Amazon's Alexa+ launches major integrations with Expedia, Yelp, Angi, and Square in 2026, enabling users to book hotels, schedule home repairs, and arrange beauty appointments through simple voice commands instead of websites or phone calls.
Consumer AI startups face mass extinction as tech giants absorb their features into platforms, with venture capitalists warning the industry needs stabilization before breakthrough apps emerge, potentially requiring entirely new devices beyond smartphones to unlock AI's full consumer potential.
DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that delivers personalized restaurant recommendations by analyzing data from multiple platforms including TikTok and Google Maps, now available in San Francisco Bay Area and New York with social sharing features.
Meta launches groundbreaking smart glasses update that amplifies conversations in noisy environments and automatically plays matching Spotify music based on what users see, rolling out across 20 global markets.
HubSpot founder Dharmesh Shah unveils Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), a revolutionary SEO strategy designed to get businesses cited in ChatGPT responses as AI threatens Google's search dominance, while warning about hidden risks of low-quality AI content damaging rankings.
OpenAI announces plans to launch ChatGPT 'Adult Mode' in Q1 2026, enabling NSFW content for verified adult users while currently testing age prediction technology in select countries to automatically restrict content for users under 18 and prevent misidentification of adults.
Google launches 'Disco,' an experimental AI tool powered by Gemini that transforms browser tabs into custom web applications called 'GenTabs,' proactively suggesting interactive apps based on browsing activity and allowing users to create personalized applications through simple text prompts, though access remains limited to select testers on macOS.
Google Labs launches experimental 'Disco' browser featuring AI-powered 'GenTabs' that automatically create custom web applications like trip planners and meal organizers by analyzing users' browsing history and open tabs, with macOS waitlist now available.
Google launches AI Plus plan in India at ₹199 monthly for six months then ₹399, featuring Gemini 3 Pro, image editing, video generation, and 200GB storage as tech giants battle for India's massive market through telecom partnerships and competitive pricing against ChatGPT.
McDonald's pulls its AI-generated Christmas commercial in the Netherlands after widespread public backlash over grotesque characters and poor visual quality, highlighting consumer rejection of artificial intelligence in advertising despite the production company's defense of their seven-week creative process.