The Weekly Roundup: What’s the Metaverse, Really? Are Influencers Losing Clout? and Europe’s OpenAI Rival Nets Millions

The week after Apple’s Vision Pro launch feels rather slow, despite the ongoing protest over at Reddit. Here’s how that’s going.

#meta

What Is the “Metaverse”? What’s Down That Rabbit Hole?

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has been beating the “Metaverse” drum for a while now. But what is the Metaverse, really? A series of tubes? Not at all. In fact, despite all the hype, it seems that the Metaverse doesn’t actually exist⁠—a least, not yet.

Instagram’s Broadcast Channels Have Been Rolled Out Worldwide

Back in Feb, Meta announced a new feature coming to Instagram: Broadcast Channels, which sure looked like the socmed giant’s own version of Telegram channels. Now Broadcast Channels are being rolled out to Instagram users globally. App developers should try out the new feature, which lets you broadcast updates and other timely messages to your followers.

#artificialintelligence

Microsoft’s Satya Nadella Sees the OpenAI Partnership as a Winning Move

In an interview with Wired, the Microsoft CEO speaks of grasping AI’s potential after seeing it translate Persian poetry. Nadella shares his optimistic views on AI and argues against slowing down its development.

Europe’s Mistral AI Raises a Whopping €105 Million in Funding in 4 Weeks

Mistral AI is a French startup that’s being touted as the European answer to OpenAI. Only four weeks after its creation, Mistral has gathered an immense amount of funding, achieving a current valuation of €260 Million (about $285 million USD).

Launch of “faith”⁠—an AI Creative Agency

UK-based VCCP has launched an AI creative agency named faith. Yes, in bold letters⁠—apparently. This new agency plans to use generative AI as an “accelerator” of human creativity, says its CEO.

#influencerfatigue

Influencers Are Losing Influence as UGC Rises, Says UGC Agency

Here’s a striking headline: “Around 90% of consumers have stopped trusting influencers.” A new survey purports to show the impact of “influencer fatigue” as 86% of consumers place more trust on publishers of user-generated content (UGC). Do keep in mind that these survey results were released by user-generated content agency EnTribe.

#applaunch

A New App Helps Mobile Phone Users Party Alcohol-Free

BuzzCutt is an interesting concept. The new mobile app assists people in finding local bars and restaurants that offer non-alcoholic options. This tech launch may presage a cultural shift⁠—word is, Gen Z is drinking less alcohol than the generations prior.