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YouTube says it isn’t testing hiding the dislike button

On Tuesday, I published a story about how YouTube appeared to be testing hiding the dislike button on videos, with at least two users on X sharing screenshots of the dislike button moved into the three-dot menu. But a YouTube spokesperson, in a Wednesday statement to The Verge, confirmed that YouTube is “not testing hiding […]

Data centers could erase decades of air quality gains

A rush of new data centers could bring air pollution roaring back to levels not seen since the 2000s in Texas, which has become ground zero for the physical infrastructure behind generative AI. New and proposed data centers are demanding a tremendous amount of electricity. How developers and utilities meet that demand – with gas […]

Meta to create a new class of shares to fund AI push

Meta says it’s issuing a new class of shares to fund its AI initiatives. As part of its third-quarter earnings report released on Wednesday, the company says the non-voting stock will also go toward potential acquisitions and employee compensation, with trading beginning in 2027. “The scale of investment required to compete, sustain growth, expand infrastructure, […]

New York’s first microdrama film festival searches for its audience

Actors Taye Diggs, Autumn Federici, Gary Entin, Troy Brookins, Edmund Entin and Eric Guilmette attend the world premiere of Microhouse Films and Lifetime’s Reunion Island during the ALZA Festival. | Getty Images for Lifetime. It remains to be seen if people really want to watch vertical content on horizontal TV screens, but many filmmakers and […]

Judge dismisses Sam Altman’s sister’s sexual abuse lawsuit

On Tuesday, US District Judge Zachary Bluestone dismissed the lawsuit Ann Altman filed last year alleging that her brother, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, had sexually abused her throughout her childhood. As reported earlier by The Guardian, the judge wrote that over the past year, Ann had failed to appear for an independent medical examination or […]

Google’s more personalized Gemini AI is heading to your car

Google is bringing Personal Intelligence to Gemini AI in your car. With this update, Gemini in Android Auto and cars with Google built-in can tap into your information across Google apps, including Gmail, Calendar, Maps, Photos, YouTube, and Search. As an example, Google says you can ask Gemini about your flight status if you’re driving […]

Tesla and SpaceX are discussing a possible merger, Musk says

Tesla and SpaceX have formed special committees to discuss a possible merger, Elon Musk said during the latter’s third quarter earnings call Tuesday. Musk, who serves as CEO of both companies, said the special committees were formed at the request of shareholders and consist of independent directors (though he did not name them). He also […]

SpaceX will try catching Starship and its booster for first time, Musk says

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the company would attempt to catch Starship and its booster next month, with the goal of recovering the entire orbital launch system for the first time. If successful, Musk said, the attempt would mark the first time in history an orbital launch vehicle has been fully recovered. “This is a […]