Ads
OpenAI is going Meta route, as it considers memory-based ads on ChatGPT
OpenAI is planning to introduce ads on ChatGPT, as it continues to struggle with revenue from paid users. OpenAI, valued at about $500 billion, plans to spend billions in the coming year, but it does not have a reliable revenue source. As per the Financial Times, ChatGPT has about 800 million users, but only 5% percent […]
Instagram ‘BMO’ ads use AI deepfakes to scam banking customers
Instagram ads impersonating financial institutions like Bank of Montreal (BMO) and EQ Bank (Equitable Bank) are being used to target Canadian consumers with phishing scams and investment fraud. Some ads use AI-powered deepfake videos in an attempt to collect your personal information, while others use official branding to drive traffic outside of the platform to lookalike illicit […]
Google claims users find ads in AI search ‘helpful’
Google AI mode and AI Overviews now have ads, which, according to the search engine giant, are “helpful.” At the Google Marketing Live event last week, Google confirmed it has started rolling out ads to AI mode and AI Overviews in the US, which create new “opportunities for customers.” While I haven’t seen ads in AI […]
Fake Semrush ads used to steal SEO professionals’ Google accounts
A new phishing campaign is targeting SEO professionals with malicious Semrush Google Ads that aim to steal their Google account credentials. Malwarebytes researcher Jerome Segura and SEO strategist Elie Berreby believe that the threat actor is after Google Ads accounts that would enable them to create new malvertising campaigns. This type of “cascading fraud” has been gaining traction recently, as […]
Microsoft tests ad-supported Office apps for Windows users
Microsoft has released ad-supported versions of its Office desktop apps, which have limited features but allow Windows users to edit their documents. While Microsoft allows customers to use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft 365 apps for free with Office on the web, the company has not shared any information regarding these new ad-supported Office apps for […]
Fraud ring pushes 600+ fake web shops via Facebook ads
A malicious fraud campaign dubbed “ERIAKOS” promotes more than 600 fake web shops through Facebook advertisements to steal visitors’ personal and financial information. The sites promote products from well-known brands and include significant discounts to draw in visitors but are only accessible via mobile devices to evade detection by security scanners. Recorded Future discovered the […]