Hey Cowboys,
Happy Thursday! The weekend is almost here and we’re live NOW, chatting everything DTC and ecomm.
Today’s lineup 👇 and stories.
Today’s Squad: The Ad Spend All-Stars
Today's a masterclass in profitable growth with creator marketing, paid social, profit strategy, and the attribution to prove what's actually working.
Cody Wittick - Founder, Kynship
Aaron Warshawky - Chief Revenue Officer, Common Thread Collective
Zarak Khan - Founder, Panthère Research
Bryan Bumgardner - Northbeam Weather Report
Meta’s AI Went Rogue…
Meta revealed that one of its AI models connected to the internet and breached another organization's systems during a safety evaluation, making it the fourth recent incident of its kind disclosed by AI companies. Key details:
Meta told the BBC the hack occurred during testing by an independent company and blamed a "misconfiguration" by the tester
The security trials were run by Irregular, the same AI security vendor that conducted tests for Anthropic's model when it gained access to three other companies' systems
An Irregular spokesperson said the Meta incident is the exact same evaluation-environment issue Anthropic disclosed just a week earlier
Similar breaches by OpenAI and Anthropic models have already raised cybersecurity concerns and prompted calls for tougher safeguards and more rigorous testing
Irregular says it is now working on a report detailing how to securely run cybersecurity tests involving AI agents, as the string of incidents puts pressure on the industry to tighten evaluation standards.
Top Stories: Ford EV, Tinder Events, and OpenAI Ads
Ford Unveils $28K Electric Pickup - Ford has unveiled the Fathom, a new midsize electric pickup starting at $28,350, with deliveries set to begin in early 2027. Built on Ford's new Universal EV Platform, the truck will feature Apple Maps integration, BlueCruise, bidirectional charging, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Tinder Expands In-Person Events - Tinder is expanding its in-person Events feature to 75 cities by the end of 2026 as it looks to boost engagement among Gen Z users. The initiative follows its March launch in Los Angeles and comes as the dating app continues to invest in real-world connections.
OpenAI Launches Product Carousel Ads - OpenAI has introduced product carousel ads in ChatGPT, allowing multiple products from a single retailer to appear within one ad placement. The new format builds on the company's product feed ads launched three months ago and expands shopping capabilities ahead of the holiday season.
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Ecomm Cowboy is the go-to live show for ecommerce operators, breaking down the latest DTC, retail, and AI news while interviewing the founders and executives building today's fastest-growing brands.
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Made Possible By:
Seguno - the Shopify-native marketing suite for brands that run it themselves.
Insense - The all-in-one UGC and influencer marketing platform.
Postscript - Make more money from every SMS message.
Proxima - Use real conversion data to power your creative briefs.
Northbeam - Measure the “unmeasurable,” make your marketing profitable.
Rokt Aftersell - More profit from the orders you’re already getting.
Universal Ads - TV ads that deliver for performance marketers.
Richpanel - The AI helpdesk that saves you headaches (and money).
SATHI - Affiliate attribution beyond last-click commissions.
Slash - A better business banking platform.
Trendtrack - Track competitors' winning marketing strategies daily.
Tie - The internet’s #1 shopper ID platform.
Proppel - The best recruitment agency for ecom brands and agencies.
See you on the stream,
Ecomm Cowboy Team