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YouTube Introduces Shopping Product Stickers for Shorts to Boost Creator Earnings and Engagement
YouTube is enhancing the shopping experience on its Shorts platform with the launch of new Shopping product stickers, designed to help creators highlight and monetize the products featured in their short-form videos. The announcement came on June 18, 2025, as part of YouTube’s ongoing push to integrate more commerce tools into its content ecosystem.
A More Interactive Shopping Experience
The new product stickers make it easier for viewers to identify and shop for products seen in Shorts. Unlike the previous method—where products were tagged and displayed in a banner in the lower-left corner—these new stickers allow for more visual integration directly within the video.
During internal testing, YouTube found that Shorts featuring the new Shopping stickers generated over 40% more product clicks than those using the traditional Shopping button, highlighting the feature’s potential to increase viewer engagement and sales.
How It Works
Creators can now tag a product in their Short, which will automatically generate a customized sticker based on the first product tagged. The sticker’s size and position can be adjusted for optimal placement within the video.
When multiple products are tagged, a downward arrow on the sticker lets viewers access a full list of products. Tapping a product will redirect the viewer to the product’s retailer page for a seamless shopping experience.
Global Rollout Underway
YouTube has started rolling out Shopping product stickers globally, with South Korea being the only exception for now. However, the company has confirmed that the feature will be available there soon.
This global expansion aligns with YouTube's larger strategy of integrating shopping tools into Shorts, making it easier for creators to earn while helping brands reach highly engaged audiences.
Shorts Continues Rapid Growth
At the Cannes Lions 2025 festival, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan revealed that Shorts are now averaging over 200 billion views per day, signaling the platform's growing influence in short-form content.
Mohan also teased upcoming integrations, including Google’s Veo 3 video generation tool, which is expected to bring AI-generated video and audio capabilities to Shorts later this summer.
Conclusion
With the introduction of Shopping product stickers, YouTube is making its Shorts platform more interactive, commerce-friendly, and rewarding for creators. The feature not only enhances the viewer experience but also opens new doors for monetization, setting the stage for even more innovation in the short-form video space.
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Midjourney Launches V1, Its First AI Video Model with Image-to-Video Capabilities
Midjourney, the company known for its distinctive AI-generated images, has officially entered the video space with the launch of its first video model, V1. Announced on June 18, 2025, this new model introduces image-to-video capabilities and expands Midjourney’s vision for creative AI.
Turning Images into Motion
V1 allows users to upload an image—either one they've created or generated using Midjourney's existing tools—and transform it into a set of four five-second video clips. Staying true to its roots, the tool is only available via Discord and can be accessed through the web.
While many competitors are focused on commercial video generation, Midjourney continues to position itself as a platform for creativity and artistic expression.
Entering a Competitive Market
The launch places Midjourney alongside major players such as OpenAI’s Sora, Runway’s Gen-4, Adobe Firefly, and Google’s Veo 3. However, Midjourney sets itself apart by aiming beyond traditional use cases like marketing content or B-roll footage. In a blog post, CEO David Holz emphasized that the company’s long-term goal is to develop AI capable of real-time, open-world simulations.
Looking Ahead
Beyond video generation, Midjourney has plans to explore 3D rendering tools and real-time AI generation models, signaling a broader vision for the future of immersive content creation.
Legal Challenges Surface
The release of V1 comes shortly after Midjourney was sued by Disney and Universal Studios. The lawsuit claims that the company’s image models have generated artwork depicting copyrighted characters such as Darth Vader and Homer Simpson. This legal action reflects the ongoing struggle between AI developers and content owners concerned about the use of copyrighted materials in model training.
Pricing and Accessibility
Midjourney's V1 model requires more resources than standard image generation. Each video costs approximately eight times as much as an image, which could lead users to exhaust their monthly credits quickly. Current pricing tiers include:
- Basic Plan ($10/month): Limited access to video generation
- Pro Plan ($60/month): Unlimited video creation in "Relax" mode
- Mega Plan ($120/month): Access to faster and more flexible generation
The company plans to evaluate and possibly revise its video pricing model over the coming month.
Key Features of V1
V1 provides several options for users to customize their video output. Users can:
- Select automatic motion for spontaneous animations
- Manually describe specific animations through text prompts
- Adjust the level of movement with low or high motion settings
- Extend video duration in four-second increments, up to a total of 21 seconds
As with Midjourney’s image models, the early videos from V1 lean more toward a dreamlike, artistic aesthetic rather than photorealism.
Conclusion
Midjourney’s V1 represents a significant evolution in the company’s journey, transitioning from still imagery to moving visuals. While it enters a market with strong, established competitors, its focus on artistic exploration and long-term simulation goals could set it apart. The coming months will reveal how well it holds up against the likes of OpenAI, Adobe, and Google—but one thing is clear: Midjourney is thinking beyond the frame.
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Facebook to Share All Videos as Reels in Upcoming Platform Update
Facebook is set to make a significant change to how videos are posted on its platform. The company has announced that in the coming months, all videos — regardless of their length or orientation — will automatically be shared as Reels.
Previously, users could choose between uploading a standard video or a Reel, with different tools and workflows for each. This update removes that distinction, aiming to simplify the video-sharing experience for users and creators alike.
Key Changes Ahead
- All Videos Become Reels: Facebook will no longer separate video posts from Reels. Everything you upload will now be treated as a Reel, even longer or horizontal videos.
- Reels Tab Replaces Video Tab: The current "Video" tab on Facebook will be renamed "Reels" to reflect this new unified format.
- No Length or Format Limits: The update removes the current 90-second limit for Reels and allows for videos in both vertical and horizontal formats.
- Streamlined Publishing Tools: A single, simplified video publishing flow will be introduced, offering access to all creative tools in one place.
- Audience Control Settings: Users will be asked to confirm their audience preference — such as public, friends, or a custom group — when uploading Reels. These settings will now apply across both Feed and Reels.
Why Facebook Is Making This Move
According to Facebook, the goal is to unify the video experience on the platform and make content creation easier. This change also mirrors what Instagram did in 2022, when it started automatically converting most video uploads into Reels.
By consolidating all video content into one format, Facebook hopes to offer a more consistent user experience and provide creators with better tools and reach.
User Concerns
The update may not be welcomed by everyone. Some users have expressed concerns that horizontal videos may appear awkward in a vertical format and that combining short and long videos into one stream could lead to a cluttered viewing experience.
Facebook says it will still recommend videos based on user interests, so the types of content people see shouldn’t change — only the format they’re presented in.
Rollout Timeline
The changes will begin rolling out globally in the coming months. Facebook emphasizes that the platform will continue to support a variety of video types, including short clips, long-form content, and live videos — all under the Reels umbrella.
Conclusion
This update reflects Facebook’s effort to modernize and simplify video sharing in a format that matches today’s user habits. As Reels become the standard across the platform, users can expect a more unified experience — whether they’re uploading a quick clip or a longer video.
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Adobe Brings Firefly AI to iOS and Android with Powerful Cross-Platform Features
Adobe is expanding access to its AI tools by launching a dedicated Firefly app for both iOS and Android. Previously available only on the web, Firefly now offers mobile users the ability to create, edit, and enhance visual content directly from their smartphones — using both Adobe’s in-house models and several leading third-party AI models.
This move follows Adobe’s broader push into the AI space, which began with a major redesign of the Firefly web app in April 2025. With the mobile release, Adobe is aiming to make advanced AI image and video generation more accessible and flexible for creators on the go.
Key Features of the Firefly Mobile App
- Multi-Model Support: The app supports not only Adobe's own Firefly image and video generation models but also external models including OpenAI (for GPT-powered image generation), Google (Imagen 3 and Veo 2), and Flux (Flux 1.1 Pro).
- Prompt-Based Creation: Users can enter text prompts to generate images or videos, convert existing images into video content, or use tools like generative fill to edit specific parts of an image.
- Generative Expand: Similar to Photoshop’s AI tools, users can expand an image’s boundaries with consistent results based on the original content.
- Cloud Integration: Adobe Creative Cloud subscribers can seamlessly start a project on mobile and pick it up later on the web or desktop via cloud storage.
- Expanded Third-Party Support: Adobe is also incorporating additional models such as Flux.1 Kontext (Black Forest Labs), Ideogram 3.0 (Ideogram), and Gen-4 Image (Runway), giving users even more creative flexibility.
Firefly Boards Get a Boost
Alongside the mobile launch, Adobe is enhancing its collaborative tool, Firefly Boards. This digital whiteboarding feature now includes video generation capabilities, allowing users to create videos using Adobe’s own models or third-party alternatives. It’s a step toward turning Firefly into a full-fledged creative workspace.
The Bigger Picture
According to Adobe, over 24 billion media assets have already been created using Firefly’s generative tools. This surge in creative activity has helped drive a 30% quarter-over-quarter increase in new Adobe subscribers — many of whom are first-time users drawn in by the platform’s AI features.
Conclusion
With Firefly now available on mobile, Adobe is making it easier than ever for creators to harness AI tools from their phones — whether they’re generating art, editing images, or building video content. By offering both native and third-party model support and seamless integration across devices, Adobe is positioning Firefly as a top-tier solution in the rapidly evolving world of creative AI.
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WhatsApp Confirms Ads Are Coming to the Status Screen: What You Need to Know
WhatsApp, one of the world’s most popular messaging apps, is preparing to introduce ads for the first time. The company has confirmed that advertisements will soon begin appearing on the Status screen—its version of Instagram Stories.
What’s Changing?
Ads will not show up in your private chats or groups. Instead, users will begin seeing ads after viewing a few Status updates, similar to how ads appear between Stories on Instagram.
How Will Ads Be Targeted?
Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, says it will use general signals to determine which ads to show. These include:
- The user's country or city
- Language preferences
- Channels the user follows
- Interaction with previous ads
Meta has made it clear that it will not use personally identifiable information—like phone numbers, message content, calls, or group activity—for ad targeting. However, if a user has linked their WhatsApp account with Meta’s Account Center, their preferences in that system may influence the ads they see.
New Business Tools: Channel Promotions and Subscriptions
Alongside ads, WhatsApp is introducing new features to support creators and businesses:
- Channel Promotion will allow creators and companies to highlight their Channels in the app’s discovery section.
- Channel Subscriptions will let select creators and businesses offer exclusive updates for a fee, with payments managed through the app stores.
These tools expand on WhatsApp’s current focus on its Channels feature and its support for business communication.
Building on Existing Revenue Streams
Until now, WhatsApp has generated revenue through services like the WhatsApp Business platform and click-to-WhatsApp ads on Facebook and Instagram. The company has often highlighted these as growing sources of income in its earnings reports.
Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp’s Vice President of Product, said the introduction of ads and promotional features is a natural extension of what businesses have been requesting.
"These updates felt like the next step, now that our business tools have grown. Businesses want to help people discover them directly inside WhatsApp, and this gives them that opportunity," she said in a press briefing.
Global Rollout Coming Soon
WhatsApp says these updates—including ads on Status and the new promotion tools—will begin rolling out globally over the coming months.
Conclusion
WhatsApp is entering a new phase. By adding ads to the Status screen and expanding monetization options for creators and businesses, the platform is evolving beyond simple messaging. While the core experience remains intact, users will begin to see subtle changes that align with WhatsApp’s broader strategy to become a space for both communication and business discovery.
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Google Tests Audio Overviews in Search: A Hands-Free Way to Understand Queries
Google is enhancing the way people interact with its search engine by testing a new feature called Audio Overviews. Announced on Friday, the feature is part of Google Labs, the company’s experimental platform where users can try out early-stage tools.
What Are Audio Overviews?
Audio Overviews are short spoken summaries of search results. Designed for those who prefer listening over reading, the feature provides a hands-free option to understand key information. Whether you're multitasking or just prefer audio content, it offers a different way to explore your search results.
These overviews are powered by Google’s latest Gemini AI models, which help generate useful and relevant spoken summaries based on your query. If Google determines that an Audio Overview would be helpful, you’ll see an option to listen to it.
How the Feature Works
Once the feature appears, users can:
- Play or pause the audio using a built-in player
- Adjust volume and playback speed
- See source links to explore more about the topic
Google also includes the option to provide feedback. You can give a thumbs up or down on each Audio Overview to help improve the experience over time.
Expanding Beyond Search
Audio Overviews were first introduced in NotebookLM, Google’s AI-based research and note-taking tool. There, users can turn documents such as course notes or legal texts into AI-generated podcasts, offering a similar hands-free experience. The same technology was also added to Gemini in March.
Now, by bringing this tool to Google Search, the company aims to support auditory learners and users looking for more accessible ways to engage with information.
Industry Impact
While Audio Overviews may offer convenience, they also raise concerns among content creators and publishers. A recent Wall Street Journal report highlighted how Google’s AI-powered summaries are reducing traffic to news websites. With Audio Overviews, this trend could accelerate, as users may rely more on AI explanations instead of visiting the original sources.
To address this, Google includes visible links in the audio player that direct users to the original content, ensuring that the information remains traceable and verifiable.
Conclusion
Audio Overviews offer a fresh and accessible way to interact with Google Search, especially for those who benefit from listening instead of reading. While the technology shows promise in improving usability and learning, it also sparks important discussions about how AI is reshaping the way we find and engage with content online.
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Meta AI Launches Video Editing Tools to Boost Creative Content Creation
Meta is expanding its AI toolkit with a major update—video editing capabilities that allow users to transform short clips with just a few taps. Announced on Wednesday, this new feature lets people edit 10-second videos using preset AI prompts to change backgrounds, clothing, and visual styles.
The update is part of Meta's broader push to compete with platforms like Google and other AI-driven editing apps such as Captions. With this rollout, Meta is making it easier for users to create engaging video content without needing advanced editing skills.
What’s New?
The new video editing tools are available on the Meta AI app, the Meta.ai website, and a new app called Edits—Meta’s take on CapCut. These tools come with 50 built-in presets that were developed based on feedback from creators. Each preset offers a quick way to transform a video’s look and feel. For example, users can give their clip a vintage comic book vibe, change a sunny background to a rainy day, or even swap a person’s outfit into something like a space suit.
For now, editing is limited to 10-second videos, but the effects are eye-catching and designed to encourage experimentation.
Easy Sharing to Facebook and Instagram
Once a video is edited, it can be shared directly to Facebook and Instagram through both the Meta AI app and Edits. This seamless integration is clearly aimed at helping creators stay within Meta’s ecosystem, instead of relying on third-party tools.
More Customization on the Way
Meta says it plans to add more editing flexibility later this year, giving users even more creative control. The goal, according to the company, is to help people make fun, expressive videos—whether it’s for reliving personal moments or building content for a larger audience.
In a blog post, Meta said, “We built this so that everyone can experiment creatively and make fun, interesting videos to share with their friends, family, and followers.”
A Strategic Move
Meta already offers AI-powered image generation across its platforms. By adding video editing, it's clearly aiming to keep creators engaged and loyal to its tools. The company is positioning Meta AI as a one-stop shop for content creation, from images to short-form videos.
Conclusion
Meta’s new video editing tools mark a significant step in making AI-powered creativity more accessible. With user-friendly presets and direct integration with its social platforms, Meta is giving creators a fast and easy way to bring their ideas to life—no complex software required.
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