YouTube is giving more creators a way to test how different titles perform on their videos. After rolling out the ability to test and compare video titles to a “small percentage” of creators in July, YouTube has now expanded the tool in YouTube Studio to “all creators with access to advanced features,” making it easier … Read more
As AI tools continue to rise in popularity, it’s easy to forget the satisfaction of using something that doesn’t need an update or a prompt to help you get things done. I’m talking about tools. They’re simple and rugged, and they don’t make things needlessly complicated. And now that the holidays are approaching, these tools … Read more
Amazon has long had to deal with the reality that owners of its Echo smart speakers weren’t using its voice-controlled assistant, Alexa, to buy things, as it had hoped. The tech giant hasn’t given up on that dream yet: its AI assistant, Alexa+, is getting new shopping-enabled features in the U.S. and Canada from today, … Read more
Even as Big Tech and American tech elites criticize how the European Union is implementing rules to regulate tech and AI on the continent, the bloc isn’t letting competition concerns slide. The European Commission has launched an investigation into whether Google may have breached EU’s competition laws by using content from websites without compensating owners … Read more
Google will launch its first AI glasses in 2026, according to a company blog post. At Google’s I/O event in May, the company announced partnerships with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker to create consumer wearables based on Android XR, the operating system that powers Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset. But you can’t wear a bulky headset … Read more
Photo editing app VSCO has confirmed that it has laid off 24 employees amid a restructuring drive to refocus the company’s efforts towards creating tools for professional photographers. In an internal memo seen by TechCrunch, VSCO’s CEO Eric Wittman said the company’s consumer business had declined more than expected, and some of its new growth … Read more
Microsoft plans to invest $17.5 billion in India over the next four years, expanding its AI and cloud footprint in the South Asian nation, whose vast online and smartphone user base is turning it into a critical battleground for global tech companies. Announced on Tuesday, the investment — Microsoft’s largest in Asia — will fund … Read more
India has proposed a mandatory royalty system for AI companies that train their models on copyrighted content — a move that could reshape how OpenAI and Google operate in what has already become one of their most important and fastest-growing markets globally. On Tuesday, India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade released a proposed framework … Read more
Sending astronauts to the red planet will be a decades-long activity and cost many billions of dollars. So why should NASA undertake such a bold mission? A new report published Tuesday, titled “A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars,” represents the answer from leading scientists and engineers in the United States: finding whether … Read more
Back in 2023, we reported on MIT scientists’ conclusion that the ancient Romans employed “hot mixing” with quicklime, among other strategies, to make their famous concrete, giving the material self-healing functionality. The only snag was that this didn’t match the recipe as described in historical texts. Now the same team is back with a fresh … Read more