Agentio, a platform that connects brands with YouTube creators for sponsored videos, announced a $40 million Series B funding round led by Forerunner. The startup, founded by former Cameo president Arthur Leopold and ex-Spotify engineer Jonathan Meyers, aims to expand its AI‑powered ad buying tools to additional platforms such as Meta, TikTok, and Snap. Recent growth includes a five‑fold increase in revenue since its last round, a dramatic reduction in creator bid times, and strong performance metrics from brands like Bombas. Agentio plans to grow its team and broaden its creator‑brand matching capabilities across new social channels. Read more →

Snap Inc. announced a $400 million agreement with Perplexity AI to integrate the AI search engine directly into Snapchat’s chat interface. The partnership, slated for early 2026, will let users ask questions and receive conversational answers sourced from verifiable data. Snap expects the deal to start contributing to its revenue in 2026, and CEO Evan Spiegel suggested similar collaborations could follow. The move adds to Snap’s broader AI strategy, which already includes its MyAI chatbot, AI‑powered lenses, and the Snapchat+ subscription service. Read more →

A week of headlines highlights the ripple effects of a prolonged government shutdown on federal workers, the rise of AI‑generated content from Grokipedia to real‑estate videos, a pioneering pig‑kidney transplant, and controversy surrounding a tech‑focused private school that relies on software as the primary teacher. While families grapple with unpaid benefits and inflated expectations, innovators push AI into new domains and scientists extend organ‑transplant longevity, underscoring both the promise and perils of rapid technological adoption. Read more →

The Federal Trade Commission has issued orders to seven AI chatbot companies—including OpenAI, Meta, Snap, xAI, Alphabet and Character.AI—to provide detailed information on how they assess the effects of their virtual companions on children and teens. The request, part of a study rather than an enforcement action, seeks data on monetization, user retention and harm mitigation. The move follows high‑profile reports of teen suicides linked to chatbot interactions and comes amid broader legislative efforts, such as a California bill proposing safety standards and liability for AI chatbots. Read more →

The Federal Trade Commission has opened a formal inquiry into several major developers of AI companion chatbots. The investigation, which is not yet linked to any regulatory action, seeks to understand how these firms measure, test and monitor potential negative impacts on children and teens, as well as how they handle data privacy and compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Seven companies—including Alphabet, Character Technologies, Meta, OpenAI, Snap and X.AI—have been asked to provide detailed information about their AI character development, monetization practices and safeguards for underage users. Read more →

The Federal Trade Commission has opened an inquiry into the AI chatbots offered by seven major technology companies, seeking to understand how they test, monitor and mitigate potential harms to minors. A Common Sense Media survey shows that more than 70% of teens use AI companions, with over half using them regularly. Experts warn that chatbots can give dangerous advice and fail to recognize concerning language. Companies such as Character.ai, Instagram and Snap say they have added safety features, while the FTC is demanding detailed disclosures on everything from monetization to age‑based safeguards. Read more →

Snap is rolling out a major software update for its Spectacles augmented reality glasses, adding a redesigned web browser, dedicated Spotlight video browsing, and a new gallery lens. The upgraded Snap OS promises smoother site switching, better power efficiency, and up to 40 minutes of continuous video playback. The changes aim to make AR experiences more useful as Snap prepares to launch a smaller, lighter consumer version of the glasses in 2026, moving beyond its current developer‑only model. Read more →

Snap is gearing up to launch a smaller, consumer‑focused version of its Spectacles AR glasses. CEO Evan Spiegel highlighted that the upcoming hardware will be more compact than the current developer‑focused model. In parallel, Snap demonstrated Snap OS 2.0, which adds a richer web browser, media gallery, and AI‑driven tools such as live translation and the Spotlight assistive feature. The company also showcased a hand‑tracked version of the fitness game Synth Riders, illustrating how the glasses could support interactive AR experiences. While the current prototype remains bulky, lacks prescription inserts, and offers a limited field of view, Snap’s roadmap aims to compete with offerings from Meta, Google and Apple. Read more →

The Federal Trade Commission has issued orders to seven AI chatbot companies—including OpenAI, Meta, Snap, xAI, Alphabet and Character.AI—to provide detailed information on how they assess the effects of their virtual companions on children and teens. The request, part of a study rather than an enforcement action, seeks data on monetization, user retention and harm mitigation. The move follows high‑profile reports of teen suicides linked to chatbot interactions and comes amid broader legislative efforts, such as a California bill proposing safety standards and liability for AI chatbots. Read more →

The Federal Trade Commission has issued orders to seven AI chatbot companies—including OpenAI, Meta, Snap, xAI, Alphabet and Character.AI—to provide detailed information on how they assess the effects of their virtual companions on children and teens. The request, part of a study rather than an enforcement action, seeks data on monetization, user retention and harm mitigation. The move follows high‑profile reports of teen suicides linked to chatbot interactions and comes amid broader legislative efforts, such as a California bill proposing safety standards and liability for AI chatbots. Read more →

The Federal Trade Commission has opened a formal inquiry into several major developers of AI companion chatbots. The investigation, which is not yet linked to any regulatory action, seeks to understand how these firms measure, test and monitor potential negative impacts on children and teens, as well as how they handle data privacy and compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Seven companies—including Alphabet, Character Technologies, Meta, OpenAI, Snap and X.AI—have been asked to provide detailed information about their AI character development, monetization practices and safeguards for underage users. Read more →

The Federal Trade Commission has opened a formal inquiry into several major developers of AI companion chatbots. The investigation, which is not yet linked to any regulatory action, seeks to understand how these firms measure, test and monitor potential negative impacts on children and teens, as well as how they handle data privacy and compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Seven companies—including Alphabet, Character Technologies, Meta, OpenAI, Snap and X.AI—have been asked to provide detailed information about their AI character development, monetization practices and safeguards for underage users. Read more →

The Federal Trade Commission has opened an inquiry into the AI chatbots offered by seven major technology companies, seeking to understand how they test, monitor and mitigate potential harms to minors. A Common Sense Media survey shows that more than 70% of teens use AI companions, with over half using them regularly. Experts warn that chatbots can give dangerous advice and fail to recognize concerning language. Companies such as Character.ai, Instagram and Snap say they have added safety features, while the FTC is demanding detailed disclosures on everything from monetization to age‑based safeguards. Read more →

The Federal Trade Commission has opened an inquiry into the AI chatbots offered by seven major technology companies, seeking to understand how they test, monitor and mitigate potential harms to minors. A Common Sense Media survey shows that more than 70% of teens use AI companions, with over half using them regularly. Experts warn that chatbots can give dangerous advice and fail to recognize concerning language. Companies such as Character.ai, Instagram and Snap say they have added safety features, while the FTC is demanding detailed disclosures on everything from monetization to age‑based safeguards. Read more →

Snap is rolling out a major software update for its Spectacles augmented reality glasses, adding a redesigned web browser, dedicated Spotlight video browsing, and a new gallery lens. The upgraded Snap OS promises smoother site switching, better power efficiency, and up to 40 minutes of continuous video playback. The changes aim to make AR experiences more useful as Snap prepares to launch a smaller, lighter consumer version of the glasses in 2026, moving beyond its current developer‑only model. Read more →

Snap is rolling out a major software update for its Spectacles augmented reality glasses, adding a redesigned web browser, dedicated Spotlight video browsing, and a new gallery lens. The upgraded Snap OS promises smoother site switching, better power efficiency, and up to 40 minutes of continuous video playback. The changes aim to make AR experiences more useful as Snap prepares to launch a smaller, lighter consumer version of the glasses in 2026, moving beyond its current developer‑only model. Read more →

Snap is gearing up to launch a smaller, consumer‑focused version of its Spectacles AR glasses. CEO Evan Spiegel highlighted that the upcoming hardware will be more compact than the current developer‑focused model. In parallel, Snap demonstrated Snap OS 2.0, which adds a richer web browser, media gallery, and AI‑driven tools such as live translation and the Spotlight assistive feature. The company also showcased a hand‑tracked version of the fitness game Synth Riders, illustrating how the glasses could support interactive AR experiences. While the current prototype remains bulky, lacks prescription inserts, and offers a limited field of view, Snap’s roadmap aims to compete with offerings from Meta, Google and Apple. Read more →

Snap is gearing up to launch a smaller, consumer‑focused version of its Spectacles AR glasses. CEO Evan Spiegel highlighted that the upcoming hardware will be more compact than the current developer‑focused model. In parallel, Snap demonstrated Snap OS 2.0, which adds a richer web browser, media gallery, and AI‑driven tools such as live translation and the Spotlight assistive feature. The company also showcased a hand‑tracked version of the fitness game Synth Riders, illustrating how the glasses could support interactive AR experiences. While the current prototype remains bulky, lacks prescription inserts, and offers a limited field of view, Snap’s roadmap aims to compete with offerings from Meta, Google and Apple. Read more →

The Federal Trade Commission has opened a formal inquiry into several major developers of AI companion chatbots. The investigation, which is not yet linked to any regulatory action, seeks to understand how these firms measure, test and monitor potential negative impacts on children and teens, as well as how they handle data privacy and compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Seven companies—including Alphabet, Character Technologies, Meta, OpenAI, Snap and X.AI—have been asked to provide detailed information about their AI character development, monetization practices and safeguards for underage users. Read more →

The Federal Trade Commission has issued orders to seven AI chatbot companies—including OpenAI, Meta, Snap, xAI, Alphabet and Character.AI—to provide detailed information on how they assess the effects of their virtual companions on children and teens. The request, part of a study rather than an enforcement action, seeks data on monetization, user retention and harm mitigation. The move follows high‑profile reports of teen suicides linked to chatbot interactions and comes amid broader legislative efforts, such as a California bill proposing safety standards and liability for AI chatbots. Read more →