Need to Know News - October 17th, 2025
In this week's Need to Know News edition:
🤖 The leaked Google calendar screenshot pointing to Gemini 3.0's rumored October release.
🤖 Snapchat's AI that creates shoppable AR lenses in minutes... and tracks actual sales from 175 million monthly users who already play AR games daily.
🤖 Claude's new "Skills" feature that loads expert workflows on demand... turning it into a coworker that instantly masters Excel formulas, slide decks, or any specialized task you throw at it.
And a whole lot more!
TikTok Unveils Smart+ and Symphony Tools That Let Advertisers Fine‑Tune Every Ad Move
TikTok is giving advertisers new ways to turn attention into measurable results. At Advertising Week New York, the company rolled out Smart+, Symphony Automation, and upgraded attribution tools. Smart+ unifies ad buying while letting teams control how much automation they want.
Symphony creates TikTok‑first videos in seconds, with Gen AI refreshing visuals, music, and translations. And with expanded measurement—from Google Analytics integrations to assisted‑conversion tracking—brands can finally see how TikTok drives action across platforms.
AI Pushing Ads From Websites to Mobile Apps
A blurry screenshot of an internal Google calendar is stirring speculation online. The image outlines target dates for Gemini 3.0, including an October 22 announcement. It also points to ongoing bug testing, though launches might lag behind that reveal.
The post surfaced without any clear trail, prompting grain‑of‑salt sized skepticism from watchers. Still, Google’s history makes a new Gemini release inevitable at some point. Gemini 2.5 Pro arrived in March as the company’s top “thinking” model. Whether the leak is authentic or not, most expect Gemini 3.0 to appear very soon
🚀 Missing One of These 5 Essential 'Copy Blocks' Could Cost You A Fortune!
Two $100+ million copywriters discovered what REALLY drives conversions—5 simple building blocks arranged in a specific order. This framework is so powerful that beginners are generating 5-figure profits with it. And you can learn the full system in just 33 minutes.
Discover All 5 'Copy Blocks' Now
Snapchat’s Bold Lens Fest Update Brings AI‑Built Lenses, Gaming Tools, and AR Commerce into One Ecosystem
Snapchat is betting big on the next wave of augmented reality. At Lens Fest 2025, the company unveiled creator upgrades, generative AI tools, and fresh ways to earn from AR. Lens Studio AI now helps anyone code and debug with plain language, while new “Blocks” speed up Lens building. Creators can even sell digital goods through AR thanks to Commerce Kit
Games are also getting smarter, with multiplayer matchmaking and Bitmoji‑based worlds drawing 175 million players a month. Together, the updates signal Snap’s goal to blend creation, play, and monetization into one living AR economy
Walmart and OpenAI Unite to Turn Chat Into Commerce With AI‑First Shopping
Walmart shoppers might soon talk their carts into existence. The retailer is partnering with OpenAI to let customers shop directly inside ChatGPT. That means a customer could plan meals, restock staples, or impulse‑buy with a quick conversation.
This is what Walmart calls “agentic commerce,” where AI learns routines and predicts needs before shoppers even think about them. The company already uses AI to speed product design, cut service times, and train employees through ChatGPT Enterprise.
Nano Banana Camera Turns Every iPhone Into an AI‑Driven Photo Studio
A new iPhone‑mounted camera claims it can merge photography and AI art in one click. Camera Intelligence’s Caira uses Google’s Nano Banana generator to edit images instantly, from color tweaks to object changes, all done on‑device. Its built‑in language model lets users adjust lighting or settings by voice instead of menus.
The company promises an “ethics‑first” approach that limits manipulative edits, developed alongside photographers and researchers. With a sensor four times larger than the iPhone’s and Kickstarter preorders starting October 30, Caira may finally make AI‑powered photography practical
Claude Gets “Agent Skills” That Let It Learn Specialized Tasks on Demand
Claude just learned a new trick: it can now pick up “Skills” on the fly. These are modular folders filled with instructions, scripts, and tools that help it master specific jobs. When you ask for something complex, like editing Excel formulas or drafting slides, Claude loads only the Skills it needs.
Developers can build, stack, and share them across Claude apps, Claude Code, or the API. Skills even support code execution, so they run like mini‑programs. In essence, Anthropic is turning Claude into an adaptable coworker that learns expert workflows instantly.
Runway Launches “Apps,” a No‑Code Playground
Runway’s latest update wants to make creativity feel as easy as tapping an app. The new “Apps” collection gives users guided workflows for quick, visual experiments. One app, called Reshoot Product, turns a single product photo into endless variations—no new shoot required.
Another, Change Image Style, lets users transform visuals across genres, from anime to glossy 3D. Each app starts with a simple text prompt, generating polished results in seconds. The feature is live on the web now, with more specialized tools rolling out weekly
Visa’s “Trusted Agent Protocol” Sets Digital Trust Rules for AI‑Powered Shopping
Visa wants AI agents to shop like humans: safely, transparently, and with trust built in. The new Trusted Agent Protocol, developed with Worldpay and Cloudflare, authenticates AI agents as legitimate buyers, not bots. It gives merchants a way to verify intent, protect payments, and personalize experiences.
The move follows a 4,700% jump in AI‑driven retail traffic, which has strained fraud filters and checkout systems. Early partners include Shopify, Microsoft, and Adyen.
xAI’s Imagine v0.9 Adds Voices, Music, and Cinematic Motion to Grok
xAI’s newest model doesn’t just imagine images anymore... it finally lets them sing. The company’s Imagine v0.9 now turns text or pictures into short, sound‑synced films. It blends visuals and audio in one generation cycle, producing live‑matched music, dialogue, or even singing.
Motion looks smoother too, with adjustable camera angles and faster rendering under 20 seconds. Users can speak prompts or animate still photos directly inside Grok’s apps.
Thanks for reading.
Until next time!
The AI Marketers
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