Author: GT

TORONTO — Canada has quietly become a global leader in digital assets.Canada was among the first countries to enact rules for crypto, starting with anti-money laundering guidelines in 2014. The country has repeatedly evolved its regulatory guidance in recent years, while U.S. lawmakers remain stuck in gridlock — even with a pro-crypto White House and a Republican-controlled Congress. That regulatory clarity has made Toronto a launchpad for blockchain growth, and Wall Street is taking notice.Robinhood’s recent acquisition of Canadian crypto firm WonderFi, owner of Bitbuy and Coinsquare, plugs it into Canada’s established user base.”Canada is a very attractive market for…

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok appeared to experience a bug on Wednesday that caused it to reply to dozens of posts on X with information about “white genocide” in South Africa, even when the user didn’t ask anything about the subject. The strange responses stem from the X account for Grok, which replies to users with AI-generated posts whenever a user tags @grok. When asked about unrelated topics, Grok repeatedly told users about a “white genocide,” as well as the anti-apartheid chant “kill the Boer.” Grok’s odd, unrelated replies are a reminder that AI chatbots are still a nascent technology,…

Waymo issued a software recall on 1,200 self-driving vehicles after some of its robotaxis were involved in minor collisions with gates, chains, and other gate-like roadway objects. The software update, which was first reported by Reuters, was conducted late last year, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Alphabet-owned company said in the document that Waymo’s Safety Board decided to conduct a recall to that specific version of driverless software to “fulfill relevant regulatory reporting obligations.” NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation into Waymo’s automated driving system last May after learning of seven incidents in…

Netflix is adding more livestreaming content, the company announced at its Upfront presentation on Wednesday. The service, which now reaches over 94 million global monthly active users, has been steadily introducing live TV to its audience with sports content from WWE wrestling, comedy, and awards shows, and other special events (some of which definitely didn’t work out.) According to Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria, the company will be adding new programs, including the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano rematch fight on July 11. A new deal with the NFL will also see the company stream two Christmas Day matchups:…

Imagine you’re watching a highly anticipated video from your favorite YouTube creator — perhaps the moment a famous couple finally gets engaged — when an ad pops up immediately after the clip. This is part of YouTube’s new ad format called “Peak Points.” The company revealed the new ad format during its Upfront presentation on Wednesday in New York. Peak Points leverages Google’s Gemini AI to analyze YouTube videos and identify moments it believes have the highest viewer engagement or are most emotionally impactful, and then suggests placing the ad right after it. Image Credits:YouTube Point Peaks aims to benefit…

Podcaster Theo Von performed a set for U.S. troops in Qatar on Thursday where he joked about doing drugs on a mixed-race baby and the sexuality of men in the U.S. Navy, and compared the Qatari hosts’ attire to Klansman robes. His appearance preceded President Donald Trump’s visit to the Al-Udeid Air Base.The comedian’s remarks drew laughter and some groans from the service members in attendance and also some questions about why he was there.“Dad, you’ve got to do an interview with a guy named Theo Von,” Trump said in his own remarks Thursday, recalling his son Barron’s urging to…

Alibaba has unveiled Wan2.1-VACE, an open-source AI model designed to shake up how we create and edit videos.VACE isn’t appearing out of thin air; it’s part of Alibaba’s broader Wan2.1 family of video AI models. And they’re making a rather bold claim for it, stating it’s the “first open-source model in the industry to provide a unified solution for various video generation and editing tasks.”If Alibaba can succeed in shifting users away from having to juggle multiple, separate tools towards one streamlined hub—it could be a true game-changer.So, what can this thing actually do? Well, for starters, it can whip…

YouTube announced a range of initiatives designed to attract more TV ad dollars to its platform at Brandcast, its annual Upfront event for advertisers. Notably, the Google-owned video service is expanding its relationship with the NFL and plans to exclusively stream the NFL’s first Friday game of the 2025-2026 season. It’s also preparing to pilot a new way for creators to reach the audience that watches YouTube on TV through easily organized and bingeable TV shows. The latter was first announced at YouTube’s Made On YouTube event last September, where CEO Neal Mohan explained that creators making a majority of…

Tesla CEO Elon Musk attends the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. Hamad I Mohammed | ReutersThe Grok chatbot from Elon Musk’s xAI startup said Wednesday that it “appears I was instructed to address the topic of ‘white genocide’ in South Africa,” according to responses viewed by CNBC.CNBC was able to duplicate the Grok responses via multiple user accounts on X, including by asking in one prompt, “Did someone program Grok to discuss ‘white genocide’ specifically?” Users noticed the chatbot was generating bizarre answers about the controversial topic on Wednesday afternoon in response to unrelated queries.By…

YouTube made its pitch to advertisers on Wednesday, accompanied by a flashy performance from Lady Gaga and special appearances from popular YouTubers like Brittany Broski and MrBeast.  During its Upfront presentation, YouTube executives introduced new ad formats coming to the platform, including an enhanced shoppable connected TV (CTV) offering that includes a new interactive product feed. The move is strategic for YouTube, as it recognizes that viewers often watch videos on the big screen while also using their phones to scroll through social media or shop online. The new shoppable format allows advertisers to display products on the right side…