ChatGPT’s Ads era is here

Jan17
by on January 17, 2026 at 10:12 am
Posted In: artificial intelligence


OpenAI’s decision to introduce advertisements inside ChatGPT for free users and its new $8 “Go” tier is already shaping up to be one of the most consequential pivots in generative AI’s short history. It’s not a simple business tweak. It’s a reframing of where digital intent, attention, and commercial influence intersect in an age where conversations increasingly replace search bars. OpenAI has not yet started showing ads in ChatGPT, but it plans to begin testing ads in the coming weeks. The first tests will target adult users in the United States on the Free tier and the new $8 ChatGPT…

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BizzyNow opens Mamacrowd equity round to fund “micro-meetings” for business professionals

Jan16
by on January 16, 2026 at 8:02 pm
Posted In: Uncategorized


Italian startup BizzyNow has launched an equity crowdfunding round on Mamacrowd to finance the next phase of its networking app, built around quick, in-person meetups it calls “Bizzy Moments.” The campaign targets €150k–€400k at a €3m pre-money valuation, with a €500 minimum ticket. BizzyNow says proceeds will support go-to-market validation, product upgrades, and the operational groundwork needed to scale. The problem BizzyNow solves Professional networking has a timing problem. The most valuable introductions often happen in the gaps: 40 minutes before a flight, a pause between conference sessions, an unscheduled evening in a new city, or the lull after a…

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What AI is actually doing to jobs in Europe

Jan15
by on January 15, 2026 at 12:37 pm
Posted In: artificial intelligence, Future of Work


In January 2026, London’s mayor gave a blunt warning that has reverberated far beyond City Hall: artificial intelligence could trigger “mass unemployment” in the capital’s core industries unless policymakers act now. His words came with an unexpected counterweight: an announcement of free AI training and a dedicated task force to help workers adapt. This juxtaposition captures a tension shaping Europe’s labour landscape: fear and opportunity locked in the same story. The anxiety isn’t limited to one city. Across the continent, debates about AI’s impact on jobs are intensifying. Visionaries and critics paint dramatically different pictures. Some technologists warn that advanced…

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Belgian cybersecurity startup becomes unicorn

Jan14
by on January 14, 2026 at 2:54 pm
Posted In: Uncategorized


Belgian cybersecurity startup Aikido Security has closed a $60 million Series B funding round at a $1 billion valuation, marking a rare unicorn milestone for a European security company and highlighting the accelerating interest in developer-centric security platforms. The round was led by DST Global, a tech-oriented investment firm with a track record of backing major technology companies, and included participation from PSG Equity, Notion Capital, and Singular. Founded in 2022, Aikido has reached a billion-dollar valuation in just three years, a pace few cybersecurity firms attain, and according to company sources, the fastest in Europe. The new capital will…

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When shopping stops being a place

Jan13
by on January 13, 2026 at 11:41 am
Posted In: artificial intelligence


For years, online shopping followed a fixed path. Search bar, product grid, filters, checkout. The interface barely changed, even as everything else on the internet did. That path is now breaking. Monday 12 January, 2026, JD Sports Fashion plc (JD Group) became one of the first large retailers to let US customers search and buy sneakers directly inside AI chatbots, including ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini. No website visit. No app. Just a conversation that ends with a payment. Basically, a customer can chat with an AI bot, say “add these shoes to my cart,” and complete a purchase in…

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