Reading List

The most recent articles from a list of feeds I subscribe to.

Crimson Desert GOTY chances at The 2026 Game Awards plummet after release

Reviews for Pearl Abyss' game are just too low, with a 78 rating on Metacritic. It might just get nominated like Black Myth: Wukong, however

Google Search is now using AI to replace headlines

Since roughly the turn of the millennium, Google Search has been the bedrock of the web. People loved Google's trustworthy "10 blue links" search experience and its unspoken promise: The website you click is the website you get. Now, Google is beginning to replace news headlines in its search results with ones that are AI-generated. […]

Mistral's CEO proposes a revenue-based levy for AI model providers in the EU, to be invested "in new content creation and supporting Europe's cultural sectors" (Arthur Mensch/Financial Times)

Arthur Mensch / Financial Times:
Mistral's CEO proposes a revenue-based levy for AI model providers in the EU, to be invested “in new content creation and supporting Europe's cultural sectors”  —  A revenue-based charge would protect the livelihoods of copyright holders and bring legal certainty

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Talking Flower toy is a jump scare machine

I spent a week living with Nintendo's new Talking Flower toy. The plastic menace jump scared me the entire time.

Much ado about protein

This is Optimizer, a weekly newsletter sent every Friday from Verge senior reviewer Victoria Song that dissects and discusses the latest gizmos and potions that swear they're going to change your life. Opt in for Optimizer here. Wellness crazes come and go, but protein is forever. At least that's how it feels as the algorithm […]