The news that moves growth.
A daily digest of what's happening in search, social, AI and advertising — curated headlines linking to the original sources, refreshed every morning.
Curated from the sources we actually read.
Last updated: 18 October 2026, 04:30 IST
Search & Digital Marketing
Google Tells Sites To Fact-Check AI Content Before Publishing
Google's guidance on AI-generated content now says to fact-check it by hand before publishing, and the review extends to titles, alt text, and other metadata.
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YouTube To Cut Reach Of Channels Reposting Barely Changed Clips
YouTube is updating recommendations to favor original Shorts and reduce reach for channels that mainly re-upload others' clips without significant changes.
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AI Changed Your Buyer Faster Than Your Business Can Adapt
AI changed the buyer in 18 months. Most businesses still run on 12-month plans. Here's where the gap shows up and why it keeps widening.
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Nothing Is On Fire At Google
Google has data, chips and cash to lead in AI. The real question is whether it will disrupt the Search business that pays for everything.
Read on our siteSocial & Advertising
Marketing’s upper middle embraces AI creative production
Companies like hospitality chain Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, consumer healthcare firm Opella and betting brand BetMGM have little in common. What they do share is a broad…
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‘It scared the hell out of me’: What brands have learned from creator partnerships
This story was originally published by sister site, Modern Retail. Brands and retailers say they’re seeing strong returns from creator content, whether that’s from…
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SPUR publishes AI content tracking standard, pitches OpenAI and Google to join advisory board
A coalition of media organizations, including the Guardian and the Financial Times, has released a new standard for tracking how AI tools use publishers’ content. The…
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Future of Marketing Briefing: Agency fees in creator deals are the next transparency headache for marketers
Any channel that takes a big enough share of the budget eventually gets here, and creator marketing is the latest. Programmatic had its reckoning a decade ago, and…
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Digiday’s guide to what’s in and out for Advertising Week NY 2026
Advertising Week New York opens Monday at The Penn District, and the industry has moved on since last year. Creators now pitch brands without an agency in the room. AI…
Read on our siteConcerns about social media’s negative impact are growing
New research from Pew found that sentiment surrounding app usage has soured over the last four years, with adults statistically more worried than teens.
Read on our siteMeta’s Muse app surpasses 5M downloads and 3M weekly users
Only 23 apps have historically been able to report that level of uptake, according to Yahoo Finance and data from Sensor Tower.
Read on our siteTikTok US reports generating $81B in economic value
A study commissioned by the app outlined its impact on jobs, small businesses and consumer learning opportunities.
Read on our siteYouTube updates Shorts algorithm to put more focus on original content
The platform is updating its recommendation systems to prioritize creator-made videos, which will also reduce the reach of aggregator accounts.
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Threads tests more visual options for quote posts
The feature aligns with similar tools on TikTok and X, and offers users a new way to add context to their posts in the app.
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How AI is changing the value of media
Bharat Sharma, co-founder and COO, Affinity Global AI is no longer a novelty in media planning. Everyone knows about it, and most organizations are already using it in…
Read on our siteAI & Automation
Musk’s AI chatbot Grok reportedly encouraged Trump to capture Venezuela’s president
President Trump reportedly asked for Grok's opinion before invading Venezuela and capturing Nicolás Maduro.
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ChatGPT can now virtually try on clothes for you
OpenAI is rolling out new shopping features for ChatGPT that let users virtually try on clothing and accessories using their own photos and save products they like to a…
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Google thinks SpaceX’s Starship has to launch 1,800 times before space data centers get off the ground
Google launched its first advanced chip into orbit to pave the way for space data centers.
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OpenAI cuts ties with 3 safety researchers, WSJ reports
OpenAI has parted ways with three safety researchers after an internal investigation found they mishandled sensitive company information, report says.
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Opus 5.5 loves to tell you ‘this matters’ (and other AI writing tells)
Opus 5.5’s biggest tell is the word “dependable,” which pops up 23 times more often than in human samples.
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Amazon releases its own Jev clone as decision models flood the web
Amazon Web Services' Strand Labs has released the latest Jevalike decision model, Strands Decider 2B.
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Shopify debuts Canvas, a way to build online stores by chatting with AI
Shopify’s new Canvas site builder lets merchants create and customize their online stores by chatting with its AI agent Sidekick, while watching the changes happen in…
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Brian Chesky interview: AI agents need their own operating system
Brian Chesky on making Airbnb agent-friendly, the state of consumer AI, and why the world needs an AI-native operating system.
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Photon held a funeral for mobile apps. Now it has $4.5M to help replace them with agents.
The startup helps developers build AI agents that work over iMessage, SMS/RCS, email, and other messaging platforms. It's a bet that consumers will increasingly use…
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