FTC launches inquiry into AI chatbot companions from Meta, OpenAI, and others
The federal consumer regulator seeks to learn about how AI companies evaluate the safety of their chatbots.
Why the Moltbook frenzy was like Pokémon
This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here. Lots of influential people in tech last week were describing Moltbook, an online hangout populated by AI agents interacting with one another, as a glimpse into the future. It appeared to show…
We can’t “make American children healthy again” without tackling the gun crisis
Note for readers: This newsletter discusses gun violence, a raw and tragic issue in America. It was already in progress on Wednesday when a school shooting occurred at Evergreen High School in Colorado and Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University. Earlier this week, the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again movement…
The Branding Battle Between College and the Trades Is Heating Up. Here’s Why Entrepreneurs and Marketers Should Care.
High-paying careers in aviation, trucking and the trades are real alternatives to college, but perception hasn’t caught up. Branding and PR will decide which story wins.
Congress Makes a Major Push for Franchise Independence With a New Bipartisan Bill
The American Franchise Act would define franchisors and franchisees as independent employers, a change franchise groups say is long overdue.
Elon Musk Lost His World’s Richest Title, But Only for a Few Hours. Here’s Who Took His Spot.
Tesla’s CEO temporarily lost the title to Oracle’s Larry Ellison this week.
Amazon Is Developing Smart Glasses for Consumers to Take on Meta’s Bestselling Ray-Bans
Amazon is working on two kinds of smart glasses, one for the general public and another for its delivery drivers, according to a new report.
Gmail makes it easier to track upcoming package deliveries
Google also announced on that it’s updating the Promotion category in Gmail to allow users to sort by “most relevant” promotion emails.
France says Apple notified victims of new spyware attacks
The French government says Apple sent out threat notifications to customers alerting them to spyware attacks earlier in September.
I Used AI to Create Instagram Reels — and Got Over 7 Million Views. Here’s How You Can Use It, Too.
AI is revolutionizing the way content is created and shared on social media, and its potential is unmatched.
Airbnb Will Be the Place to Find Work After AI Takes Your Job, Says Its CEO: Nobody ‘Wants a Robot Answering the Door’
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says people will still want human interaction for some services.