News

Elon Musk Reveals Details Of Latest X Plan To Fight Bots

The changes come as many users feel the site is becoming swamped by hordes of fake accounts and trolls.

Published

8 months ago

April 5, 2024

elon musk reveals details of latest x plan to fight bots

After a recent post by CEO Elon Musk it seems that changes are incoming at X, the social site formerly known as Twitter.

Musk says a new system to rid the platform of bots and trolls is “underway”, while asking users to reply to his post or ping his official account @XEng if their legitimate accounts are suspended in error.

System purge of bots & trolls underway.

Please reply to me or @XEng if legitimate accounts are suspended.

X Corp will be tracing the people responsible and bringing the full force of the law to bear upon them.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 4, 2024

“X Corp will be tracing the people responsible and bringing the full force of the law to bear upon them,” Elon Musk said, without providing further details.

The announcement comes after X’s appointment of a new head of brand safety and advertiser solutions in what it said was a bid to make the platform “a better, safer space for everyone”.

Automated accounts have long been a problem for the site and regularly reply to posts in a nonsensical or unrelated manner. Recent developments in AI make the bots harder to spot, though many users have a general feeling something is “off” with the platform, which often appears completely void of real human interaction.

Also Read: Getting Started With Google Gemini: A Beginner’s Guide

The latest round of bot-fighting measures will be a “significant, proactive initiative to eliminate accounts that violate [its] Rules against platform manipulation and spam,” X’s team announced yesterday, adding that they are “casting a wide net to ensure X remains secure and free of bots”.

Musk’s bot and troll crackdown coincides with the return of the controversial blue checkmark system on Wednesday evening. Users who had blue checks reinstated were told that they had been given a complimentary Premium subscription because they were considered “an influential member of the community.”

The outspoken SpaceX and Tesla CEO posted details last week that accounts with over 2,500 verified followers will have blue checks reinstated for free, while those with 5,000+ followers will get a complimentary $16-per-month Premium+ plan.

News

Popcorn AI Raises $500,000 For “Conversational eCommerce”

The firm’s AI platform uses specialized chatbots to handle entire eCommerce journeys, from recommending products to seamless payments.

Published

5 days ago

November 14, 2024

Nour Nasir

Popcorn AI

Dubai-based Popcorn AI has announced the closure of a pre-seed funding round that raised $500,000 for its revolutionary AI platform. The investment, led by Spring Studios with the backing of Salica Investments, Al Waha Fund of Funds, and prominent angel investors from Saudi Arabia, represents a key step forward in reshaping customer-business interactions using the power of conversational AI.

Unlike traditional chatbot systems, Popcorn AI’s platform is designed to redefine eCommerce by creating highly intelligent sales agents that handle entire customer journeys, from personalized product recommendations right through to seamless payment acceptance — all through a conversational experience.

The clever idea was recently tested to great success when one of Popcorn AI’s chatbot agents closed a $400,000 real estate transaction, handling everything from the first inquiry to the final sale. Early adopters have reported a massive 90% reduction in customer acquisition costs, along with a highly impressive 20% improvement in conversion rates, highlighting the platform’s potential to transform customer engagement across dozens of industries.

Josh Rodger, Principal at the Spring Studios fund, expressed enthusiasm for the project, saying, “We are proud to support Popcorn AI’s mission to reshape how businesses connect with their customers. Their innovative approach to conversational commerce has the potential to revolutionize industries and redefine the way customers experience digital transactions”.

Also Read: Top Free AI Chatbots Available In The Middle East

Meanwhile, Popcorn AI founder and CEO Yousef Al Arif declared: “The future of commerce is conversational,” adding, “Today’s consumers want shopping experiences that are instant, personalized, and effortless. We’re not building just another chatbot; we’re crafting intelligent commerce agents that understand context, recall customer preferences, and guide users through the entire shopping process, much like an expert salesperson would”.

Building upon a decade of experience scaling eCommerce and marketplace platforms across the MENA region, Al Arif has now achieved huge success with Popcorn AI, positioning the product at the cutting edge of AI-powered eCommerce. The platform has also made significant impacts in sectors such as real estate, and hospitality, signaling that conversational commerce is emerging as a powerful new model for digital businesses.