Last week, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which protects consumers from deceptive business practices, issued a recommendation titled “Check Your AI Claims.”
When it comes to marketing, “false or unsubstantiated claims about product efficacy are our bread and butter,” writes Michael Atleson, an attorney in the FTC’s advertising operations division.
At this point, artificial intelligence is on everyone’s lips. “One thing the FTC knows, he said, is that some advertisers can’t stop abusing artificial intelligence when it comes to hot marketing terms.”
Given the renewed interest, “For companies where AI was previously number four on the list of evidence, machine learning capabilities should be integrated into the main hook of the announcement,” advises PR strategist Camilla Tenn.
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“Today, AI-related press coverage of a new, unknown brand in Target publications could help expose that brand’s pitching materials in front of potential investors and partners in the future. Yes,” she wrote to TC+.
Tenn recommends emulating major players such as Google and Samsung. Google and Samsung have teams dedicated to constantly releasing “work in progress” material related to general tech trends.
“Even when these projects never see the light of day, PR teams strategically position brands as ‘innovative. We shouldn’t be ashamed of it,” says Tenn. there. “
Good advice for marketing mercenaries, but get those pitches straight.
Thanks for reading — and for making this TechCrunch’s fastest growing newsletter last month!
Have a nice weekend
Walter Thompson
Editorial Manager, TechCrunch+
@yourprotagonist
How to turn your open source project into a profitable business
Image credit: Yuanmoni’s (opens in new window) / Getty Images
Many developers rely on donations and crowdfunding to monetize their open source projects, but with proper planning, teams can leverage their work on commercial clients to get them. You can put it in the higher tax bracket.
According to product development consultant Victoria Melnikova, providing customer support and consulting services to users is a common source of income, with developers forming partnerships and using platforms such as Reddit and Hacker News to generate potential need to reach high paying customers.
“To find your own path, talk to your clients and understand their goals and pain points.”
To fix the climate, these 10 investors are betting their homes on the ocean
Image credit: Liang Wendong/VCG/Getty Images
Harnessing the ocean for energy has led to disasters like the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which spilled nearly 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Today, wind power and wave action are just two technologies that are leading investors to take a closer look at ocean conservation technologies, reports Tim De Chant.
To learn more about the opportunities they are pursuing and discover how climate change is shaping their investment themes, he conducted the following research.
- Daniela V. Fernandez, Founder and CEO of Sustainable Ocean Alliance, Managing Partner of Seabird Ventures
- Bold Ocean Ventures General Partner Tim Agnew
- Builders Initiative, Program Director (Ocean), Peter Bryant
- Kate Danaher, Managing Director (Sea & Seafood), S2G Ventures
- Francis O’Sullivan, Managing Director (Marine and Seafood), S2G Ventures
- Stephan Feilhauer, Managing Director (Clean Energy), S2G Ventures
- Sanjeev Krishnan, Senior Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer at S2G Ventures, said:
- Rita Sousa, Partner, Faber Ventures
- Christian Lim, Managing Director, SWEN Blue Ocean Partners
- Reece Pacheco, partner, propeller
Pitch Deck Teardown: Gable’s $12 Million Series A Deck
Image credit: gable (opens in new window)
Remote workspace platform Gable has raised $12 million in Series A funding to expand its business, which currently serves more than 5,000 employees in 26 countries.
Haje Jan Kamps writes: “Gable weaves that story with ease.”
Here’s their 21-slide Series A deck.
- cover slide
- team slide
- Market situation slides (“Remote work revolution”)
- Problem slide No. 1 (“Remote first is difficult”)
- How people are solving it today (“how is it going today”)
- Problem Slide 2 (“Main Problem”)
- Solution slide
- Tow Slide (“Where We Are”)
- Product Slide No. 1 (“Employee Perspective”)
- Product Slide No. 2 (“Management and Insight”)
- Product Slide No. 3 (“Host View”)
- Traction Slides (“Partnerships with 800+ Spaces”)
- Value proposition slide (“Why choose Gable”)
- Case Study Slide No.1
- Case Study Slide No. 2
- Business model slide
- Market size slide (“TAM”)
- Go-to-market slides (“Scalable Process”)
- Marketing slide (“Vast Channel Opportunity”)
- product roadmap slides
- thank you slide
Dear Sophie: What are my options to change status from L-1 visa?
Image credit: Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch
Dear Sophie
I started working in STEM-OPT at my current company and won the H-1B lottery four times. Thankfully my employer transferred me to their international office and now he is back in the US on an L-1 visa.
I hear a lot of complaints from classmates about not being able to switch employers on an L-1 visa. She is not going to stay with her employer for another 6 years, which is an estimated time to be able to get a green card based on her employer’s internal policy.
What options do I have to change my immigration status so that I can work for a US startup within a year or two?
— Tenacious Assignee
Key Legal Issues for Influencers and Brands (and How to Address Them)
Image credit: some means (opens in new window) / Getty Images
Huge influencers like Serena Williams and Kardashian don’t need anyone to create buzz for your startup — an evangelist with just a few thousand followers can push qualified customers into your product funnel. I can.
But before hiring a TikTok or YouTube personality, brand marketers should familiarize themselves with the laws governing how influencers operate and the risks of non-compliance.
“New legal issues and risks are emerging for both influencers and brands,” says Nicholas Sandy, litigator at Pryor Cashman.
“The main recurring issues relate to copyright licensing and infringement, disclosures and statements in endorsements, compliance with securities laws, and defamation.”
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