YouTube Shorts adds Veo 2 so creators can make GenAI videos
YouTube Shorts is integrating with Google DeepMind’s latest video model, Veo 2, allowing creators to generate AI video clips for their posts.
Veo 2 is Google’s response to Sora, OpenAI’s text-to-video generator. YouTube, owned by Google, already allowed creators to generate AI backgrounds for their Shorts with a text prompt through a feature called Dream Screen. But Veo 2 will allow creators to generate standalone video clips to add to any of their Shorts.
According to a blog post by YouTube Director of Product Dina Berrada, these AI tools will run faster than before.
“Veo 2 understands real-world physics and human movement better, making its output more detailed and realistic,” Berrada wrote. “You can even specify a style, lens, or cinematic effect, making Dream Screen an easy and fun way to express yourself.”
Perplexity takes on ChatGPT and Gemini with new Deep Research AI
Aravind Srinivas-led Perplexity AI has launched its own Deep Research tool, which it claims will help users save hours of time by performing in-depth research and analysis on their behalf, while taking less than 3 minutes for most tasks. Perplexity already offered DeepSeek R1 on its platform, and the addition of Deep Research puts it in direct competition with AI giants like OpenAI and Google.
Perplexity says its Pro users will have access to 500 queries per day, while free users will get a limited number of answers. The new AI tool is already available on Perplexity’s website and the company says it will soon be rolled out to iOS, Android and Mac versions of its apps.
In order to use Deep Research, users simply tap on the new option in the model picker below the search box and click on the new option.
X dominates digital advertising with 33% share!
Digital advertising in 2024 experienced remarkable expansion, with ad impressions surging by 12.7 times compared to 2020. This growth underscores the medium’s increasing dominance, driven by advancements in programmatic advertising, a surge in e-commerce, and the strategic use of social media platforms. The second quarter of the year saw a 9% increase in impressions over the first, with X and YouTube emerging as leading platforms. Services remained the most advertised sector, while e-commerce categories continued to thrive.
The digital advertising landscape witnessed an exceptional rise in ad impressions, growing 12.7 times in 2024 compared to 2020. This exponential increase was fuelled by rapid adoption of digital media, particularly in sectors such as e-commerce and financial services. Compared to 2023, ad impressions grew by 7%, marking a steady annual increase.
The second quarter of 2024 recorded a 9% increase in ad impressions over the first quarter. However, the highest quarterly surge was observed in the April-June period, with a 45% rise in impressions compared to the October-December quarter of 2023. These trends indicate a growing reliance on digital advertising during key business periods.
Instagram Tests Private Comment Downvote Feature
Instagram has begun testing a new comment feedback system, as confirmed by Instagram head Adam Mosseri. The platform is introducing a subtle yet significant change to its comment section with a new down arrow button.
The new functionality appears as a downvote arrow positioned next to comments, allowing users to privately indicate their discomfort or disagreement with specific comments. Unlike traditional dislike buttons, this feature maintains user privacy by not displaying any visible counts.
Zomato launches AI customer support platform Nugget
Zomato has announced an AI-powered customer support platform called Nugget to help businesses automate their operations. CEO Deepinder Goyal posted the news on X saying the tool was used internally over three years before being rolled out.
“Nugget helps businesses scale support effortlessly—highly customizable, low-cost, no dev team needed,” he noted. The AI customer support platform is able to resolve up to 80% queries autonomously, can learn and adapt in real-time and doesn’t require users to know coding as it’s a no-code platform.
Goyal claimed that Nugget is already handling more than 15 million interactions per month for their food delivery platform Zomato, quick commerce platform Blinkit and the B2B service Hyperpure.
Apple and Meta working on AI-powered humanoid robots
Amid its ongoing competition in the mixed reality headset market, Apple and Meta are reportedly going to clash in another area: AI humanoids. According to analyst Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter published in Bloomberg, both companies are working on their own AI-powered humanoid robots. Reportedly, Meta has set up a whole new department in its Reality Labs hardware division to develop its AI humanoid robot. Apple, on the other hand, has apparently taken a slightly different approach for this and its humanoid robot is being developed by its machine learning group.
As per the newsletter, these AI humanoid robots will be able to perform daily tasks like folding a t-shirt or dancing or boiling an egg. Which immediately reminds you of Tesla Optimus humanoid robot. However, Gurman specifically and particularly compares Apple’s humanoid project to the Tesla bot.
55% of Valentine’s Day sale period orders were made on prepaid, surpassing COD
This is the first time prepaid orders are overtaking COD orders on D2C during event-based sale periods marking a significant shift in shopper behaviour. GoKwik, India’s leading eCommerce enabler, announced that prepaid orders have outnumbered cash on delivery (COD) orders for the first time ever in four years.
During the Republic Day sale this year, prepaid orders surpassed COD by 11%, and in the recent Valentine’s Day sale, they accounted for 55% of total orders, up from a 50:50 split last year.
UPI remained the preferred prepaid payment mode, accounting for 46% of prepaid orders during Valentine’s sales—a 4% increase from last year. The growing acceptance of credit-based payments was also notable, with a 7% contribution, up by 3% from last year.
Time for news from BC Web Wise!
From media breakthroughs to strategic collabs—this Valentine’s, we innovated for Gatsby and partnered Zuno with Terribly Tiny Tales, for something truly engaging.
Valentines Day Campaigns :
Zuno Valentines Day Campaign X TTT: #CupidTales
Gatsby X My Valentine : Media Innovation – Audio
SBI Card:
Tata Power:
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