The Weekly Scoop: Reddit Revolts, Grimace Shakes, and AI Innovations
Greetings, Welcome to The Weekly Dump—your one-stop-shop for the latest news. Let's dive into this week's highlights.
Reddit Communities Go Dark in Data Protest 🌐🔒
Reddit, the front page of the internet, has been hit by a wave of protests as thousands of communities go private. The uproar is in response to Reddit's new API policy, which users argue imposes unfair data charges. The protest has caused a significant disruption to the platform, with many users unable to access their favorite subreddits. Read more here
Grimace Shakes Stir Up McDonald's 🍔🥤
In a bizarre twist, McDonald's has introduced the new Grimace Shakes, and the internet is abuzz. A McDonald's worker shared a sneak peek of the purple concoction, sparking a flurry of reactions online. While some are excited to try the new shake, others are left scratching their heads at the unusual offering. Check out the Grimace Shake here
GrubHub Trims Workforce 🍽️📉
Food delivery giant GrubHub has announced a 15% cut to its corporate workforce, resulting in around 400 layoffs. The company cites the need to maintain competitiveness as the driving force behind the decision. The move comes amidst GrubHub's struggle to capture market share against competitors like Uber Eats and DoorDash. Learn more about GrubHub's decision here
Meta's MusicGen AI Creates Genre Mashups 🎵🤖
Meta's Audiocraft research team has unveiled MusicGen, an open-source AI that can generate new music based on text prompts. The AI can even align the generated music to an existing song, creating unique mashups. The development of MusicGen highlights the growing role of AI in the music industry. Explore MusicGen's capabilities here
AI Translates Silent Speech into Text 🧠📝
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed an AI system that can translate brain activity into continuous text. The system, known as the semantic decoder, could revolutionize communication for people unable to speak due to conditions like stroke. Discover the semantic decoder here
Google Photos Recognizes You from Behind 📸🔍
Google Photos has taken facial recognition to a new level by recognizing people even when they have their backs to the camera. The AI-powered feature uses clothing and other visual cues to identify individuals, improving the app's ability to group photos of the same person. Learn more about this Google Photos update here
An Unlikely Fuel for Cleaner Transportation 🚚⛴️🍃
Ammonia, commonly used as a fertilizer, is now being eyed as a potential fuel for electric vehicles. New York-based startup Amogy is developing technology to convert ammonia into electricity, a process that could revolutionize long-distance transportation. The company has already demonstrated its system on drones, tractors, and semi-trucks, and is now setting its sights on ships. With the right production methods, this technology could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. Read more here
That's all for this week's scoop. Stay curious!
Quote of the week📜🖊
