Microsoft is in the final phases of building the $3.3 billion Wisconsin facility it says will be the most powerful AI data center in the world when it comes online in early 2026 to train the next decade of artificial intelligence models. The software giant has already begun staffing the operation and is already planning further expansion, with another $4 billion to be spent in the next three years to build a second data center of similar size and scale — bringing the total investment in Wisconsin to more than $7 billion. Located in Mount Pleasant, the nearly completed facility will be the first in what Microsoft is calling its Fairwater family of hyperscale data centers. Continue reading Microsoft Details $7 Billion Future of Wisconsin AI Data Center

Meta Connect just wrapped after showcasing the company’s latest offerings in XR, Meta AI wearables, and more. The long-awaited reveal of the Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses confirmed they are the first Meta glasses with a built-in high-resolution HUD color screen and use an EMG wristband for controls. Meta’s high-performance sports eyewear got an upgrade with the Oakley Meta Vanguard, offering Garmin and Strava integration and video recording in 3K Ultra HD. The Quest VR headset’s new beta feature, Hyperscape, was previewed, turning real-world spaces into virtual worlds. Also, the Quest now features a Horizon TV entertainment hub for streaming. Continue reading Meta Platforms Unveils New Smart Glasses and AI Wearables

Roku has partnered with German projector maker Aurzen on the first smart projector that runs on the Roku OS. The Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector D1R Cube can display a native 1080p image with 330 ANSI lumens brightness sized from 40 to 150 diagonal inches with the projector placed 3.6 to 10.8 feet from the screen. The device is currently available from Amazon for $250. The D1R Cube can display indoors or outdoors on a screen or a wall. The Roku OS capabilities include voice control and one-click access to premium streaming channels including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, YouTube and Apple TV. Continue reading Roku and Aurzen Launch D1R Cube Portable Smart Projector

Zoom Communications on Wednesday launched new products at its Zoomtopia conference, including an upgraded AI companion that can work across meeting apps with the ability to add notes, organize meeting schedules and — on the horizon — deploy look-alike avatars. The features are designed to make Zoom more competitive with vertical AI productivity startups. Available as a Zoom Workplace add-on, the Zoom AI Companion 3.0 has upgraded agentic features including for Voice Recorder and Tasks, plus new features for Zoom Meetings, Zoom Team Chat, Zoom Whiteboard, Zoom Revenue Accelerator and more. Continue reading Zoom Enhances Its Agentic AI Capabilities with New Features

AI-powered creator tools were a central focus at this week’s Made on YouTube event, where the company unveiled Veo 3 Fast, a “quicker and more cost effective version” of Google’s powerful video model, Veo 3 that is being made available free for creators in YouTube Shorts. Veo 3 Fast generates outputs with lower latency at 480p and also generates sound, a first for YouTube Shorts. YouTube created the mobile-first Veo 3 Fast model in partnership with artificial intelligence research lab Google DeepMind. Video creators will soon be able to leverage Veo 3 Fast to add backgrounds and objects or change styles using prompts. Continue reading YouTube Unveils Array of New AI Tools, Including Video Model

YouTube Live is getting upgrades including AI-generated highlights and soon the ability to simultaneously broadcast in both horizontal and vertical formats, allowing creators “to reach viewers on every screen.” Playables on live minigames have been added as a way to ease newbies into live streaming. Creators can chat with their audience while playing from among 75+ games, monetizing the stream just like any other live broadcast. Next year, YouTube will begin testing live reactions, enabled by starting a mobile live stream to share reactions with others who are currently live. Continue reading YouTube Adds Dual-Format Streaming, Live Minigames, More

Google has introduced the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), an open protocol designed to securely address the challenges of having AI agents make payments on behalf of humans. AP2 can be used as an extension of the Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol and Model Context Protocol (MCP). “In concert with industry rules and standards, it establishes a payment-agnostic framework for users, merchants, and payments providers to transact with confidence across all types of payment methods,” explains Google, listing American Express, Coinbase, Etsy, Intuit, Mastercard, PayPal and Salesforce among 60 collaborators that provided development input. Continue reading Google AP2 Protocol Allows AI to Make Payments for Humans

The Walt Disney Company has teamed up with Webtoon Entertainment to create a new digital comics platform that will host more than 35,000 Marvel, Star Wars, Disney, Pixar and 20th Century Studios digital comic books, including current runs and archival issues from decades past as well as original new material. The deal sees Disney taking a two percent stake in Webtoon, which will run the new venture. Disney+ subscribers will have access to a curated selection of material as part of their subscription through Disney+ Perks. The format will include a mix of vertical and traditional screen presentations. Continue reading Disney Invests in Webtoon with New Comics Platform Planned

Snap Inc. has released Snap OS 2.0 in advance of the release of its next-generation Spectacles AR glasses, due for release next year. The OS 2.0 XR operating system will power both the fifth and sixth generation Spectacles, the first that the company will market directly to consumers after years of selling AR glasses made for developers building AR experiences for the Snapchat app. The new OS aims to simplify content viewing and sharing with Spectacles as well as heightening Internet exploration via a native browser with WebXR support. Snap is still keeping details like pricing and the specific release date for the consumer Spectacles under wraps. Continue reading New OS Will Power Snap’s Upcoming Consumer AR Glasses

New York State Attorney General Letitia James has released proposed rules that would restrict minors from exposure to addictive features on social media pursuant to the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act, signed into state law last year to “protect the mental health of children.” The law, which is expected to take effect sometime next year, requires social media companies that supply addictive content to use an age verification system with results “certified by a verified third-party.” Absent parental consent, platform operators must restrict users under 18 from receiving addictive or algorithmically personalized feeds and nighttime notifications. Continue reading SAFE for Kids Act: NY State Attorney Opens Comment Period

Apple is touting a major security upgrade for its recently unveiled iPhone 17 devices, which come with always-on protection called Memory Integrity Enforcement (MIE) aimed at making it more difficult to get spyware onto the four new models. The result of five years of research and development, MIE leverages both Apple silicon and iOS software. The company is calling the results “the most significant upgrade to memory safety in the history of consumer operating systems.” The upgrade targets “mercenary spyware,” the origins of which are “vastly more complex than regular cybercriminal activity and consumer malware.” Continue reading Apple Introduces Major Security Upgrade to Its iPhone 17 Line

Meta Platforms has unveiled new advertising options at its annual Brand Building Summit, touting in-stream opportunities for Reels and carousel ads for Threads, which now has 400 million monthly active users. To make it easier for brands to leverage that user base, Meta has enabled the creation of a Threads profile using an Instagram account. Additionally, existing Facebook or Instagram posts can now be used to create a Threads ad in Ads Manager. Meta also says that as of November, qualified advertisers will be able to use Ads Manager to tap into Reels trending content on a self-serve basis. Continue reading Meta Rolls Out New Advertising Options for Reels and Threads

Pinterest has added multiple “where-to-buy” options it says make it easier for consumers to shop with Pins. This new menu of links allows brand advertisers to drive potential customers to a selection of purchase sites instead of a single source, surfacing multiple in-stock retailer options for a product directly from an ad. Pinterest claims the new presentation format offers richer purchase data and new CPG opportunities. Advertisers will no longer face the “tough choice” of directing shoppers to a retail site for a familiar purchase experience but losing valuable insights or linking to their own site and sacrificing lower-funnel performance. Continue reading Pinterest Says Where-to-Buy Links Add Richer Purchase Data

Amazon Music has a new AI-powered personalization feature called Weekly Vibe that is designed to keep playlists fresh and prevent listeners from tiring of the same songs. The feature is available to iOS and Android users in the U.S. across all subscription tiers. Every Monday, Weekly Vibe will update playlists to reflect recent listening choices, taking into account musical interests and moods. It will also suggest new music based on demonstrated patterns and preferences. Weekly Vibe builds on the Maestro AI playlist generator Amazon Music launched in beta last year. Continue reading Amazon Music Adds Weekly Vibe AI Playlists Across All Tiers

Four years after its announcement, Spotify Lossless is arriving for Premium subscribers, offering HD-quality sound for just about every song in the catalog. The reveal was issued by Spotify VP of Subscriptions Gustav Gyllenhammar, who attributed the delay to “time to build this feature in a way that prioritizes quality” and ease of use. Spotify Lossless enables streaming in up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC. Lossless joins the previous settings of Low, Normal, High and Very High for data management across Wi-Fi, cellular and downloads. Spotify has also added Smart Filters for better playlist building. Continue reading Spotify Delivers New Lossless Audio Tech for Premium Subs