Meta's Threads expected to have ads this year

The move would make Threads Meta's latest bit of ad real estate venue just over a year after its launch.

Additional coverage:

• Despite the hope that 2024 would be a turning point for publishers’ advertising businesses, the first quarter of the year proved to be a mixed bag, according to three publishers. More in this Digiday+ Media Briefing.
• Brave, a privacy-focused browser, is rolling out a new generative AI tool that allows users to enter a single query to get real-time information from multiple sources.
• Mobile esports activity has been picking up gradually since 2021, but 2024 could be one of the most lucrative years yet for the esports teams and players participating in popular mobile games.
• This week’s Digiday+ Research Briefing examines BuzzFeed’s plans to pivot the business to an AI-driven tech and media company, how marketers’ use of X and ad spending has dropped dramatically, and how agency executives are fed up with Meta’s ad platform bugs and overcharges.

From the Possible conference in Miami Beach:

• Walmart paired its insights unit Luminate with Walmart Connect to help suppliers optimize for customer consumption, just in time for the holidays, explained the company's CRO Seth Dallaire.
• Tammy Henault, CMO of the NBA, shared some of the strategies that helped the association stand out from other pro sports leagues.
• Linda Boff, global CMO at GE, recognizes the hype cycle for AI is still swirling, but she sees practical applications beginning to emerge.