OpenAI might be making a new search engine

OpenAI is reportedly developing a new search feature for ChatGPT that could take on Google’s search engine itself.

• This will allow it to answer your questions based on info from the web (and its sources).

• Some sources include Wikipedia articles, blog posts, or even diagrams along the prompt.

This brings ChatGPT as a direct competitor to Google and other AI powered search platforms like Perplexity AI (who is valued at $1 billion) through its use of citations, and its option to choose between different language models.

So, what's the difference between traditional search engines and these new AI-powered ones?

• Traditional SEO (Search Engine Optimization) focuses on things like keyword density and backlinks to get your website ranked higher on search engines.

• Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is all about creating high-quality, relevant content that directly answers users' questions in a conversational tone.

For GEO, the AI summarizes the most relevant information and sources if you want to dive deeper.

• Studies suggest having GEO strategies can lead to a 30% improvement in user impressions.

The EU hates Meta's surveillance ads (and doesn't want it done through paywalls)

Meta is facing fresh heat in Europe about its core business model: targeted ads based on user data.

Athanasios Rantos, an Advocate General, recently stated that EU privacy laws should limit how long companies like Meta can store user data for targeted ads.

• This hurts Meta's business model, which relies on building detailed profiles of users to target highly specific ads.

Consumer rights groups in Europe are also putting more pressure. They claim Meta collects far more data than necessary, including sensitive information like users' emotional state or addictions according to CNN.

• They further argue that users are not given a genuine choice regarding their data – either they consent to surveillance-based ads or pay a monthly subscription fee to remove ads.

Consumer groups see it as an unfair and misleading practice, forcing users to pay to escape data collection.

The EU's Data Protection Board (EDPB) also said that companies cannot force users to choose between paid services and data-driven advertising.

The stakes are high as Meta has over 408 million active users in the EU. Consumer groups claim this data collection is "illegal" and involves hundreds of millions of users.

Instacart and Uber Eats partnering up is a food lover's dream

Instacart, one of the biggest grocery delivery services, is joining forces with Uber Eats to bring restaurant food delivery to Instacart's app.

This means that in the coming weeks, Instacart users across the nation will be able to order groceries and restaurant meals all in the Instacart app.

• Instacart users will soon see a new "Restaurants" tab within the app. This section will feature 1,500 national, regional, and local store brands from Uber Eats.

Instacart+ members get even more value from their existing membership.

• Instacart+ members get free delivery on both groceries and restaurant orders exceeding $35, with no additional membership fees.

Here's the breakdown of how it works:

• Instacart gets Uber Eats into its platform through the "Restaurants" tab.

• Customers browse menus, place orders, and track deliveries within the Instacart app.

• Uber Eats handles the backend operations: restaurant listings, order processing, and delivery by their couriers.

The reason for the partnership is that Instacart doesn't have to build its own restaurant delivery network from scratch while Uber Eats benefits by getting their restaurant partners in front of a whole new customer base: Instacart's users.