Behind-the-scenes content has become one of the most effective ways for brands to build credibility, strengthen audience connection and stand out in crowded social feeds. But as more companies lean into casual video formats, audiences are becoming quicker to spot content that feels aimless, overly...
Google announced at its annual Google I/O event that it’s launching Pics, a new AI-powered design and image-generation app for Google Workspace. The tech giant says it designed the app to be accessible to everyone, from teachers to small business owners. With Pics, users can...
Whether you like it or not, Amazon continues to put AI at the center of the shopping journey. The company announced “Alexa for Shopping,” its new personalized AI shopping assistant, powered by Alexa+. Notably, the experience will replace Rufus, its generative AI shopping assistant that launched in 2024. According to the...
Meta said it is adding the ability to start “incognito” conversations with its Meta AI chatbot within WhatsApp. These conversations, the company said, will be processed in a secure environment and can’t be seen by anyone. Users can start an incognito session by tapping on...
Audience participation can become a liability for brand communities online when it is treated as an open invitation rather than a designed system. Without the right structure, brands risk gathering scattered feedback, rewarding the loudest voices and creating expectations they cannot meet. Done well, however,...
Etsy announced the launch of its native app within ChatGPT, opening up a new way for shoppers to explore its catalog of over 100 million listings. The new experience is designed to move beyond the limitations of traditional keyword queries. Instead of typing something like “wooden coffee...
Bret Taylor’s AI startup Sierra is raising a $950 million funding round led by Tiger Global and GV, the company announced, pushing its post-money valuation above $15 billion. The raise gives Sierra more than $1 billion to work with — capital the company says it will...
As AI-generated artists and tracks flood music streaming platforms, Spotify is rolling out a new “Verified by Spotify” badge to help listeners more easily identify authentic human artists. To receive the badge, artists must meet certain criteria. Spotify looks for an identifiable artist presence both...
Shapes, an app where humans and AI characters chat together in shared group conversations, is emerging from stealth with $8 million in seed funding. Think Discord, but with AI characters alongside humans. Founded in 2022, Shapes has more than 400,000 monthly active users. The app’s founders,...
Meta announced an improved Meta Account system designed to make it easier for users to sign in and manage their Meta accounts and devices. The Meta ecosystem has become so expansive that it almost feels unwieldy — users might have various different accounts and log-ins for Facebook,...
