Auto Tariffs To Go Up?, Gen Z Shops With Google, Veo 3 Makes Cheap Ads

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Episode #1069: Trump eyes higher auto tariffs and axes California’s EV rules, Google quietly gains ground with Gen Z shoppers, and an AI-generated NBA Finals ad shows how fast, cheap, and creative the future of advertising can be.

Show Notes with links:

• In a high-energy speech, President Trump proposed raising auto tariffs and celebrated a legislative rollback of California’s EV mandates — a double-down on his strategy to protect domestic auto manufacturing and consumer choice.
  • Trump suggested raising auto tariffs above the current 25% level to encourage automakers to produce more vehicles domestically.
  • He pointed to GM’s $4 billion investment in U.S. plants as a positive result of existing tariff policies.
  • The President signed legislation last week that rolls back California’s zero-emissions vehicle mandate, which would have banned new gas car sales by 2035.
  • Dealer and manufacturer groups applauded the repeal, arguing it protects affordability and nationwide regulatory consistency.
  • “Customers don’t want the government telling them what kind of car to buy,” said John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.
  • Eleven states, led by California, have filed a legal challenge against the repeal, calling it an overreach that undermines state-level emissions standards.

• Google is making gains with Gen Z shoppers, chipping away at Amazon’s dominance in product search. New data shows young consumers are increasingly turning to Google — not just for browsing, but even when they know exactly what they want to buy.
  • Morgan Stanley data shows a rise in 16–24-year-olds using Google for product research, both general and specific
  • As of March, 30% of Gen Z shoppers who knew what they wanted still started on Google — up from 21% last fall.
  • Meanwhile, Amazon’s share dropped from 41% to 34% over the same period.
  • Analysts suggest Google's generative AI tools, like AI Overviews and Google Lens, may be fueling the shift.
  • “The volume of commercial queries on Google Search has increased with the launch of AI Overviews,” said Google’s Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler.

• An AI-generated ad made in just two days aired during the NBA Finals, showing how creators can now move faster and cheaper than ever before. Using Google's Veo 3 and a lean workflow, one filmmaker delivered a national commercial at a fraction of traditional production costs.
  • AI filmmaker PJ Accetturo produced a 30-second TV spot for betting platform Kalshi in just two days using Veo 3 and Gemini.
  • His process involved AI-assisted scripting, iterative prompt generation, and rapid video output, yielding 15 usable clips from 300–400 generations.
  • The entire production cost came in at roughly $2,000 — a 95% reduction from traditional ad budgets.
  • Editing was done with tools like CapCut and Premiere, allowing f

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