WSJ Tech News Briefing

Along with new AI agents and tools, Meta Platforms, OpenAI, and Anthropic are rolling out mascots. It’s part of an effort to put a cuddlier face on AI tools amid the rise in anxieties about the technology. WSJ advertising editor Suzanne Vranica joins to discuss how fuzzy little guys could help make the technology feel less scary to skeptics.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For months, the drumbeat of worries about the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has steadily increased. While the White House has taken a light touch approach to regulating the industry, some states and cities are exploring issuing their own rules governing AI. WSJ reporter Kevin Dugan gives us the scoop on a recent New York City Council hearing on AI, and what a patchwork of state and municipal rules could mean for tech giants. Danny Lewis hosts.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Videos rule social media right now, from TikToks to Instagram Reels to YouTube Shorts. But a new study suggests that the constant churn of short video clips may be changing our perception of time. WSJ family and tech columnist Julie Jargon joins to discuss how that could harm young people’s developing brains—and what social media companies and parents can do to help. Danny Lewis hosts.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Meta’s new AI agent, Muse, is a hit—racking up millions of downloads in just a few weeks. But how is it working for users, who must hand over reams of data to get the most out of the bot? WSJ personal tech columnist Nicole Nguyen joins to share her own experiences test driving Muse, as well as her reporting on what security experts make of the latest consumer AI push. Katie Deighton hosts.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While more stories of AI agents going rogue surface nearly every day, the messaging urging consumers to use AI agents to make life and work easier is not dying down. And this is all happening amidst a conversation about AI doom. How do we make sense of it all? Deputy tech and media editor Sam Schechner, cybersecurity reporter Bob McMillan and personal tech columnist Nicole Nguyen hash it out.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.