Core Viewpoint - Meta is facing an EU antitrust investigation regarding its AI features in WhatsApp, as the European Union intensifies scrutiny on major US tech companies [1] Group 1: Investigation Details - The investigation will assess whether Meta's new policy on AI providers' access to WhatsApp violates EU competition rules, as stated by Brussels [1] Group 2: Company Response - A WhatsApp spokesperson described the claims as baseless, stating that the app's API was not designed to support AI chatbots and that it "puts a strain on our systems" [2] - The spokesperson emphasized the competitiveness of the AI space, noting that users have access to various services through app stores, search engines, email services, partnership integrations, and operating systems [2]

Core Viewpoint - EU antitrust regulators have initiated an investigation into Meta Platforms' new policy regarding AI providers' access to WhatsApp, suggesting that this policy may hinder competition by preventing rivals from offering their services effectively [1] Group 1: Investigation Details - The investigation focuses on Meta's policy changes that could restrict AI providers' access to WhatsApp, raising concerns about potential anti-competitive behavior [1] - Regulators are examining whether these changes could limit the ability of competitors to innovate and provide alternative messaging services [1] Group 2: Implications for Competition - The move by EU regulators indicates a growing scrutiny of large tech companies and their practices, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence and messaging services [1] - This investigation could lead to further regulatory actions or changes in policy that may impact Meta's operations and its competitive landscape [1]

Reddit, Inc. (NYSE:RDDT) is one of the AI Stocks in Focus This Week. On December 1, Piper Sandler reiterated an “Overweight” rating on the stock with a price target of $290.00. The firm views Reddit as a strategic AI asset supported by licensing potential and ad revenue momentum. Reddit has two primary Data Licensing (DL) agreements in place with Google and OpenAI. These DL agreements drive a significant portion of segment revenue, and are on track to reach an estimated $400million in revenue by 2027, sur ...

U.S. tech giant Meta is set to face a European Union antitrust investigation into use of artificial intelligence in its chat platform Whatsapp, a source told Reuters. ...

图片来源：网络 出品 | 搜狐科技 作者 | 张莹 编辑 | 杨锦 当"灵魂社交"的理想遇上商业现实，Soul这个曾寄托年轻人精神乌托邦的平台，正带着一份连续两年盈利的财报，发起第四次IPO冲击。 2023年，Soul成功扭亏为盈，并在2024年实现连续盈利。Soul将其主要营收来源描述为"情绪价值服务"。其本质是用户为虚拟商品和特权付费。 在这里，"情绪价值"被明码标价，一个个性头像可能需要几十元人民币；向心动对象送的虚拟礼物价值及道具价值0.1元至6500元不等。 Soul以"灵魂"为名吸引近4亿用户，但因高度匿名而深陷诈骗与内容风险的泥潭。在AI时代，Soul又向资本市场讲了一个新故事：AI+沉浸式社交平台。 在股东方面，腾讯是Soul最大的外部股东，持股比例为49.9%，不过腾讯仅为战略投资者，不参与日常管理或业务运营，投票权为25.7%。米哈游持股 5.47%，投票权亦为5.47%。 四度冲击IPO，2023年扭亏为盈 Soul的核心叙事是创造一个剥离现实标签、基于兴趣的"灵魂社交"空间。用户以虚拟化身（Avatar）互动，社交逻辑从"看脸"转向"灵魂社交"。 这一设计精准命中了年轻一代的社交需求， ...

Meta's aggressive AI infrastructure plans could reshape its earnings profile in ways investors might not like.Meta Platforms (META 1.18%) dropped sharply after its late-October earnings report, even though the social media and digital advertising giant posted another quarter of strong growth. Investors instead zeroed in on management's latest comments about capital spending, which paint a much heavier investment cycle than the market had been expecting.Meta's third-quarter revenue growth was impressive, pow ...

Core Viewpoint - Soul is positioning itself as an "AI + immersive social platform," shifting from its previous branding as a "social metaverse" and aiming for a stable revenue stream through AI-driven emotional value services [3][4]. User Data and Engagement - As of August 31, 2025, Soul has 11 million daily active users, with 78.7% being Generation Z. The average monthly active user interaction rate is 86%, with users sending approximately 75 peer-to-peer messages daily [7]. - Soul has accumulated around 389 million registered users, with users spending over 50 minutes daily on the platform and creating or participating in over 323 million interest-based active "experience" scenarios monthly [7]. Revenue Growth and Structure - Soul's revenue has grown from 498 million in 2020 to 2.211 billion in 2024, with a 17.86% increase in revenue from 1.428 billion in the same period last year to 1.683 billion in the first eight months of 2025 [9]. - The revenue structure primarily consists of emotional value services, accounting for 90.8% of total revenue, with an average revenue per paying user (ARPPU) of 104.4 yuan [5][10]. Financial Performance - Soul's adjusted net profit turned positive in 2023 after a net loss of 21 million in 2022, with adjusted net profits of 360 million and 340 million expected in 2023 and 2024, respectively [14]. - The company has maintained a stable number of paying users between 1.5 million and 1.8 million over the past four years, with a low paying ratio of 6.5% [17]. AI and Technology Investment - Soul's technology and development expenses have significantly increased, from 187 million in 2020 to 546 million in 2022, with 407 million spent in the first eight months of 2023, representing 24.2% of revenue [11][12]. - The company plans to continue investing in technology infrastructure, including GPU computing platforms and data analysis capabilities [12]. Market Potential - The emotional economy market for AI + immersive experiences in China is projected to reach 7 billion yuan in 2024, with an expected growth to 90 billion yuan by 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 52.8% [22].

Core Points - The European Union is set to investigate Meta Platforms Inc. regarding the integration of artificial intelligence features into WhatsApp, indicating increased regulatory scrutiny on the company [1] Group 1 - The investigation reflects the EU's ongoing efforts to monitor and regulate technology companies, particularly in the realm of AI [1] - This move is part of a broader trend of heightened scrutiny on major tech firms by European regulators [1]

Core Viewpoint - The European Commission is initiating a new antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms regarding the introduction of artificial intelligence features in WhatsApp [1] Group 1 - The investigation is part of ongoing scrutiny of Meta Platforms' practices in the tech industry [1] - The focus will be on how the AI features may impact competition within the messaging app market [1]

Core Viewpoint - Australia's internet regulator indicated that a ban on teen social media usage would initiate a global movement to regulate Big Tech companies, particularly targeting platforms like Meta's Instagram, Facebook, and Threads, which have started to restrict access for hundreds of users [1] Group 1 - The Australian regulator's stance is seen as a significant step towards global regulation of social media platforms [1] - Meta's platforms are actively locking out hundreds of users in response to regulatory pressures [1] - The move is perceived as the beginning of a broader initiative to impose stricter controls on Big Tech [1]