An AI-generated song, a new Apple savings account and Microsoft’s decision to drop Twitter from its advertising platform were among the week’s most-read technology stories. Together, they show how quickly technology companies are changing the ways people create, save, advertise and use digital services.
AI-generated music puts familiar voices in a new role
A track called “Heart on My Sleeve” used AI-generated voices resembling Drake and The Weeknd. The musicians did not make the song; an artist using the name “Ghostwriter” generated it with AI. The track amassed more than 250,000 Spotify streams and 10 million views on TikTok.
The attention around the song puts a practical question in view: when a familiar voice appears in something new, audiences may need to distinguish between work made by the artist and work generated with AI. The source describes the track’s reach and how it was created, but does not say what either musician thought of it or what happened to the song afterward.
Apple adds savings to its financial services
Apple Card customers in the U.S. can now open a savings account with Apple and earn up to 4.15% interest. Apple partnered with Goldman Sachs for the feature, and Goldman Sachs technically manages the accounts. They are covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
The account adds a savings option to Apple’s existing card offering. The arrangement also clarifies the roles involved: customers access the feature through Apple, while Goldman Sachs manages the accounts. The reported rate is “up to” 4.15%, so the article does not establish that every customer or balance earns that amount.
Apple may also be considering a change to how iPhone users get apps. The company has so far kept app distribution relatively closed, with downloads limited to the App Store. It is considering allowing sideloading, and an announcement could be related to the Worldwide Developer Conference in June. The source presents this as a possibility, not a confirmed change.
Platform decisions reshape services and access
Microsoft said it would remove Twitter from its advertising platform. The move came nearly two months after Twitter announced a minimum charge of $42,000 per month for users of its API. Microsoft had the financial capacity to pay, according to the article, which characterized the exit as appearing to make a statement. Microsoft did not elaborate further on its decision.
Snapchat, meanwhile, is widening access to its AI chatbot. First launched in February for paid subscribers, the feature is becoming available globally for free. Snapchat announced additions including group-chat use, recommendations for places on Snap Map and Lenses, and the ability to share Snaps with the chatbot for replies.
These stories point to different choices about platform access. Microsoft is withdrawing a service connection, while Snapchat is expanding who can use an AI feature and how they can interact with it. The article reports the changes without suggesting they share a single cause.
Updates reach watches, airports and streaming
Apple Watch software is due for what the article describes as its biggest update since release. Citing a Bloomberg report, TechCrunch said watchOS 10 would bring “bigger enhancements” than releases planned for iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple TV, including an updated interface. The source does not provide further details about the interface.
Alaska Airlines has begun a three-year, $2.5 billion project to improve the airport experience at hubs and focus cities including Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. One visible part of the lobby changes will be removing check-in kiosks. The plan reflects a substantial redesign of the airport experience, though the article does not describe what will replace the kiosks.
Streaming proved less dependable for Netflix’s “Love Is Blind” reunion episode. A 75-minute delay preceded the service’s decision to cancel the live show because of seemingly unresolvable technical problems. The episode’s disruption highlights the challenge of delivering a live program through a streaming service.
Layoffs and price cuts round out the week
Meta issued another round of mass layoffs as part of the 10,000 cuts CEO Mark Zu ckerberg announced in Ma rch. The article says many of the affected roles relate to “low priority projects.” The reductions are part of a broader restructuring that Zuckerberg called the “year of efficiency,” following 11,000 layoffs announced in November.
Tesla cut prices for its Model 3 and Model Y for the second time this month. The company’s most popular models will now start under $40,000 before incentives. The source gives the starting-price change but does not explain the company’s reasons for making it.
Across these developments, technology news is not limited to new products. It also concerns who can access a service, how companies manage their platforms, and what happens when ambitious digital experiences meet practical limits.