Author: IQ TIMES MEDIA

Google Search is experimenting with Audio Overviews for certain Search queries, the company announced on Friday. The feature was first introduced to NotebookLM, Google’s AI-based note-taking and research assistant. The tech giant says Audio Overviews will use its latest Gemini models to give users another way to absorb and understand information. “An audio overview can help you get a lay of the land, offering a convenient, hands-free way to absorb information whether you’re multitasking or simply prefer an audio experience,” Google explained in a blog post. The feature is available starting today in Labs, Google’s experimental program. The company says…

A farmer floating in a pool of eggs. An alien chugging beer. An older man, draped in an American flag, screaming, “Indiana gonna win baby.” The chaotic scenes are all part of a new AI-generated ad from sports betting marketplace Kalshi, which aired Wednesday during Game 3 of the NBA Finals.”The world’s gone mad, trade it,” the commercial’s tagline read, following the 30-second collection of surreal scenes.In a recent thread on X, the ad’s director explained how he made the clip for just $2,000.”Kalshi hired me to make the most unhinged NBA Finals commercial possible,” PJ Accetturo, a self-described AI…

This is the space where I usually try an AI tool. This week, though, I’m featuring an experience shared by a Tech Memo reader who got in touch after last week’s installment about AI coding services such as Replit, Cursor, and Bolt.new.This person worked at Google for more than two decades, so they know their software! They recently tried out Replit, following Google CEO Sundar Pichai saying he’s been messing around with this tool.”Like Sundar, I’ve also tried Replit to test out a cat purring app I had (lol). I poked around on some other options, but I liked Replit…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded its approval of Moderna’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine on Thursday to include adults under the age of 60 at increased risk of the disease.Previously, the vaccine, known as mRESVIA, had been licensed for use for those aged 60 and older.Approval for mRESVIA came after Moderna conducted a late-stage clinical trial showing the vaccine helped boost immune responses in younger adults.MORE: Despite ‘game-changing’ new RSV shots, uptake lagged among infants, adults: ExpertsMore than one-third of adults between ages 18 and 59 have at least one underlying condition that puts them at increased risk…

The attorney who negotiated the $2.8 billion legal settlement for the NCAA said Friday that thousands of former athletes due to receive damages could have to wait months or maybe more than a year to get paid while appeals play out.Rakesh Kilaru, who served as the NCAA’s lead counsel for the House settlement that was approved last week, told The Associated Press an appeal on Title IX grounds filed this week will hold up payments due to around 390,000 athletes who signed on to the class-action settlement.He said he has seen appeals take up to 18 months in the California-based…

Generative AI is reshaping the way people work, from full-time employees to freelancers. As coding copilots, design assistants, and AI-powered writing tools become more capable and accessible, creative and technical roles are starting to shift — if not become eliminated entirely. The pressure to adapt is growing across the board. Fiverr CEO Micha Kaufman isn’t sugarcoating it. In a recent open letter to staff, he warned that AI is coming for everyone’s jobs, and the only way to stay relevant is to embrace AI tools and automation. Get better, get faster, or get left behind.  Kaufman joined Rebecca Bellan on…

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler made yet another visit to Oakmont’s famous Church Pews. He also bogeyed a hole after nearly driving the green.That wasn’t enough to knock the top-ranked player out of contention — in the eyes of the betting markets and Scheffler himself.“Overall definitely not out of the tournament. Today was I think with the way I was hitting it, was easily a day I could have been going home and battled pretty hard to stay in there,” said Scheffler, whose day included an animated post-round session at the practice range with coach Randy Smith. “I’m 4…

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Sam Burns is a birdie machine at Oakmont, a label not many expected at this U.S. Open. By avoiding another sloppy finish, Burns posted a 5-under 65 on Friday and set the target for the late starters — and let Scottie Scheffler know the mountain he faced.Burns has made 11 birdies through two rounds, joining Viktor Hovland for most sup-par holes through 36 holes in the three U.S. Opens at Oakmont since it switched to a par 70 in 2007.Burns needed them to make up for Thursday’s rough ending, when he was one shot out of…

Meta just made a $14.3 billion bet on data-labeling company Scale AI, but it’s not a traditional takeover: Meta’s taking a 49% stake in the company and adding Scale’s co-founder Alexandr Wang to its team. The move signals Meta’s growing urgency to keep up in the AI race, even if its strategy for competing with heavyweights like OpenAI and Google is still a little confusing. Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff, and Anthony Ha break down the deal, dig up an interview from Kirsten’s archives featuring Wang’s early predictions for AI, and ask whether Meta’s really…

DETROIT (AP) — Two Chinese scientists accused of smuggling or shipping biological material into the United States for use at the University of Michigan will remain in custody after waiving their right to a hearing Friday in federal court.Yunqing Jian and Chengxuan Han said in separate court appearances in Detroit that they would not challenge the government’s request to keep them locked up while their cases move forward.“This is a constantly evolving situation involving a large number of factors,” Han’s attorney, Sara Garber, told a judge. She didn’t elaborate and later declined to comment.Han was arrested Sunday at Detroit Metropolitan…