All articles tagged with #ads
A panel discusses Google’s I/O AI announcements, arguing that AI overlays, in-line ads, and closed-source tools risk burying traditional search results, steering users toward products and ads, and undermining the open web and open-source ecosystems, with potential to fragment the internet and provoke a shift toward privacy‑preserving, locally run AI options.
Google aims to win the AI race by rolling out fast, cheap Gemini models (e.g., Gemini 3.5 Flash) across its massive platform—reimagining Search and YouTube with chat-style queries while testing AI ads—relying on scale to outpace rivals and offset potential disruption to its lucrative ad-driven business.
YouTube says it can detect when live-chat engagement peaks during a livestream and automatically skip ads for everyone watching, as part of broader monetization tools including Super Chats and other gifts; this comes as YouTube Premium pricing rises and gifting expands to horizontal streams, with more customization on the way.
Sony Pictures chief Tom Rothman urged exhibitors at CinemaCon to enforce longer theatrical windows, scrap or shorten pre-show ads, and make going to the movies more affordable to help the industry rebound from lower post‑Covid attendance; he praised Universal’s 45‑day exclusive window as a positive start and highlighted Sony’s upcoming tentpoles as part of a broader strategy.
YouTube has raised Premium pricing in the US to $15.99/month for individuals and $26.99 for families, with Premium Lite at $8.99; the changes take effect on June 7, 2026, and are noted in subscriber emails. Separately, reports of 90-second unskippable ads are said to be a UI bug that inflates ad timers; YouTube says there is no 90-second non-skippable format and a fix is rolling out. Free users will still face more ads as the service monetizes content.
Windows Central reports that GitHub Copilot started inserting promotional tips into pull request descriptions, including ads for Copilot and Raycast, a pattern seen in thousands of PRs. After feedback and backlash, GitHub says the behavior has been disabled; the update underscores concerns about AI integrations in code workflows and how training data policies may affect such features.
Microsoft says it will make Windows 11 a calmer OS by scaling back ads and upsells, rolling back Copilot in some apps, and implementing a performance-focused update that moves the Start menu to WinUI3, speeds up File Explorer, and adds an option to pause updates; the company also hints at loosening the Microsoft account requirement during setup to rebuild user trust.
The GTA Wiki, the largest fan-curated GTA encyclopedia, has left Fandom to launch an independent site due to intrusive ads and increasingly strict censorship rules, taking its 20,000+ articles with it and giving editors full control ahead of GTA 6’s release. The move, part of a broader trend of communities leaving Fandom, highlights frustrations with aggressive advertising (especially for logged-out mobile users) and policy restrictions, including content and customization limits. Fandom issued a statement emphasizing ongoing support for creators and the community’s continued activity.
YouTube is expanding its Premium Lite plan by adding background playback and offline downloads, letting most non-music videos be watched ad-free offline and in the background. Lite costs $7.99/month in the US (Premium is $13.99) and previously didn’t include these features; Shorts still have ads and some videos aren’t fully ad-free on Lite. The rollout starts today and may take a few weeks to reach all users.
YouTube Premium Lite is gaining background playback and offline downloads, letting you play videos while using other apps and save content for offline viewing. The perks are rolling out at no extra charge with Lite, but ad-free viewing still requires the full YouTube Premium plan ($13.99/month); most videos are ad-free on Lite, though some content (music, Shorts, and browse/search results) may still show ads.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is now available to watch online for free with ads on Fandango, ahead of its sequel’s release, with no subscription required.
OpenAI began testing ads in ChatGPT for Free and Go users, with Plus/Pro subscribers spared for now; ads will be clearly labeled and not influence answers, though they may be targeted by chat history. Anthropic criticizes the plan as potentially harming usefulness and engagement, while OpenAI argues ads are a sustainable way to support free access.
Tom’s Guide highlights ten standout Super Bowl 2026 commercials to date, ranking the spots from DoorDash’s Beef 101 with 50 Cent to Pringles with Sabrina Carpenter, plus Edgar-worthy bits from Hellmann’s Andy Samberg as a deli-cryptid, Skittles’ Elijah Wood fairy, Ritz Island with Bowen Yang, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran with William Shatner, OIKOS with Kathryn Hahn, Ramp’s Multiply featuring Brian Baumgartner, and Amazon’s Chris Hemsworth Alexa+. The piece notes more spots to come and offers a running tally of the best commercials seen so far ahead of the game.
WhatsApp is reportedly testing a paid, ad-free subscription option that would remove ads from status updates and channels. The core messaging features would remain free, but the €4/month plan could also hide channel suggestions; rollout timing is not yet clear.
Telly’s model of giving away dual-screen TVs that show nonstop ads has run into serious delivery and fulfillment problems. After planning to ship 500,000 units in 2023, a quarterly investor update indicates only about 35,000 sets had been delivered by the end of 2025, with reports that roughly 10% of FedEx shipments arrived broken. The startup had generated interest, including 250,000 pre-orders in 2023, but ongoing logistical issues have hampered progress and there was no comment from Telly on the reported figures.