TL;DR

In a hurry? Here's our pick of the top news items of the week.

Roblox is making immersive video ads available to all advertisers on the platform. (Marketing Dive)
Anthropic released a Claude mobile app and rolled out a new plan for teams to share access to Claude models. (The Verge)
Apple has renewed discussions with OpenAI about using the startup’s technology to power some new features coming to the iPhone later this year. (Bloomberg)

Audiences

Consumers in the US and UK are most likely to book online travel through travel agencies (OTAs), though brand websites or apps command a strong portion of bookings, too. (Wunderkind)
60% of 65- to 74-year-olds in the US and UK make international bookings more than twelve weeks in advance, while only 22% of 18- to 24-year-olds do the same. (Wunderkind)
The number of Americans using TikTok weekly has quadrupled since 2021, with an influx of age 35+ users shifting the platform's demographics. (YouGov)
65% of Gen Z and 72% of Millennials globally expect to spend more on leisure travel in 2024 compared to 2023. (Marketing Dive)
Heavy-drinking US adults under 30 are consuming less alcohol compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. (Forbes)

Instagram announced an algorithm update to prioritize original and emerging creators by removing aggregator accounts from recommendations, adding labels to reposted content and replacing reposts with original content in recommendations. (Social Media Today)
Instagram is experimenting with “Clear Mode," which lets users hide the description and UI buttons on Reels clips for a cleaner viewing experience. (Social Media Today)
X’s Australian operation reported just $3.4M AUD ($2.2M USD) in revenue in the first half of 2023, plunging more than 80% YoY. (Australian Financial Review)
Audible will test using Prime Video data for audiobook recommendations amid its fierce competition with Spotify. (Tech Crunch)

TikTok announced a new lineup of special event programming, as well as a showcase of top AAPI creators, to help promote AAPI Heritage Month. (Social Media Today)
After 3 months of negotiation, TikTok and Universal Music Group announced a new licensing agreement to get artists' songs back on the platform. (Social Media Today)
LGBTQ characters are dropping considerably across broadcast, cable and streaming series for the second straight year, to 468 from last year’s total of 596. (THR)
Sports content continues to perform for Peacock, as the airing of WWE’s WrestleMania became the platform’s most-watched entertainment event yet. (Marketing Brew)
Samsung announced new content licensing deals with the American Hockey League that will bring live hockey games to Samsung TV Plus’ FAST channel menu for the first time. (Variety)

Meta added a new AI-generated label option within the post-composer flow as part of its expanded AI disclosure requirements. (Social Media Today)
Users can quickly start a chat with Google Gemini using a new shortcut in the Chrome desktop address bar. (MediaNama)
Google's DV360 is getting AI tools that make programmatic video ad buying more efficient. (PR Week)
Eight daily newspapers owned by Alden Global Capital sued OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing the tech companies of illegally using news articles to power their chatbots. (NYT)

Streaming platform Deezer has pledged to create unique and immersive experiences at French music festivals this summer. (IQ Mag)
Manchester's new Co-Op Live venue postponed its opening concert three times due to safety concerns with the arena's systems and infrastructure. (Financial Times)
Over a third of consumers in the US and UK say they prefer to purchase tickets directly from an event venue’s website or app. (Wunderkind)

Instagram and TikTok are changing the landscape of travel search, surpassing Google in influence. (Lodging Interactive)
A personal robot concierge is set to become a reality and is expected to revolutionize the hospitality sector. (ArabNews)
The European Union approved a new framework for a European digital identity (eID), and hoteliers who implement digital identity solutions stand to reap significant benefits. (Hospitality Net)
65% of consumers in the US and UK either plan on increasing or keeping their travel frequency constant in the next 12 months. (Wunderkind)

"Assassin’s Creed Mirage" is to release on iPhone and iPad June 6th, doubling down on Apple’s promise to deliver console gaming on mobile. (Engadget)
Medieval strategy title "Manor Lords" sold over 1M copies within 24 hours of making its Steam Early Access debut. (Game Developer)
Hasbro is making a considerable investment in its studio structure and currently has over $1B in video games being developed. (GamesIndustry)