The Latest in AI Tools and Social Media Features

Sep 6

Emerging Tech Roundup — September 6

The Quantious team’s top picks for timely trending news in the tech world.

This week in tech: Canva shares pricy new AI features, Instagram is introducing comments feature for Stories posts, Spotter launches AI tools to help YouTubers brainstorm, Zillow expands AI home search capabilities, Anthropic launches Clause Enterprise plan to compete with OpenAI, reMarkable’s third-generation tablet gets a color display, and YouTube will soon limit fitness and weight video recommendations to European teens.

Canva Says its AI Features Are Worth the 300 Percent Price Increase

(The Verge, September 3)

Canva is set to significantly increase the prices of some subscriptions next year, with Canva Teams users facing hikes of over 300% due to the introduction of new generative AI features. The price increase will see some US customers paying up to $500 annually, while Australian teams could see annual fees jump from $480 AUD to $2,430 AUD. Canva justifies the hike by citing the expanded product offerings, though the steep increase has led some users to consider switching to Adobe alternatives.

You’ll Soon Be Able to Leave Comments on Instagram Stories Posts

(The Verge, September 3)

Instagram is introducing the ability to leave comments on Stories, adding a more public way to engage with the ephemeral posts. Unlike previous private replies, comments will be visible to others, but only users who mutually follow each other can comment. These comments, like Stories, are temporary and last for 24 hours, with users having the option to enable or disable them for each story.

Spotter Launches AI Tools to Help YouTubers Brainstorm Video Ideas, Thumbnails and More

(Tech Crunch, September 3)

Spotter has launched Spotter Studio, an AI-powered creative suite designed to assist YouTubers throughout the content creation process, including brainstorming, planning, and collaboration. The platform analyzes billions of YouTube videos to offer tailored suggestions based on a creator's past content, setting it apart from competitors like TubeBuddy and VidIQ. Spotter Studio provides custom recommendations unique to each creator, ensuring personalized guidance without sharing individual data with others.

Zillow Expands AI Home Search Capabilities in Tech Race Among Major Real Estate Portals

(Geek Wire, September 4)

Zillow has enhanced its AI-powered home search feature, allowing users to reference additional criteria such as commute times, schools, and points of interest when searching using natural language. This update is part of a broader trend among real estate portals like Redfin and Realtor.com, which have also introduced AI-driven tools in recent years. Despite these advancements, Zillow’s co-founder Rich Barton acknowledged that no major breakthrough in AI features has occurred yet, but he remains confident that one will emerge soon.

Anthropic Launches Clause Enterprise Plan to Compete with OpenAI

(Tech Crunch, September 4)

Anthropic is launching Claude Enterprise, a subscription plan tailored for businesses that need enhanced administrative controls and security. Claude Enterprise enables businesses to integrate proprietary knowledge into the AI chatbot, allowing it to answer questions, create content, and act as a company-specific assistant. This move by Anthropic aims to compete with OpenAI.

reMarkable’s Third-Generation Tablet Gets a Color Display

(Engadget, September 4)

reMarkable has introduced its third-generation tablet, the Paper Pro, featuring a color display, a bigger screen, faster internals, and an improved chassis. The tablet continues to offer a distraction-free, e-paper experience for reading, writing, and annotating documents, catering to those who prefer a focused workspace over traditional tablets. The Paper Pro has an 11.8-inch display, larger than its predecessor, thanks to reduced bezels and a slimmer design.

YouTube Will Limit Fitness and Weight Video Recommendations to European Teens

(Engadget, September 5)

YouTube has introduced new safeguards for teens in Europe, including limiting video recommendations related to specific fitness levels, body weights, and social aggression. It also added crisis center panels across Europe to help teens quickly access live support if they engage with sensitive content, such as topics related to self-harm. YouTube is also enhancing parental controls, allowing parents to link their accounts to their teens' and receive updates on their child's activity.