Discord is about to force some of the people who use its messaging app to make a choice: Use the platform with restricted features, or prove their age. It’s a move that platforms have been slowly approaching, but Discord’s teen-by-default rollout is a stronger clampdown that could offer a glimpse at an age-gated future on the web worldwide.
https://www.theverge.com/policy/876131/discord-age-verification-mandates-web-future
Last year’s Super Bowl featured a Google Gemini ad that fumbled a Gouda cheese stat, and this year’s game is already slated to include an ad for Anthropic’s AI platform that takes jabs at its competitors, namely OpenAI. AI-generated ads could make an appearance, too.
https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/874504/super-bowl-lx-ads-big-game
The software giant dropped a bombshell for animators this week when it sent out an email announcing with a month's notice that it would discontinue Adobe Animate from 1 March. Existing users were told they would lose the ability to download their content 12 months later. Today, Adobe posted a statement on its website saying: “Animate will continue to be available for both current and new customers, and we will ensure you continue to have access to your content. There is no longer a deadline or date by which Animate will no longer be available. These are changes from what we shared in our original email.
https://www.creativebloq.com/art/animation/an-artist-backlash-just-saved-adobe-animate
Google is currently working on the combined Android-ChromeOS, known as Aluminum OS, but we're probably two years out from getting our hands on it. Court documents tip a testing period later this year and a full release by 2028.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/rip-chromeos-not-so-fast-court-docs-suggest-itll-be-around-until-2034?test_uuid=04IpBmWGZleS0I0J3epvMrC&test_variant=A
On first glance, you'd be forgiven for thinking Moltbook is just a knock-off of the hugely popular social network Reddit. But this new social network has one big difference – Moltbook is meant for AI, not humans. We mere homo sapiens are "welcome to observe" Moltbook's goings on, the company says, but we can't post anything.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62n410w5yno
People who have limited vision or are completely blind will have a new way to enjoy the Super Bowl this year. The NFL has teamed with startup OneCourt to equip roughly 10 fans with a device that provides real-time tactile feedback that lets holders track the position of the ball on the field. The device, which also comes with headphones so blind fans can listen to the game call, will even use a series of different vibrations that will signal specific plays on-field.
https://qz.com/nfl-blind-fans-2026-super-bowl-onecourt
Google DeepMind's new Project Genie AI tool is something a little different. Instead of answering chatbot prompts more (or even less) effectively than the last model, this one lets you craft an entire 3D world to explore with just a short text prompt.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-project-genie-ai-tool-build-virtual-worlds-for-training-fun?test_uuid=04IpBmWGZleS0I0J3epvMrC&test_variant=A