New rules, new models, new opportunities
The tech landscape never sleeps, and the second half of 2025 is no exception.
Let’s take a look:
The European Commission’s new taskforce is modernizing cookie regulations. At the same time, you can now “vibe code” with Google’s new AI model: Gemini 3 – and Andromeda represents the biggest change in Meta advertising since iOS 14.
Get fully up to date with the December edition of Xtracts, your digital news overview.
The European Commission’s new taskforce is modernizing cookie regulations
The EU is known for strict and complex guidelines around AI and data security. This has made it difficult for start-ups and companies outside the EU to navigate the digital landscape and ensure proper handling of user data.
The EU has been working on making consent more transparent and user-friendly, but now it is taking things further: A new pan-European taskforce will monitor how cookies and digital tracking are used by companies and prevent dark patterns and manipulative design. The goal is to give users real choice and control over their data, without having to constantly click “close” on pop-ups.
The changes will reduce how often cookie banners appear and allow users to give their consent with a single click, storing their cookie preferences in the browser’s central settings.
This means it will now be much easier for both users and companies to navigate the cookie landscape.
Source: The EU Commission
Now you can “vibe code” with Google’s new AI model: Gemini 3
Google has officially launched Gemini 3, their most advanced AI model to date – introducing a major technological shift.
The model is marketed as being more context-aware than ever. It can handle text, images, audio, video, and even code with much deeper contextual understanding than previous versions.
Gemini 3 introduces what Google calls “generative interfaces” – allowing the model to make its own decisions about which type of output best fits the prompt, and to assemble visual layouts and dynamic displays on its own rather than just returning a block of text.
The overall approach is very similar to “vibe coding,” where users describe an end goal in easy-to-understand language and let the model assemble the interface or code needed to achieve it.
The model has also been thoroughly tested for safety: Google states that Gemini 3 is more resistant to “prompt injection” and misuse compared to previous AI models.
Source: Technology Review
Andromeda is the biggest change to Meta advertising since iOS 14
Meta has released its most significant system update since iOS 14: Andromeda. If your Facebook and Instagram ads have behaved unpredictably over the past year, this new algorithm is likely the reason.
Andromeda acts as the first step in Meta’s ad engine: when a user is shown an ad, the system may have to choose between millions of possibilities. Andromeda narrows this down to a few thousand candidates in just milliseconds.
Meta has built Andromeda on far more powerful hardware than before, increasing the complexity of its ad-ranking models by a factor of 10,000. This is not a fine-tuning – it’s a fundamental and radical technological upgrade.
Before Andromeda, most advertisers build campaigns with narrow audiences, 4–5 ads per ad set, and minimal creative variation. The algorithm would quickly identify one “winning” ad and allocate nearly the entire budget to it, leaving the rest unused.
With Meta’s new system, it’s fair to say this was never an optimal setup – but it worked under the old rules. Not anymore. Under Andromeda, this approach is not just ineffective – it actively harms your campaign performance.
Source: Engineering at Meta
Is Pomelli Google’s answer to “marketing magic”?
Google’s AI universe seems to be expanding in almost every direction.
In collaboration with DeepMind, Google Labs is now introducing Pomelli – an AI-powered marketing tool designed for SMEs.
Pomelli is an experimental feature that scans your website and builds a “Business DNA” profile containing your tone of voice, colors, typography and visual style. It then uses this to generate campaign ideas and brand-consistent ads, social posts, copy and graphics that stay closely aligned with your brand identity.
What sets Pomelli Labs apart is its blend of data comprehension and creative execution. Instead of suggesting generic ideas, the tool attempts to understand the tone, style and values of the site you upload. That makes it significantly easier to create targeted content – and positions Pomelli as an interesting supplement to your marketing strategy.
It’s worth noting that Pomelli Labs is currently only accessible via VPN, meaning access is limited to users who can establish that type of connection. This makes the tool slightly less accessible, but we still see it as an exciting first step toward a future where all marketers may gain access to AI-driven inspiration and creative ideation.
Sources: Search Engine Journal
Your TikTok, your rules: You can now limit AI-generated content in your feed
AI-Generated Content (AIGC) is more dominant than ever. It’s increasingly difficult to distinguish from “real” content because manipulation is so advanced and lifelike – raising concerns about misinformation and realism.
TikTok is now following an industry-wide trend, responding to growing pressure from both users and regulators to provide more transparency and control over AI content. The platform is introducing a feature that allows users to limit the amount of AI-generated content in their For You feed. This means you can actively reduce how much AI-created video you see – though you can’t remove it entirely.
The update comes as a response to criticism of “AI slop,” the surge of low-quality, rapid-generated or overly generic AI content designed to entertain but often perceived as inauthentic.
For brands and marketing strategists, this means AI-generated content may increasingly be filtered according to user preferences. Generic, mass-produced AI content will likely be downplayed – raising the bar for quality, authenticity and creative planning.
Source: Social Media Today