Time has been going by at the speed of light. Anyone else feeling the same way? Well, it appears that's not the only thing. As we look into the industry updates, changes are developing just as rapidly. Here are some of our favorite stories that have peaked our attention this week:
In a not-so-shocking update, TikTok admitted that their employees can decide which content goes viral on their platform.
The DOJ gets ready to sue Google for the second time over antitrust law violations in their advertising department.
In an effort to keep up with Google, Apple, and Meta, Microsoft invests a whopping $10 billion in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.
Amazon announces a new benefit for Prime users that allows them access to common, generic drugs for only $5/month.
Top Retail and E-commerce Stories
#FYP Or Is It?: TikTok Employees Can Decide What Goes Viral
A spokesperson from TikTok shared that this heating feature will also allow for more "diversified content" to show up on users' feeds to help further avoid the same one or two trends that the algorithm consistently provides. It is also mentioned that "TikTok doesnât do it that often, claiming only '.002% of videos in For You feeds' are heated. According to an internal document obtained by Forbes, however, heated videos reportedly make up 'around 1-2 percent' of 'total daily video views.'"
So, how do you know which videos are heated? You don't. Unlike ads, TikTok doesn't have a clear indicator of which content on your feed is heated versus "organic" or algorithm-driven. However, they aren't the first platform to skew content and views as Facebook was also given heat for a similar situation and ended up paying a hefty lawsuit settlement because of it. The biggest concern that TikTok faces now is the loss of interest by potential creators for lack of performance given the known intervention.
Too Much Dominance: DOJ Ready to Sue Google Over Digital Ad Market Dominance
The logo for Google LLC is seen at the Google Store Chelsea in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 17, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
Too much digital authority.Who knew that could be a thing? Well, the Department of Justice is ready to sue Google for the second time regarding their federal antitrust law violations. Back in 2020, the DOJ filed a lawsuit against Google for its monopoly in search and now it is suspected that there are violations of how Google acquires and maintains its dominance. The trial, which is set for September of this year, will be Google's second lawsuit in just over two years by the Department of Justice.
So what is the fuss about? Well, Google's advertising business seems to be in the hot seat with many complaints about the lack of transparency regarding where ad dollars are going. While there hasn't been a comment from Google regarding that concern, another topic of discussion is around fair competition in the technical ad space. Despite the mass number of acquisition purchases made by the tech giant, Google's argument insists that there is fair competition within the tech ecosystem with other tech leaders such as Meta, AT&T, Comcast, and more.
Google still remains the leader in the advertising market by a long shot, however, the brand is experiencing sinking numbers compared to years prior.
That's a Hefty Investment: Microsoft to Invest $10 Billion in OpenAI, the Creator of ChatGPT
Credit...Jovelle Tamayo for The New York Times
Is there a chat for that?In an attempt to stay in competition with tech giants like Google, Apple, and Meta,Microsoft invests $10 billion dollars in OpenAI's technology of the future.It was noted that Microsoft initially invested $3 billion in OpenAI, but has since added to that investment in an attempt to stay relevant in the futuristic tech space.
ChatGPT, which has quickly become the topic of conversation in the e-commerce space, has since made waves in artificial intelligence, too. This function, which was released in November, is a chatbot that answers questions in a clear and well-punctuated manner. This feature has paved the way for new strides in artificial intelligence with new companies hopping on the bandwagon to provide short-form, AI content in the form of text, images, and videos.
Satya Nadella, Microsoft's Chief Executive, shares that OpenAI would focus on bringing tools to the market that would allow âdevelopers and organizations across industries to have access to the best A.I. infrastructure, models and toolchain.â This investment comes after Microsoft began laying off employees as the company works to "change their hardware portfolio." Microsoft aims to focus on the new up-and-coming priorities of artificial intelligence which could lead to "the next major wave of computing.â
Initially, this service will cover medications for 80 common ailments which include anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications, hypertension, and hair growth. This list was strategically selected based on the mass volume of people within the United States who are already taking one or more of the medications that are offered in this list.
This move was motivated by repeat purchasing incentives. It is noted that RxPass is not available for those on Medicare or Medicaid and the $5 payment is taken out of pocket and not from your insurance.
John Love, the Vice President of Amazon Pharmacy, shares "Prime members already get fast, free delivery on prescription medications, and RxPass is one more way to save with Amazon Pharmacy. Any customer who pays more than $10 a month for their eligible medications will see their prescription costs drop by 50% or more, plus they save time by skipping a trip to the pharmacy. We are excited to offer our customers surprisingly simple, low pricing on the eligible medications they need each month.â
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been getting a lot of buzz recently as people are torn on its potential. What is your involvement with AI Features such as ChatGPT? We'll post the results next week!
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On this 69th episode of The E-Comm Show, our host and BlueTuskr CEO Andrew Maff is with Garrett Sacks of GNC, a consulting business helping CPG brands of all categories to do cross-border e-commerce. Coming from his rich experiences in doing e-commerce in Asia, Garrett is here to share everything you need to know about expanding your e-commerce market to international watersâfrom importing goods from China and finding the right product-market fit to building the correct e-commerce infrastructures to scale in Asia.
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