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Data centers have caused the demand for gas-fired power in the US to explode over the past two years, according to new research released Wednesday. More than a third of this new demand, the research found, is explicitly linked to gas projects that will power data centers—the equivalent of energy that would power tens of millions of US homes.The findings from Global Energy Monitor, a San Francisco–based nonprofit that tracks oil and gas developments, come as the Trump administration is both encouraging data center build-out and doing away with pollution regulations on power plants and oil and gas extraction. They…

The numbers$58.1 billion: Meta’s Q4 2024 ad revenue, up 24% year-over-year. Overall revenue was $59.89 billion, also up 24% year-over-year.18%: The year-over-year increase in ad impressions delivered across Meta’s apps.6%: The average increase in price per ad year-over-year.3.5 billion: Number of people using at least one of Meta’s apps daily. $955 million: Reality Labs revenue, down 12% year-over-year.30%: The year-over-year increase in Instagram reels watch time in the U.S.$115 to $135 billion: Investment in capital expenditures in 2026.Watercooler talkMeta boss Mark Zuckerberg looks to leverage more AI agents, saying “there’s a big delta” between people who use, and don’t use agents.…

Three weeks ago, Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, revealed it raised $20 billion in a Series E funding round. Now we know Tesla is among its investors. Tesla disclosed in a letter to shareholders on Wednesday that it invested $2 billion in xAI, the startup behind the Grok chatbot that also owns Musk’s social media company X. Other previously disclosed investors in xAI include Valor Equity Partners, Fidelity, Qatar Investment Authority, as well as Nvidia and Cisco as “strategic investors.” This is a truly circular deal and one that Tesla shareholders voted against last year. In November, shareholders were asked…

Are you looking for a new Windows laptop to get some work done from your local coffee shop? You can pick up the 15-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop from Best Buy for $1,110, a $400 break from the usual $1,500 price tag. It’s our favorite Windows laptop for non-gamers, and it sports smooth performance and great battery life.Photograph: Brenda StolyarMicrosoftSurface Laptop (7th Edition, 2024)There are big improvements to the screen for this generation, with thinner bezels that give you more real estate without expanding the footprint. Even if you won’t be doing much gaming, the 120-Hz refresh rate will help daily…

The Super Bowl is an advertiser’s biggest opportunity to reach a massive audience. But at roughly $267,000 per second, brands rarely take any risks or depart from expected norms of humor, celebrity cameos, and dazzling visuals.A handful, however, have used their time to deliver contentious messages—84 Lumber took on President Trump’s border wall in 2017, for example. And in 2010, Focus on the Family ran an ad in which Tim Tebow’s mother expressed her gratitude for carrying her pregnancy to term, referencing abortion without saying it. But when it comes to making audiences squirm, few spots can compete with Nationwide…

Organic food company Once Upon a Farm, known for its baby food and kids snacks, is resuming its IPO plans, per an SEC filing and Reuters. The company had initially planned to hold its IPO last year, though it paused it amid the government shutdown. But it filed an updated S-1 on Tuesday which offered a price range of $17- $19 a share, indicating that the process has resumed, perhaps signalling that the overall IPO market is starting to thaw. The company is expected to make its debut on February 6, according to IPO Scoop. Once Upon A Farm was…

Google debuted a new “Auto Browse” feature for Chrome on Wednesday. The tool, powered by Google’s current Gemini 3 generative AI model, is an AI agent designed to take over your Chrome browser to help complete online tasks like booking flights, finding apartments, and filing expenses.The release of Auto Browse is part of Google’s continued integration of AI features into Chrome. Last year, Google dropped the “Gemini in Chrome” mode to answer questions about what’s on web pages and synthesize details from multiple open tabs.Auto Browse, which users can access by launching the Gemini sidebar in Chrome, will only be…

Ro and tennis legend Serena Williams are bringing the GLP-1 conversation to the Super Bowl.Ro, a direct-to-consumer healthcare business that sells GLP-1 medications including Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound, is making its Super Bowl debut with an ad starring its brand ambassador, Williams. The commercial will air nationally during NBC’s broadcast and kick off a new campaign, “Healthier on Ro,” spanning TV, paid social, and out-of-home takeovers in cities across the U.S.The goal behind “Healthier on Ro” is to destigmatize the drug and promote its other health benefits beyond weight loss. It continues Ro’s partnership with Williams that began in August,…

2025 was the year when a swarm of AI browsers from companies like OpenAI, Perplexity, Opera, and The Browser Company launched with an aim to replace Chrome with features like sidebar assistants and automated tasks. Now, Google is flexing its own AI muscles by adding similar features to Chrome, the world’s largest browser by market share. While Google had introduced Gemini to Chrome last September, the assistant lived in a floating window. With this update, the company will put its AI helper into a persistent sidebar, so you can ask questions about the current website or other open tabs. One…

Introducing the gaming side paints a slightly clearer picture. In older 3DMark benchmarks, again using the RTX 5080, the difference in scores was extremely minor, with wider margins in newer benchmarks. Time Spy, for example, saw under a one percent increase, while Speedway was closer to 10 percent.via Brad BourqueWhen it comes to actual gaming benchmarks, there’s a difference, but in practice you aren’t going to notice it. Cyberpunk 2077 is one of my go-to games, because it’s a popular title that’s also quite demanding, and the in-game benchmark means it’s very consistent. At 1440p, with the settings on ultra…

Ben Stiller and Benson Boone are bringing a retro, over-the-top energy to Instacart’s 2026 Super Bowl ad.The grocery delivery app’s return to the Super Bowl follows last year’s better-than-expected debut, said chief marketing officer Laura Jones in a statement. The 2025 ad featuring a gaggle of brand mascots like Chester Cheetah and the Kool-Aid Man “propelled our business forward,” she said.This year, Instacart’s using a more traditional Big Game playbook, enlisting celebrities to play out an absurdist narrative—all while communicating a key part of how the app tries to differentiate itself from competitors.“Instacart lets you choose your bananas,” Boone sings…

If the final San Francisco Allbirds store closes its doors and no one is around to hear them shut, did it make a sound? Once symbolic of a mid-2010s San Francisco tech bro, the shoe brand Allbirds is closing almost all of its physical stores by the end of February. Just two outlet stores in the US and two full-price stores in London will remain. “This is an important step for Allbirds, as we drive toward profitable growth under our turnaround strategy,” Allbirds CEO Joe Vernachio said in a statement. “We have been opportunistically reducing our brick-and-mortar portfolio over the…

Throughout this period, Trump has continued to post about Peters’ cause on Truth Social, specifically targeting Polis, whom he called “the SLEAZEBAG Governor of Colorado” on December 3. On New Year’s Eve, Trump wrote on Truth Social: ”Hard to wish [Peters] a Happy New Year, but to the Scumbag Governor and the disgusting “Republican” (RINO!) DA … I wish them only the worst. May they rot in Hell. FREE TINA PETERS!” (Trump has posted about Peters’ cause eight times on Truth Social over the last nine months.)At the time, Peters’ legal team, led by Peter Ticktin, who attended the New…

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, Coca-Cola is staking out its place on soccer’s biggest stage.The brand this week launched “All the Feels”, a global campaign marking Coca-Cola’s 12th FIFA World Cup as an official partner and nearly five decades tied to the tournament. The effort positions Coke as a constant companion through the emotional highs and lows of World Cup fandom, from pre-match anticipation to last-minute heartbreak.The campaign debuts with “Bubbling Up,” the first of three TV spots rolling out in the lead-up to FIFA World Cup 2026. The ad captures pre-tournament excitement spilling into everyday life, following…

The acting head of U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA uploaded sensitive contracting documents marked “for official use only” to ChatGPT, according to Politico. The outlet, citing officials, reported Tuesday that CISA’s acting director, Madhu Gottumukkala, appointed by Trump, triggered multiple automated security warnings that are designed to prevent the theft or inadvertent disclosure of government files from federal networks.  Gottumukkala was reportedly granted an exception to use ChatGPT earlier in his tenure as CISA director at a time when other employees were prohibited. Officials at the Department of Homeland Security, which houses CISA, sought to determine if there was any harm…

Safety CertificationsOnly choose helmets that meet safety standards such as ASTM F2040, CE EN 1077, or Snell RS-98. These helmets will have passed rigorous tests for impact resistance and penetration. Don’t be tempted to wear a skateboard or cycling helmet unless you know it meets the same safety standards.Goggle CompatibilityIll-fitting goggles and helmets can be hugely irritating on the trails. A goggle frame that’s too big can put pressure on the sides of the helmet and make it feel uncomfortable, while a gap between the top of the goggle and helmet not only looks a bit gawky, but can get…