The App Store is booming again, and AI may be why
New data from Appfigures shows a swell of new app launches in 2026, suggesting AI tools could be fueling a mobile software boom.
AI
Sam Altman’s project World looks to scale its human verification empire. First stop: Tinder.
World, which has raised eyebrows (but also a lot of interest) with its Orb-centered anonymous verification project, is looking to expand its influence via a bevy of new partnerships.
OpenAI’s former Sora boss is leaving
Last month, OpenAI gave up on its Sora video generation tool, and on Friday, the Sora team’s leader, Bill Peebles, announced that he is leaving the company. OpenAI has been shifting its priorities as part of an effort to avoid “side quests,” and Peebles’ departure is just one of many recent changes as the company […]
Should you stare into Sam Altman’s orb before your next date?
Tinder users who prove they’re a real person by visiting an identity-verifying orb will soon be able to get five free boosts in the app – and it’s just the latest service to embrace the orb. World, which was co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, initially tested Tinder verification using its facial scanning orbs through […]
Kevin Weil and Bill Peebles exit OpenAI as company continues to shed ‘side quests’
Kevin Weil and Bill Peebles are leaving OpenAI as the company shuts down Sora and folds its science team, signaling a sharp pivot away from consumer moonshots toward enterprise AI.
Anthropic’s new cybersecurity model could get it back in the government’s good graces
The Trump administration has spent nearly two months fighting with AI company Anthropic. It’s dubbed the company a “RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY” full of “Leftwing nut jobs” and a menace to national security. But some of the ice may reportedly be melting between the two, thanks to Anthropic’s buzzy new cybersecurity-focused model: Claude Mythos Preview. […]
Sources: Cursor in talks to raise $2B+ at $50B valuation as enterprise growth surges
Returning backers a16z and Thrive are expected to lead the round.
‘Tokenmaxxing’ is making developers less productive than they think
There’s a lot more code — but it’s a lot more expensive and requires a lot more rewriting.
This charming gadget writes bad AI poetry
I’ve never been as charmed and frustrated by one gadget as I have with the Poetry Camera. It’s a delightful object. White and cherry red with a color-matched woven strap, it looks playful and adorably lo-fi. If I saw it on a store shelf, I’d absolutely pick it up. But aside from obviously appealing, I’m […]
Dairy Queen is putting an AI chatbot in its drive-thrus
Dairy Queen is becoming the latest fast food chain to get in on AI, as it’s bringing a chatbot to dozens of its drive-thrus across the US and Canada. It aims to help speed up drive-thru service and “encourage customers to add more food to their orders,” according to The Wall Street Journal. Following a […]