Google is rolling out Gmail Live, which lets you search your inbox by having an actual conversation with it. You can ask things like “When is my next appointment?” or “What did the hotel say about check-in?” and it will answer aloud, link to the relevant emails and handle follow-up questions. It’s rolling out globally in English on iOS and Android, although you’ll need a paid Google AI plan. Finally, a use for AI beyond rewriting “Just following up” in 14 different tones.

WhatsApp is testing an optional Scam Alert that uses on-device AI to flag suspicious messages before you reply, send money or reveal that yes, your first pet was called Max. If it spots something dubious, it offers options to block, report or continue. Meta says the analysis happens on your phone and nothing is reported automatically. It’s currently a limited beta, so your best protection remains the traditional method: assume the unexpected “urgent” message from your bank is not actually your bank.

Meta has launched Muse, an AI agent that can access connected apps to draft emails, plan trips, fill in forms, sell items and make purchases with your approval. It’s available in the US through WhatsApp and a standalone app, with free and paid versions. Meta says users control which apps it can access, although early testing uncovered reliability and security problems. So perhaps let it book a restaurant before trusting it to reorganize your financial life.

Instagram is rolling out an Animated Collages option for Stories: choose 5 to 20 photos and it turns them into a moving collage, with cutout and sequential styles. No separate editing app required. Whether this is an entirely new launch or a wider rollout of an earlier test remains unclear, but the direction is obvious: why post one carefully chosen photo when you can dump 17 into Instagram and let the algorithm find the aesthetic?

Hiring often picks up in September as recruiters return from summer holidays and companies prepare for the final quarter. But “September Surge” may be overselling it: hiring remains more than 20% below pre-pandemic levels, while the number of jobs available per applicant is down 6% from last year. So yes, it may be a better time to apply. No, recruiters are not suddenly standing outside throwing employment contracts at passers-by.

An AI-generated parody that puts a Roomba-style robot inside Dunder Mifflin has attracted around 3.5 million views. It’s funny, slightly unsettling and impressively close to the rhythm of the original show. It’s also a useful snapshot of where AI video is now: recognizable enough to go viral - and polished enough to make copyright lawyers reach for another coffee.

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Till next time,

Jana