Meta has a new AI pet app called Waddle World

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0:30explain the same process over and over again to a whole team of editors. If I had Scribe back then, it would have saved me so much time and frustration. Here's how it works. You turn on the extension and go through your process like normal, all while Scribe builds the guide as you go. And while this is happening, don't worry about sensitive information. It's automatically redacted from every screenshot. Plus, anyone following this process can use GuideMe, which is guidance in real time that says where to click every step of the way. Scribe even suggests ways to improve the workflow itself, so it doesn't just help you work faster and more efficiently, it helps you do it better.

1:02To book a personalized enterprise demo, visit scribe.how slash tcdaily. That's s-c-r-i-b-e dot how slash tcdaily. This episode is brought to you by ODSC AI. If you're a practitioner working in applied AI and data science, you need to be at ODSC West 2026. You see, it's where thousands of data scientists, ML engineers, AI researchers, and technical leaders are coming together for hands-on training. Now this is a unique, incredible opportunity to participate in workshops and boot camps taught by experts from companies like Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Cursor, Hugging Face, and other top companies and universities.

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2:16Go to odsc.ai slash west and use promo code tcdaily for an additional 15 % off your pass to odsc.ai west 2026. That's odsc.ai slash west and use code tcdaily to get an extra 15 % off the number one AI builders and training conference. Meta has a new AI pet app. I'm Emron Jake and your Daily Crunch for Thursday starts right now. General Motors plans to invest in its Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant to handle future production of hybrid electric vehicles, the latest move by the U.S. automaker to claw back market share by appealing to the shifting tastes of consumers. Now, the company said on Tuesday that it plans to invest more than $2 billion over the next several years in the broader Lansing region, an amount that includes $1.25 billion to prepare the assembly plant for future vehicle production.

3:09The company said it's working with the U.S. Department of Energy to restructure a previously awarded domestic manufacturing conversion grant and direct those funds to future hybrid production at the Lansing factory. The company was awarded 500 million smackaroos under the Biden administration to support converting a different factory in Lansing to produce electric vehicles, including hybrid, battery electric, plug-in electric hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. Those funds were never released, according to GM. Today, GM assembles the gas-powered Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia at the Lansing Delta Township factory, which produced a record 291 ,000 vehicles in 2025.

3:52GM didn't provide specifics on when it would begin producing and selling hybrid vehicles, but insiders told TechCrunch to expect hybrids across multiple brands rather than a single vehicle line. A Reuters report citing anonymous sources said the company plans to build hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, and GMC Acadia at the factory. GM said Tuesday it'll share specific details on its hybrid vehicle production plans closer to launch. On Tuesday, Discord announced that it'll make some conversations in its public servers searchable and easier to find on the internet. The new update targets conversations in discoverable servers, public Discord servers, that administrators have made eligible to appear in the platform's server discovery feature.

4:35Now, the aim here is to help people find useful info that might otherwise remain buried in Discord conversations to a wider audience. According to Discord, more than 63 ,000 discoverable servers host discussions on, well, everything, from gaming strategies and fandoms to language learning and niche interests. By making some of these conversations searchable, Discord hopes to extend the reach of its communities beyond the platform itself. The move also taps into the appeal of traditional internet forums, where users can find answers by searching through publicly accessible discussions. Gaming communities could draw attention to walkthroughs, developers could reach more people with technical advice, and content creators could attract new audiences without relying solely on Discord's internal discovery tools.

5:20Starting November 16th, every discoverable server will have its own webpage, which may feature automated summaries of discussions in active public channels. Beginning in mid-December, selected messages from public channels may also appear in search engine results. The announcement has sparked backlash over privacy. some users are concerned about exposing conversations to audiences far beyond their original context, arguing that posting in a public Discord server does not necessarily mean users want their messages to be discoverable across the wider internet.

6:06XV was designed for income-seeking investors looking for the potential for higher income than traditional bonds while seeking to reduce downside risk compared with stocks. Now, the fund seeks higher income potential than traditional bonds, seeks to reduce downside risk compared with stocks, and targets a 15 % annualized distribution rate paid monthly. That means XV offers investors the potential for regular monthly cash flow. But a target is not a guarantee, distributions may vary, and a distribution rate is not the same as an investment return. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal.

6:33You've built your nest egg. Now see how XV could help you put it to work. Carefully consider the fund's investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. The prospectus contains this and other information. Visit simplify.us slash nest egg to learn more. Please read the prospectus carefully before you invest. Distributor, Foresight Financial Services, LLC. While continuing its fast-paced experiments with AI apps, Meta has now launched a new app called Waddle World, which essentially looks like a Tamagotchi clone, but with AI. Now, this might be a test, but it could very well be a precursor to the company's Tamagotchi-like gadget powered by Muse.

7:10You see, the company has launched Waddle World in the Philippines on both iOS and Android. The app, spotted by social media consultant Matt Navarra, lets you pick and grow a virtual pet, feed it, and play with it. Now, we reached out to Meta for a comment on wider availability, and we'll update this piece if we hear back. Meta's description of the app indicates that it doesn't want the app to be a habit builder. The company's page also says that the app is not a chatbot and is flagged as suitable for users older than 18. Waddle World is a cozy 16-bit world where your Pixel pet lives. Hatch a virtual pet, visit whenever you like, and let it get to know you.

7:47No pressure, no streaks to protect, no scores to chase. Just a warm little escape in the cracks of your day, the app's description reads rather poetically. Continuing, not a chatbot, not an assistant, not a productivity tool. It's a pet and a place. Stay two minutes or 20. It'll be happy either way. The app also doubles as a journal, letting users describe their day through voice or text. The pet listens to the user and writes up the note in its own voice as an entry with a doodle. The app also features mini-games that you can play over a few minutes and can send you a weekly email based on what it learned about you.

8:23Now, Meta may be wanting to stay away from building companion apps, given companies like Character.ai and OpenAI have faced lawsuits that allege their products caused harm to teenagers. Until now, the social media giant has released AI-centric apps like Pocket, which lets you vibe code games, and Vibes, which let you quickly generate videos. Besides virtual pets, some companies have also tried making hardware AI pets. And folks, that's your Daily Crunch. Today's stories were reported by Kirsten Korosek, Lauren Forrestal, Ivan Mehta, and more awesome TechCrunch journalists. We'll see you here tomorrow.

8:57Same Tech Time, same Crunch channel. And until then, find us at TechCrunch.com.

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