VFusion3D is the latest AI model unveiled by Meta Platforms, which developed it in conjunction with the University of Oxford. The powerful model, which uses single-perspective images or text prompts to generate high-quality 3D objects, is being hailed as a breakthrough in scalable 3D AI that can potentially transform sectors including VR, gaming and digital design. The platform tackles the challenge of scarce 3D training data in a world teeming with 2D images and text descriptions. The VFusion3D approach leverages what the developers call “a novel method for building scalable 3D generative models utilizing pre-trained video diffusion models.” Read more

Music streaming service SoundCloud has added a digital merch outpost, the SoundCloud Store, where select artists who have signed up for the paid Next Pro tier can design exclusive merchandise for their fans — “with minimal effort — letting them focus on their craft while driving meaningful revenue beyond streaming.” The items will be manufactured by SoundCloud, which is launching what it calls “the first edition” of the SoundCloud Store in the U.S., Canada and European Union. Only artists that own 100 percent of their merchandise rights are invited to apply to participate. Read more

Popular video platform Max and food delivery service DoorDash are the latest promotional pairing as streamers vie for new subscribers in an increasingly crowded field. Warner Bros. Discovery has teamed with DoorDash to offer DashPass Annual Plan customers a Max with Ads subscription at no additional cost. It is DoorDash’s first available DashPass member benefit that extends beyond the DoorDash platform. The DashPass Annual Plan membership costs $96 per year, while the Max with Ads tier runs $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually. The new promotion starts this week. Read more

Yesterday’s Made by Google new product event was held earlier this year. Google was no doubt eager to announce, ahead of the holiday season, that it has joined Samsung as a leading smartphone manufacturer with system-level artificial intelligence across its flagship phone line. The mobile-optimized Gemini Nano AI tech, added in limited fashion to the Pixel 8 Pro, will now drive features across the Pixel 9 line, which has gone all-pro with three new models — the Pro 9, Pro 9 XL and Pro 9 Fold — all powered by Google’s latest Tensor 4 processor, designed to enhance AI functionality. Samsung has had AI-first phones since the Q1 debut of its Galaxy S24 line. Read more

YouTube, which began testing crowdsourced fact-checking in June, is now expanding the experiment by inviting users to try the feature. Likened to the Community Notes accountability method introduced by Twitter and continued under X, YouTube’s as yet unnamed feature lets users provide context and corrections to posts that might be misleading or false. “You can sign up to submit notes on videos you find inaccurate or unclear,” YouTube explains, adding that “after submission, your note is reviewed and rated by others.” Notes widely rated as helpful “may be published and appear below the video.” Read more