Threads, the new social conversations app from Mark Zuckerberg and Meta, has soared past the 100 million user mark less than a week after being released.

Rollout of Threads started on June 5 in the Americas and June 6 in the rest of the world, excluding most European countries where it has yet to be approved by EU regulators. Passing the 100 million milestone just five days after launch is no small feat for the platform, which has instantly been hailed as one of the best Twitter alternatives despite missing some key features in its current incarnation.

In fact, it makes Threads the fast-growing app ever according to the data. For reference, global sensation Pokémon Go is estimated to have topped 100 million installs about a month after its launch back in 2016, while ChatGPT took nearly two months to clear the same mark in more recent memory.

The Instagram Threads Story So Far

Shortly after its launch last week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was on Threads with regular updates about the app’s adoption. According to the Facebook and Instagram supremo, Threads got 2 million users in its first two hours; 5 million sign-ups in four hours; and had passed 10 million users in seven hours. After approximately a day, Zuckerberg estimated that more than 30 million people had signed up for the new social media platform.

Attracting that kind of traction is such a short period of time is a major achievement, albeit one that’s made a little bit easier by the fact that “signing up” for Threads is largely a case of linking an existing Instagram account. It’s not to say the launch of app has been all plain sailing, either, as already the Threads privacy policy is taking its fair share of heat.

So too is  a slightly threadbare Threads feature set. Users have been as quick to point out Threads’ shortcomings as they have to download it, including things like the lack of a web interface, no Following feed (and a misfiring algorithm instead only suggesting posts), and the absence of direct messaging functionality. None of that has stopped it being anointed the “Twitter Killer,” however, and further escalating the war of words between Meta CEO and his counterpart at Twitter, Elon Musk.

Zuckerberg vs Musk Just Won’t Go Away

In many ways, Musk vs Zuckerberg needs no introduction. Most rivalries veering towards PPV fight infamy don’t. Yet in the context of Threads and Twitter, there are some genuine points of intrigue. Shortly after the launch of Threads, Twitter bosses wrote to Meta and warned it against using “trade secrets” in the development of its new platform. Musk, of course, was more blunt in his outward appraisal of the situation, saying: “Competition is fine, cheating is not.”

Central to the cease-and-desist letter are accusations that ex-Twitter employees poached by Meta have brought various bits of intellectual property with them. It might be difficult to prove, given that the idea of text-based online discussion is almost as old as the internet itself, going back at least as far as the Usenet and BBS forums of yesteryear.

That hasn’t stopped Musk from seeking to further escalate his public dispute with Zuckerberg. Over the weekend, the Tesla and SpaceX billionaire was characteristically active online, saying that Threads is “just Instagram minus the pics” before later tweeting: “Zuck is a cuck.” The latter snippet is being interpreted as an archaic attack on Zuckerberg’s masculinity, as it potentially alludes to the medieval insult “cuckold.”

Threads Still Missing That Killer Feature

If Threads wants to kill off Twitter, its rapid adoption suggests it’s well placed to do so. However, it’s unlikely to render the rival platform null and void unless it brings something new to the party and can carve out an identity of its own, beyond being “Twitter before Twitter was ruined.” In other words, Musk isn’t actually that wide of the mark: Threads is basically just another text-based social app, albeit one that promises more proactive community moderation and friendlier vibes as a result.

Its “killer feature,” if it has one at this early stage of its existence, is the promise of integration with the fediverse. What is the the fediverse, we hear you ask? The portmanteau of “federated” and “universe” is a relatively new concept that basically refers to a loose networks of decentralized servers sharing data with one and other.

In relation to social media, it basically means that not only will Threads let you share and interact with people across Meta’s stable of apps, like Facebook and Instagram, but also third-party ones, with Mastodon being the first integration that has been mooted. This kind of distinctive feature is something that would not only convert disenfranchised Twitter users into Threaders, but also help win over the TikTok demographic – and the all-important advertising clout that comes with them.

Unfortunately, like much of Threads, it seems fediverse integration isn’t quite catwalk ready at this stage.

OpenAI and Meta are being sued for copyright infringement in US District Court by a trio of authors including the comedian Sarah Silverman.

At the heart of the lawsuit are allegations that OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 and Meta’s LLaMA Large Language Models (LLM) were trained using copyrighted works illegally scraped from book torrenting websites.

As well as Silverman’s works, including her 2010 memoir Bedwetter,  books by Chris Golden (Ararat) and Richard Kadrey (Sandman Slim) are also cited as examples of the LLMs summarizing copyrighted works without attribution.

Sarah Silverman vs OpenAI and Meta Explained

While closely linked, the lawsuits being levelled by the authors against OpenAI – which owns ChatGPT – and Meta are actually two separate filings.

The main exhibits cited against OpenAI are ChatGPT responses to prompts for summaries of the works of Silverman and her co-plaintiffs. Here, the primary issue cited is the fact that these digests are produced without “any of the copyright management information Plaintiffs included with their published works.”

In the complaint against Meta, the authors claim that the datasets used by the Facebook, Instagram and Threads owner to train its LLaMA model include illegally acquired materials gleaned from “shadow library” websites such as Bibliotik, a torrenting website for books that works similar to how the infamous Pirate Bay network does for movie and TV show downloads.

Multiple Literary Lawsuits Leveled at OpenAI

The dual-actions featuring Sarah Silverman and her works are just the latest literary lawsuits to be leveled at OpenAI in quick succession.

Having teamed up in November 2012 under the LLM Litigation banner, California area lawyers Joseph Saveri and Matthew Butterick are spearheading the legal actions on behalf of both Silverman’s trio and two more authors, Paul Tremblay and Mona Awad. Filed at the end of June, Tremblay and Awad’s lawsuit similarly accuses of the OpenAI language models underlying ChatGPT of “ingesting” their copyrighted works when collecting data across the internet to help train the chatbot.

In addition to these claims, Saveri and Butterick are also overseeing lawsuits on behalf of developers (vs. AI coding platform GitHub Copilot, in which Microsoft is named a co-defendant) and artists (vs. AI image generator Stable Diffusion).

OpenAI Lawsuits

Separate to these, OpenAI is facing a further $3 billion class action lawsuit from a group of anonymous individuals who claim that the “secret scraping” of data conducted to train ChatGPT models amount to nothing less than “data theft.”

Overall, initial enthusiasm for AI technology and its flag-bearer seems to be waning for the first time. ChatGPT use has declined for the first time since its public launch, while real questions are starting to emerge over how ChatGPT saves your data.

These are just some of the many ethical issues starting to emerge around artificial intelligence and companies like OpenAI, with the lawsuits starting to flood in from the creative industries potentially just the the tip of the iceberg. Who will have the last laugh? If not the robots themselves, then it really does seem to be anyone’s guess.

Meta Accused of “Cheating” by Twitter

The crux of the issue in the cease-and-desist letter is Twitter’s claim that Meta has poached a large number of former employees in the past year. Some of these ex-Twitter employees are said to have “had and continue to have access to Twitter’s trade secrets and other highly confidential information” and “many” of whom have “improperly” kept Twitter documents or electronic devices.

The letter continues: “With that knowledge, Meta deliberately assigned these employees to develop, in a matter of months, Meta’s copycat ‘Threads’ app with the specific intent that they use Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property in order to accelerate the development of Meta’s competing app, in violation of both state and federal law as well as those employees’ ongoing obligations to Twitter.”

It’s unclear at this time what evidence Twitter has to back up its claims that these former employees stole trade secrets and used them in the development of Threads. Musk took to his platform to condemn Meta on Thursday, in a tweet which read: “Competition is fine, cheating is not.” 

Meta Defends New “Twitter Killer” Platform

Meta was quick to refute claims of any wrongdoing. In a Threads post, Meta’s communications director, Andy Stone said: “No one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee — that’s just not a thing.”

People around the world (excluding the European Union for the time being) can now get Threads in seconds using their Instagram account or by downloading the app. 

Threads benefits from an in-built user base thanks to its seamless access via Instagram which already has millions of active monthly users. The ease in which a Threads account can be created has clearly led to its early success, garnering the title of the most rapidly downloaded app of all time.

A Final Nail in the Coffin for Twitter?

Launched in 2006, Twitter now faces an uncertain future, with a string of public mishaps, layoffs and lawsuits since the Tesla and SpaceX chief, Elon Musk took the helm in October 2022.

This lawsuit is yet another in a string of legal cases the social platform is currently battling, the only difference being that it was initiated by Twitter themselves. 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk completed the deal to acquire Twitter at his original offer price of $54.20 a share at a total cost of roughly $44 billion. 

However, the social media platform has reportedly seen an ad sales slump and drop in users. Will Meta’s Threads platform be the final nail in the coffin for Twitter? Only time will tell. 

Despite one or two recent blips in usability, OpenAI is pushing on with development of its next-gen chatbot model and has just announced the general availability of GPT-4.

In a blog post, the company announced that all existing OpenAI API developers, who have a “history of successful payments”, will be able to access the latest text-generating model. 

Plans to open up GPT-4 access to new developers are in the works, too, and expected to go live by the end of July. This is likely to be followed by OpenAI, who owns ChatGPT, raising availability limits “depending on compute availability”, which it has struggled with recently as the demand for generative models rapidly increases.

Developers Have Been Ready For Quite Some Time

According to the OpenAI blog, millions of developers have been calling for access to the GPT-4 API since March 2023. With the capabilities of the model outweighing anything these devs have used before, it’s little wonder the demand has grown.

The system’s predecessor, GPT-3.5, only accepted text, so developers are understandably keen to explore the possibilities of a model that can generate code, and accept image and text inputs.

However, before you get too excited it’s worth knowing that the image-understanding functionality won’t be available right away. This is still in testing with the AI-powered virtual assistance app Be My Eyes. It’s not yet known when this capability will go live.

Much like previous GPT models, GPT-4 has been trained using publicly available data, such as content from web pages, as well as data licensed by OpenAI itself.

It’s All Hands on Deck For Refining The Models

With reports of ChatGPT’s fake news seemingly surfacing every other day, we know the system isn’t perfect. As well as being unable to introduce security vulnerabilities into the code it creates, it’s becoming well known for its hallucinations and information errors.

OpenAI is well aware of these hindrances and has said it will allow developers to “fine-tune” GPT-4 and GPT-3.5 Turbo – one of the original models that powers ChatGPT – with their own data. The caveats are, they must have been able to do it with several other of the system’s text-generating models, and they won’t be able to get hands-on until later this year.

The APIs keep Coming, But Older Models Will Disappear

Not content with making GPT generally available, OpenAI have also opened up the APIs for DALL-E 2 – the company’s image-generating model – and Whisper – its speech-to-text model.

However, you can expect to see older models of the system – such as GPT-3 – becoming unavailable. It’s understood they can’t keep up with computer capacity and will be replaced with a new, more efficient “base GPT-3” model. OpenAI has stated it’ll provide developer support with the transition.

“In the coming weeks, we will reach out to developers who have recently used these older models, and will provide more information once the new completion models are ready for early testing,” OpenAI said in a statement. 

Developers will have until January 4th 2024 to manually upgrade their old models.

For businesses in New York City, a new law states they must prove that any AI tools used in their hiring process are free from racism and sexism.

Concerns have steadily grown around the data this type of AI software – known as an Automatic Employment Decision Tool, or AEDT – is trained on. So now, it must pass a third-party audit.

The ruling comes into effect on Wednesday 12th July, and is believed to be the first of its kind. AI may be creeping in to every aspect of work life, but now we’re seeing a stricter call for accountability.

Companies Using The Software Need To Be Transparent

AEDTs have fast become a popular tool in the recruitment process owing to the vast amount of applicants businesses get per job listing.

“In the age of the internet, it’s a lot easier to apply for a job and there are tools for candidates to streamline that process. Like ‘give us your resume and we will apply to 400 jobs. [Businesses] get just too many applications. They have to cull the list somehow, so these algorithms do that for them.” – Cathay O’Neil, CEO of consulting firm Orcaa

However, studies have shown that AI programs in general can display racism, sexism and other biases. This has understandably led to calls for an investigation on whether potential job candidates are being ruled out unfairly.

The new law states that companies who operate with these recruitment tools need to have them audited or they’ll be using them illegally. More than this, they’ll have to publish the results of the audits in an effort to provide total transparency. 

New York’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection will be the ones to enforce the law and investigate complaints of company violations. However, it’s not yet known how and to what extent.

Regulation of AI Tools Is Growing

Businesses the world over are scrambling to figure out which AI tools are beneficial to them. However, their use won’t remain without regulation. We’ve already seen the impact of what happens in the legal sector when ChatGPT is asked to contribute to research. Spoiler alert: fines and red faces. 

As well as this there are plagiarism and cybersecurity issues. All of these unknowns have led to tech company executives and federal lawmakers calling for regulation.

While we don’t yet know what this could look like, it’s important to note that Italy temporarily blocked ChatGPT for potentially violating European Union Data protection laws.

This Move Is Progress, But Not Foolproof

While the new law has generally been well received by workers and regulators, it’s not without flaws. Gaps remain in the auditing requirements that include disability or aged-based discrimination. 

As well as this, there’s no concrete evidence that the AI tools are particularly great at selecting potential employees. It’s more about reducing the volume of applications.

So while the audits will be beneficial in reducing biases, a wider question remain on whether the tools need further refining before widespread use.

Volkswagen announced that it will begin testing autonomous vehicles in the United States, starting with a fleet of driverless ID. Buzz electric microbuses. The test will take place on public roads in Austin, Texas, starting later this month, using a fleet of ten self-driving vehicles equipped with partner Mobileye’s technology.

The news comes after the German automaker, which had previously made a misstep by investing in Ford’s now closed self-driving car unit, Argo, has been partnering with supplier Mobileye. 

The strategic change in direction saw VW bring the development of its driverless technology in-house under the supervision of Mobileye, pioneers in driver-assist technology for 20 years. 

Volkswagen ADMT: Another New Subsidiary

The company will create a new subsidiary called Volkswagen ADMT, with offices in Austin and Belmont, California. Employees from the failed EV company, Argo, will staff this new division. 

Autonomous ID. Buzz vehicles with fleet management and “remote guidance solutions” will also be sold to “other leading companies in the mobility and transportation space,” the company said.

The aim of these tests is to bring driverless goods delivery and ride-hailing services to the US in 2025. A mission many other automotive companies have tried at but not yet achieved in the past decade.

Volkswagen has already been testing its self-driving ID. Buzz in Germany, where it plans to launch commercial robotaxi and delivery services in 2025. VW plans to offer this service via another of their subsidiaries, Moia. 

VW’s autonomous driving software is developed by Cariad, yet another subsidiary of Volkswagen, which recently appointed Bentley’s production boss, Peter Bosch, to turn around its struggling division in a shake up which saw several other of Cariad’s C-suite replaced.

What’s the Buzz About the ID. Buzz?

The ID. Buzz is a new electric vehicle from Volkswagen that is inspired by the much-loved classic Microbus of the 1960s and 1970s. The self-driving version of the ID. Buzz will be equipped with a variety of sensors and software that will allow it to navigate roads and avoid obstacles without human intervention. The electric vehicle, which was introduced publicly last month, will be available to buy in 2024. 

Volkswagen chose Austin as the location for its self-driving testing program because the city has a reputation for being supportive of innovation and has a favorable climate for autonomous vehicle testing. The company plans to test the ID. Buzz in a variety of driving scenarios, including in traffic, on highways, and in urban areas.

The testing program is part of Volkswagen’s broader strategy to develop self-driving technology. The company has said that it plans to launch a commercial self-driving ride-hailing service in the United States and Europe by 2026.

In a decade-long pursuit to bring safe, driverless vehicles to the public, the testing of these cars is still in its early stages but is gaining momentum as more and more companies invest in this technology. Volkswagen’s testing program in Austin is a significant milestone in the development of self-driving vehicles, and it is likely to be closely watched by other companies in the industry.

A member of the US Navy’s information security research team has this week published an experimental tool that exploits incoming file restraints within Microsoft Teams.

Named TeamsPhisher, the Python-based tool takes advantage of an unresolved security flaw. It means attackers can bypass Teams’ file-sending restrictions to undertake standard phishing or infection techniques, such as sharing malware. 

While the TeamsPhisher tool was created for authorized U.S Navy operations, it flagged up the wider security risk that threat actors can use to target businesses. This appears to be the latest in cybersecurity issues currently plaguing Microsoft, having recently denied large scale DDoS attacks.

How Does TeamsPhisher Work?

Ultimately what’s happening here is that the client-side systems are being tricked into thinking of an external user as an internal Teams one. TeamsPhisher does this by changing the ID in a message’s POST request, and all that’s needed to use it is a valid Teams and Sharepoint license. 

The tool begins by verifying that the target user exists and can receive external messages. From there, it creates a new thread between itself and the target and sends a message with a Sharepoint attachment link.

The attacks can be batched, by giving TeamsPhisher the attachment, a message and list of users to target. It will upload the attachment to the sender’s Sharepoint and work through each recipient while repeating its actions.

The tool is sophisticated enough to provide a preview for attackers, helping them verify their target lists and ensure the message looks unsuspecting from a recipient’s point of view. A number of features could even be used to refine attacks, including sending secure file links that can only be viewed by the chosen recipient.

Although the tool was built for authorized red team operations, it’s clear to see how easily malicious actors could take advantage of the tool and these vulnerabilities.

A Resolution Won’t Be Immediate

The issue that TeamsPhisher exploits was initially flagged last month by UK-based cybersecurity experts Jumpsec. Microsoft was made aware of it, but told Jumpsec researchers that it didn’t meet the bar for immediate servicing. 

Despite the ability for attackers to spread malware without being detected, Microsoft has stated that it considers the attacks to rely on social engineering to be successful. 

In a statement to BleepingComputer, Microsoft added “we encourage customers to practice good computing habits online, including exercising caution when clicking on links to web pages, opening unknown files, or accepting file transfers.”

So while a system repair may not be on the horizon right now, there are a few safety precautions organizations can take to protect from getting attacked: Creating an allow-list for trusted domains can help limit the risk, as can disabling communication with external tenants if they’re not explicitly needed.

A recent survey has revealed that 75% of consumers would stop using a brand if they’ve been hit by a ransomware attack.

Over 1,000 consumers were surveyed and the results showed that a hefty majority (81%) felt “very scared or worried” that their data was being held by an organization that didn’t have robust enough cybersecurity. So much so, that one third of them would be prepared to move to a competitor brand. 

Consumers Are Savvier With Security Now More Than Ever

In a world where data breaches seem to be happening every other week, consumers understandably place a huge importance on the security of their data. This, in turn, has led to justified demands that the vendors who hold their data must employ appropriate protection. 

The survey from backup appliance company Object First, found that 55% of respondents favor brands with data protection measures such as password protection, access management strategies, and a reliable backup and recovery plan.

For those who have experienced an attack on a brand, 30% lose all confidence in the company’s data protection plan, and one third demand evidence of a resilient backup and recovery strategy.

Let’s Hear It for the Data Protection Plans

Interestingly, 61% of consumers revealed that a second ransomware attack on a brand was enough for them to reevaluate their negative perception of a data protection and recovery plan. It seems that any doubts around their effectiveness disappear when in the midst of an attack.

So while the demand for a backup and recovery practice is clear, it’s more nuanced than brands simply being aware they could be subject to ransomware. A proactive approach is the right approach, saving security teams the costly and time-sensitive pressures of being responsive should an attack happen.

“Given the indispensable role of data in today’s world, it is no wonder consumers are seeking greater protection as organizations generate and consume more data than ever. While preventing a ransomware attack is the ideal scenario, it is not always feasible. Consumers take data protection seriously, and organizations must prioritize safeguarding consumer data against modern threats. ” – David Bennett, CEO of Object First.

By providing a comprehensive and tough data protection plan, brands are more likely to retain their reputation and the confidence of their consumers.

Gen Z Appear More Tolerant Of Attacks

A further insight from the survey revealed that ransomware attacks are viewed differently by different generations.

A higher percentage of Gen Z (37%) will happily take an apology over monetary compensation (12%). But Baby Boomers are less likely to be satisfied with either, as 74% of them state their trust in a vendor would be “irreparably damaged after suffering more than one ransomware attack.”

However, what the survey has shown is that safeguarding consumer data with tools like password managers and VPNs should be a key consideration for brands, particularly as it seems to have risen sharply in demand.

While a robust strategy should be made specific to your company, simple steps such as encrypting sensitive user data, only collecting essential information, and implementing multi-factor authentication will all help too.

A new social media app approaches! A Twitter-clone from Meta — dubbed Threads — has officially launched, and it’s already drawing condemnation from critics for its privacy policy.

Meta doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to protecting user data. Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram have all experienced their fair share of breaches and leaks, with scandals marring the company’s overall reputation for privacy.

Now, the new app is receiving criticism for its privacy policy, but is it actually problematic?

What Data Does Threads Track?

As is often the case with social media apps, the Threads privacy policy sounds a bit intrusive. Here’s a quick list of all the data that the app tracks when you use or interact with it, according to the Threads Supplemental Privacy Policy:

• Profile information
• User activity
• Followers and other connections
• Third party service and user data
• App, browser, and device information

However, if you do a quick glance at the Data Safety section in the Google Play Store or the App Privacy section in the Apple App Store, you’ll see that the data available to Threads is quite extensive. Some tracked data that falls into the above categories include sexual orientation, credit score, and health and fitness info.

Threads Privacy Policy Concerns

All that data may sound like a lot to track for a simple Twitter clone. However, the reality is that, compared to other Meta apps like Facebook and Instagram, it’s par for the course, with all three tracking the data listed above.

On the other hand, according to the Google Play Store, Twitter collects far less data and, even better, shares none of it with third-party services. This is likely one of many reasons why Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey — the current and former heads of Twitter — felt comfortable speaking out about the privacy policy.

All your Threads are belong to us https://t.co/FfrIcUng5O pic.twitter.com/V7xbMOfINt

— jack (@jack) July 4, 2023

A mere 20 minutes after the above tweet, Elon Musk chimed in with his signature brevity online with nothing more than a simple “Yeah” to show his support for the sentiment.

Meta’s History on Privacy

Whether or not Threads is a significant privacy concern or just another Meta app that collects too much data remains to be seen for now. What we do know is that the company formerly known as Facebook has not been great when it comes to protecting its users’ privacy.

For starters, Meta was fined $1.3 billion earlier this year for violating the EU’s data privacy rules. In fact, the company’s history of bad data privacy is holding up the launch of Threads in the EU, which makes the 30 million users on day one even more impressive.

On top of that, you’ve got the infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal that saw an unprecedented level of access to user data that was used for everything from influencing elections to scamming people out of money.

All that to say, Meta may not be worthy of our user data given its history, but apparently people are willing to do anything to get off of Twitter.

Earlier this week, Meta launched Threads — the Twitter alternative that is connected through Instagram. Millions of users have already signed up, dwarfing other Twitter alternatives in the process.

Amongst all the new posts and Musk memes, users noticed a new word that could have a big impact on how you connect with others online.

So, what is the fediverse and what does is mean for the future of social media?

Meta and the Fediverse

If you’re one of the 30 million users that signed up for Threads in the first day, you likely saw a brief explainer page that gave you a quick overview of what to expect from the new social media app. It explained that the app is part of the Instagram platform and gave a little nod to the terms of service and privacy policy.

However, there was an additional explainer from Threads that had some users scratching their heads, which read: Future versions of Threads will work with the fediverse, a new type of social media network that allows people to follow and interact with each other on different platforms, such as Mastodon.

As far as explainers go, it was admittedly pretty brief. Fortunately, Meta put out an in-depth overview of the fediverse and how it will work in the future.

“Our vision is that Threads will enable you to communicate with people on other fediverse platforms we don’t own or control. This means that your Threads profile can follow and be followed by people using different servers on the fediverse. Your content and information may be shared with those servers, for example, if you interact with content from other servers or if you have followers from other servers.”

So, what does that mean for everyday users? Honestly, there’s nothing to worry about right now, but it points to future plans by Meta for how users will interact on social media down the line.

What Is the Fediverse?

According to the blog post from Instagram, the fediverse — which is a portmanteau of “federation” and “universe” — is “a social network of different servers operated by third parties that are connected and can communicate with each other.”

Obviously, in the case of Meta, there are a lot of apps that are already part of the same ecosystem, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and now Threads. The fediverse, however, would allow even more expansive integration. You’d be able to use your Instagram account to interact with Mastodon, for example, which is not affiliated with Meta in any capacity.

Effectively, it would allow you to use and connect your various social media accounts to access and interact with other social media accounts that aren’t necessarily connected by standard means.

This could be a big step in creating a more cohesive social media experience across the entire internet. That is, if Zuck can figure out this ‘verse better than the last one.

Zuck Loves a Good ‘Verse

Let’s be honest, this isn’t the first time Mark Zuckerberg has gotten excited about a particular ‘verse. In fact, it feels like yesterday that the company was rebranding itself as Meta in service of a Metaverse push to bring users into the virtual world of social media.

However, despite the massive investment in the Metaverse, the social media giant has substantially dialed back the push for the immersive virtual world due to an overwhelming lack of interest and the looming recession.

The fediverse could end up going the same route, although there are certainly more social media users asking for an integrated solution that allows for cross-platform use than a virtual meeting room filled with animated versions of your coworkers, so we’ll have to see how it all shakes out.

Is the ChatGPT honeymoon already over? The popular generative AI platform has reportedly had a decline in monthly traffic and unique visitors for the first time since it launched in November 2022.

There’s no denying that ChatGPT has had a significant impact on the business world over the last few months. Employees around the world have used it for everything from emails to coding, and productivity has enjoyed a notable bump as a result.

However, with so many AI alternatives popping up, it’s possible that the sun is already setting on the explosive popularity of ChatGPT.

AI on Decline in June

According to insights from Similarweb.com, ChatGPT isn’t soaring like it was just last month. The monthly worldwide traffic fell by 9.7%, with US use falling even more, declining by 10.3% from May to June.

Traffic wasn’t the only metric that ChatGPT saw a decline in, either. Its unique visitor numbers were down by 5.7% and time spent using the service declined by 8.5% during the same time period.

ChatGPT isn’t the only generative AI platform that is having trouble. Character AI, a service that allows you to interact with AI-generated personalities in real time, also saw a drop in worldwide visits by 32% from May to June.

ChatGPT Growing Pains

While ChatGPT saw unfettered success over the course of the last few months, it has since begun to falter in some major ways. For starters, organizations have begun banning the use of ChatGPT at work for employees. Companies like Samsung and Apple have both put restrictions on the tech, and even US Congress has insisted that staff limit their use of the generative AI platform.

On top of that, security concerns have begun to creep up as ChatGPT has gotten more popular. Some account credentials were even discovered on the dark web, encouraging many users to investigate the ChatGPT privacy policy to find out what kind of data gets saved on the platform.

That’s not all, either. Pushes to regulate AI platforms like ChatGPT have been fervent from government officials and tech experts have been vocal about its potential negative impacts. Pioneers like Steve Wozniak and even Elon Musk have signed open letters calling for pauses to the technology to explore the potential ramifications of exploring the tech unchecked.

All that to say, the decline of ChatGPT is understandable, given the number of problems that have arisen in just the last few months.

The Beginning of the End for AI?

While these declining numbers and mounting controversies are likely causing some concern at OpenAI, the reality is that ChatGPT was so popular for so long that a monthly decline was bound to happen at some point. After all, the service saw meteoric growth in a few short months, dwarfing even the popularity of pandemic-era Zoom, which saw its fair share of security problems as a result of the influx of new users.

In earnest, there aren’t enough people on Earth for ChatGPT to maintain its level of growth over such a short period of time. That, combined with the “eye-watering” infrastructure costs made a decline in users inevitable for the generative AI platform.

Simply put, ChatGPT isn’t going anywhere. The technology remains a groundbreaking new tool when it comes to productivity, and it will likely have a notable impact on the world at large over the course of its lifetime. Still, if it doesn’t address some of the more pressing concerns, it could leave the door open for an alternative like Google Bard to take the top spot.

Meta’s new Twitter rival, Threads, is taking the social media world by storm and has already racked up over 10 million users in its short life, according to Mark Zuckerberg.

The Meta CEO is promoting Threads, or Instagram Threads in full, as one of the best Twitter alternatives and a more “friendly” place to have online conversations, with the unavoidable comparison being with the avian-themed app bought by Elon Musk last October. Already, Threads is available to download in over 100 countries worldwide, including the US and UK. That number would be even larger, but the app is not yet available in the EU due to regulatory issues. Rolling out Threads this week, Meta simply called the platform a “new way to share with text.”

It added that the version of Threads now available is an “initial” product but that new features will be rolled out in the future, including the ability to interact with users on other social media platforms like Mastodon.  At present, Threads allows you to share posts of up to 500 characters, follow other users, and participate in conversations with them.

How to Use Threads and First Impressions

Getting started with Threads is simple enough. We’ll cover the basics here, but for a more detailed look we also have a guide on how to get Instagram Threads.

That said, all you really need to do is go to the relevant app store and download Threads. Here are the links you need to get started:

• Download Instagram Threads for iOS
• Download Instagram Threads for Android

After that, you’ll be prompted to log-in with Instagram. There doesn’t seem to be the option to create a new account just for Threads, so if you don’t already have an Insta account but want to check out Threads, it looks like you’ll have to sign up.

After that, you’ll be invited to follow the same accounts you do on Instagram. One thing we noticed in our early use of Threads is that hitting the ‘Follow All’ button at this point sends a new personal follow to request to everyone on your following list. There’s no question it’s convenient, but make sure you’re happy with nudging everyone you follow as we can think of certain cases where this might not be ideal.

Also, bear in mind if you’ve set your Threads to public that both your Following and Followers lists will be public, too. Again, there may be instances where this isn’t something you want, especially if you’ve set your Instagram to private, as many people do because of how personal sharing photos is.

Once you’re all set up, you can then start interacting on Threads. Just like on Twitter, you reply, re-share and quote posts. And like both Twitter and Instagram, you’ll notice that your feed isn’t just posts from people you follow but also heavily populated with recommended content. We’d love the option to filter this out, as our initial impression is that our feed is definitely on the spammy side. Of course, as with other social media platforms you can hide, block, and report other users on Threads.

From a business perspective, it’s also worth noting that Instagram’s considerable e-commerce reach doesn’t seem to extend to Threads right now, though we’re sure Meta has some B2C ambitions for its new platform.

The Latest Twist in Zuckerberg vs Musk Rivalry

Twitter owner Elon Musk and Zuckerberg have been involved in a mudslinging match recently when it comes to their social media platforms. Zuckerberg has said he has high hopes from Threads and sees a future featuring a “public conversations app with more than 1 billion people on it.

He added that “Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn’t nailed it” and that keeping Threads positive is the “key to its success” — a not-so-thinly veiled jibe at Twitter’s current reputation as a breeding ground for online trolls and less than savory debate.

At the time of writing, it has attracted 10 million users in a short space of time, so these ambitions could well be realistic. After all, Facebook has nearly 3 billion users.

Musk, naturally, fired back, stating “It is infinitely preferable to be attacked by strangers on Twitter, than indulge in the false happiness of hide-the-pain Instagram.”

At the moment it’s just words that Zuckerberg and Musk are exchanging, but it could soon turn physical. Last month Musk challenged Zuckerberg to a cage match, to which he shot back the message “send me location.”

Regardless of whether the grudge match takes place or not, one thing is for sure, the fight for social media domination between the two just got very real.

Threads vs Twitter: Is It Even a Fight?

One has to wonder how long Meta and Mark Zuckerberg have had Threads up their sleeve, but they couldn’t have hoped for a more opportune time to strike.

Since Musk’s takeover of Twitter last year, the erstwhile social media giant has been mired in controversy after controversy: from firing over half the workforce, to not paying bills, and even being threatened with eviction. It has also welcomed back many of its most controversial users that were banned in the pre-Musk era.

Twitter was no doubt hoping the recent appointment of ex-NBCUniversal ads boss Linda Yaccarino as new CEO would kickstart a revival, but the launch and runaway early success of Threads may in fact suggest something very different — that a true Twitter killer has finally landed.

Present-day Twitter is almost unrecognizable from the social media platform Elon Musk acquired last October.

From its new recommendation algorithm to its laissez-faire approach to content moderation, searching for the latest news and gossip can feel a lot like navigating the Wild West. Combine this with the complete commodification of its verification system and the new “temporary post limit” placed on unverified users, and even many of Twitter’s most loyal users have had enough.

But as Twitter users jump ship at record rates, a number of viable alternatives are emerging from the woodwork, including Threads, a text-sharing platform cooked up by Meta that’s shaping up to be its biggest rival yet.

If you’re ready to move on from Twitter, see how the blue birds competitors compare at a glance below, or read on for deeper dives into their features and comparison points.

Threads

• Potentially the most convenient Twitter alternative
• Reached 70 million users in just two days (and climbing rapidly)

As if accepting an invitation to cage-fight Elon Musk wasn’t enough, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerburg recently launched Twitter competitor, Threads — a new social media platform that describes itself as “Instagram’s text-based conversational app.”

Threads offers a lot of similar functionality to Twitter, letting users share text-based posts, images, and videos, and message other accounts privately. Screenshots of the app reveal a striking resemblance to Twitter’s interface too, suggesting that it’ll be a smooth transition for those comfortable with Twitter’s design.

Since the social media app is run by Instagram, it lets you connect with existing followers. This means the app is easier to get started on than other alternatives like Bluesky or Mastodon.

Who Is Threads best suited for?

+ Great for sharing more with friends and family
– Fewer privacy controls

Threads’ integration with Instagram makes it ideal for those that use Twitter to keep up to date with family and friends. Its verification system, that works similarly to Facebook and Instagram, makes it easier to detect trusted users too.

However, Meta currently collects a lot more user data than Twitter, so if privacy is one of your top concerns we’d recommend sticking with the blue bird, or switching to another platform with better data safeguarding, like Mastodon.

Read more: What is Instagram Threads?

Mastodon

• Best fully decentralized Twitter alternative
• 10 million users

Mastodon is a non-profit German-born social media site that’s profited massively from Twitter’s sinking ship – amassing 70,000 new users in the month following Musk’s takeover.

Mastodon relies on open-source technology, allowing anyone to edit or install its software onto their server. Built with the ambitious aim of “democratizing social media” the platform is being dubbed as one of Twitter’s biggest threats, despite its starkly different structure.

The Mastodon app is made up of a collection of federated servers called ‘Instances’ which act as individual communities with their own distinct rules and purposes. Each of these platforms can connect to each other through nodes, creating an interconnected network called “Fediverse.”

Confused? Read our guide to Mastodon to learn about how the micro-blogging platform works in greater detail.

Who is Mastodon best suited for?

+ More power to the users
 – Potentially more confusing to set up

Both social media apps share surprisingly similar features, with Mastodon users being able to fire off short messages with ‘Toots’ instead of Tweets. Both platforms use hashtags and allow users to reply, bookmark, and re-share content.

However, this is pretty much where the similarities end. Mastodon’s community servers are more reminiscent of Reddit than Twitter. But if you’re looking for a completely decentralized way to share content and connect with new communities, it could be a great substitute.

Discord

• Best for connecting with smaller communities
• 140 million users

Discord started out as an instant-messaging app for gamers but has since evolved into a multi-purpose platform where users can connect over a wide variety of shared interests.

Unlike Twitter, which offers a single public network, Discord lets its users communicate in public and private spaces — called “servers.” On these servers, users can call or text other members about a variety of topics including anime, cryptocurrency, and of course, gaming.

“We’re not really a platform where you’re scrolling mindlessly through a feed liking posts,” – Rick Ling, Discord’s Head of Product and Communities

On the surface, Discord and Twitter serve pretty different purposes. But with the app’s user base tripling since 2019, it’s clear that Discord is sweeping up some of Twitter’s former users. So how do the apps compare side by side?

Who is Discord best suited for?

+ Great for niche interest groups
– Harder to build a public following

Just like Twitter, Discord can be used to share information and discuss topical content. Both apps also allow you to send messages directly too, alongside broadcasting to broader audiences.

However, unlike Twitter’s micro-blogging platform, Discord operates more like a chat room, making it more suited for people trying to connect with new communities and bond over niche interests.

Discord’s server-based model offers a welcomed respite from Twitter’s doom-scrolling too. But due to Discord’s poor discoverability features, it won’t be a great substitute for those looking to build a following.

Post

• Most user-friendly alternative for news-seekers
• 950,000 users

Post is a content-sharing platform that works in a pretty similar way to Twitter. Launched in beta last year as a publishing-focused Twitter alternative, Post is a user-friendly platform where users can share and repost content and browse emerging news articles.

Post isn’t decentralized like Discord or Mastodon, and lets users browse content from a range of publishing partners with its unique ‘micropayment’ feature. Unlike Twitter, the app’s content isn’t primarily driven by its users, making its ultimate purpose quite different from Musk’s social media site.

Who is Post best suited for?

+ Great for keeping up with the latest news
– More expensive to use

Post was primarily designed to help media outlets monetize their content, so it’s more suitable for users looking to expand their information bubble than microblogging sites like Twitter and Tumblr.

However, since Post’s micropayments feature charges users per piece of content, rather than charging a flat fee, the price of the service can escalate quickly if you’re looking to unlock information from a large variety of sources.

Cohost

• Best for users wanting a chronological timeline
• 38,000 users

Cohost may be in its early days, but it’s shaping up to be a viable Twitter alternative due to its similar structure, mindful approach to content moderation, and generous free tier.

Cohost has a stripped-backed interface, doesn’t have any ads, and offers a great selection of features — from CSS code integrations and posts with no-character limits. However, since Cohost is still in its Beta phase, some parts of the app are still in development and users require need an invitation code to get started.

Who is Cohost best suited for?

+ Simple feed of ordered updates
– Still under development

On the surface, Cohost and Twitter operate similarly, with both platforms giving users a way to share their thoughts, repost content, and gain followers.

However, unlike Twitter, which uses a recommendation algorithm to promote personalized, trending, and often more emotive content, Cohost’s posts are displayed chronologically. This makes Cohost ideal for users looking to view content more objectively.

Bluesky

• Closest user experience to Twitter
• 180,000 users

Bluesky is another promising alternative that shares a lot in common with rival, Twitter, including its founder, Jack Dorsey. With an interface that bears a striking resemblance to Twitter, and a raft of similar features — from posts and feeds to mute buttons — Bluesky is probably the best bet for those after a Twitter dupe.

However, while all posts on the platform are public, Bluesky has a decentralized structure, allowing users to create their own distinct communities, placing it somewhere in between Musk’s platform and alternatives like Mastodon and Discord.

Despite the buzz around Bluesky, the insurgent app is still in its beta phase. And with 1.9 million users currently on the waitlist, it may be a while until you get your hands on Dorsey’s new creation.

Who is Bluesky best suited for?

+ Great for those who liked ‘old Twitter’
– Very long waitlist

Bluesky’s Twitter-like interface makes it a great alternative for those that aren’t looking to veer too far from the blue bird. Its federated design makes it appealing to users looking to bond over niche topics in smaller communities too.

The World After Twitter

Given the bold moves taken by Twitter CEO Elon Musk, it’s safe to say the exodus from the popular social media channel has just begun. We’ll continue to update this page with more Twitter alternatives as they become available, so check back often to stay up to date on your doom-scrolling options!

Check out our guide to the best TikTok alternatives to find other social media platforms that work for you.

Twitter Alternatives FAQs

We’ve known Meta’s rival to Twitter has been on the horizon, but it looks like the new tool made an unexpected appearance earlier today.

The web interface went live for a few brief hours this morning, which was just enough time for some users to explore what will be available.

The full Threads app is expected to launch on iOS and Android tomorrow. Here’s how to be one of the first involved.

A Low-Down on Threads

Threads – formally known as Instagram Threads – appears to be the most credible competitor to Twitter. With Elon Musk frustrating users and advertisers in equal measure, the appearance of a platform that can rival its experience and infrastructure has been anticipated for some time.

It’s been touted as a “text-based conversation app where communities come together”. In other words, it’s a way for users to craft and curate posts in the same way they would a tweet. But, unlike other competitor platforms such as Bluesky, users won’t be subject to invite-only access.

Meta Is the Giant to Take on Twitter

If anyone can deliver a platform like this, it’s Meta. Just take a look at the monthly active users: Facebook with 2.95bn, WhatsApp with 2.78bn, and Instagram with 1bn. Not only does the social media giant have the stability to deliver such a platform, but it has a vast amount of engaged audiences ready to test it out.

In fact, it’s been reported that users will be allowed to roll their Instagram followers over to Threads, as well as being shown suggestions on who else to follow.

Threads being available for a few hours today meant those eagle-eyed enough could get access to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s first post. A simple message that stated: ‘Let’s do this. Welcome to Threads. 🔥’. Alongside him, accounts of entrepreneur Gary Vee and Netflix were also visible.

“Let’s do this. Welcome to Threads. 🔥” – CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s first post on Threads

Getting Hold of the New Platform

For iOS users who are already on Instagram, registration for Threads is simple. Just type ‘saymore’ into the search bar, tap the ticket that appears and then ‘Get Threads’. You’ll be directed to the App Store where you can pre-register.

For non-Instagram users, head straight to the App Store on 6th July and tap ‘Get App’. It will automatically install once the platform goes live. 

Android users may have to wait a little longer, although actual timelines are not yet known. While a Google Play store listing is live, you can’t yet pre-register for it. Android users are able to see the invite Easter Egg (type ‘threads’ into Instagram search to show a ticket icon and a personalized invitation), so perhaps it won’t be too delayed.

Similarly, a desktop app is expected, although nothing official has been confirmed yet, other than it’s brief appearance earlier today. It’s likely account management will work in the same way as the Facebook and Instagram integrations have done.

Today’s teaser has given us a glimpse of Threads capabilities, and with Twitter haemorrhaging disenchanted users, the odds are stacking in Thread’s favor as a viable competitor. For now though, we can only sit and wait (one more day) to see if it rings true.

But for those tired of scrolling the social media app, read our guide to deleting Instagram here.

Google has recently updated its Privacy Policy to retain anything posted publicly by users, so it can train its AI models for products such as Bard.  

While Google isn’t doing anything unique in laying claim to user data, this latest update could be yet another reason for you wanting to remove your information from the search engine’s reach.

Your Data Could Help Build the Likes of Bard

The original Privacy Policy stated that public data would be used for business purposes, research and to improve its Google Translate service. In the past week, this has since been updated to explain that it may also be used to build and operate AI products and more:

“Google uses information to improve our services and to develop new products, features and technologies that benefit our users and the public. For example, we use publicly available information to help train Google’s AI models and build products and features like Google Translate, Bard, and Cloud AI capabilities.”

Further down Google clarifies that it may collect publicly available information to help train its AI models and enhance their capabilities. In other words, this could mean if your businesses’ information sits on a website, it could now be indexed and displayed as part of a Google service.

When Does the Change Come Into Effect?

This change to how Google may use your data is well and truly here, having come into effect immediately, on July 1st 2023, and it doesn’t just include anything you’ve searched from that date onwards.

The update will encompass huge amounts of public information – data from decades-worth of interactions. Just think about how long you’ve had your Gmail or YouTube account.

However, it remains unclear whether users with an active Google account have to formally agree to the policy change or if simply having contact with the search engine is enough to allow it to data scrape.

For now, the jury’s out on this, as language training models such as ChatGPT have similarly undertaken public data scraping for training purposes.

It should be made clear that private data (for example, files in your Google Drive or Google Photos app) has not yet been mentioned as a source for AI learning. So users can tentatively consider that safe.

Who Else Is Collecting Your Data and Why?

While it’s common knowledge that most tech companies and AI models are in the habit of saving user data, it’s worth knowing to what extent. 

Meta is understandably top of the data-collectors list, gathering 79% of data that a business can legally collect. The more it knows about you, the more it can advertise to you and with a forecasted $148bn advertising revenue, it pays for Meta to be clued up.

Back to Google apps, and Maps is the product that’s likely to know most about you. It tracks 23% of your available data, including image recognition of your location. YouTube collects a similar volume but is more attuned to your hobbies and interests, thanks to knowledge of your viewing history. 

Other applications such as Gmail, Sheets and Docs are valuable to Google, but not as much, with data scrapes only able to really determine the languages you speak. 

While you can go about your online business using Google search as usual, it’s really a case of ‘time will tell’ as to where the data scraping – and subsequent learning – will take Google, its AI models, and – ultimately – us. 

Twitter has this week announced a new version of its TweetDeck tool to help mitigate some of the issues it’s been experiencing lately. However, users will need to be sure they hold a verified account as the latest update is for those with blue ticks only.

TweetDeck is a popular – and previously free – tool that gives users the ability to organize and monitor content from the accounts they follow. It’s historically been favored by social media managers, brands and news organizations.

The annoucement comes alongside recent reports that Meta are planning their own Twitter rival, Instagram Threads. This latest update under Elon Musk’s leadership could well be the final nail in the coffin for Twitter users on a free account, who have grown increasingly frustrated with the platform’s changes.

TweetDeck 2.0 Has Been in the Works for Almost 2 Years

It appears that Twitter has been testing a new version of TweetDeck for a while now. For those paying the $84 a year for their Twitter Blue subscription, the updated version can be accessed by selecting ‘Try the new TweetDeck’ in the platform’s menu.

From there, users can carry over their lists, columns, saved searches and workflows. However, the ability to do this is a one-time option only and if it’s not undertaken, users will have to rebuild everything manually.

New features to the platform include full Tweet composer functionality and video docking. The feature Teams, which allows users to share Twitter account access without the need to share passwords, won’t be available off the bat though. This is “temporarily unavailable” with aims for it to be restored in the next few weeks. 

Users will be forced to make the switch in 30 days (before the first week of August) and for those on the fence about paying for verification, they can undertake a free 30-day trial. 

Users Don’t Seem To Be Thrilled

It’s safe to say Twitter Blue hasn’t gone down a storm as a whole, and with TweetDeck being the victim of breakages recently (with notifications and columns failing to load), this latest update looks like it could cause more upset than interest.

The recent platform inaccessibility is said to have been caused by Musk’s limitations on the number of tweets a user can read in one day – 1,000 for unverified users and 10,000 for verified users. He said this was to prevent data scraping and “system manipulation” by accounts looking to train AI models.

According to Musk, this “temporary emergency measure” was to combat any negative effects to the user experience. However, users – both free and paid – shared reports of quickly hitting rate limits, impacting their experience anyway.

What’s Next on the Horizon for Twitter?

In order to conduct damage control, there are a few things which are likely high on Musk and new CEO Lina Yaccarino’s to-do list. 

Before Yaccarino can realize her transformation mission to make Twitter the “global town square for communication”, she first needs to work on winning back advertisers to the platform.

In 2021, advertising accounted for over 90% of Twitter’s $5.1bn revenue. From March this year however, it’s expected turnover fell to less than $3bn, highlighting the repercussions of a mass exodus of advertisers. 

Subscriber numbers have similarly dwindled, with just 150,000 users out of a global user base of nearly 400 million signing up to the Twitter Blue service. This has since fallen to around 68,000. It’s likely then that this latest Twitter Blue-exclusive feature will further alienate and frustrate users.

Clearly not content with confining his rivalry with Elon Musk to their hotly anticipated cage match, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta has announced plans to roll out a Twitter rival called Instagram Threads.

Twitter has been in dire straits since Musk’s 2022 takeover. This is the first time a Big Tech company has directly tried to muscle in on the social media platform’s deeply dissatisfied user base, who were further incensed this week by Musk’s new cap on the number of tweets they’re able to view each day.

Threads is not the only Twitter alternative available, of course, but it’ll be able to lean on the experience, data, and technical infrastructure of a company that already owns a slew of huge social media applications, including Facebook and WhatsApp.

Meet Threads: Meta’s Latest Project

Threads is set to be released on Thursday, July 6. Perhaps most interestingly, users will reportedly be allowed to roll over their followers from Instagram and will be prompted into following similar pages on the new platform. The app will be formally called Instagram Threads, further indicating indicating its close Insta ties.

Threads – which will be a completely free service – is a space where users can “come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow,” according to its App Store listing.

“Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favorite creators and others who love the same things — or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions, and creativity with the world,” the description continues.

Threads will join Facebook (~2.95 billion monthly users), WhatsApp (~2.78 billion monthly users), Messenger (~1 billion monthly users), and Instagram (over 1 billion monthly users) as the newest addition to Meta’s huge social media empire.

Can Meta Capitalize on Musk’s Twitter Posts Cap?

Crucially, Threads will not be enforcing viewing limits on posts like Elon Musk recently rolled out at Twitter. Musk said the controversial move was a reaction necessary to address “extreme levels of “data scraping & system manipulation”. The new measures appear doubly divisive given the fact that Twitter just appointed a new CEO in Linda Yaccarino, yet Musk still appears to be holding sway.

One unique thing about Elon Musk – which sets him apart from almost – is his tendency to taunt those voicing their discontent over his decisions shortly after they’re made. This time was no different.

“Oh the irony of hitting view limits due to complaining about view limits,” he tweeted after the change came into force.

Along with Meta, his rash decision may have inadvertently helped his predecessor out. Twitter founder Jack Dorsey’s new app, Bluesky Social, received “record-high traffic” over the weekend.

Is Threads the Twitter Rival We’ve Been Waiting For?

A myriad of Twitter alternatives has come out of the woodwork since Musk’s tumultuous takeover of Twitter in late 2022. Mastodon was initially touted as a viable replacement, but interest in the app has cooled since the new year began. The number of active users declined sharply during January.

At the time, it was difficult to see Twitter ever being replaced, so long as the world’s most influential public figures stayed put and Musk didn’t run the social media platform into the ground with apparent impunity.

But an effort from a Big Tech company like Meta – with its technical infrastructure and a lot of existing skin in the game – coupled with a proverbial step too far from Musk in the shape of a post cap, could well tip an already disgruntled, disenfranchised userbase over the edge.

Google has finally fixed a Bard bug that was persistently labeling the chatbot’s activity as generated via its original LaMDA language model, despite announcing it was switching to the more advanced PaLM 2 LLM (Large Language Model) back at May’s Google I/O 2023 conference.

Speaking to Tech.co, a Google spokesperson said that the chatbot’s activity page was mistakenly referencing “LaMDA” instead of just “Bard” on prior chats, contributing to some confusion around what LLM was actually being used to generate responses.

When asked directly, the popular ChatGPT alternative continues to hallucinate around the question of which language model it is using. What exactly has happened and what do we now think is going on? Let’s take a look at Bard bug bewilderment more closely.

Google Bard Bug: Does Bard Use LaMDA or PaLM 2?

Google initially announced that Bard was switching from its original language model LaMDA to a new “next generation” language model called PaLM 2 at Google I/O in May 2023, an event where other exciting AI projects like the new Help Me Write Gmail tool were also announced.

Shortly after the announcement, however, Bard was still telling some users that it was using LaMDA and that PaLM 2 was under development. Questions over whether this was simply a hallucination or an issue with the rollout began to arise.

Confusing matters further, up until last week, some users were still seeing their prior prompts stored in the “Bard Activity” menu labeled with “LaMDA”, as shown below:

Google Confirms LaMDA Label Error

When Tech.co raised this issue with the tech giant over email, a Google spokesperson said:

“We recently identified an issue affecting Bard’s activity page. In some locations, the page referenced “LaMDA” instead of “Bard.” This was an error, and we can confirm that Bard is running on PaLM 2. We have addressed the issue and the activity page should now be working as intended.”

From what we can see, the change has indeed been actioned, with the activity page now displaying the word “Bard” instead.

Bard Still Seeing Double on LLM Usage

When asked about Bard’s own responses that suggested it was still using LaMDA, the spokesperson said that LLMs, including Bard, will sometimes provide factually incorrect information, which is known as a “hallucination” in AI and tech circles.

This week, when we asked Bard which language model it was using, once again, it said “LaMDA”:

However, when queried again, it then changed its answer to PaLM 2, referencing the 2023 I/O event where the switch was announced:

We’ve asked Bard this question multiple times, and it’s responded with the “wrong” answer (according to Google) on the vast majority of occasions.

It’s odd that it doesn’t source the information to correctly answer us in the first instance when it so easily does this to answer our second question. Bard did admit, however, that it is still under development and learning to use PaLM 2.

Hopefully, the new language model will go some way to stopping Bard from generating consistently wrong answers – right now, it’s not giving us many reasons to trust it, even if it has so much potential.

Related: Does ChatGPT Save My Data?

There are robust passwords, and then there’s what you get before you’re even halfway through The Password Game. If you haven’t heard, it’s the internet sensation from coder Neal Agarwal and very possibly your undoing. To call it a game would be accurate, albeit one that wants to break you like an overzealous high school football coach. If challenges that end in tears, cussing at your pets, or both are what makes you tick, then here are some tips, tricks and answers to help you survive The Password Game and its craziest rules, which range from algebraic chess to keeping a chicken emoji alive. We’ll even tell you how to win The Password Game, if you think you’ve got what it takes – which is a whole lot of time, mostly, but also a more resilient spirit than most.

It looks innocent enough to start with. Just a box that asks you to a suggest a password, then reminds you of good password hygiene if you forget things like capital letters, numbers or special characters. Then you get to rule 5 and things start to get funky. It’s still pretty straightforward, sure, but when was the last time a website or password manager wanted you to brush up on your grade school math?

Having lulled you into a false sense of security, The Password Game is only just getting started and before you know it you’re being asked for today’s Wordle answer (rule 10), a symbol from the Periodic table (rule 12) and an emoji of the current moon phase (rule 13). All of which can be answered with a bit of help from Google, but when you’re asked to identify a country based on a random Street Maps image in rule 14? Read on for all The Password Game tips we learned spending way too much time trying to beat it.

Tips to Help You Beat the Password Game

• Know Your Roman Numerals (Rule 9)
• Moon Phases (Rule 13)
• Google Street View (Rule 14)
• Winning at Chess (Rule 16)
• Keeping Paul Alive (Rules 17, 20 & 23)
• The End Game (Rule 35)

Know Your Roman Numerals (Rule 9)

Roman numerals aren’t just reserved for boring class lessons and Rocky sequels. They are also an essential component of The Password Game, where you’ll be asked to add them to your ever-expanding password.

Rule 9 demands that players add roman numerals to the password that ‘multiply to 35.’

If you’re struggling, then the good news is that there aren’t many options of which numbers to use, and even better, we’ve listed them below for you:

• I – 1
• V – 5
• VII – 7
• XXXV – 35

There are only actually two ways to multiply to 35 for this rule – either XXXV (35) x I (1), or V (5) x VII (7).

By the way, make sure you use capital letters for your roman numerals, otherwise they won’t count.

Password Game Moon Phase Emoji List (Rule 13)

Before you reach the heady heights of rule 16, you’ll need to get past one of The Password Game’s earlier challenges, rule 13, which is perhaps better known as the moon phase emoji rule. Don’t yet know your waxing gibbous from your waning crescent? Fear not, neither did we before the Password Game took over our lives and we’re here to help.

To answer this Password Game rule correctly, it’s helpful to gave a list of all the moon phase emoji handy for cutting and pasting purposes. Here’s what you need:

• New Moon: 🌑
• Waxing Crescent Moon: 🌒
• First Quarter Moon: 🌓
• Waxing Gibbous Moon: 🌔
• Full Moon: 🌕
• Waning Gibbous Moon: 🌖
• Last Quarter Moon: 🌗
• Waning Crescent Moon: 🌘

Other than that, it’s simply a matter of identifying the current moon phase by Googling it or consulting a website such as Moon Giant, then adding it to your password.

Our bonus tip here is that you can paste them all into your password, saving you the precious few seconds it takes to Google today’s moon phase. Just slap in 🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘 and our tests suggest you’ll be moving on to rule 14 in no time.

Password Game Rule 14 Tips

Rule 14 is the first point you’re likely to think beating The Password Game is impossible and just quit. But there are ways to get the right answer. Unfortunately, none of these are as easy as just asking Google, at least not initially. Each image in rule 14 that’s generated is unique to the session, rather than being a daily rotating image, similar to how Wordle works.

This means that everyone playing The Password Game is theoretically being shown a different, totally random place on earth to try to identify.

Look for clues

Many of the images served up will feature clues, however small, that you can use to find out what country is featured.

The easiest way is if you get dropped near or next to a road, in which case a quick drive around the map may yield you a street name. In the example below, we managed to figure out that we were looking at a road called “Karmelicka” by moving around and zooming in. Google then obligingly told us this was in Krakow, Poland and our march to Password Game glory continued!

It’s not always that easy, but use the 360-degree view offered by Street Maps to the full and look for something that gives you an idea of where you might be. Signs written in a certain language, website addresses, telephone numbers… literally anything that can help educate your guesses or be plugged in to Google for professional help.

Save Your Password, Then Refresh

A bit like CAPTCHA tests don’t always scan correctly for everyone, your final way to beat The Password Game rule 14 is to refresh it in the hope of getting a more friendly image. Before you do this, make sure you copy your existing Password Game password somewhere safe, as it’ll save you a whole lot of time getting back to rule 14. You’ll need to quickly change some of the math based on a new CAPTCHA, but other than that, you’ll be right back where you started, hopefully not just staring at a random desert this time.

If the game has got you thinking about the strength of your real word passwords, check out our Essential Password Guide.

The Password Game Rule 16, aka the Chess Rule

The next point The Password Game is likely to defeat you is in rule 16, otherwise known as the chess notation rule. It shows you a random in-play chess game and asks you not only for the best next move, but to add the algebraic chess notation for that move to your password. Suddenly Wordle seems like a walk in the park.

Rather than think you have to go out and become a Grandmaster, the rule 16 workaround is actually pretty simple once you know about it. If it wasn’t already one of the most popular sites on the internet, Next Chess Move certainly is now and all you have to do is tweak the board to match what’s being shown in The Password Game, then let its fancypants algorithm work its magic. We’ve tried this a couple of times and can confirm it’s worked perfectly.

Password Game Rules 17, 20 and 23: How To Keep Paul Alive

Rule 17 in the Password Game introduces you to Paul, a chicken who you must keep alive for the rest of the game in order to win. When we first meet Paul, he’s a simple egg emoji (🥚) that you must paste into your password. However, Paul soon hatches and requires your attention in order to survive.

First, in rule 20 your password catches fire. You have to put the fire out before it hurts Paul, which in this case involves deleting the fire emoji (🔥) from your password as quickly as possible. Paul is still in egg form at this stage, but if the fire reaches him, he’s fried and you’ll be informed by the game that “Paul is slain.” If you see this, unfortunately your bid for Password Game glory is over and you’ll have to start over.

This is why we suggest pasting the egg emoji, aka Paul, at the start of your password, as it hopefully gives you more time to react and put out the fire. If you can remember, saving your password somewhere is once again a great idea at this stage, as while there are parts of it that will be void when you start over, it will speed up getting back to where you were.

Put out the fire successfully and in rule 23 Paul will hatch. Now, he’ll need feeding in order to survive. In the Password Game, Paul’s diet is three caterpillar emoji (🐛) every minute. Forget to feed him and he’ll starve, but overfeed him and he’ll burst. In both cases, your game will be over, so this part of the Password Game is essential to beating it. The tough bit is remembering on top of trying to navigate the other remaining. We wish you luck!

How Many Rules are in the Password Game?

In total, there are 35 rules in the password game, each one fiendishly difficult and guaranteed to have to hammering away at the keyboard in a mixture of rage and frustration, turning to absolute joy when you crack a rule.

We’ve given you clues to some of the hardest puzzles here, but on your journey you’ll also need to know the chemical elements and their atomic numbers (or at least look them up on a periodic table), as well as do some firefighting – literally.

We won’t give away what happens at the end, but we do suggest that before you enter your final password, you make a note of it. Just trust us on this one.

So, Can You Actually Beat The Password Game?

Yes you can. Neal Agarwal tweeted confirmation of this fact, along with his surprise that people had persevered: “I can’t believe people are actually beating the password game, the human spirit is strong.”

Have we? That’s another matter entirely. We’ve stuttered out at rule 17 on multiple occasions, scrambled Paul on others, and gotten chewed out by our boss and told to get back to work on a near daily basis. In other words, no. However, we have done our research and can tell you what you need to do if you reach the ultimate stage of The Password Game.

How To Win The Password Game and Rule 35

You’ve added up your Periodic table elements to 200, changed font sizes, revisited your grade school knowledge of prime numbers and even kept that damn chicken alive. As your reward, you’ll eventually reach The Password Game’s final rule, number 35. At which point, if you’re not clever, the sadistic game will wipe your precious password off the face of the internet.

In rule 35, you’ll be asked if what you’ve now got is your final password. The obvious answer is: “YES! This is my final password, now take me to the promised land!” Except, instead of eternal glory, the game will delete your password and give you two minutes to retype it, exactly as it was before (emoji and all).

Copying and pasting is out, as the game as built-in a defense against this and you’ll lose if you try. Fail to put in the password and you’ll also fall at the final hurdle. The only thing you can do is, before clicking confirm, to write out manually the password and then put it back in as quickly and accurately as you can.

Then, and only then, will you achieve true Password Game immortality.

Think The Password Game was a headache and reluctantly gave up like us? At least you can use a password manager for your real-life passwords, removing all the pain of remembering complex series of letters and numbers. The top ones will even alert you if any of your online accounts suffer a breach, though sadly we don’t think they’ll help you with rule 35.

The AI hits just keeping coming from Microsoft, as the company has announced new AI-powered features that will improve the online shopping experience for users.

Microsoft has been swift in its adaption of AI tech into its many platforms. The Seattle-based tech giant has been partnered with OpenAI — the company behind ChatGPT — for years now and the benefits have been substantial.

Now, Microsoft is bringing some of those AI advancements to the online shopping world in hopes of making retail therapy even more relaxing.

AI-Powered Shopping Tools on Edge and Bing

Microsoft announced this week that it would be adding AI-powered tools to the Microsoft Shopping platform in hopes of improving the experience for users.

“We’re excited to announce new Microsoft Shopping tools in Bing and Edge that help you shop and save with confidence, harnessing the power of AI to make it easier to discover, research, and complete your purchase, all in one place with information you need from expert sources.”

The goal of the improvements is to “bring more joy to shopping—from the initial spark of inspiration to the exciting unboxing experience—by making the process easier.”

What AI-Powered Tools Are Being Added?

Microsoft has announced three different AI-powered shopping tools that will be added to its Bing and Edge platforms. Here they are:

Buying Guide

There’s nothing worse than trying to find a wide range of products that fit your particular needs while online shopping. With millions of options at billions of price points, it can feel overwhelming trying to narrow it down.

The new Buying Guide feature should be able to help. By simply inputting a category of purchases, like “college supplies,” you’ll get a tailored list of options to choose from. Not only that, but you’ll also get a comprehensive comparison table of similar objects, comparing everything from price to measurements.

Summarized reviews and insights

There’s no denying that reviews are a helpful way to figure out if a product is right for you before you buy it. However, with so many people out there reviewing products, it can be hard to tell exactly which reviews are insightful and which ones are just noise.

Now, you’ll be able to ask Bing Chat in the Edge browser to summarize reviews of a product and provide insights and actionable feedback, so you don’t get too bogged down by those vengeful one-star reviews.

Price match

Trying to make sure you got the right price while online shopping is virtually impossible in 2023. With so many retailers on so many websites, there’s no telling if a better deal will pop up somewhere you might’ve missed.

That’s where the new Price Match feature from Microsoft will come in. The tool will help “by monitoring the item’s price and assisting you in requesting a match if it drops.” You’ll also get price comparison and price history features, which are designed to give shoppers as much information as possible to make the right decision.

The real reason behind mass tech layoffs is becoming more and more obvious, as Accenture has announced a significant investment in AI tech after cutting a substantial percentage of its workforce.

It’s no secret that the two big tech stories right now are the explosion of generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and the sweeping layoffs that have hit employees across the industry. The connection is fairly obvious, but few companies have leaned into that causation as an actual reason, citing the “looming recession” as the main driver of their cost cutting measures.

Now, however, Accenture is making it pretty clear that AI is the future and they’re willing to put their money where they mouth is.

Accenture Announces $3 Billion AI Investment

Announced in a company blog post, Accenture is going big on AI with a $3 billion investment over the next three years to “accelerate clients’ reinvention.”

“There is unprecedented interest in all areas of AI, and the substantial investment we are making in our Data & AI practice will help our clients move from interest to action to value, and in a responsible way with clear business cases.” – Julie Sweet, chair and CEO at Accenture

The AI push will take many forms, including investing in “assets, industry solutions, ventures, acquisitions, talent and ecosystem partnerships.” Primarily, though, this investment will go towards doubling the company’s AI workforce, raising the total from 40,000 to a whopping 80,000 employees in that time period.

While Accenture is one of the tech companies banning employee use of AI, this investment should represent a big step for a company trying to compete with the likes of Microsoft and Google.

Accenture Layoffs This Year

All this new investment money must’ve come from somewhere, right? After all, businesses in a recession rarely have $3 million just lying around. So, where did all this extra capital come from?

Well, Accenture is one of the many tech companies that participated in the mass culling of employees over the last year, cutting more than 19,000 jobs in March 2023. Those cuts have continued since then, with Accenture laying off 200 Austin employees just this week.

Suffice it to say, these two actions are almost assuredly linked, with the popularity of ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms turning the tech industry on its head and leading to a paradigm shift that many employees may not survive.

The Future of Work With AI

It’s safe to assume that this trend of layoffs followed by big AI investment is not going to change in the modern era. With generative AI platforms like ChatGPT performing so many tasks so well and so fast, there’s a good chance that many jobs will fall by the wayside.

In fact, recent studies have found that as many as 80% of all jobs will be substantially impacted by generative AI at some level, which could spell disaster for the global economy.

So, what does the future of work with AI look like? Honestly, without a dramatic shift in how we imagine the societal infrastructure around work and pay, it looks pretty bleak.