Techin' Geek

YouTube’s comments section is poised for enhancement, coinciding with the introduction of various community-centric features like exclusive paid memberships, as announced during its Made On YouTube event on Wednesday. Commenters will now have the ability to reply using GIFs or leave comments directly from their TVs, while creators will receive new tools to nurture their fan bases, including features for customized moderation, inviting members into VIP-like zones, and providing fans with additional opportunities to help monetize their content.

Comments remain a primary method for YouTube viewers to engage with creators’ content, yet they’ve frequently fallen behind the commenting options available on other social platforms. For example, TikTok recently revealed that commenters can reply to videos using their voice and incorporate polls, photo carousels, and Live Photos in their comments. Spotify allows video podcasters to utilize polls and Q&As to interact with their audiences.

YouTube is gradually catching up by enabling users to leave GIFs in comments and allowing commenting while watching on TV. The latter is facilitated by voice, circumventing the need to awkwardly type “LOL” on a remote control, as per YouTube’s explanation.

Among the notable new features is a customized comment moderation tool tailored to each creator’s requirements. While YouTube provides a standard comment moderation filter, creators might wish to adjust it more specifically, especially during live streams, where monitoring is more challenging. For the moment, the company is referring to this individualized moderation as an “experiment” without disclosing specific technical details on its functionality.

Other features aim to assist creators in expanding their fan bases—and capitalizing on that engagement. These updates come at a time when revenue from ads is no longer the sole way for creators to monetize their videos.

The company announced that its Channel Memberships features are evolving, introducing paid, members-only communities where members can exchange posts and initiate discussions with other top fans. YouTube will promote these communities alongside other memberships on a new “channel memberships” page for viewers, designed to assist them in discovering those that align with their interests.

Hype, a feature that enables fans to recommend videos from smaller creators to others and ascend fan leaderboards, will introduce a new functionality called “Hype with Jewels.” Previously, fans were allowed to “hype” videos three times a week for free. Now they can purchase Jewels, a form of virtual currency, to hype videos more frequently, thereby supporting creators and expanding their audience. Fans seeking recognition may also value that their handles will be permanently included in the video’s description.

YouTube indicated that viewers have hyped more than 75 million unique videos over 1 billion times to date.

The company’s direct messaging function for sharing videos with friends and family will also be upgraded to support group chats in the upcoming months. Users will have the option to record short, spontaneous videos and share them within these conversations as well.

These community-oriented features have been launched alongside additional creator tools, including those for A/B testing, live dubbing, AI-assisted video editing, and beyond.

At Wednesday’s Made On YouTube event, YouTube unveiled several new tools for creators, including a conversational editing feature that utilizes natural language to enhance both long-form and short-form videos.

“A one-hour filming session can take 10 hours or more to edit. So, what if we could expedite that process while maintaining our creative control?” shared YouTuber Happy Kelli during her presentation.

In an interactive chat interface, creators instruct the AI on how to assist them in assembling a video. For instance, in Happy Kelli’s scenario, she presents clips of her dancing in various outfits and requests the AI to identify the best performance for each outfit. Subsequently, she incorporates music and transitions that complement the dance.

“If I ever desire more control, I can return to the editing timeline and make adjustments manually,” she remarked. “In summary, conversational editing transforms the editing journey into a genuine dialogue with a perpetually patient assistant. It’s a collaborative partner that edits alongside you, not on your behalf.”

This capability can also implement text overlays, eliminate speech pauses, and more. Additionally, it can offer suggestions to the creator based on the context of the discussion.

Some creators may find this tool beneficial as it saves time and accelerates the often monotonous video editing process, while others might believe their unique editing style distinguishes their videos and may hesitate to cede control to an AI.

Conversational editing is set to launch for both YouTube Shorts and the YouTube Create app in early 2027.

YouTube is enhancing YouTube Music with new AI-driven functionalities aimed at simplifying how listeners unearth music, investigate artists, and locate podcasts they might otherwise overlook.

Revealed during this year’s Made On YouTube event, the updates feature “Ask Music,” a chat-based tool for music and podcasts, alongside “Your Podcast Lineup,” a customized audio guide intended to assist listeners in discovering fresh shows.

Integrated directly into the YouTube Music app, Ask Music enables users to articulate what they wish to hear in casual language instead of hunting for specific tracks or artists. This functionality operates within YouTube Music’s extensive collection of over 300 million songs, which includes official tracks, remixes, live shows, covers, and DJ performances. Users can utilize it to create tailored listening playlists, investigate an artist’s influences, or delve into musical history.

YouTube underscores that, rather than conducting a manual search, users can simply phrase their request as they would ask a friend. For example, one might ask Ask Music to generate a mix inspired by a specific song. Users can also pose various questions, like identifying the bassist on a particular track or other specifics about its production.

Additionally, YouTube Music is launching Your Podcast Lineup, a tailored AI-created audio resource for discovering podcasts.

This feature addresses a common issue: the overwhelming number of podcasts exceeds the time most individuals can allocate for listening. Even fans with an established list of preferred shows often find it difficult to stay updated with new episodes, much less uncover new ones.

Your Podcast Lineup will appear on the podcast section within the YouTube Music app. Each week, it will deliver a brief spoken preview of recommended programs and clarify why these suggestions might be of interest to the user. It will then seamlessly transition into recommended episodes.

Spotify recently launched an AI-based feature with a similar approach. Its personal podcasts function employs AI to curate podcast episodes based on users’ interests and prompts.

These new features form part of YouTube’s wider initiative to integrate AI across its offerings. Last year, YouTube Music trialed AI-driven music hosts that deliver stories, fan trivia, and commentary connected to the music users are listening to.

Both updates will soon be available to YouTube Music and YouTube Premium subscribers globally.

On Wednesday, sleep technology firm Eight Sleep introduced its latest Pod 6 model, now offered in a more compact size than prior versions for better compatibility with various bed frames, as well as solo options for individual use. The company stated that the device can modify the temperature on each side 20% more quickly than its predecessor.

With its 50% reduced size, the new pod is compatible with most bed frames. The firm asserts that it features 9 times more sensors, allowing it to finely tune temperature adjustments for each sleeper, even when they are close together. Moreover, it can disregard temperature readings from a pet or child sharing the bed with two adults.

Starting today, the Pod 6 is available in over 37 countries, with prices beginning at $1,999 for solo versions and $2,699 for standard variants. The solo models are suitable for twin beds and one side of queen, king, and California King beds. Standard options will be offered in queen, king, and California King sizes. Additionally, it is compatible with existing accessories like a blanket, pillow cover, and base.

In addition to its new sleep solutions, the company is seeking approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to classify its Eight Sleep Pod as a regulated medical device for sleep apnea in the United States.

Earlier this year, Eight Sleep secured $50 million in funding from Tether at a valuation of $1.5 billion. The company has also made strides to enhance its global presence, launching its products in China, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Singapore over the last year, with China emerging as one of its rapidly growing markets.

According to CEO Matteo Franceschetti in a statement to TechCrunch, international sales account for over 30% of the company’s revenue. He indicated that they plan to expand into additional areas of Asia and Latin America. Franceschetti remarked that they are closely monitoring the supply chain issues affecting the electronics industry but did not confirm whether these would affect pricing.

“We definitely see the market changing a little bit because AI companies are requesting a lot of different components. We are adjusting our supply chain [to counter that]. It’s definitely something that we need to watch out for, particularly as our devices become more and more, I would say, compute-heavy and intelligent to be able to provide AI features to our users,” he said.

During its annual Made On YouTube event, YouTube revealed new features for YouTube Studio, the application creators rely on to oversee their channels, designed to assist them in analyzing their videos and expanding their audiences. The enhancements encompass the expansion of Ask Studio, an AI-driven Q&A tool, to iOS and Android, alongside additional features that offer feedback on drafts and generate dynamic thumbnails.

The draft-feedback feature employs AI to examine a creator’s unreleased video and provide recommendations regarding its pacing, structure, and storytelling. YouTube is also introducing a new research feed in the Studio app, displaying to creators what types of content are successful on the platform, enabling them to add their own perspective.

Creators are often discerning about the preview images and titles they select for their videos. The Studio app will now allow them to create thumbnails and titles based on a video’s content, tailored to their style. Additionally, creators can utilize a new dynamic thumbnail feature to produce three options and present each one to different audience segments.

YouTube reported that creators have utilized its A/B testing feature to execute over 40 million tests on titles and thumbnails. Soon, the company stated, users will be able to assess up to three video versions to determine which opening hook is the most effective. Later this year, YouTube Studio will also automatically track thumbnail performance and proactively change one if it underperforms.

YouTube further announced that it’s enhancing its analytics to go beyond mere numerical data, clarifying why videos perform as they do and offering advice on how to improve content engagement.

In addition to the overhaul of the Studio app, YouTube also unveiled further tools for creators, such as conversational editing in Shorts and the YouTube Create app.

Comma.ai, the venture established by hacker George Hotz, is under federal scrutiny following five reported incidents involving the company’s aftermarket hands-free driving assistance technology, with two of those resulting in three fatalities.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) reported this week that the incidents involved Comma devices that failed to identify or react to slow or stationary vehicles in the same lane. In four of the incidents, up to 11 individuals sustained injuries, some of them severe.

Some of these incidents, including at least one of the fatal occurrences, may have involved “forked” or altered versions of Comma.ai’s software, according to the ODI.

Comma.ai was not immediately available for comment. Hotz, who stepped back from the startup’s daily operations in 2022, did not promptly respond to a request for comment.

Established in 2015, Comma.ai produces devices that can be fitted to a variety of contemporary vehicles. The devices — along with Comma.ai’s software, “openpilot,” — are capable of managing a vehicle’s Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Automated Lane Centering (ALC) systems to execute functions “akin to Tesla Autopilot and GM Super Cruise,” based on the startup’s website. The aim is to “make driving relaxed.”

According to Comma.ai’s website, “openpilot can steer, accelerate, and brake automatically for other automobiles within its lane.” Nevertheless, similar to Tesla and GM, Comma.ai cautions drivers that they “must always be ready to regain manual control of the vehicle at any moment, by pressing either pedal or the cancel button.” The company’s device includes a camera-based driver monitoring system to detect distracted or drowsy drivers.

One of the two fatal incidents reportedly occurred in February 2026 in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. A 2022 Toyota RAV4, which was operating FrogPilot, a third-party variant of openpilot, collided with a stationary first responder vehicle.

The Louisiana State Police provided details of a February crash that seemingly aligns with the report in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s database. In its account of the incident, the agency noted that two rear-seat passengers of the Toyota lost their lives.

This story is ongoing…

Ema, a startup utilizing teams of AI agents to streamline corporate processes in HR, IT, and finance, has secured $77 million in a fresh funding round as it seeks to assume more responsibilities traditionally managed by enterprise software and IT services.

The Series B funding round was spearheaded by Bengaluru-based venture capital firm Creaegis, with current investors Accel, Section 32, and Prosus increasing their holdings. This financing elevates the startup’s total funding to $140 million and more than quadruples its valuation since its last funding round in 2024. (Ema chose not to reveal its latest valuation.) The round was entirely composed of primary equity, without any debt or secondary transactions, as confirmed to TechCrunch by the startup.

The investment comes at a time when AI is starting to vie for funds that businesses have historically allocated to enterprise software and IT services. Startups, prominent AI labs, and well-established software firms are all competing to secure a share of that expenditure.

Founded in 2023 by former Google and Coinbase executive Surojit Chatterjee and ex-Okta executive Souvik Sen, Ema is looking to strengthen its presence in that sector. The startup implements its technology, referred to as “AI employees” — systems that manage various AI agents. These assist in executing multi-step business processes across a company’s existing applications, rather than tackling just one task at a time.

Chatterjee envisions that model leading to a reduced dependency on traditional software products for companies, including those offered as software-as-a-service (SaaS). Ema initially “wraps” around an enterprise’s current applications, he stated, before clients can decrease their reliance on some of those products — and, in certain instances, eliminate them completely.

“Numerous customers are already on the path to entirely replace [large SaaS applications], minimizing their dependence on them, as they are becoming akin to mere databases,” Chatterjee remarked.

Capitalizing on AI labs’ initiatives

Recently, leading AI firms have increasingly advanced into the enterprise sector where Ema operates. Anthropic has intensified its efforts to integrate Claude into the fundamental operations of companies, encompassing financial and legal tasks. Likewise, OpenAI has formed teams of forward-deployed engineers who collaborate with clients to implement AI into production.

Nevertheless, Chatterjee does not perceive the cutting-edge AI labs as direct adversaries. He informed TechCrunch that Ema’s software can leverage over 150 models, including cutting-edge and open-source models, while the startup concentrates on the domain expertise, integrations, and orchestration necessary to automate business processes comprehensively.

“Advancements in frontier models are genuinely advantageous to us,” Chatterjee asserted.

Ema’s methodology is already making headway. The startup has secured more than 50 active enterprise agreements, along with over 1 million active enterprise users, and has managed over 5 million actions and inquiries. Its clientele includes NTT DATA, Hitachi, ADP, PwC, Google, KPMG, Wipro, and Microsoft.

Over the last two years, Ema reported a 50-fold revenue increase, with revenue bookings exceeding $150 million. Chatterjee clarified that the bookings figure represents the total value of multiyear contracts, including contracts spanning two and three years, rather than indicating annual recurring revenue. He, however, opted not to share the startup’s current annualized revenue run rate.

Chatterjee shared with TechCrunch that more than 90% of Ema’s clientele has expanded beyond their original use case, with some employing the technology across numerous workflows. The startup’s net dollar retention rate is approximately 180%, he mentioned, indicating that existing clients are increasing their spending with Ema over time.

Ema is also shifting its focus beyond the software itself. AI, Chatterjee noted, can assume control over some of the implementation, integration, and consulting tasks historically assigned to IT services firms regarding enterprise software.

“Many of the service firms are collaborating with us,” Chatterjee stated. “They are also significantly altering or disrupting their business models as they recognize that the human-centric model may not be the most effective approach moving forward.”

Despite undertaking responsibilities traditionally managed by software and service providers, Chatterjee noted that Ema has sustained gross margins of nearly 80%. The startup, he pointed out, necessitates less human assistance as its AI systems adapt from deployments, which helps enhance margins over time.

Ema also does not bill clients based on the number of software seats or AI tokens utilized. Instead, Chatterjee explained, its pricing is linked to task completion and business results.

Much of Ema’s newly acquired capital will be allocated toward augmenting its go-to-market operations, particularly sales and marketing, after dedicating its initial years primarily to product development, Chatterjee stated. The Mountain View-based startup has expanded to nearly 200 employees and maintains offices in Bengaluru, London, and Vancouver.

Ema has primarily concentrated on clients in the U.S. and Europe thus far. However, it now intends to extend into new markets within the next year, especially across Asia-Pacific, South America, and certain regions of the Middle East.

On Monday evening, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in San Francisco to advocate for Greece, engaging in an activity not commonly practiced by state leaders on trade trips. Speaking to an audience of around 250 founders, investors, and operators, he candidly admitted that he lacks answers to numerous AI-related queries that leaders globally are discussing more discreetly.

During our conversation at an event organized by Endeavor Greece, the local branch of a global nonprofit supporting entrepreneurs in developing and growth economies, the prime minister characterized his visit to the Bay Area as, in part, a mission to gather information. He spent the morning visiting Tesla and Sequoia Capital, among other locations, while planning to proceed to this week’s U.N. General Assembly in New York. However, the journey also aimed to foster connections; indeed, he was appealing to anyone in the tech sector who might consider establishing a presence in Greece, which is expected to regain its developed market status from MSCI next year, an influential index provider.

“This reflects another sign that the economy is performing well and that Greece is no longer seen as an exceptional case,” Mitsotakis remarked.

Calling the trip “a homecoming,” Mitsotakis, who holds a master’s degree from Stanford, emphasized the economic narrative during our discussion. Greece is reducing its debt at an unprecedented rate and is also borrowing at lower rates than the United States. “I’m not sure if I should mention this,” he said with a smile to the audience.

This isn’t a like-for-like comparison. The eurozone has lower interest rates, which partially explains the discrepancy. However, it serves as a compelling point for discussion. Currently, Greece’s 10-year bond yield hovers around 4.3%, compared to roughly 5% for U.S. Treasuries. This was entirely unthinkable during the debt crisis, when Greek yields soared past 40% in 2012.

Mitsotakis was keen to discuss Greece’s financial expenditures as well. He mentioned that a significant portion of the approximately €36 billion Greece acquired from the EU’s post-COVID recovery fund was invested in digital infrastructure, which includes an online platform allowing Greeks to manage government paperwork without queuing, and a new supercomputer developed in collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise in Lavrio, which he indicated would be operational within months to enhance AI and scientific research in Greece.

As expected, he also highlighted policy changes that could be even more beneficial to tech companies. Greece has restructured the taxation of stock options, relaxed labor regulations, and provides returning Greeks much lower tax rates for up to seven years.

Additionally, we discussed the nation’s expanding range of visa options, although when queried about how he gauges the success of these, Mitsotakis indicated that the government “still [has] work to do” regarding processing speed.

He also noted a remarkable transformation in Greece’s public universities, which he claimed previously adopted a “radical leftist approach,” disparaging corporations, but are now fostering startup initiatives.

Mitsotakis aims to reclaim the talent Greece lost during its debt crisis when many young citizens departed due to a lack of options. He also recognizes an opportunity: as obtaining American work visas becomes more challenging, he encouraged more founders to contemplate hiring talent in Greece.

I noticed a shift in tone when the discussion turned to the societal impacts of AI. Mitsotakis was refreshingly open about his lack of a comprehensive strategy.

For instance, Greece is planning a ban on social media for children under 15 starting this January, a measure that many nations are also considering or implementing. However, he remarked that this ban might already be outdated, given the seemingly addictive qualities of AI chatbots.

“At times, I feel as though we’re fighting a battle from the past,” he noted. “What implications does it have for our children to grow up with digital companions or romantic partners?”

He expressed similar reservations regarding AI in educational settings. Greece has been piloting an education initiative with OpenAI aimed at alleviating teachers’ administrative burdens, and he sees potential in personalized AI tutors. Nonetheless, he emphasized that these advantages are contingent upon AI complementing rather than substituting “the hard work of mastering fundamental skills.” He cautioned that students are already resorting to chatbots for homework assistance, stating: “complacency is a human characteristic.”

When I inquired about AI infrastructure — Greece is actively seeking data center investments — he characterized the nation as an exception. In contrast to growing global opposition to data centers due to their significant demand for electricity and water, Mitsotakis commented that “we have not encountered any notable backlash” within Greece. He highlighted that Microsoft is constructing a cluster of data centers near Athens, and that AWS recently publicized an agreement with Greece’s largest utility to develop the country’s most extensive data center in a former coal area. According to him, these projects are received positively.

Differing from many politicians, he didn’t feign knowledge regarding future developments. Job displacement “is an occurrence that is going to take place,” he insisted, “and no government or society is equipped for the rapid pace at which it will unfold.”

Regarding the discussion on whether AI development should be slowed, he aligned himself with the frontier lab leaders advocating for that stance. “If those who create the models are expressing uncertainty about their functionality,” particularly regarding their self-enhancement, he commented, “we must heed their warnings.”

Some form of “intelligent regulation” is unavoidable, he noted, and the U.S. will primarily influence its design. Nevertheless, he added, Greece would be eager to facilitate that dialogue.

Humanity has generated “a kind of intelligence that is rapidly exceeding the capabilities of the most sophisticated organ created through evolution,” Mitsotakis stated, raising profound questions about human existence. He proposed uniting technologists with “social scientists, philosophers, and historians,” asserting, “I can’t imagine a better location to engage in these discussions.”

He has a valid point. Athens is where Socrates engaged his fellow citizens in the agora, the historic public square, discussing the essence of a good life and a just society. Perhaps the debates still occurring in Silicon Valley will also find resolution there?

Beginning Wednesday, Discord, the messaging platform for communities, will implement age verification protocols for all users.

This initiative follows the company’s prior postponement of age verification plans in February due to backlash from users worried that biometric scanning and ID verification could threaten their privacy. Those concerns were valid; last year, a third-party vendor collaborating with Discord experienced a breach, potentially compromising the data of 70,000 users, including government ID images and selfies used for identity verification.

“Age assurance invites strong opinions and skepticism, particularly when it involves disclosing biometric data or a type of ID,” stated Discord CTO Stanislav Vishnevskiy in a blog post published on Tuesday. “Simultaneously, age assurance regulations are evolving, and since my previous post, we’ve had to initiate age assurance in additional regions, including Brazil and Texas.”

Nonetheless, Vishnevskiy mentions that over 90% of Discord users will not need to undergo age verification. He clarifies that Discord will utilize existing account information to identify “signals,” such as account longevity (the duration an account has been active), device metadata, activity data, and other usage indicators, to categorize users into adult, teen, or unverified age brackets.

Discord asserts that it does not deduce users’ ages based on message content, profile information, or demographic characteristics.

“The manner in which a typical 15-year-old interacts on Discord (including the number of communities they join and the way they engage with others) differs substantially from that of a typical 30-year-old,” the company outlined in a separate technical blog post published on Tuesday. “Our [machine learning] model has recognized these patterns to assess if a particular account likely pertains to an adult or a teen.”

This does not indicate that Discord is acquiring any new user data. It is commonplace for social media entities to retain this kind of information about their users, although it may feel discomforting to see it expressed so explicitly.

Due to local laws necessitating Discord to employ age assurance technology in specific areas, the company could educate its model on accurately verified data linking user actions to age.

If Discord lacks confidence in a user’s adult status, that user can still verify their age without undergoing biometric or ID scanning. They can appeal by providing credit card details or age-related information from their Apple App Store or Google Play Store accounts.

For confirmed adults, the platform will remain unaffected. However, teen accounts will automatically be restricted from entering age-limited servers or channels. Message requests from individuals who aren’t their friends will redirect to a distinct message requests inbox, and teens will receive notifications upon accepting friend requests from someone they don’t mutually share friends with.

As governments globally persist in enacting age verification mandates to safeguard children online, experts caution that these age checks could introduce various new privacy and security challenges. This predicament presents platforms like Discord with a tough decision: comply or face penalties.