Glossier

Berkshire Buy, AI Hits Startups, Iran War Costs Impact Markets

CNBC’s Morning Squawk highlights five market items for June 1, 2026: Berkshire Hathaway agreed to acquire homebuilder Taylor Morrison Home for $6.8 billion, paying $72.50 per share; generative AI has driven a reset in startup valuations, with PitchBook finding many pre‑ChatGPT unicorns have declined sharply or not raised new funding; geopolitical conflict with Iran is weighing on markets and energy costs, with Moody’s Analytics estimating the average U.S. household has paid about $450 more on energy since the war began; U.S. retail showed unexpectedly strong Q1 results but faces future headwinds as stimulus-like refunds wane; and Disney’s Rita Ferro is leading upfront ad negotiations as the company readies major 2027 events (Super Bowl, Oscars, Grammys). The newsletter also notes Nvidia’s moves into the PC market and upcoming corporate earnings to watch.

AdTech Shakeup: Big Moves in AI, Streaming, and Leadership

This MadTech Daily digest highlights shifts across streaming, AI-driven commerce, agency consolidation, and regulatory oversight. Meta plans to use conversations from its chatbots to personalize ads on its platforms. OpenAI is testing a social app for AI video and has launched Instant Checkout within ChatGPT, starting with Etsy sellers and soon with Shopify merchants such as Glossier and SKIMS, while building a dedicated ChatGPT Growth team for paid marketing infrastructure and real-time attribution. Spotify announces a leadership transition to a dual-CEO structure as Daniel Ek steps down to executive chairman, with Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström elevated to co-lead operations. Horizon Global, a USD 20 billion joint venture between Havas and Horizon Media, aims to serve US clients with a global footprint. Regulators advance industry moves: the FTC approves a revised consent order tied to Omnicom’s acquisition of IPG, reinforcing publisher-relationship restrictions.

OpenAI Launches Instant Checkout; Havas & Horizon Media Unite

OpenAI has rolled out Instant Checkout, enabling purchases directly within ChatGPT. The rollout starts with Etsy US sellers and will expand to over a million Shopify merchants, including brands like Glossier and SKIMS. The feature uses the Agentic Commerce Protocol co-developed with Stripe and is open-sourced for developers and merchants, signaling a shift from AI recommendations to purchase completion. OpenAI is also planning a Sora update that would allow copyrighted material by default unless rights holders opt out, with studios and creators being notified. Separately, Havas and Horizon Media launched Horizon Global, a New York-based media network with $20 billion in combined billings across nearly 100 markets, led by interim CEO Bob Lord and Renata Spackova as global COO. Google settled President Trump’s YouTube ban for $24.5 million, including about $22 million to fund a White House ballroom and the remainder to other plaintiffs.