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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Deep in the shadowlands: Check out YouTube's best-kept secrets
Most of YouTube looks nothing like the YouTube we know. Dive below the surface layer of gaming clips, music covers, challenges and dares, product placement and stunt philanthropy, and one finds… Indian construction workers talking about how much they miss home, moving tributes to lost pets, children showcasing amateur but delightful rap skills through songs about the many moons of Neptune. There are also intimate home-video-style vignettes of birthday parties, travel velfies, heartfelt messages to friends and raw footage from dashcams. 'YouTube is the default video arm of the internet, in large parts of the world,' says Ryan McGrady, senior researcher at the Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure (IDPI) of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 'Some of it looks familiar, some of it is strange, some of it is personal, and a lot of it is really just banal pieces of people's lives.' McGrady stumbled into this vast landscape that most of us never encounter, in early 2022. He was setting out to study instances of hate speech on the platform, and thought he'd start by finding out how many videos YouTube actually hosted. It turned out there was no official answer (YouTube has since released one estimate, this April, of 'more than 20 billion uploads'). 'My co-author, (IDPI director) Ethan Zuckerman, calls these 'denominator problems',' McGrady says, 'in the sense that we have easy access to numerators — for instance, 10,000 videos that are popular — but denominators are hard to find.' How does one go about gathering an estimate for a platform that sees about 20 million videos uploaded a day (according to more YouTube data from April)? At IDPI, the attempt involved creating a software program that estimated the number of videos by randomly generating and testing tens of thousands of YouTube IDs. This is how they realised that most of YouTube — a world McGrady refers to as Deep YouTube — is made up of videos that have never been uplifted by an algorithm. As of April, the scraper had found 19.4 billion videos hosted on the platform. About 4% of these have no views at all, 74% have no comments, and 32% have no likes, the researchers found. Videos with 10,000 or more views drive 94% of the site's traffic but make up less than 4% of total uploads. While this clearly works as a business model— ad spend on the platform has risen sharply and consistently, and YouTube is the worlds second-most-visited website after Google — it also creates a sense of sameness that does not reflect the true nature of the content on the platform, McGrady says. More than meets the AI What is the true nature of the content on YouTube? In a paper published in Journal of Quantitative Description: Digital Media in 2023, McGrady and his team traced a rich diversity in usage across the platform. People who speak different languages, for instance, use the platform differently. A larger portion of videos in Hindi are intended for relatives and friends of the content creator (rather than a broader audience), their ongoing research shows. Many were photo slideshows set to popular music, IDPI found. Videos uploaded in Korean and Russian, meanwhile, were found to contain more news-driven content. In Russia, the platform had emerged as the go-to resource for unfiltered news from around the world. 'Lately, YouTube has been throttled and is harder to access there, but it persisted for an amazingly long time. Perhaps it was too popular to ban outright,' McGrady says. Meanwhile, worldwide, a fifth of all YouTube videos are videogame clips. Fringe feeds How strange are the strangest videos? Some clips are just 10 seconds of part of someone's face as they try to figure out a new phone camera. There are snatches of inaudible martial-arts instruction. Two hours of choir practice. The spookiest thing to him, McGrady says, are the videos with no views at all. 'You'd think at least the uploader would watch their own post, right?' he says. An explanation for this could be the third-party apps on phones and videogame consoles, which make it easy for people to create clips and upload them directly to YouTube in bulk. Yet it is in these videos, the ones with few views or none at all, that real life is being archived, he adds. A group of friends celebrating a birthday shouldn't have more than 20 views, as he puts it. It is only meant for, say, friends who couldn't make it. But it is such videos, more than the viral content, that serve as time capsules: of how we lived, what we wore, how we celebrated, the languages we spoke and people we loved. Who we really were, in other words, when almost no one was watching. 'Humanity doesn't look like the most popular YouTube videos,' McGrady says. 'Humanity is much more like the family birthdays, selfies, work meetings, vacation footage… the bulk of the footage that actually makes up YouTube's content.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Goldman Sachs Reiterates Buy on Adobe (ADBE) with $570 Target Amid Rising AI Momentum
Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) is one of the . On June 13, Goldman Sachs analyst Kash Rangan reiterated a 'Buy' rating on the stock with a $570.00 price target. The rating reaffirmation follows Adobe's fiscal second quarter 2025 results. Despite outperforming and raising +1% to fiscal 2025 Digital Media revenue, Rangan noted how the stock fell after hours as investors have been unsure if Adobe can be consistent with its double-digit top-line growth and whether its AI revenue contribution is tangible. Nevertheless, the firm is optimistic about Adobe's growth trajectory due to its Adobe Experience Platform and its Apps subscription revenue, which have been up 40% year-over-year. The company's Express platform has added over 8,000 businesses, serving as a reliable engine for user acquisition. Adobe's AI adoption is also accelerating, resulting in Firefly App first-time subscribers of +30% Q/Q. A financial analyst at his computer monitor, tracking the public company's investments. Rangan is particularly optimistic about Adobe's AI strategy. He believes it is growing to play a larger role in the company's narrative as it can help make the company's products better and allow customers to buy higher-priced SKUs, such as the CC Pro. He noted how early evidence from the core CC suite has been promising. Adobe expects AI-standalone SKUs to surpass a $250 million run-rate by the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025. The firm believes that this could provide additional revenue growth. All in all, Rangan believes Adobe is well-positioned to benefit as Gen-AI spending transitions from Infrastructure into Platform and Application layers. 'We reiterate our Buy rating and $570 PT following Adobe's F2Q25 results.' While we acknowledge the potential of ADBE as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Free Malaysia Today
14-06-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
REV Media Group wins big at MDA d'Awards 2025
The team from REV at this year's MDA d'Awards night, organised by the Malaysian Digital Association. (REV Media Group pic) KUALA LUMPUR : REV Media Group clinched seven accolades at this year's Malaysian Digital Association (MDA) d'Awards, including two of the night's highest honours – the coveted Digital Publisher of the Year and the newly introduced Content Agency of the Year. The wins reinforce REV's position as a leading force in the local digital media landscape, recognised for its editorial leadership and branded content capabilities. The group's Digital Publisher of the Year title reflects its strength in audience-first content, multi-language editorial coverage and platform-native storytelling. Meanwhile, the Content Agency of the Year award, introduced this year, acknowledges REV's growth as a full-service agency delivering brand campaigns across digital, video and social media formats. REV won silver awards for Digital Publisher of the Year and Content Agency of the Year. (REV Media Group pic) In addition to the two major silver awards, REV also took home five bronze awards in key categories: Best Use of AI & Other Digital Tech Products; Best Use of Content/Advertorial/Native Advertising (two wins); Best Use of Digital Marketing Innovation; Best Use of Social Media Platform. REV chief executive officer Samuel Wee said the recognition reflects the group's evolution and ongoing commitment to creative and commercial excellence. 'This year's wins are especially meaningful,' he said. 'We're honoured to be recognised for the work we do as publishers, and also for our evolution into a content agency that can deliver creative excellence and business impact for our clients. 'These awards are a testament to the grit, creativity and discipline of the entire team.' The d'Awards recognises excellence in digital marketing, advertising and technology. (REV Media Group pic) The group won seven awards at the 2024 d'Awards and had previously been recognised for its election platform MyUndi in 2023, and for innovation in social content.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ADBE Q2 Earnings Call: AI Adoption and Product Expansion Drive Upbeat Outlook
Creative software maker Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE) beat Wall Street's revenue expectations in Q2 CY2025, with sales up 10.6% year on year to $5.87 billion. Guidance for next quarter's revenue was better than expected at $5.9 billion at the midpoint, 0.7% above analysts' estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $5.06 per share was 1.7% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy ADBE? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $5.87 billion vs analyst estimates of $5.79 billion (10.6% year-on-year growth, 1.5% beat) Adjusted EPS: $5.06 vs analyst estimates of $4.97 (1.7% beat) The company slightly lifted its revenue guidance for the full year to $23.55 billion at the midpoint from $23.43 billion Management raised its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance to $20.60 at the midpoint, a 1.2% increase Operating Margin: 35.9%, in line with the same quarter last year Billings: $5.72 billion at quarter end, up 17% year on year Market Capitalization: $176.3 billion Adobe's second quarter results were driven by broad-based demand across its creative and digital document solutions, with management highlighting rapid adoption of generative AI features and the integration of productivity tools. CEO Shantanu Narayen attributed performance to expanding use cases among business professionals and consumers, noting that monthly active users across Acrobat, Express, and Creative Cloud applications now exceed 700 million. President of Digital Media David Wadhwani emphasized the growing intersection of creativity and productivity, stating, 'The combination of Acrobat and Express can help anyone move from consumption to creation faster with more impactful content than ever before.' Management also pointed to accelerating adoption of AI-powered tools like Acrobat AI Assistant and Firefly, citing their role in driving user engagement and new customer acquisition. Looking ahead, Adobe's updated guidance reflects expectations for continued growth fueled by new AI capabilities and expanded product offerings. Management identified deeper integration of AI across its portfolio as a key driver, with Narayen stating, 'Our strategy is to bring productivity and creativity to life for billions of users across a variety of surfaces.' The company plans to roll out expanded Firefly app subscriptions and Creative Cloud Pro globally, aiming to capture both individual creators and enterprise clients. CFO Dan Durn noted the opportunity for ongoing revenue acceleration through the rollout of higher-value subscription tiers and broader customer adoption of automation services, while also acknowledging that some benefits will take time to materialize as new offerings are gradually introduced across regions and customer segments. Management attributed the quarter's growth to strong adoption of generative AI features, expanding product integrations, and growing enterprise demand for creative and marketing solutions. AI-fueled user engagement: The integration of generative AI across Acrobat, Express, and Firefly led to accelerating monthly active user growth, with Acrobat AI Assistant and generative features driving a 3x increase in adoption year over year. Firefly app momentum: The Firefly app, Adobe's creative AI platform, saw a 30% quarter-over-quarter increase in traffic and doubled paid subscriptions. Management highlighted its role in attracting new users and expanding use cases across media types. Enterprise content supply chain demand: Adobe's GenStudio and Firefly services are being adopted by large enterprises to automate and scale content creation, with management noting that major brands like The Coca-Cola Company are leveraging these tools for faster, on-brand output. Expansion in partner ecosystem: The company broadened support for third-party AI models within Firefly and deepened integrations with advertising and marketing platforms, aiming to position Adobe as the central hub for creative content supply chains. Subscription model enhancements: New tiered pricing for Firefly and Creative Cloud Pro, along with deeper product integration, are designed to drive both new customer acquisition and increased average revenue per user over time. Management indicated that some benefits from these changes will phase in gradually as subscriptions renew and new products are launched regionally. Adobe's outlook is anchored in continued AI adoption, broader product rollout, and increased enterprise demand for creative automation. Global AI product expansion: Management expects further growth from rolling out Firefly app subscriptions and Creative Cloud Pro globally, targeting both individuals and enterprises. Expanded features and integration of AI are anticipated to drive higher user engagement and recurring revenue. Enterprise automation uptake: Adobe's GenStudio and Firefly services are gaining traction among large organizations seeking to automate creative workflows. Management highlighted early customer wins and ongoing enterprise pilots, stating that these solutions could increase the company's share of enterprise marketing budgets. Phased impact from pricing and renewals: The financial benefit from new pricing tiers and product bundles is expected to materialize gradually, as upgrades and renewals occur over time. CFO Dan Durn cautioned that while early feedback is positive, the full revenue impact depends on adoption rates and timing of customer renewals across regions. In the coming quarters, the StockStory team will monitor (1) the pace of global rollout for new Firefly and Creative Cloud Pro offerings, (2) enterprise adoption and upsell of GenStudio and Firefly automation services, and (3) user engagement trends across AI-powered features within Acrobat and Express. Progress in integrating third-party AI models and forming new marketing platform partnerships will also be key indicators of Adobe's ability to sustain growth. Adobe currently trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 7.2×. In the wake of earnings, is it a buy or sell? Find out in our full research report (it's free). The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump's presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025. While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we're homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver's seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Adobe (ADBE) Shares Are Falling Today
Shares of creative software maker Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE) fell 5% in the afternoon session after the company reported underwhelming second quarter 2025 (fiscal Q2) results, which failed to impress Wall Street. Recent price hikes to better monetize its AI offerings failed to improve the growth momentum, which remained range-bound in the low double-digit range. Notably, remaining performance obligations (RPO - key growth indicator) also fell below Wall Street's estimates. On the other hand, Adobe beat analysts' billings, revenue, EPS, and adjusted operating income expectations this quarter and it lifted its full-year revenue and EPS guidance. Still, markets were expecting more, given the potential of its cloud and AI bets, especially after it reiterated Digital Media (houses the Creative Cloud component) ARR guidance. The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunities to buy high-quality stocks. Is now the time to buy Adobe? Access our full analysis report here, it's free. Adobe's shares are not very volatile and have only had 6 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today's move indicates the market considers this news meaningful, although it might not be something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business. The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was 12 months ago when the stock gained 17% on the news that the company reported a 'beat and raise' quarter. First-quarter earnings results beat analysts' revenue, remaining performance obligations (RPO – leading revenue indicator), and EPS expectations. These beats were driven by massive outperformance in its net new Digital Media ARR (annual recurring revenue), which clocked in at $487 million (vs estimates of $434 million). Thanks to the strong results, Adobe upgraded its full-year net new Digital Media ARR and EPS guidance, sending the stock price higher. Its revenue guidance for next quarter missed Wall Street's estimates, but that didn't matter too much because the market cares most about its digital media segment. Overall, this was a great quarter that put a big dent in the bear argument that ADBE's best days are behind it due to increased competition. Adobe is down 11.8% since the beginning of the year, and at $389.13 per share, it is trading 33.7% below its 52-week high of $586.55 from September 2024. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Adobe's shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $969.57. Unless you've been living under a rock, it should be obvious by now that generative AI is going to have a huge impact on how large corporations do business. While Nvidia and AMD are trading close to all-time highs, we prefer a lesser-known (but still profitable) semiconductor stock benefiting from the rise of AI. Click here to access our free report on our favorite semiconductor growth story. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
