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Digital briefing, October 15: Google Ads channel budgets, account-free calling on WhatsApp

Today's digital agenda: new budget controls for Google Ads, account-free calling on WhatsApp, and AI examples from OpenAI's partners.

  1. Advertising

    On October 14, Google announced two new controls for Google Ads: 'channel prioritization' and 'budget allocation.' Advertisers will now be able to mark channels (such as Search Partners or the Display Network) as high or low priority within Search, Shopping, Performance Max, and Demand Gen campaigns, and set a maximum percentage of the daily budget that can go to low-priority channels. The features will roll out gradually over the coming months; since the existing Display Network budget setting for Search campaigns will be removed in February 2027, advertisers will need to review their settings.

    What it means for your business: You can now safely test channels like Search Partners or the Display Network—ones you may have switched off entirely before—using just a small slice of your budget. Checking your Search campaign settings for Display Network exposure before February 2027 will keep your budget from shifting somewhere you didn't plan for.

    Source: Google Blog — Guide your campaign spending with new priority and allocation features · Search Engine Journal — Google Ads Introduces Channel Prioritization And Budget Allocation via @sejournal, @brookeosmundson

  2. Social media

    WhatsApp now lets people without an account join calls as guests #

    On October 14, Meta announced a 'guest call' feature for WhatsApp. Users can create a call link from the Calls tab and send it to people who don't have a WhatsApp account; those people can type in their name from a browser and, with the host's approval, join one-on-one calls or group calls of up to 32 people. Guests can't see other participants' phone numbers, send messages, or add anyone else to the call; integration with Google and Outlook calendars is also coming by the end of the year.

    What it means for your business: For client calls or team meetings, the other person no longer needs WhatsApp at all—you can invite anyone to a free, encrypted call with a single link.

    Source: Meta Newsroom — Now You Can Invite Anyone to a WhatsApp Call · Social Media Today — WhatsApp provides chat guest links for non-users

  3. AI

    Cybersecurity firm SentinelOne cuts malware analysis time from weeks to hours with OpenAI's Daybreak tool #

    According to information shared by OpenAI, SentinelOne is using the OpenAI Daybreak tool to complete malware analyses that used to take weeks in just hours. This has freed up the team's capacity to investigate more threats.

    What it means for your business: Faster security analysis means quicker responses to cyberthreats; similar AI-powered analysis tools are likely to filter down over time into the security products smaller businesses use.

    Source: OpenAI — SentinelOne cuts malware analysis from weeks to hours

  4. AI

    Payments company Block speeds up threat detection with OpenAI's technology #

    According to information shared by OpenAI, Block is building an AI-powered security system using OpenAI's technology. This lets the company's security team investigate threats faster and deliver patch recommendations within minutes.

    What it means for your business: The fact that large companies are using AI to speed up their security processes is a sign that these tools could become accessible to smaller businesses over time too.

    Source: OpenAI — How Block is building AI-powered security with OpenAI technology