Marketing Trend Tracker - Series 16

February 19, 2025

The tech and social media world is buzzing with fresh updates that could shape the future of innovation and marketing. From Mistral AI's launch of its promising assistant, Le Chat, to Pinterest smashing records with user growth and revenue, there’s no shortage of exciting developments. Meanwhile, Microsoft is making waves in advertising by incorporating LinkedIn Audience Insights into its Performance Max campaigns, opening new doors for marketers. Whether it's advancements in AI or shifts in user behavior across platforms, these stories offer a glimpse into the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Keep reading to uncover the key takeaways and what they mean for the future.

Brazil Bans X

Europe’s “Great Hope For AI” Launches Its AI Assistant

Mistral AI is best known for its role in shaping European AI development and remains the continent’s primary contender in the market. This French Artificial Intelligence startup was formed in 2023 by Arthur Mensch, Guillaume Lample, and Timothée Lacroix. Recently, several updates were released for its AI assistant Le Chat as well as a mobile app version of the platform on iOS and Android.


Mistral AI wants to be considered as a credible alternative to OpenAI which is possible in the European Union market where data is taken very seriously. In the EU, all AI platforms are subject to laws like the AI Act which aim to protect consumers. Notably in 2023, OpenAI’s platform, ChatGPT, was temporarily banned in Italy. Already, the company has large language models (LLMs) that are available for commercial use. The Le Chat assistant is meant to be a direct competitor to ChatGPT, Google Gemini and similar platforms. By releasing a mobile version of Le Chat, Mistral can tap into a new market with its conversation-like interface. Additionally, in an effort to be a more reliable source of information, Mistral AI signed a deal with the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency. Unfortunately, the company lacks a voice mode in the mobile app making it inaccessible for people who rely on speech query features.


In conjunction with Le Chat, Mistral offers a Pro tier AI model for $14.99 per month that appears to offer expanded capabilities with a higher performing model. Other benefits include an ability to opt out of data-sharing, which is unsurprising with Mistral AI’s European origins. 


Given the high level of competition in the AI market, why choose to use Mistral AI? Well, the company maintains it runs the “fastest inference engines on the planet” with Le Chat, it can answer up to 1,000 words per second, and claims its image generation operates at a higher level than ChatGPT.  Even though these are noteworthy features, the standout trait of Le Chat is its enterprise solution and ability to “deploy Le Chat in your environment with custom models and a custom user interface.” For example, if you work in banking and need to use an AI assistant on premise, you can with Mistral; this feature is currently not available for ChatGPT Enterprise. Mistral has many interesting ideas with potential but the company still needs to work on gaining a following. To keep up to date with Mistral and other AI developments, follow our blog!

Mistral AI is best known for its role in shaping European AI development and remains the continent’s primary contender in the market. This French Artificial Intelligence startup was formed in 2023 by Arthur Mensch, Guillaume Lample, and Timothée Lacroix. Recently, several updates were released for its AI assistant Le Chat as well as a mobile app version of the platform on iOS and Android.


Mistral AI wants to be considered as a credible alternative to OpenAI which is possible in the European Union market where data is taken very seriously. In the EU, all AI platforms are subject to laws like the AI Act which aim to protect consumers. Notably in 2023, OpenAI’s platform, ChatGPT, was temporarily banned in Italy. Already, the company has large language models (LLMs) that are available for commercial use. The Le Chat assistant is meant to be a direct competitor to ChatGPT, Google Gemini and similar platforms. By releasing a mobile version of Le Chat, Mistral can tap into a new market with its conversation-like interface. Additionally, in an effort to be a more reliable source of information, Mistral AI signed a deal with the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency. Unfortunately, the company lacks a voice mode in the mobile app making it inaccessible for people who rely on speech query features.


AI logo surrounded by digital imagery.

In conjunction with Le Chat, Mistral offers a Pro tier AI model for $14.99 per month that appears to offer expanded capabilities with a higher performing model. Other benefits include an ability to opt out of data-sharing, which is unsurprising with Mistral AI’s European origins. 


Given the high level of competition in the AI market, why choose to use Mistral AI? Well, the company maintains it runs the “fastest inference engines on the planet” with Le Chat, it can answer up to 1,000 words per second, and claims its image generation operates at a higher level than ChatGPT.  Even though these are noteworthy features, the standout trait of Le Chat is its enterprise solution and ability to “deploy Le Chat in your environment with custom models and a custom user interface.” For example, if you work in banking and need to use an AI assistant on premise, you can with Mistral; this feature is currently not available for ChatGPT Enterprise. Mistral has many interesting ideas with potential but the company still needs to work on gaining a following. To keep up to date with Mistral and other AI developments, follow our blog!

Perplexity Offering Free ‘Deep Research’ AI Tool

magnifying glass on computer keyboard

Perplexity Offering Free ‘Deep Research’ AI Tool

Perplexity AI recently launched a free Deep Research tool. After a user enters a query, this tool searches hundreds of websites over 2-4 minutes and generates a downloadable, in-depth report. While Gemini and ChatGPT offer similar deep research capabilities, those features are only available on their paid platforms (Gemini Advanced and ChatGPT Pro). In a recent accuracy test, ChatGPT's deep research tool scored highest, but Perplexity's tool outperformed DeepSeek R1 and Gemini's. All logged-in Perplexity users receive a limited number of free daily Deep Research prompts, while Perplexity Pro subscribers have unlimited access. 



The development of deep research tools marks a major advance in AI chatbot capabilities. Early chatbots handled basic conversations, but now, these tools are evolving to tackle complex tasks like research. Deep research features reflect this shift, moving beyond simple Q&A to provide powerful information-gathering and synthesis tools. This trend aims to make AI assistants more valuable in fields where in-depth information is essential, potentially boosting productivity and knowledge discovery by automating research.



Microsoft Performance Max’s New Addition: LinkedIn Audience Insights

In an attempt to broaden LinkedIn Insights usage, Microsoft has added the option to use LinkedIn member data for advertising targeting on Performance Max Campaigns. The company is providing another layer to the ability to reach the right audience. 


For now, this feature is available only in the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, and Germany. Advertisers can look into targeting companies, industries, job function signals, and more. As a point of clarification, Microsoft advertisers have been able to use LinkedIn member data for quite some time on Dynamic Search Ads, Microsoft Audience Network, and Shopping Campaigns. The capabilities are now expanded to Performance Max; an AI-powered and automated ad option. In terms of professional insights, LinkedIn’s data is second-to-none which may make Microsoft Performance Max Campaigns advantageous to B2B marketers. 



In an attempt to broaden LinkedIn Insights usage, Microsoft has added the option to use LinkedIn member data for advertising targeting on Performance Max Campaigns. The company is providing another layer to the ability to reach the right audience. 


For now, this feature is available only in the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, and Germany. Advertisers can look into targeting companies, industries, job function signals, and more. As a point of clarification, Microsoft advertisers have been able to use LinkedIn member data for quite some time on Dynamic Search Ads, Microsoft Audience Network, and Shopping Campaigns. The capabilities are now expanded to Performance Max; an AI-powered and automated ad option. In terms of professional insights, LinkedIn’s data is second-to-none which may make Microsoft Performance Max Campaigns advantageous to B2B marketers.

A network of connected people icons over a world map.

At SparkShoppe, we specialize in staying ahead of the curve. Get in touch today to learn how our team of marketing experts can help elevate your brand and keep you at the forefront of industry trends!

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