TechCrunch Daily Crunch Threads rolls out ads to all users worldwide
Jan 22, 2026
In a notable shift, consumers are investing more in mobile apps than games, highlighting the evolving market. Generative AI is driving this growth, as apps featuring AI features have seen a tripling in revenue. Meanwhile, Threads is rolling out advertisements globally, enhancing its integration with Meta's advertising tools. Additionally, there’s exciting news from startups like Praxis Pro, which raised $6M for life-science tech, and Preply, which secured a whopping $150M in funding.
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Mobile App Spending Shifts To Non-Games
- In 2025, global consumer spending on non-game mobile apps exceeded games for the first time.
- Generative AI drove much of the growth, tripling in in-app purchase revenue and massively increasing usage.
Generative AI Fueled App Growth
- Generative AI apps exploded in both revenue and engagement in 2025.
- Sessions and hours surged, with AI app sessions topping 1 trillion and hours rising 3.6x year-over-year.
YouTube Lets Creators Use Their Likeness
- YouTube will let creators generate Shorts using their own likeness and offers tools to manage misuse.
- The platform also expanded AI features while adding defenses like likeness detection and removal requests.