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Meta is offering some creators thousands of dollars if they go viral on Threads. The payouts are part of a new invitation-only bonus program that rewards creators who use Meta’s newest app.

An Instagram support page offers some details. It says creators can earn money “based on the performance of your Threads posts” or “the number of posts you create.” So, go for either quality or quantity, it seems. It appears terms of the bonuses are unique to each creator.

According to one post on Threads, at least one creator was offered “up to $5,000” for Threads posts or replies with 10,000 views or more. Unfortunately, we can’t see how many views that screenshot has so far, and whether it's making him money.

While not nearly as high as the $10,000 bonuses Reels creators could earn in the past, it’s still pretty generous, given the lower effort needed to type a Threads missive.

The company refers to it as being in “testing,” but it offers a preview of how Meta may try to boost engagement on the service. It’s the same playbook as Meta used for Reels on Facebook and Instagram.

— Mat Smith

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Peacock is raising its prices again

Just in time for the Olympics.

Peacock just announced it’s raising prices again, less than a year since it did it last. The new price will be $8 per month for Peacock with ads and $14 per month, ad-free. Those prices start on July 18 for new subscribers and August 17 for existing users. The 2024 Summer Olympics is right around the corner, and the streamer will show “every sport and event, including all 329 medal events.” So there’s a reason.

Continue reading.

The EU will force Apple to open up iPadOS

Apple now has six months to allow competing stores on its tablets.

TMA
Engadget

Apple’s iPad has been added to the list of tech products that must abide by the EU’s DMA rules. The European Commission has officially designated iPadOS as a gatekeeper under the DMA, alongside Apple’s Safari web browser, iOS and the App Store. To ensure iPadOS compliance, Apple will have to allow third parties to interoperate with iPadOS, so that means third-party app stores for those tablets.

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Walmart−Roblox collaboration offers IRL items to kids

Teens can shop for goods in virtual stores before shipping products to their house.

Walmart’s Discovered experience started out as a way for kids to buy virtual items for Roblox inside the game. But today, that partnership will include a pilot program for teens to buy real-life goods stocked on digital shelves before they’re shipped to your door. Anyone who buys a real-world item will receive a free virtual twin. The first products to benefit from this are a crochet bag from No Boundaries, Onn Bluetooth headphones and a TAL stainless steel tumbler. And we all know: Kids love to show off their stainless steel tumblers.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-meta-is-offering-popular-threads-users-thousands-of-dollars-in-bonuses-111551945.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Meta is offering popular Threads users thousands ...   Recently updated !













More and more companies are choosing to deploy AI-powered chatbots to deal with basic customer service inquiries. At the ongoing Google Cloud Next conference in Las Vegas, the company has revealed the Gemini-powered chatbots its partners are working on, some of which you could end up interacting with. Best Buy, for instance, is using Google's technology to build virtual assistants that can help you troubleshoot product issues and reschedule order deliveries. IHG Hotels & Resorts is working on another that can help you plan a vacation in its mobile app, while Mercedes Benz is using Gemini to improve its own smart sales assistant. 

Security company ADT is also building an agent that can help you set up your home security system. And if you happen to be a radiologist, you may end up interacting with Bayer's Gemini-powered apps for diagnosis assistance. Meanwhile, other partners are using Gemini to create experiences that aren't quite customer-facing: Cintas, Discover and Verizon are using generative AI capabilities in different ways to help their customer service personnel find information more quickly and easily. 

Google has launched the Vertex AI Agency Builder, as well, which it says will help developers "easily build and deploy enterprise-ready gen AI experiences" like OpenAI's GPTs and Microsoft's Copilot Studio. The Builder will provide developers with a set of tools they can use for their projects, including a no-code console that can understand natural language and build AI agents based on Gemini in minutes. Vertex AI has more advanced tools for more complex projects, of course, but their common goal is to simplify the creation and maintenance of personalized AI chatbots and experiences. 

At the same event, Google also announced its new AI-powered video generator for Workspace, as well as its first ARM-based CPU specifically made for data centers. By launching the latter, it's taking on Amazon, which has been using its Graviton processor to power its cloud network over the past few years. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-gemini-chatbots-are-coming-to-a-customer-service-interaction-near-you-120035393.html?src=rss

Google Gemini chatbots are coming to a customer service interaction ...


More and more companies are choosing to deploy AI-powered chatbots to deal with basic customer service inquiries. At the ongoing Google Cloud Next conference in Las Vegas, the company has revealed the Gemini-powered chatbots its partners are working on, some of which you could end up interacting with. Best Buy, for instance, is using Google's technology to build virtual assistants that can help you troubleshoot product issues and reschedule order deliveries. IHG Hotels & Resorts is working on another that can help you plan a vacation in its mobile app, while Mercedes Benz is using Gemini to improve its own smart sales assistant. 

Security company ADT is also building an agent that can help you set up your home security system. And if you happen to be a radiologist, you may end up interacting with Bayer's Gemini-powered apps for diagnosis assistance. Meanwhile, other partners are using Gemini to create experiences that aren't quite customer-facing: Cintas, Discover and Verizon are using generative AI capabilities in different ways to help their customer service personnel find information more quickly and easily. 

Google has launched the Vertex AI Agency Builder, as well, which it says will help developers "easily build and deploy enterprise-ready gen AI experiences" like OpenAI's GPTs and Microsoft's Copilot Studio. The Builder will provide developers with a set of tools they can use for their projects, including a no-code console that can understand natural language and build AI agents based on Gemini in minutes. Vertex AI has more advanced tools for more complex projects, of course, but their common goal is to simplify the creation and maintenance of personalized AI chatbots and experiences. 

At the same event, Google also announced its new AI-powered video generator for Workspace, as well as its first ARM-based CPU specifically made for data centers. By launching the latter, it's taking on Amazon, which has been using its Graviton processor to power its cloud network over the past few years. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-gemini-chatbots-are-coming-to-a-customer-service-interaction-near-you-120035393.html?src=rss

Google Gemini chatbots are coming to a customer service interaction ...