CMOTech

Brunner has acquired AdSkate, adding an artificial intelligence marketing analytics platform to the independent Pittsburgh agency. The deal brings AdSkate's technology and staff into Brunner's operations. The platform will continue serving existing customers while also being deployed across Brunner's client base. The purchase is also expected to support new services focused on creative testing, predictive performance modelling, audience insights and campaign optimisation.

Code and Theory has appointed Harsh Kapadia as Head of Enterprise Creative, a role that will include launching a new Enterprise Creative division. Kapadia will lead the unit as the company expands its work with large corporate clients including Adobe and IBM. The division is intended to bring creative leadership into broader transformation programmes for enterprise customers.

Podean has acquired Social Commerce Club, adding a TikTok Shop specialist to its marketplace business. Social Commerce Club, known as SCC, is a TikTok Shop-focused agency with Platinum Partner status on the platform. It works with brands including HeyDude, Hanes, Maidenform and Playtex, and brings 70 specialists into Podean. The acquisition is Podean's sixth in nine months, expanding the group to 465 staff across 21 countries.

Logile has launched Enterprise Productivity Simulator for retailers, a tool that lets chains model labour and operational decisions before turning them into budgets or schedules. The product sits within Logile's Connected Workforce platform and targets retailers trying to manage labour costs, service levels, and store operations in a tighter-margin environment.

Citi Impact Fund has committed USD $25 million to invest in US companies focused on housing access and affordability. The commitment is part of Citi's broader Blueprint for Housing Opportunity programme. The money will back businesses working on housing supply, access and affordability, including those using technology in construction and home finance.

Wayvia has launched a Professional Services division and appointed Robert Gregory and Lynne Riojas to senior roles, adding a services arm to the commerce technology company's existing platform business. Gregory, a former Walmart.com executive, joins as Senior Director of Professional Services and will lead the new division. Riojas, who previously held senior sales roles at Bazaarvoice and Captiv8, has been appointed Head of Sales to oversee the company's global sales organisation.

MathWorks has introduced the open-source MATLAB MCP Server and MATLAB Agentic Toolkit, which let AI agents execute and refine workflows inside MATLAB. The software is designed to let agents write MATLAB code, run it in a live session, inspect outputs or errors, and repeat the process until they reach a result. Engineers remain responsible for validating outputs and applying their own judgment.

Forrester has published its 2027 budget planning guides for technology and security leaders, pointing to rising spending plans while warning that bigger AI budgets alone will not fix operational weaknesses. The research shows broad confidence among decision-makers after a more cautious period. It found that 82% of technology decision-makers expect budgets to rise over the next 12 months, while 60% of security technology decision-makers expect security budgets to increase by 5% or more.

Google has detailed an internal experiment in which teams of AI agents produced short films. The project tested whether agents could collaborate outside software work. The exercise involved 10 crews, each made up of three agents with distinct roles, working through a filmmaking process inside Scion, Google's open-source multi-agent orchestration testbed. Across pilot rounds and the competition, the project produced more than 25 films totaling about 44 minutes, according to Google.

BoodleBox Founder and Chief Executive Officer France Hoang testified before the U.S. House Committee on Small Business on artificial intelligence adoption by small firms. He focused on policy measures he said would help smaller operators use AI more effectively. At the hearing on AI and the future of small business, Hoang told lawmakers that access to AI tools is no longer the main issue for many smaller companies.