just $75 for a 1TB model (at the time of writing), and with speedy transfers, you likely won’t find a better value in a PCIe 4.0 drive. In our testing, this drive proved among the fastest Host Memory Buffer (HMB/DRAM-less) SSDs we’ve tested. And unlike the SN580 before it, the SN5000 didn’t falter during the 450GB transfer test — instead tying the record among all PCIe SSDs. Read our full WD Blue SN5000 NVMe SSD review Crucial P310 (2230) – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD for Steam Deck Pros Fastest 2230 SSD we’ve tested Available with up to 2TB of capacity Cons Low TBW endurance rating Best Prices Today: ₹8,908 If you need a small form-factor, 2230 (22 mm wide, 30 mm long) NVMe SSD for your Steam Deck or other device, look no further than the Crucial P310. It’s the fastest 2230 SSD we’ve tested, and by a rather large margin. The P310 bested our previous favorite 2230 drive — the WD Black SN770M — in every benchmark save for the 450GB transfer, where it lost steam (pun intended) at the 85 percent mark after running out of secondary cache. But transfers this large are rare for most users, and unheard of in a Steam Deck. The P310 is a bit pricier than the SN770M, but only by a tad more than $10 in both the 1TB and 2TB offerings. If optimum speed is what you’re after, and you don’t foresee regularly moving large amounts of data, the P310 is the 2230 ticket. Read our full Crucial P310 NVMe SSD (2230) review Seagate Game Drive – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD for PS5 Pros Very good overall performance Excellent 4K performance Low-profile heatsink Twice the TBW rating of the competition Cons A bit pricey No 4TB model Best Prices Today: The Seagate Game Drive is a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD aimed specifically at next-gen game consoles — the PS5 in particular. It doesn’t disappoint, with DRAM for primary caching duties, which is almost essential to wring top performance out of Sony’s console system. The PS5 doesn’t support HMB, so without DRAM you’re relying solely on an SSD’s slower secondary caching. The Game Drive ships in 1TB and 2TB capacities, so you’ll have plenty of space to store all of your games. While the Seagate Game Drive is optimized for a PS5, it’s perfectly viable for any computer. It did remarkably well in our performance testing, earning the spot as the second-fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD to date with random ops. Seagate provides a generous five-year warranty with the drive and it has an astounding 1,275TBW rating—more than double the industry norm. PS5 owners simply can’t go wrong with the Seagate Game Drive. Read our full Seagate Game Drive PS5 NVMe SSD review Corsair MP600 Micro 2242 SSD – Best 2242 form-factor SSD Pros Direct fit for Lenovo 2242 M.2 slots Good performance Priced affordably Cons Too long for 2230 slots Best Prices Today: The Corsair MP600 Micro fills the niche of devices that can accommodate an SSD that’s larger than the 2230 form factor used by game consoles, but can’t accept a standard 2280 modules that are used in most PCs and laptops. We’re talking about the 2242 form factor — meaning 22mm wide by 42mm long. Lenovo set off the 2242 trend with its Legion Go and Thinkpad portables and there are now some respectable options for storage upgrades — the best of which is the Corsair MP600 Micro. The MP600 Micro isn’t the fastest PCIe 4.0 drive we’ve

Image: Ben Patterson/Foundry We already knew that Google Assistant was soon to be replaced by a “new experience powered by Gemini.” Now we know what that new experience will be called, and when it’s arriving.  Gemini for Home is the name of the new Gemini-powered voice assistant for Google smart speakers and displays, including the current Nest Audio, Nest Mini, Nest Hub, and Nest Hub Max.   “Early access” to Gemini for Home kicks off in October, Google announced in a blog post Wednesday, with both free and paid versions available. Google didn’t say how much the paid version of Gemini for Home will cost.  Google had already been experimenting with Gemini on its Nest speakers over the past several months. It’s not clear if the just-announced Gemini for Home is an iteration of that effort or an entirely new assistant, but whatever it is, it’s coming soon.  Among Gemini for Home’s broad capabilities are many of the same features we’ve seen in Alexa+, Amazon’s own take on an advanced AI-powered assistant for the home.  For example, you’ll be able to ask Gemini for Home (you’ll still use the “Hey Google” wake word) to “play the song-of-the-year winner from 1990” or “play that song from this year’s summer blockbuster about race cars,” and the assistant should be able to suss out which track you’re thinking about, Google says—same as what Alexa+ can do (or should do, anyway).  Gemini for Home will also be able to decipher more complex smart home commands, such as “dim the lights, and set the temp to 72 degrees,” as well as manage calendars, lists, and timers from natural-language voice prompts (“add the ingredients to make an authentic Italian lasagna to my shopping list”).  Besides smart home commands, you’ll also be able to launch chats with Gemini via Google Live, which promises “natural back-and-forth discussion” without the need of saying “Hey Google” over and over. For example, you’ll be able to ask for help with a recipe, troubleshoot a busted dishwasher, or request a bedtime story for a youngster.  Again, this should all sound familiar to anyone who’s been following Amazon’s Alexa+, which has been very slowly rolling out over the past several months.   Like Google for Home soon will be, Alexa+ is currently in an early access period, and it allows for more back-and-forth discussion, more natural-language smart home commands (“Alexa, make it brighter in here”), help finding obscure music tracks, and providing assistance in the kitchen.  Alexa+ is free during its early preview, but will eventually cost $20 a month, while Prime members will get Alexa+ included with their various Prime benefits. The “classic” Alexa will remain completely free, Amazon has said.  Again, Google has yet to say how much the paid version of Google at Home will cost, or how it will differ from the free version.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers. Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he has covered everything from smart speakers and soundbars to smart lights and security cameras. Ben’s articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men’s Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master’s degree in English literature. Read More

Image: Unsplash / Donny Jiang A decade ago, smart drivers would always carry jumper cables and maybe a tire patch kit in their trunk. Now, in 2025, I’ve made sure that our vehicles carry two cheap but critical gadgets instead. I now carry a portable, battery-powered jump starter in each vehicle, as well as a separate portable, battery-powered air compressor that can be used to fill a leaky tire. What’s amazing is that some innovative manufacturers are now combining both products into a single unit. A dead battery can increase your stress levels at a minimum, and can be genuinely life-threatening if your battery fails in a remote area outside of cellular coverage. What a portable car charger does is provide enough power inside of a small battery pack to get you on your way, and includes short cables to connect to each terminal on your car’s battery. A portable jump-starter isn’t one-size-fits-all. Larger vehicles require more charging power. Most portable chargers are rated for a specific size of engine, so the Scatach 011 jump starter (on sale for 47 percent off at $36.99 at Amazon) will accommodate a 9.0-liter gas engine. What I look for are what’s known as “spark proof” reverse polarity protection, so even if you accidentally connect the cables incorrectly, it shouldn’t spark or even discharge. Most, like this one, include a flashlight or some other bonus feature. Zevso’s battery-powered jump starter is a cheap lifesaver when your car won’t start. You can solve the problem in just a minute or two and be on your way. Amazon (Be a little cautious of claims that these battery jump starters can handle 20 or 30 jumps at a time. This ZEVSO starter, 37 percent off or $58.99 at Amazon notes that you’ll need to charge it fully to charge a completely dead battery. But it also includes ports to charge your smartphone in a pinch, so you can let relatives know where you are.) The other gadget I’ve come to appreciate is a portable, battery-powered air compressor. I live on a hill, and my driveway slopes slightly in such a way that my car sits at an angle. Over time, I’ve found that exacerbates any slow leaks. Although I can refill my car’s tires for free in California, the gauges at the service station aren’t always accurate. I bought this Avid portable air compressor last year for $89.99, and it’s been worth every penny. Right now, it’s on sale for $56.08 at Amazon, a deal that takes 38 percent off. What’s great about it is that you can run it off the car’s internal power (the “cigarette lighter”) or off the compressor’s integrated battery pack. Even better, you can simply dial in your preferred PSI rating using a digital readout. Connect the inflator, press the trigger, and the compressor will automatically inflate the tire to the specified pressure, then shut off. Naturally, you can inflate basketballs and other inflatables with the included tips. It’s smart, easy, simple, and cheap — what I want in a gadget like this. I had a slow leak in a tire on the day I wrote this. I hooked it up, and the tire was ready to go after three minutes. Amazon I wasn’t aware of a new breed of hybrid “combo” devices that add both a portable battery charger and air compressor to the same package, but a number of those exist, too. The most popular of these seems to be the VTOMAN X1 (34 percent off or $66.49 on Amazon), which offers all of the features of the standalone devices mentioned above. Some customers have mentioned that the device can overheat if the compressor is used repeatedly and extensively, but VTOMAN simply recommends pausing the inflation until it cools off. If this makes you nervous, there are also some big-name brands in the space at big-name prices: a DeWalt DXAEPS14 for $199, and a Stanley J5C09 on sale for $117.52 which charges with an extension cord. Whatever you end up buying, just simply haul them out every so often and make sure that they have a full charge. That usually means just tapping one of the buttons to light up the display. If you do jump your vehicle, recharge the battery as soon as you get home. Sure, you can always call AAA, or a kind neighbor or friend. But gadgets like these can get you on your way in a few minutes, rather than waiting hours for a tow truck. I think they’re a good investment for my vehicles, and I think they’re a must-have for yours. Scatach’s portable jump starter is under $40 at Amazon! The portable power compressor I own is on sale for $56 Combo jump starters/air compressors are just $66 Author: Mark Hachman, Senior Editor, PCWorld Mark has written for PCWorld for the last decade, with 30 years of experience covering technology. He has authored over 3,500 articles for PCWorld alone, covering PC microprocessors, peripherals, and Microsoft Windows, among other topics. Mark has written for publications including PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Popular Science and Electronic Buyers’ News, where he shared a Jesse H. Neal Award for breaking news. He recently handed over a collection of several dozen Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs because his office simply has no more room. Read More

By Kimeko McCoy  •  August 20, 2025  • Ivy Liu The industry has moved functions in-house, establishing playbooks from everything from social to programmatic media buying. But brands are not using the same in-housing play for AI. Some brands, like U.S. Bank, are taking a hybrid approach, while others, like Adobe, are more fluid, using AI tools both internally and in partnership with external partners. Mostly, brands are still testing and learning where AI can be leveraged in the marketing funnel, and what costs and where time can be saved. “Over time, AI will likely shake up many brands’ attitudes about in-housing different parts of their advertising and marketing operations. But the ground beneath everyone’s feet needs to firm up a bit first,” said Max Willens, senior analyst at eMarketer. Take U.S. Bank. The financial institution is using AI-powered marketing tools in everything from the customer experience to research analysis. But for heavier marketing efforts, like building synthetic audiences to serve as focus groups for real-time feedback, that’s handed off to Supergood, an ad agency owned by the holding company Supernatural AI. There are a few reasons as to why a hybrid approach — mining out some AI functions while retaining others — is appealing, says Michael Lacorazza, CMO at U.S. Bank. On one hand, the brand doesn’t want to break up with its agency partners. On the other, it’s a heavy lift with tech that’s “not very user friendly,” making it cumbersome for a brand to adopt, he said. In large part, marketers are still trying to determine what efficiency looks like when it comes to AI-powered tools. Case in point, Digiday recently reported that some advertisers have started walking away from platforms AI solutions like PMax. Meanwhile, marketers are still trying to successfully use AI in brand building. Other brands like Adobe and Unilever haven’t shied away from in-housing AI tools. Unilever has recently been building Beauty AI Studio, the bespoke, in-house system inside its beauty and well-being business, to make assets for paid social, programmatic display inventory and e-commerce usage. As a B2B software company, Adobe has built out AI-powered tools, like Firefly, for external companies while also leveraging these tools in-house, said Stacy Martinet, Adobe’s vp of marketing and communications. She added, “We see AI as part of the ideation — a partner, not a replacement and creative, part of the production.” The big selling point around in-housing marketing functions is retaining talent that works close to the brand that can turn around projects quickly, ultimately saving marketing dollars. For the past few years, brands have been in-housing creative teams, social teams and even media buying teams.  It’s not that brands don’t want to in-house AI technologies, according to Fred Schuster, CEO of InnerGroup, an in-house marketing operations company. It’s that internal agencies are often thought of as cost centers, lacking the budget or scale to build out and license AI tools. External partners, however, can invest in AI-powered tools, spreading those costs across clients or even reselling AI services to recoup costs, he said. “If you’re external, you can make the argument that getting the money for AI to then sell it as a product to brands versus this is a tool a brand needs,” Schuster said.   Patrick Burgoyne, co-founder at In-House Agency Leaders Club, seconds Schuster’s point. In-house teams face barriers when it comes to adopting AI, including IP, copyright risks and other red tape. In Burgoyne’s opinion, it’s less likely AI results in increased headcount for in-house agency teams and more likely those teams will partner with external agencies that can deliver speed and efficiency. External agencies have already started moving to close the gap to make in-housing more accessible. Back in March, Jellyfish rolled out an AI-powered media in-housing platform, allowing advertisers to automate media research, evaluation, content strategy and campaign activation. To both Schuster and Burgoyne’s point, it’s why U.S. Bank has a hybrid approach. “Once you build something, then you’ve got to maintain it, evolve it,” said Lacorazza. And maintenance means spending marketing dollars at a time when marketing budgets are flat and often accounting for 7% or less than their company’s revenue, according to Gartner’s 2025 CMO Spend Survey. Still, as is with the in-house trend pendulum, expect it to swing in favor of more AI tools making their way to in-house agencies. As the tools get better and more democratized, brand marketers will likely take a second look at what they can do themselves, said Nicole Vinson, vp, global digital, media and omni-shopper experience at Kellanova.  “That’s the big question out there right now is, what is that right balance of in-house versus outsourced agency, content production model,” Vinson said.  Sam Bradley contributed to this report. More in Marketing Read More

Kellanova — the owner of Kellogg’s, Pringles and Pop-Tarts — is the latest firm to turn to AI tech to tune up its creative marketing efforts, Digiday has learned. Kellanova has been working with creative technology firm Vidmob and industry association MMA Global to measure the effectiveness of creative deployed on Meta ad units, using an AI-enabled solution to better understand which of its creative assets caught the eyes of consumers and which went under the radar. It’s now using the findings to tighten up its creative production — and alter its commercial relationships with creative agencies. The project is the latest example of a major advertiser using AI to operationalize the creative side of its marketing efforts. While Unilever and Kimberly-Clark have pioneered time and cost-saving initiatives, Kellanova’s executives are using the tech to pursue a solution to the age-old Wanamaker problem. “AI is not just an efficiency unlock, it’s an effectiveness unlock,” said Nicole Vinson, vp, global digital, media and omni-shopper experience at Kellanova. The promise of greater effectiveness is a tempting one for CMOs and marketers dealing with long-term declines in marketing and media budgets. According to Gartner, marketing budgets account for 7.7% of average U.S. company revenues in 2025, down from 11% in 2020; Kellanova’s global marketing spend ran to $611 million in 2024, down from $766 million in 2023, according to its full-year results. What has Kellanova done? The CPG giant spent 12 months testing the performance of 443 creative assets across 10 brands, including Rice Krispies Treats, Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts and Kellogg’s, in the U.S. using Vidmob’s Aperture solution, which relies on machine-learning, historical data and LLMs like Google’s Gemini. The study established 19 scoring criteria relating to copy, logo placement, tone, narrative, pacing and product placement — common to assets that achieved at least a three-second view-through-rate on Meta ad units — and built two predictive models (one for salty products and one for sweet) that can be used to anticipate the creative effectiveness of new assets, greenlighting them if they pass a predetermined score. “If you can get somebody to pay attention for at least three seconds, you’ve started to catch their attention,” explained Vinson. The predictive models forecast the VTR of a given asset with 83% accuracy; deploying that system to creative assets has since led to performance against VTR doubling, while Vinson said that profit ROI (also called net sales volume) for scored assets has risen 11%, based on media mix modelling.  Vinson said it wasn’t yet clear how those results would influence its paid social spending, but following the project’s completion Kellanova is in the process of rolling out its effectiveness frameworks to more brands, more channels and markets beyond the U.S., beginning with TikTok, Pinterest and Reddit.  “This is a huge opportunity for us to be unlocking profit ROI and then reinvesting that back into our business,” she said. There’s parallels between the Pringles owner’s initiative and Unilever’s in-house gen AI production suite, which also included pre-flight effectiveness checks. In Unilever’s case, that was provided by Brandtech Group’s Pencil Pro platform, also used by Danone. The solutions offer a speedy replacement for a formerly labor-intensive task and allow future campaigns to be better informed by past performance, “closing the loop between the data and what’s being made,” said Will Hanschell, Pencil’s CEO and co-founder. CreativeX, meanwhile, built a similar pre-flight creative effectiveness system for Mars, Diageo and Nivea owner Beiersdorf. These developments are a sign of the growing maturity of generative AI applications, noted Dale Um, CreativeX’s COO. “There was no way you could have done this 10 years ago,” he said. But this isn’t just about AI development. In the past year we’ve also observed rising investment in creative effectiveness measurement firms like System1 and EDO. Behind the software, it’s clear there’s demand among CMOs for data that helps justify their marketing spend to the rest of the C-suite. “We’re finally seeing [the] ability for AI to help teams develop creative and test it before they’re spending an exponentially large amount of money to put it into flight,” said Gartner analyst Nicole Greene. What does this mean for agencies? Kellanova’s system inevitably holds consequences for its agency partners, which include FCB, The Martin Agency, MullenLowe, Tombras, Momentum and several Publicis agencies. Marketers employ agencies for the experience and good taste of their creative directors and copywriters. Now, execs like Vinson can use Vidmob’s predictive models to back up their own opinions about the creative work they’re presented with. For the time being, Kellanova’s effectiveness approach is only being applied to paid social, an advertising channel defined by a high quantity of assets, each bearing minor variations in service of personalization. Alex Collmer, the founder and CEO of Vidmob, argued that the solution wasn’t intended to restrict agencies’ work, but provide another layer of quality control to a production process which can prove mechanical, repetitive and time-consuming. “This is really not intended to limit the creative canvas,” he said. “It’s a tactical thing.” Kellanova is using the predictive solution as an excuse to look again at agency remuneration, however. She said the company was moving toward an output based pricing system with some of its agencies. “We want our agency partners to have skin in the game,” she said, explaining that a portion of each agencies’ bonus fee was tied to creative performance — now based in part upon the effectiveness measurement project undertaken with Vidmob.  “Now we have a quantitative metric versus a subjective metric,” Vinson explained, but she declined to share the precise financial details of the new arrangements. “We’re not trying to grade anyone’s homework … We’re trying to move ourselves in a direction where we’re not leaving any money on the table.” She’s not alone in that ambition. 87% of marketers believe agencies are resistant to more transparent fee models, according to a WFA study published at the start of the year. Industry analysts already believe that more large advertisers might use AI creative techniques