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: 30 October 2026, 05:30 IST
Search & Digital Marketing
Shopify CEO Warns AI ‘Slop Grenades’ Shift Work To Coworkers
Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke says unreviewed AI output is landing on coworkers. Freelance marketplace data shows demand for AI cleanup work rising elsewhere too.
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Google Lighthouse Adds Audit For AI Agent Resource Discovery
Lighthouse 13.5 adds an audit for AI agent resource discovery, but its checks differ from the latest ARD proposal.
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Agentic Commerce Is Not The Next Voice Shopping, But It Is Still Unproven
Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Stripe name no live merchant. Google names three. Here is what the agentic commerce documentation still refuses to say.
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How To Build Local Pages AI Systems Can Find And Trust
AI ranks passages, reads alt text, and cites whatever numbers you publish. Practical rules for local service pages from SEJ Live.
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Research Shows Google AI Mode Sends Less Clicks & Is A Poor User Experience
Is Google lying about AI Search? New research shows AI Mode decreases clicks and it gives a poor user experience.
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Threads advertisers will no longer need an Instagram account
Platform owner Meta is gradually separating the two apps and will stop requiring businesses to have identical usernames on both platforms in order to run promotions.
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Snapchat adds new AI features including chat-to-song
The company’s paying Lens+ subscribers will be able to easily convert their messages into songs and edit images ahead of sharing.
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Can adland realistically reduce its reliance on Google’s vertically integrated ad stack?
Related Insights Member Exclusive Ad Tech Briefing: The futility of a Google breakup? Subscribe To Read Read More Google’s legal team likely breathed a sigh of relief,…
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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.
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With Tabby, a former accountant is using AI to make accountants obsolete
Tabby is designed to be a real-time bookkeeping interface, handling clients’ paperwork as it gives them up-to-the-minute data on their business’s profit and loss.
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Where will the next breakout startup come from? Benchmark’s full partnership weighs in at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
Where will the next breakout startup come from? Benchmark’s full partnership weighs in on the main stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Save up to $200 before September 25…
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Google’s $899 Googlebook is a bet that you’ll buy a new laptop for Gemini
Google’s AI-native Googlebook ties Gemini to the cursor, dictation, widgets, and other parts of the desktop experience.
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From first users to billions: Google’s Robby Stein joins TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
From first users to billions: Google’s Robby Stein joins TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Lean in on this Builders Stage session. Save up to $200 before September 25.
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Meet the next wave of VCs judging Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
Meet the next wave of VCs judging the Startup Battlefield 200 contenders on the main stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Register by September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT, to save…
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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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