Google is trying out an AI Mode-like search experience for YouTube. The company is now testing "a new way to search on YouTube that feels more like a conversation," with results pulling in things like longform videos, YouTube Shorts, and text about what you're searching for. The "experiment" is now available if you're a YouTube […]

Scott Younker / Tom's Guide:
FTC: Americans reported losing $2.1B to social media scams in 2025, including $794M to scams that started on Facebook, more than on any other platform  —  Love, investments, and shopping scams were the most common  —  Social media scams caused Americans to lose $2.1 billion in 2025 …

Weekly “sponsor the whole week at DF” spots are sold out until August 24. That’s a great sign that sponsorships here work. But it’s not so great if you have a product or service that you’d like to promote now, or soon, to the DF audience — savvy listeners and readers obsessed with high quality and good design.

The good news on that front is that the sponsorship schedule for The Talk Show has openings, including for the next few episodes, starting this week and into next month. The general rule of thumb is that sponsorship spots on The Talk Show cost one-third the rate for the weekly spots on DF. I’m happy to work out deals a little lower than that for first-time sponsors. If you’ve got a product or service you’d like to hear pitched on America’s favorite three-star podcast, get in touch.

Josh Gerben / Gerben IP:
Taylor Swift's TAS Rights Management has filed applications to trademark the singer's voice and image, aiming to protect against threats posed by AI  —  Taylor Swift has filed new trademark applications to protect her voice and image.  —  The filings, made on April 24 …

Giada Zampano / Associated Press:
Archaeologists and researchers at Pompeii used AI for the first time to digitally reconstruct the face of a man killed in the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius  —  Archaeologists and researchers at the ancient Roman site of Pompeii have used artificial intelligence for the first time to digitally reconstruct …