Snapchat has introduced Sponsored Snaps in India, a new ad format that allows brands to send full-screen vertical video ads directly into users’ chat inboxes. Reliance Retail’s AJIO is the first Indian brand to adopt this format, leveraging Snapchat’s reach among Gen Z and Millennials for immersive storytelling and call-to-action campaigns.

What Are Sponsored Snaps?

Sponsored Snaps appear as unread messages in the Chat tab, offering users the option to open, reply, or click on embedded links. If left unopened, these ads disappear automatically. Introduced in the U.S. in October 2024, this format is designed to maximize engagement and visibility while maintaining user privacy by avoiding push notifications.

AJIO’s Role

AJIO is using Sponsored Snaps to promote its latest fashion collections. Arpan Biswas, Chief Marketing Officer at AJIO, highlighted the format’s ability to connect organically with digital-first consumers and foster deeper engagement with Snapchat’s active community.

Strategic Importance for Snapchat

India, with over 200 million monthly active users, is a key market for Snapchat’s growth. Neha Jolly Sawhney, Head of Ad Monetization for Snap India, emphasized that Sponsored Snaps align with Gen Z’s preference for visually rich content and offer brands an immersive way to interact with mobile-first audiences.

Future Prospects

Snapchat plans to enhance Sponsored Snaps with AI-driven features like personalized recommendations and direct transactions. This launch positions Snapchat as a strong competitor in India’s digital advertising space, challenging giants like Google and Meta.

Nvidia reported a remarkable surge in third-quarter profits and revenue, fueled by robust demand for its advanced chips that power artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The tech giant, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, saw its revenue for the quarter ending October 27 climb to $35.08 billion, marking a 94% increase from $18.12 billion in the same period last year.

Financial Highlights

• Net Earnings: Nvidia’s net earnings more than doubled to $19.31 billion, up from $9.24 billion a year ago.
• Earnings Per Share (EPS): On an adjusted basis, Nvidia posted earnings of 81 cents per share, exceeding Wall Street’s expectations of 75 cents per share on projected revenues of $33.17 billion, according to FactSet.
• Stock Performance: Despite the stellar performance, Nvidia’s stock slipped 1% in after-hours trading. However, shares remain up 195% year-to-date, cementing its position as one of the stock market’s most valuable companies.

AI-Driven Growth

Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, emphasized the company’s pivotal role in the AI revolution, stating, “The age of AI is in full steam, propelling a global shift to Nvidia computing.”

Key Revenue Drivers

• Data Center Revenue: The company’s data center revenue soared to $30.8 billion, a 112% increase from last year. This growth was driven by demand for the Hopper platform, which is utilized in generative AI applications, recommendation systems, and large language models.
• Gaming Revenue: While AI remains Nvidia’s primary growth driver, its gaming revenue also saw a 15% year-over-year increase, reaching $3.3 billion.

Supply Constraints for Blackwell

Production shipments of Nvidia’s next-generation AI chip, Blackwell, are slated to begin in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 and will ramp up into fiscal 2026. However, supply constraints for both Hopper GPUs and Blackwell systems are expected to persist, with demand for Blackwell anticipated to outstrip supply for several quarters.

“Every customer is racing to be the first to market,” said Colette Kress, Nvidia’s CFO, adding that Blackwell systems are already being integrated into major data centers.

Huang confirmed that Nvidia will deliver more Blackwells this quarter than initially estimated, underscoring the strong demand for its cutting-edge technology.

Mixed Market Reaction

Despite the robust results, Nvidia’s fourth-quarter guidance of $37.5 billion, plus or minus 2%, fell slightly short of analysts’ average expectation of $37.09 billion. David Volpe, senior fund manager at Emerald Insights Fund, described the guidance as “a little bit disappointing” but emphasized that the company still had an “outstanding quarter.”

The Emerging AI Revolution

The demand for generative AI tools—such as those capable of creating images or generating text—has significantly boosted Nvidia’s prominence in the AI space. Analysts like Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities believe that the AI boom is just beginning.

“We view this as an Nvidia earnings report that belongs in the Louvre,” Ives remarked, predicting that Nvidia’s market cap could reach $4 trillion by 2025 as it continues to dominate the AI sector.

Historical Context and Future Outlook

Nvidia has a storied history of innovation; its introduction of graphics processing units (GPUs) in 1999 revolutionized PC gaming and computer graphics. As it stands at the forefront of AI technology today, Nvidia is poised not only to capitalize on current demand but also to shape the future landscape of computing.

As Huang continues to lead Nvidia’s charge as the “Godfather of AI,” analysts and investors alike are betting on the company’s ability to sustain its extraordinary growth trajectory amid evolving technological demands and competitive pressures.

Conclusion

Nvidia’s impressive financial performance underscores its pivotal role in powering AI advancements across industries. With strong demand for its specialized chips and ongoing innovations like the Blackwell architecture, Nvidia is well-positioned for continued success in an increasingly AI-driven world. As it navigates supply challenges and market expectations, all eyes will be on how effectively it can leverage its technological leadership to maintain momentum in this rapidly evolving sector.

Alphabet’s Google is under renewed scrutiny as DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine, has called for additional investigations into the tech giant’s compliance with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). This landmark regulation, adopted in 2022, aims to curb the dominance of Big Tech by enforcing fair competition and enhancing user choice.

Background on DuckDuckGo’s Position

DuckDuckGo, which held a global market share of 0.54% in January 2024 according to Statista, is advocating for the European Commission to initiate three new probes, arguing that Google’s practices continue to undermine the DMA’s intent. In a blog post, Kamyl Bazbaz, DuckDuckGo’s Senior Vice President for Public Affairs, emphasized that the DMA has yet to fully impact the search market in the EU, stating:

“We believe launching formal investigations is the only way to force Google into compliance.”

Existing and Proposed Investigations

Google is already the focus of two ongoing investigations under the DMA. These include:

• Alleged Anti-Competitive Practices: Investigations into practices within its Google Play app store.

• Discrimination Against Third-Party Services: Concerns regarding potential bias against rival services in Google search results.

Specific Areas for New Probes

DuckDuckGo has called for additional probes into three specific areas:

• Search Data Sharing: DuckDuckGo criticizes Google’s proposal to license anonymized search data to rivals as insufficient. Bazbaz argues that this data set excludes approximately 99% of search queries, rendering it ineffective for competitors aiming to improve their services.
• Ease of Switching: DuckDuckGo alleges that Google fails to meet the DMA’s requirement to allow users to easily switch to rival search engines, which is crucial for fostering competition.
• Privacy Concerns: Bazbaz accused Google of using privacy as a pretext to withhold critical data from competitors, describing this move as ironic coming from “the Internet’s biggest tracker.”

Google’s Response

In response to these allegations, a Google spokesperson defended the company’s efforts to comply with the DMA. They highlighted significant changes made to its products aimed at providing consumers and businesses with more choices. The spokesperson stated:

“We will not compromise users’ trust in order to give competitors more access to sensitive data.”

This statement reflects Google’s commitment to maintaining user privacy while navigating regulatory requirements.

EU Commission’s Stance

The European Commission declined to comment specifically on DuckDuckGo’s allegations but reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the DMA effectively. The Commission has been actively monitoring compliance among designated gatekeepers like Google.

Potential Penalties for Non-Compliance

Failure to comply with the DMA could result in hefty fines for Google, amounting to as much as 10% of a company’s global annual revenue. Given Google’s vast scale, this could translate into billions of dollars in penalties.

Implications for the Digital Market

As pressure mounts on Google, the outcome of these investigations could reshape the competitive landscape of the EU’s digital market. The results may set a precedent for how Big Tech firms operate under the DMA’s watchful eye and influence future regulatory actions across other jurisdictions.

Broader Impact on Competition

The enforcement of the DMA is expected to promote fairer competition and enhance user choice in digital markets. If successful, it could lead to increased innovation and better services from smaller competitors who have struggled against Google’s dominance.

Conclusion

DuckDuckGo’s call for further investigations into Google’s compliance with the Digital Markets Act underscores ongoing concerns about monopolistic practices in the tech industry. As regulatory scrutiny intensifies, both Google and other tech giants will need to navigate these challenges carefully while adapting their business practices to align with new legal frameworks aimed at promoting fair competition and protecting consumer interests. The developments in this area will be closely watched by industry stakeholders and regulators alike as they work towards a more equitable digital marketplace.