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Apple Pay and MLS Season Pass Secure Two Webby Awards

Apple received significant accolades at the 2026 Webby Awards, achieving two esteemed victories that emphasize its pioneering efforts in digital media and technology. The award ceremony, hosted by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences, occurred on May 11, honoring outstanding achievements across various categories including apps, video, and digital media.

### Apple Pay and Messi Ad Showcase Apple’s Webby Achievements

This year, Apple triumphed at the Webby Awards with a victory in the Shopping & Retail, Consumer Apps category for its widely utilized payment service, Apple Pay. The company also earned the People’s Voice Award in the same category, signifying the app’s favorable reception and popularity among users. Furthermore, Apple was awarded a Webby Award for Social Video, Individual for its captivating advertisement titled “Lionel Messi Intercepts the Super Bowl.” This ad illustrates the brand’s ability to engage audiences through compelling storytelling and high-profile partnerships.

Throughout the years, Apple has continually received honors for its marketing initiatives, including prior accolades at renowned events such as the Cannes Lions. The Webby Awards enhance Apple’s remarkable collection, boasting nearly 100 wins and countless nominations since the awards began.

This year’s Webby Awards also acknowledged other significant accomplishments in the tech sphere, including Claude Code for Best Product or Service and Waymo’s Safety Hub for Best Responsible AI Implementation.

For those keen on reviewing Apple’s previous achievements at the Webby Awards, a detailed list of former winners is accessible online. To see the complete list of this year’s winners, you can visit the official Webby Awards website.

Apple’s ongoing success at the Webby Awards highlights its dedication to innovation and excellence in the digital realm, further reinforcing its status as a frontrunner in technology and digital media.

Grok to Curate Your Timeline with X

X is putting its AI chatbot, Grok, in charge of your timeline. In an announcement on Wednesday, X product head Nikita Bier says Premium subscribers on iOS can get early access to a feature that allows users to pin specific topics to their home tab, which Grok will then use to curate the posts you […]

Threads Unveils Group Chat Functionality for Live Events

**Threads Unveils Live Chats: A Fresh Approach to Engage in Real-Time Discussions**

Threads, the trendy social media platform, has introduced an exciting feature known as Live Chats, aimed at improving user engagement during prominent live events. This cutting-edge addition merges aspects of traditional group conversations with current hot topics, enabling users to partake in public, live discussions.

### What are Live Chats?

Live Chats allow Threads users to engage in public group conversations focused on live events, such as sports competitions, award ceremonies, or other noteworthy occurrences. Users can join these discussions to express their opinions and reactions with fellow attendees of the same event.

### Features of Live Chats

After entering a Live Chat, users can send messages, share images, videos, and links, and communicate their emotions through emoji reactions. Even if a chat reaches its participant cap, users can still follow the dialogue, respond to messages, and take part in polls.

### Hosting Live Chats

At present, the capability to host Live Chats is restricted to a specific group of creators and Community Champions. When a Live Chat is scheduled, it becomes publicly accessible, allowing additional users to join the discussion even after the live event has ended.

### How to Initiate a Live Chat

Qualified users can start a Live Chat by carrying out these steps:

1. Click the three-dot menu icon in the upper right corner of their Community.
2. Choose “Schedule a Live Chat.”
3. Designate a name for the chat, select a start and end time, and invite participants.
4. Promote the Live Chat on their Threads feed and Instagram Story to boost visibility.

Current and upcoming Live Chats are prominently featured at the top of applicable communities, such as NBA Threads. Participants can find these chats within the Messages tab, akin to other one-on-one or group chats in the app.

### Conclusion

The launch of Live Chats on Threads signifies a major advancement in promoting real-time interaction among users during live occurrences. This feature not only enriches the social media experience but also fosters community engagement and involvement. For further details about Live Chats, check out the official Threads announcement [here](https://about.fb.com/news/2026/04/threads-live-chats/).

Alexis Ohanian Surprises Washington with Pro-Immigration Statements

Hello and welcome to Regulator, a newsletter for Verge readers about tech politics, political tech, and how they’re muddying the waters of Washington, DC. My birthday is this week, and if you’re not a Verge subscriber but would like to wish me a happy birthday, you should subscribe here, because that would be the best […]

Google’s Agentic AI Epoch: How Gemini Revolutionizes Workspace Intelligence for Genuine Support

Cloud Next 2026 had plenty to offer, so we’re dissecting it.

What you should know

– This week, Google is introducing some Workspace Intelligence, outlining the agentic AI future for users during Cloud Next 2026.
– Workspace Intelligence is embedded into each app, comprehending what is important to you, which allows it to deliver it through automation.
– Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Chat are all receiving Gemini, enhanced by Workspace Intelligence updates for file generation and AI support.

Workspace aids businesses (large and small) throughout their days, and now Google is revealing significant AI-driven updates to enhance their productivity.

During the Cloud Next 2026 event, Google unveiled Workspace Intelligence as part of its agentic initiative to assist users in working more efficiently. Google states that this new method aspires to provide “real-time understanding” to your applications by consolidating your projects into an automated workflow. It asserts that Workspace Intelligence grasps the connections between your applications, projects, collaborators, and more.

This comprehension is achieved through intelligence gathering. Google claims Workspace Intelligence will “collect the information you require” from Gmail, Docs, Slides, and more, ensuring you have everything when you are engaged in your project. “Situational Awareness” relies on Gemini to identify “what’s significant to you.” This can include dates, emails, files, and similar items.

The personalization aspect emerges as the agentic AI becomes acquainted with your identity and your communication style, even grasping your work habits and formatting tendencies. While Workspace Intelligence serves as the overarching component linking all its applications, Google announced several updates for those apps.

Agentic AI for the future of work

Enhancements for the core trio—Docs, Slides, and Sheets—elevate Gemini, in addition to Workspace Intelligence. For Google Docs, Gemini’s role can create infographics using your information, make adjustments based on other comments, and “edit multiple images,” thanks to the new agentic AI upgrade. Gemini in Sheets can review your emails, documents, chats, and online data to “visualize all your information.”

Workspace Intelligence will consider your files and your organization’s visual identity to generate presentations in Slides. Google Chat introduces “Ask Gemini in Chat,” a cohesive experience designed to integrate the AI with every conversation you have with colleagues and partners. If you need help, Google indicates that you can query the AI, and its answers will be presented in the chat once it has compiled the information.

Additionally, Ask Gemini in Chat can provide a daily summary of unread messages and “urgent action items,” create new Docs or Slides, arrange meetings, and locate files for you. The company also emphasizes the new AI Inbox for Gmail, which was launched earlier in April. This innovative inbox ensures you are informed of vital emails regarding impending bill payments, appointments, and messages from “priority” contacts.

Following testing, AI Inbox is now available, but only if you’re inclined to use it. Google is providing this feature at $250 per month for Google AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S.

Android Central’s Perspective

I’ve mentioned it before, and I’ll reiterate: this is where Google’s AI truly excels. The practicality of Gemini merging with Workspace Intelligence is evident when you begin to recognize a genuine work assistant. For larger organizations and individuals tasked with overseeing numerous projects, this will likely be a significant advantage. I’m uncertain about the AI attempting to produce something in my voice or my company’s branding. That seems like a potential issue, but regarding everything else? I’m on board.