Technologies

YouTube’s New CEO Says He’ll Balance Generative AI’s Creativity with Responsibility

A letter from Neal Mohan, heavy on generalizations and light on specifics, says YouTube will cultivate AI’s creative opportunities with «thoughtful guardrails.»

YouTube‘s new CEO, Neal Mohan, outlined the 2023 priorities for Google’s massive video service in a letter Wednesday, calling out how he wants to explore the creative opportunities of generative artificial intelligence while setting «thoughtful guardrails» for it.

«The power of AI is just beginning to emerge in ways that will reinvent video and make the seemingly impossible possible,» Mohan wrote in the letter, adding that the company is «taking the time» to develop these AI features with safeguards in place. «Stay tuned in the coming months as we roll out tools for creators as well as the protections to embrace this technology responsibly.»

This kind of annual letter of priorities was a tradition of Mohan’s predecessor and mentor, Susan Wojcicki, who announced she was stepping down as YouTube’s CEO about two weeks earlier.

«As we think through our product roadmap, we’re not just planning for the next few years. This is a critical moment in the creation of digital video, and we’re imagining what the future of creation will look like,» Mohan wrote. He said he’s aiming to give creators more formats for creativity and additional ways to make money.

Among the new stats noted in the letter, Mohan pointed out:

YouTube has captioned more than 6 billion videos.
More than 1 billion viewers daily are watching videos with captions enabled.
YouTube generated 2 billion views of gaming-related content last year.
6 million viewers paid for YouTube channel memberships in December, a 20% increase from a year earlier.

Mohan also said that Shorts, YouTube’s TikTok rival, would roll out a creation tool this year that lets you record a side-by-side with both Shorts and regular YouTube videos to share reactions. He reiterated that Shorts are averaging 50 billion daily views and said that the number of YouTube channels that uploaded Shorts daily grew 80% last year. (Last year was also the first full year that the Shorts format was available globally.)

He called out TVs as a continuing area of growth, as well as a newer focus on podcasts, such as a plan to integrate RSS to give podcasters another way to upload their shows to YouTube and to let podcast listeners have another listening option.

On Wednesday, Mohan noted in his letter that YouTube would continue to push its stance to policymakers, including debates related to possible changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act in the US, European proposals that may limit political speech and Bill C-11 in Canada.

Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to create some personal finance explainers that are edited and fact-checked by our editors. For more, see this post.

Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Watch on YouTube

Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im