🚀 Perplexity launches free AI browser worldwide

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Greetings! Your latest quick tech update is here:

☀️ On this day: October 3 is recognized as National Techies Day, a celebration of the people behind the technology that powers our world. First established in 1999, the day highlights the contributions of IT professionals, software developers, engineers, and other tech workers, while also encouraging students to explore careers in technology.

What’s happening:

• 🚀 Perplexity launches free AI browser

• 📊 Report shows where startups put AI dollars

• 🎤 Instagram denies listening to your microphone

• 🏟️ Meta builds AI hub bigger than 70 football fields

• 📵 Apple bans ICEBlock app after government pressure

• + 📊 Daily poll and results

• + 📈 Trending tools and resources

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Hand-picked news:

🚀 Perplexity launches free AI browser ↗️LINK

• What: Perplexity AI has launched its Comet browser globally for free. Originally available only to $200/month Max subscribers, Comet functions as a personal AI assistant—handling search, tab management, email drafting, shopping, and more. Millions had joined the waitlist before its release.

• Why: By removing the paywall, Perplexity aims to rapidly grow its user base and strengthen its position against rivals like Google (Gemini in Chrome), OpenAI (Operator), and Anthropic (browser AI agent).

• Impact: The move could reshape the AI browser race, offering users free advanced features while raising pressure on competitors and traditional browsers.

📊 Report shows where startups put AI dollars ↗️LINK

• What: Andreessen Horowitz’s AI Spending Report, based on data from Mercury’s 200,000+ startup customers, reveals where AI money is flowing. OpenAI tops the list, followed by Anthropic. Perplexity ranked 12th, while Merlin AI came in at 30th. Creative tools dominate, with Freepik, ElevenLabs, Kling, and Canva among the top.

• Why: The data highlights which AI platforms deliver enough value for startups to pay for, not just test. Categories like coding assistants, creative tools, and specialized agents are seeing strong traction.

• Impact: The report signals where AI startups are gaining real adoption, showing a shift from hype to practical spending across industries.

🎤 Instagram denies listening to your microphone ↗️LINK

• What: Instagram head Adam Mosseri rejected claims that Meta secretly listens to private conversations through phone microphones to serve ads. He said ad targeting comes from user data and behaviors, not audio.

• Why: The denial comes as Meta updates its privacy policy to include data from interactions with its AI tools, which could make its recommendation and ad systems even stronger.

• Impact: While the myth of “mic eavesdropping” persists, Meta’s move shows that AI-driven user data, not audio surveillance, is the real fuel for its powerful ad targeting machine.

🏟️ Meta builds AI hub bigger than 70 football fields ↗️LINK

• What: Meta is building a huge $10B AI data center in Louisiana, the size of 70 football fields. A similar Meta site in Georgia left nearby families with brown water, broken appliances, and pressure problems. Meta denies its centers caused it, saying they use efficient cooling and reuse water.

• Why: These centers use massive amounts of water and power. Louisiana rushed approval for three new natural gas turbines to run the facility, raising concerns about rising bills and secrecy over Meta’s costs.

• Impact: The project promises jobs, but residents fear water shortages, higher energy prices, and little say in how Big Tech reshapes their towns.

📵 Apple bans ICEBlock app after government pressure ↗️LINK

• What: Apple removed ICEBlock, an app used to anonymously report ICE sightings, citing “objectionable content.” The app had 1.1M users and surged in popularity after being condemned by Trump officials, who called it dangerous to law enforcement. Attorney General Pam Bondi said she personally pressured Apple to take it down.

• Why: The removal follows claims that ICEBlock endangered ICE agents, though the developer denies it. Critics see parallels to Apple’s 2019 ban of HKMap during Hong Kong protests, raising concerns over censorship and government influence.

• Impact: The case spotlights tensions between tech platforms, free speech, and political power—fueling debate on whether Apple prioritizes safety, compliance, or appeasement.

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Today’s Poll:

Vote and find out about the result tomorrow.

Yesterday’s Poll Result:

Do you think public fears about AI job losses are premature?

• A) Yes – It’s too early to panic - 36%

• B) No – Risks are real and coming fast - 64% 🏆

Reader’s opinions:

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