Snapchat announced on Tuesday that it’s rolling out “AI Sponsored Snaps,” which will allow users to interact directly with brands’ AI agents. Sponsored Snaps are the ads placed directly into the app’s main Chat tab. Until now, users couldn’t interact with these ads, but with the launch of AI Sponsored Ads, they’ll be able to do things like ask questions and get recommendations.

Of course, not everyone will be on board with AI-sponsored ads, as they introduce AI into yet another part of the Snapchat experience. Plus, not everyone is eager for more advanced advertising.

However, Snapchat said in a blog post that its “community isn’t just open to AI in conversation, they’re already embracing it,” given that over half a billion users have messaged its AI chatbot since it launched in 2023.

“Conversation is becoming the most valuable real estate in advertising,” said Ajit Mohan, Chief Business Officer at Snap, in the blog post. “AI is accelerating that shift, turning chat into the place where people discover products, ask questions, and make decisions in real time. The real opportunity isn’t just putting ads into those environments, it’s designing formats that feel native to how people already talk.”

For brands, the new AI Sponsored Snaps give them access to Snapchat’s nearly one billion monthly active users. They can bring their own AI agents onto the platform to drive engagement and purchases.

Snapchat says the new format builds on the momentum of Sponsored Snaps, which already drive 22% more conversions with nearly 20% lower cost per action. With the new format, they can engage users through personalized, AI-powered interactions right where they’re already having conversations.

The company says 85% of users engage regularly in the Chat feed, and that users sent over 950 billion chats in Q1 2026 alone. Additionally, 57% of teen Snapchat users message others daily, including 4 in 10 who do so several times a day.

Apple is giving App Store developers a new way to attract subscribers with lower-priced plans tied to a yearlong commitment. The company announced on Monday it will introduce a new subscription option that lets customers pay for their auto-renewing subscriptions on a monthly basis, while committing to a 12-month plan. This model will allow developers to offer discounted rates to customers in exchange for more predictable long-term revenue.

This also caters to how many developers have already been marketing their annual subscriptions in their apps. Often, app developers will display the lower monthly price to highlight the discount the customer would receive if they purchase the annual subscription instead of the monthly option. If the user is on the fence about a longer-term commitment, the notion that they’re getting a better deal can help to push them toward the annual option.

Now, Apple is essentially formalizing what these developers were already doing, which allows it to also craft a set of policies around how these subscription offers are to be displayed so as not to mislead customers about the true cost of the deals.

However, the option will not be available to developers in the United States or Singapore at launch. While Apple didn’t offer an explanation for this, it’s still in App Store litigation in the U.S. around the specifics of the court’s ruling in its case with Epic Games around how Apple can charge for subscriptions. Apple likely doesn’t want to complicate the matter further until that matter is finalized.

Singapore, meanwhile, also has a sophisticated payments market with strong consumer rules, which is why it may have been left out of the initial release.

Customers will be able to view additional information about the subscription before committing, including how their payments are structured and how cancellation works. Since the customers are agreeing to a 12-month commitment, they can cancel the subscription at any time, but monthly payments will still be deducted from their Apple account until the subscription term has ended.

Plus, Apple notes in its announcement, customers will be able to easily view how many completed and remaining payments they have left on a given subscription by looking at this information under their Apple Account. Apple will also send reminder emails and, if opted in, push notifications to remind customers ahead of their renewal dates about their upcoming purchases.

While the option will make it easier for customers to get a better deal on subscriptions, it could also lock them into longer-term plans if they are vigilant about their cancellations. Because these subscriptions auto-renew, a customer could end up accidentally agreeing to another 12-month commitment if they forgot to cancel it before the renewal is due.

Developers will be able to configure this new type of subscription in App Store Connect and test in Xcode. The new monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment will be available worldwide to customers on iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, macOS Tahoe 26.4, tvOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4, or later, and with the release of iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, tvOS 26.5, and visionOS 26.5 in May.

Amazon’s podcasting business has transformed over the past six months, according to The New York Times.

Back in August 2025, the company reportedly eliminated more than 100 jobs from its podcast studio Wondery. At the time, Amazon insisted it was not shutting Wondery down, and that appears to be technically true — it still uses the Wondery brand.

But the NYT said Amazon “took a sledgehammer” to the studio. Audio-only podcasts now operate under Audible, while a new department called Creator Services works with on-camera celebrities like Dax Shepard, Keke Palmer, and Jason and Travis Kelce.

For example, the company said it’s creating an “expanding universe” around the Kelce brothers’ “New Heights,” with monetization plans that go far beyond standard podcast ads. There’s a new section on Amazon called Kelce Clubhouse, where fans can buy “New Heights” merchandise, watch the documentary “Kelce,” and purchase recommended products for a football-watching party.

In the words of Creator Services general manager Matt Sandler, Amazon is trying to “infuse both the content and the commerce together.”

Of course, other online creators are also betting on commerce. But according to the NYT, Amazon is the only one that “dismembered a company” to get here.