DuckDuckGo adds no-AI search extensions as traffic surges
DuckDuckGo is launching browser extensions to set its no-AI search as default, as the company reports nearly 30% week-over-week growth in web visits amid Google's AI overhaul.
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Apps & Consumer
889 storiesRevolut begins controlled beta rollout in India
Revolut has begun a controlled beta rollout of its services in India, currently limiting access to a small subset of its approximately 450,000 waitlisted users.
Strava introduces developer fees to curb AI scraping
Strava is introducing a $11.99 monthly developer fee and restricting website access to combat AI scraping, a move likely tied to its confidential IPO filing.
YouTuber-directed films dominate the domestic box office
YouTuber-directed films *Backrooms* and *Obsession* are dominating the domestic box office, signaling a shift in how creators leverage loyal audiences to achieve mainstream success.
GitHub Copilot shifts to token-based billing
GitHub Copilot is switching to a token-based billing system on June 1, a change that has the potential to significantly increase costs for some users.
Google launches Gemini Spark as a 24/7 agentic AI assistant
Google has launched Gemini Spark, a 24/7 agentic AI assistant designed to automate personal digital tasks, though it currently faces integration limitations with key productivity apps.
The browser market is fragmenting as new AI-powered tools emerge
Google Chrome and Apple’s Safari dominate the browser market, but a wave of new AI-powered, privacy-focused, and niche browsers are emerging to challenge them.
TikTok expands beyond video to become a super app
It appears that TikTok is evolving into a "super app" by integrating e-commerce, travel booking, and fintech services to compete with major digital platforms.
Bluesky adds long-form content support via Standard.site integration
Bluesky has integrated with Standard.site to enable long-form content across its network, aiming to compete with X’s siloed approach for its some 44.5 million registered users.
Signal warns of new phishing campaign targeting chat backups
Hackers are impersonating Signal support to steal user backup keys, in a campaign that could be more widespread than initially targeting specific activist groups.
Sesame launches iOS app for its conversational AI agents
Sesame, founded by the creators of Oculus, has launched its conversational AI agents on iOS in 39 countries, with plans for intelligent eyewear expected by 2027.
YouTube adds AI-powered podcast features for Premium users
YouTube is rolling out new podcast features for Premium users, including AI recommendations and playback tools, as it seeks to retain and grow its podcast audience.
Visa invests in Replit to advance agentic payments
Visa has made an undisclosed investment in Replit, with both companies exploring the integration of payment products to support the emerging field of agentic payments.
Meta launches global subscription plans for flagship apps
Meta is rolling out global consumer subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, while beginning tests for new business, creator, and AI-focused tiers under the "Meta One" brand.
CrowdStrike and Google dismantle Glassworm botnet
CrowdStrike, Google, and Shadowserver dismantled the Glassworm botnet, which spent two years poisoning more than 300 GitHub repositories to target open source software developers.
Spotify launches podcast clipping feature for mobile users
Spotify is launching a global mobile feature allowing users to trim and share specific podcast segments, aiming to simplify content discovery and social sharing.
YouTube begins automatically labeling AI-generated videos
YouTube is moving to automatically label videos containing significant photorealistic AI, reducing its reliance on creator disclosures while maintaining existing platform policies.
Robinhood lets AI agents trade stocks and make payments
Robinhood is launching AI agentic trading and a virtual credit card, allowing users to connect AI agents to dedicated wallets for stock trading and payments.
DuckDuckGo sees surge in installs amid Google AI backlash
DuckDuckGo is seeing a surge in app installs as users reject Google's AI-heavy search overhaul, highlighting a potential shift toward privacy-focused, AI-optional search alternatives.
UMG and TikTok renew licensing deal to curb AI-generated music
Universal Music Group and TikTok have renewed their licensing agreement, which includes a commitment to remove unauthorized AI-generated music from the platform.