OpenAI Drops Its Shopping Assistant & Google Meets It With New Features

Another round of platform updates shows how quickly AI is transforming everyday marketing workflows. OpenAI’s new shopping assistant is reshaping how consumers compare products, Google is boosting efficiency across ads and local search and TikTok and YouTube are rolling out more creative tools to help brands produce native video content at scale. With Gemini 3 Pro now powering more interactive search experiences, it’s clear that AI-driven discovery, smarter optimisation and richer creative formats are becoming central to digital marketing strategy.

Key Takeaways

• ChatGPT’s new shopping assistant introduces a more guided, personalised research experience that could reshape eCommerce discovery.

• Google Business Profile’s new scheduling and multi-location posting tools simplify content management for brands with multiple storefronts.

• TikTok Foundry and YouTube’s AI-powered creation tools give brands more support for producing native, high-impact short-form content.

• Google’s Partner Match for YouTube helps advertisers reach creator-aligned audiences more accurately.

• Google’s Website Optimizer and Meta’s expanded Advantage Plus features streamline diagnostics, creative setup and audience selection.

• Gemini 3 Pro brings deeper reasoning and more dynamic, tool-based search responses, raising the bar for structured content.

OpenAI Introduces Shopping Assistant for Smarter Discovery

OpenAI has released a new shopping research feature inside ChatGPT, designed to act as an AI-powered shopping assistant that compares products, analyses reviews and delivers personalised buying recommendations. This development signals a major shift in how consumers evaluate products, with clear implications for digital marketing, eCommerce visibility and the structure of future search journeys.

The assistant gathers information from trusted retailers, reviews product features and asks clarifying questions to refine its results. It builds a personalised buyer’s guide using ChatGPT’s memory and past conversations, helping users understand trade-offs, key differences and the most relevant options.

Powered by a specialised version of GPT-5 mini trained for commerce, the tool synthesises information from reliable sources and adapts its research in real time based on user feedback. It is already rolling out across Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans on both web and mobile, with wider access expected during the holiday season.

To explore how this impacts eCommerce visibility and product discovery, read our deeper analysis on eCommerce research and how brands can prepare for AI-driven shopping behaviour. For guidance on structuring product content for these new journeys, explore insights from our generative search optimisation agency.

The Gurus’ take

This update reinforces how quickly AI is reshaping early-stage product research. Brands that optimise for AI-driven discovery will gain a competitive edge as ChatGPT becomes a core part of shopping behaviour.

Your action plan

• Audit product content to ensure clarity and structured data.
• Apply generative engine optimisation principles to improve AI visibility.
• Monitor how ChatGPT summaries present competing products in your category.

Google Business Profile Introduces Advanced Posting Tools, Including Scheduling and Multi-Location Publishing

Google has introduced new posting tools inside Google Business Profiles that make it easier for brands to stay active in Search and Maps.

Businesses can now schedule Google Posts in advance and publish them across multiple locations with a single update. For teams managing many storefronts or service areas, this upgrade reduces manual work and helps maintain a consistent local SEO presence.

These updates are beneficial during holiday seasons and promotional periods when timely updates drive strong engagement. They also support ongoing visibility for events, offers and announcements, helping businesses appear frequently when customers search for nearby options.

The Gurus’ take

These new posting tools strengthen local SEO workflows by reducing manual effort and supporting consistent engagement across all locations. For multi-location brands, it is a practical improvement that keeps profiles active without adding pressure to internal teams.

Your action plan

• Plan and schedule Google Posts weekly to maintain steady visibility.
• Use multi-location publishing to keep messaging consistent across branches.
• Prepare seasonal or promotional posts early to capture peak search interest.

New TikTok Foundry Helps Brands Build Better Ads

TikTok has launched TikTok Foundry, a support program designed to help brands and agencies create stronger, platform-ready concepts for TikTok ads. Foundry gives growth-stage businesses access to TikTok’s creative experts and early tools, helping them adopt high-performing styles that fit the app’s fast-paced content environment.

The program includes matched media incentives, custom creative playbooks, one-on-one strategic consultations and beta access to upcoming advertising features. Educational sessions, creative toolkits and event invitations are also part of the program, giving brands direct insight into what performs well on TikTok.

By streamlining creative development, TikTok Foundry makes it easier for brands to produce native-style content that matches user expectations. This is key as short-form video continues to influence social media behaviour.

The Gurus’ take

Foundry strengthens TikTok’s role in modern social media advertising by giving brands the support they need to create content that feels natural and engaging. For marketers looking to improve the quality and impact of their TikTok ads, this program offers a clear creative advantage.

Your action plan

• Assess whether your brand or clients are eligible for TikTok Foundry.
• Adopt TikTok-first creative styles to improve watch time and engagement.
• Apply guidance from creative playbooks to refine your ad structure.
• Track how new formats or beta tools influence performance over time.

Google Launches Partner Match for YouTube Targeting

Google is preparing to launch Partner Match, a new targeting option that allows advertisers to reach audiences connected to specific creators and partners on YouTube. This update is designed to make YouTube advertising more accurate by aligning campaigns with viewers who already engage with relevant content, which can reduce wasted spend and improve video performance.

Partner Match works by allowing approved partners to upload hashed user details, which Google then matches to signed-in YouTube accounts. Advertisers can use these audiences in Video Reach, Video Views and Demand Gen campaigns.

The Gurus’ take

Partner Match introduces a more refined approach to YouTube advertising, giving brands a clearer way to target loyal followers of specific creators. For advertisers who rely on influencer partnerships or niche communities, this feature can significantly improve audience alignment.

Your action plan

• Identify creators whose audiences align closely with your customer base.
• Use Partner Match to test high-intent audience segments once available.
• Incorporate matched lists into Video Reach and Video Views campaigns.

Google Ads Launches New Website Optimizer Tool

Google has introduced Website Optimizer, a new diagnostic feature inside Google Ads that helps advertisers identify landing page issues and troubleshoot conversion barriers more quickly.

The tool will appear under the Reporting tab once fully rolled out, and Google has already published setup documentation explaining how access will work. For advertisers running performance-driven campaigns, this represents a major improvement in Google advertising workflows.

Website Optimizer requires both Google Ads access and admin permissions for the linked GA4 property. If a GA4 property does not exist, Google will automatically generate one during setup to ensure tracking is available. MCC managers will need to request access through the Reporting section before using the tool across client accounts.

At launch, Website Optimizer will analyse key landing page elements, flag common problems and recommend improvements. This includes issues related to page speed, mobile usability, content clarity and conversion friction. Rather than switching between Google Ads and Analytics, advertisers will have one central location to diagnose performance problems and prioritise fixes.

This tool is positioned to support more effective pay-per-click campaigns by helping marketers resolve issues earlier in the optimisation process. As landing page quality continues to influence both ad performance and costs, Website Optimizer aims to make troubleshooting easier for in-house teams and agencies.

The Gurus’ take

Website Optimizer helps streamline conversion optimisation and improves the overall efficiency of Google advertising. By surfacing issues directly inside Google Ads, it reduces guesswork and speeds up decision-making for performance teams.

Your action plan

• Check that your Google Ads and GA4 permissions are aligned before rollout.
• Review Website Optimizer recommendations to identify the biggest conversion blockers when it comes to Google advertising.
• Use insights to guide landing page tests and prioritise high-impact improvements.

Meta Expands AI-Driven Tools for Advertisers

Meta has expanded its suite of AI-powered creative and targeting tools, integrating more Advantage Plus features directly into the standard campaign creation workflow. Previously, advertisers selected Advantage Plus as a separate option, but Meta is now weaving these capabilities into the default setup to support faster production of social media ad campaigns.

The updated interface includes AI-driven recommendations for budgeting, placements and audience selection, and many of these settings are now switched on automatically for new campaigns. Meta has also introduced the Opportunity Score, a 0 to 100 rating that evaluates how well a campaign is structured to maximise performance using Meta’s automation.

Meta reports that its automated systems are becoming significantly more efficient. Recent internal analyses show that Meta’s updated recommendation models are four times more effective at driving performance improvements, twice as capable at knowledge transfer and faster overall due to increased compute power.

The Gurus’ take

Meta’s expanded AI options make social media ad campaigns more efficient by embedding automated optimisation into the core setup process. For marketers, it is becoming increasingly valuable to trust Meta’s AI systems for consistent budget allocation and audience refinement.

Your action plan

• Review new social media advertising campaigns to understand which Advantage Plus settings are activated.
• Use the Opportunity Score to guide campaign adjustments.
• Monitor performance changes as Meta’s AI takes on more optimisation tasks.
• Leverage automated recommendations to reduce setup time and improve scale.

Gemini 3 Pro Arrives with Interactive AI Capabilities

Google has released Gemini 3 Pro, a major upgrade to its AI model designed to support more interactive and simulation-driven search experiences. Integrated directly into Google Search’s AI Mode for Pro and Ultra subscribers, Gemini 3 Pro represents a significant leap forward for digital marketing teams who rely on search behaviour insights to shape content strategies.

The model features stronger multimodal reasoning, improved intent detection and more advanced agentic capabilities. Google’s new approach allows Gemini 3 Pro to perform deeper query exploration and uncover high-quality content that may not have surfaced in earlier versions of search. Complex queries will soon be automatically routed to Gemini 3 for richer, more accurate responses, while simpler tasks will use lighter models to preserve speed.

One of the most notable changes is the introduction of generative user interfaces. Gemini 3 Pro can build dynamic visual layouts that include tables, images, simulations and interactive tools based on what users ask for. This means users can interact with scientific simulations, financial calculators and custom data visualisations without leaving Search.

The Gurus’ take

Gemini 3 Pro signals a turn toward a more interactive search environment. For digital marketing, this underscores the need for well-structured, high-quality content that AI models can interpret and present effectively.

Your action plan

• Review content for clarity, accuracy and structure to support AI-driven search.
• Experiment with schema markup to strengthen semantic understanding.
• Monitor how interactive search features surface content in your category.

YouTube Widens Rollout of Its AI-Powered Video Tools

YouTube is expanding access to its growing suite of generative AI tools, giving more creators and brands the ability to produce polished videos, Shorts and creative concepts at speed. These updates strengthen YouTube’s position as a leading platform for AI-driven content creation, helping marketers move faster as trends evolve.

YouTube has widened availability of several experimental tools, including standalone AI-generated clips, green screen backgrounds and the AI Playground hub. These features allow users to instantly generate Shorts, create visual assets and experiment with new creative formats. YouTube is also rolling out improved image-to-video capabilities that let users animate still images, add speech and build richer, more dynamic videos without external editing software.

The Shorts creation workflow is receiving a significant upgrade through Google DeepMind’s V3 model, allowing AI-generated Shorts up to eight seconds long with synchronised sound effects, ambient audio and speech. Additional updates include speech-to-song conversion, lyric and vocal layers and enhanced AI tools within the YouTube Create app. The app now uses the Veo 3 Fast model to generate vertical clips with adjustable lighting and styles.

Beyond AI, YouTube is making changes to identity and community engagement. More areas of the platform will now prioritise creator handles over channel names, making consistent branding more important. Community features are also expanding, with new options such as pinned posts, broader desktop management and shareable community links that help creators grow engaged audiences.

The Gurus’ take

These updates make AI-native content creation more accessible, helping brands move faster and react to trends with higher-quality assets. It also strengthens opportunities for YouTube advertising as creators produce more engaging video formats.

Your action plan

• Test the expanded AI tools for Shorts and long-form content.
• Use new community features to build engagement.
• Incorporate AI-generated assets where they support production efficiency.

Google Ads Now Delivers Support Updates via WhatsApp

Google Ads has introduced WhatsApp as a new channel for receiving support updates, giving advertisers a faster and more convenient way to track account issues. Instead of relying on email threads, advertisers can now get real-time notifications directly to their mobile devices, improving responsiveness during troubleshooting.
When enabled, WhatsApp alerts provide instant updates on support cases, status changes and next steps. This helps reduce delays caused by missed emails and keeps Google Ads managers aligned with the support team throughout the resolution process.

The feature is optional, and advertisers can opt in through the standard support form when opening or managing cases.

This update is designed to streamline workflow for teams managing multiple accounts or high-priority campaigns. Faster access to support information means advertisers can maintain campaign momentum, address performance issues sooner and resolve technical problems without losing visibility across email clutter.

The Gurus’ take

This may be a small feature, but it reduces delays and helps advertisers maintain momentum when resolving Google Ads issues.

Your action plan

• Enable WhatsApp alerts on your next support case.
• Use mobile notifications to respond quickly to support requests.
• Adopt the feature across your team for clearer case tracking.

From Smarter Tools to Stronger Results with Online Marketing Gurus 

This week’s updates highlight a clear shift towards AI-powered discovery, automation and more efficient creative production. For brands, staying ahead means adapting content, campaigns and workflows to match how users now search, shop and consume media.

At Online Marketing Gurus, we help businesses turn these changes into measurable outcomes through strategic digital marketing, smarter optimisation and channel-specific expertise. Whether you want to refine Google Ads performance, improve social media advertising or prepare for the next wave of AI-driven search, our team can guide your next move.

Contact OMG for a complimentary strategy session and discover how we can help your brand grow with confidence.

About the Author

Andrew Raso

Andrew Raso is the Founder & Global CEO of Online Marketing Gurus (OMG), one of Australia’s most successful independent digital agencies & a recognised leader in data-driven growth marketing. Featured by Commonwealth Bank for insights on AI in digital marketing. Since founding OMG in 2012 with just $500 & a vision to make world-class digital strategy accessible to every business, Andrew has scaled the company to a global team of more than 200 specialists operating across Australia, the U.S., Singapore and the UAE. Under his leadership, OMG has partnered with over 1,000 brands, including Vodafone, LG, Calvin Klein and Fujitsu, & earned 40+ industry awards for innovation & performance. A respected voice in digital transformation & modern entrepreneurship, Andrew is known for his straight-talking approach on Never Not Building podcast, about leadership, work ethic, a commitment to continuous learning, & an ability to turn insight into sustained commercial growth.