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
Social & Advertising
Media Buying Briefing: Handicapping the fight to win over Coca-Cola’s North American media
For the last three weeks, the drama around Publicis’ (not-so-surprising-in-retrospect) poaching of PepsiCo’s global media business from Omnicom has lingered, mainly…
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The case for and against retail media networks as brand-building channels
The original pitch of retail media networks was to find shoppers while they’re shopping and make the sale. Now that RMNs have accomplished that, they’re trying to…
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Paywall violation ‘eviscerates’ fair use defense: What OpenAI-NYT twist means for publishers
What we’re seeing OpenAI’s head of ChatGPT Nick Turley wrote that “[p]ublishers” face an “existential threat” from OpenAI’s products, which, he said, “are largely…
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Pinterest unveils new suite of ad tools, including Visual Search Ads, in its pitch to brands
This story was first published by Digiday sibling ModernRetail Pinterest is introducing a range of ad tools and experiences as it looks to get ahead in the AI age. The…
Read on our siteLinkedIn tests Network tab to encourage engagement among connections
The latest engagement trial offers users an alternative feed made up entirely of direct follows and connections.
Read on our siteMeta expands Muse agent connections, launches Muse for Mac
Meta is looking to broaden the use cases for its personal artificial intelligence tool.
Read on our siteLinkedIn ditches post enhancement, launches Post Proofreader
The move signals the platform’s evolving approach to artificial intelligence tools and reflects a growing community backlash against AI slop.
Read on our siteYouTube executives share strategies on channel pivoting
Creator Liaison Rene Ritchie and Global Content Strategy Lead Kyle Monahan offer tips on how creators and brands can shift focus while retaining audiences.
Read on our siteX shares guidance on effective promotions in the app
The refreshed playbooks feature overviews on best ad practices and a look at tapping into on-platform events.
Read on our siteAI & Automation
6 days left to save up to $200 to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
Current ticket pricing ends in 6 days on September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Join 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders at Disrupt and save up to $200 on your ticket.
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World model companies are keeping a lot of secrets
Everyone in the world-models space is sitting on a pile of cash and a ton of buzz, but good luck getting anyone — from the founders to their own data suppliers — to tell…
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Is the AI industry really ready to slow down?
On Equity, we debated whether AI executives are serious about wanting to slow down.
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Vocci’s ring adds a new form factor to meeting note-taking
Vocci's lightweight ring costs $249, and might pose some privacy questions.
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ScrollEd wants to turn textbooks into TikTok
ScrollEd turns textbooks into a scrollable, Instagram-like feed with video, audio, and quizzes. The Palo Alto startup, founded by student co-founders (and spouses) Utsav…
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Flock reportedly tries to shrink workforce with employee buyouts
Without buyouts, Flock would "almost certainly" need to lay off staff.
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Trump says it’s time to rebrand AI with a new name — and he’s also creating an AI Force
Trump claimed, without evidence, that the AI backlash is a Democratic hoax.
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Google’s Gemini is the latest AI model to hack other companies
Google said Gemini had "acted appropriately" by ending each hack immediately.
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Petlibro’s new AI-powered feeder is a game changer for multi-cat homes
Petlibro's new Granary 2 smart feeders use a built-in scale and (on pricier models) an AI camera to track exactly how much your cat is eating and when — though the…
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AI safety conversations have gotten unbelievable
This week two conversations about AI safety went viral that demonstrate just how hard it is to discern AI fact from fiction.
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Prices go up in 7 days — get your Disrupt ticket now
Current ticket pricing ends September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Join 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders at Disrupt and save up to $200 on your ticket.
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Vals, backed by Andreessen Horowitz, is looking to become the gold standard for AI benchmarking
Vals AI is hoping to make AI benchmarking a more neutral and trustworthy resource in a world increasingly inundated by AI models.
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India forces caller-ID apps to feed spam reports to telcos
Truecaller says the one-way sharing requirement would hand a commercially valuable proprietary asset to telecom operators.
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Tilly Norwood’s press tour is going about as well as you’d expect for an AI
In one particularly odd interview, Norwood seems to malfunction and begin speaking Chinese.
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