US

TikTok Shop Adjusts E-commerce Requirements

TikTok Shop has reverted its influencer requirements on its US site back to needing at least 5,000 followers, up from the previously lowered threshold of 1,000. Influencers must also be over 18, follow TikTok Shop’s content and community policies, and provide valid government-issued identification for verification. TikTok initially lowered the follower requirement on May 15 to encourage more creators to join its e-commerce platform. This change aims to ensure content quality and platform safety. Influencers who fail identity verification will not receive e-commerce permissions.

Walmart’s Exclusive Sale Event for Members

Walmart will host a major member-only sales event, Walmart+ Week, from June 17 to June 23. This week-long event, earlier than Amazon’s Prime Day, offers exclusive discounts, free delivery within two hours, and three months of free Walmart+ In Home delivery service. Walmart has also announced a mystery deal to be revealed on June 20. Launched in September 2020, the Walmart+ subscription offers various perks and costs $98 annually, with a discounted rate of $49 for qualifying government aid recipients.

Trump Joins TikTok with Huge Impact

Former President Donald Trump joined TikTok on June 1, gaining over 2 million followers within 24 hours and surpassing the Biden campaign’s follower count by six times. His first video, posted under the handle @realdonaldtrump, received more than 38 million views and over 2 million likes in one day. The video, filmed at an Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Newark, New Jersey, has now garnered over fifty six million views. Trump’s campaign team highlighted their commitment to engaging with younger audiences on the platform.

Facebook Attracts More Young Adults

Meta reports a steady increase in young adult users on Facebook in the US and Canada for the past 5 quarters. Over 40 million young adults now use Facebook daily, the highest in three years. Meta has adapted Facebook to cater to young adults by enhancing AI features and improving recommendation technologies across its video ecosystem. The platform also introduced “professional mode” to help users become creators and monetize their content. Facebook has reformed its payment model to reward creators based on their content’s performance, covering all formats including photos, videos, and text.

Globe

Shein’s Surge During Mexico’s Hot Sale

During Mexico’s Hot Sale event, Shein saw a significant increase in app traffic, with AT&T reporting a 1638% rise compared to the previous year. This growth outpaced other e-commerce platforms, with Walmart seeing a nearly 700% increase, Mercado Libre 111%, and Amazon 44%. The first day of the Hot Sale on May 15 marked the peak in app traffic, with Shein’s traffic up by sixty one percent. AT&T’s data also showed that 51% of Mexican internet users made purchases during last year’s Hot Sale, with most buyers aged 25 to 44.

AI

US Department of Justice Scrutinizes AI Content Deals

The US Department of Justice is increasing its scrutiny on AI company transactions involving content. Chief antitrust official Jonathan Kanter emphasized the importance of fair compensation for artists and creators. This comes amid tensions between AI companies and artists, highlighted by Scarlett Johansson’s claim against OpenAI for using her voice in their GPT-4o chatbot without consent. AI companies like OpenAI and Microsoft have faced lawsuits from authors and media organizations for using creative works to train their models. Kanter warned that monopolistic practices in the AI industry, particularly buyer monopolies, could lead to severe consequences and are under close watch by the Justice Department.

Nvidia’s CEO on Generative AI and Accelerated Computing

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang emphasized the transformative potential of generative AI and accelerated computing during his keynote at Computex in Taiwan. He highlighted Nvidia’s leadership in AI hardware, particularly its GPUs, which are essential for developing and scaling new AI applications. Huang introduced the company’s roadmap, featuring upcoming releases like the Rubin successor to Blackwell GPUs, aimed at enhancing performance and efficiency. Nvidia’s innovations promise to reduce costs and energy use for businesses running AI applications. Huang also pointed out that Nvidia’s hardware advancements significantly outpace Moore’s Law predictions, marking a 1000x increase in AI compute over eight years.

Robot Uses AI for Optimal Shock-Absorbing Designs

Researchers at Boston University’s College of Engineering have developed a robot to autonomously create the most efficient shock-absorbing shapes using AI. The robot, known as MAMA BEAR, employs a 3D printer to produce and test plastic structures, continually improving designs based on data. Over three years, the robot has created over 25,000 structures, achieving a record-breaking 75% energy absorption efficiency. The project’s findings could inform the design of safer bike helmets, car bumpers, and military equipment. The team plans to continue exploring autonomous research to enhance material properties.

Sam Altman’s AI Investment Strategies

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been actively discussing his investment strategies and the evolving trends in the AI industry. Altman emphasized the importance of strategic investments in AI research and development to maintain competitive advantage. He highlighted OpenAI’s collaborations with various sectors to integrate AI solutions effectively. Altman also addressed regulatory challenges and the need for ethical considerations in AI deployment. His insights provide a comprehensive overview of the future directions and priorities in AI investments.

AMD Unveils Latest AI Chips

AMD has announced its latest AI chips, aiming to accelerate the timeline for chip updates. The new chips are designed to enhance AI performance and meet the increasing demands of AI workloads. AMD’s strategy focuses on delivering advanced computing solutions that offer improved efficiency and speed. The company is positioning itself as a key player in the AI hardware market, competing with other major tech firms. AMD’s latest innovations reflect its commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI technology.