Turns out people are using AI like a personal shopper

image via qz.com
image via qz.com

“The conversion gap reinforces that AI is being utilized during the research and consideration stage, in advance of when shoppers are ready to hit the buy button.” But, it added, the closing gap “shows that consumers are also increasingly comfortable completing a transaction directly after an AI-powered chat experience.”

https://qz.com/gen-ai-personal-shopper-adobe-e-commerce-1851770510

Apple is turning its AirPods into the Babel fish from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

image via qz.com
image via qz.com

Apple (AAPL) is designing a new AirPods feature that would allow users to listen and respond to live translations of in-person conversations, according to a Bloomberg report that cites unnamed sources. The feature will reportedly work in tandem with an iPhone, which will translate speech for the user and relay it to a pair of AirPods. When the user responds, the iPhone will play a translation out loud, enabling a two-way conversation.

https://qz.com/apple-airpods-translate-ios-19-1851770018

How Facebook Marketplace is keeping young people on the platform

image via cnbc.com
image via cnbc.com

Meta’s Facebook’s influence remains strong globally, but younger users are logging in less. Only 32% of U.S. teens use Facebook today, down from 71% in 2014, according to a 2024 Pew Research study. However, Facebook’s resale platform Marketplace is one reason young people are on the platform. “I only use Facebook for Marketplace,” said Mirka Arevalo, a student at Buffalo University. “I go in knowing what I want, not just casually browsing.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/08/how-facebook-marketplace-is-keeping-young-people-on-the-platform-.html

Will the future of software development run on vibes?

image c/o arstechnica.com
image c/o arstechnica.com

Instead of being about control and precision, vibe coding is all about surrendering to the flow. On February 2, Karpathy introduced the term in a post on X, writing, "There's a new kind of coding I call 'vibe coding,' where you fully give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists." He described the process in deliberately casual terms: "I just see stuff, say stuff, run stuff, and copy paste stuff, and it mostly works."

https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/03/is-vibe-coding-with-ai-gnarly-or-reckless-maybe-some-of-both/

Utah Lawmakers Pass Bill That Puts App Stores in Charge of Age Verification

image c/o pcmag.com
image c/o pcmag.com

Utah has become the first US state to pass legislation requiring app stores to verify users' ages and seek parental consent before allowing minors to download apps. "Parents want a one-stop shop to verify their child’s age and grant permission for them to download apps in a privacy-preserving way. The app store is the best place for it," Meta, X, and Snapchat said in a joint statement. "We applaud Utah for putting parents in charge with its landmark legislation and urge Congress to follow suit."

https://www.pcmag.com/news/utah-lawmakers-pass-bill-that-puts-app-stores-in-charge-of-age-verification

Would You Attach These Giant Lenses to Your Phone to Take Better Photos?

image c/o pcmag.com
image c/o pcmag.com

Realme and Xiaomi showed off concept devices at Mobile World Congress that involve attaching a lens to your phone to get sharper shots. The concept phone has a physical connector that allows you to attach lenses directly to the phone itself. It lines up with the phone's internal 1-inch type sensor and allows you to use any full-frame mirrorless lens. Realme thinks pairing better optics with its phones' processing power will lead to better phone-based photos.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/would-you-attach-a-big-lens-to-your-phone-to-take-better-photos-mwc-2025