A senior Google executive cautioned that AI startups built solely around wrapping large language models or aggregating multiple models face a bleak outlook. He emphasized the need for deep, differentiated intellectual property and warned that merely layering a user interface on top of existing models no longer attracts market interest. While praising ventures that embed unique value, he highlighted opportunities in developer platforms, direct‑to‑consumer tools, biotech and climate technology, suggesting that the next wave of successful AI firms will be those that create genuine, specialized moats. Read more →

An 18-year-old who allegedly killed eight people in a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, Canada, used OpenAI's ChatGPT to discuss gun violence. OpenAI's monitoring tools flagged the chats, and staff debated whether to contact Canadian law enforcement but ultimately did not. The company later reached out to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police after the incident. Additional concerning activity included a Roblox game simulating a mall shooting and gun‑related posts on Reddit. Local police were aware of the individual's instability after a fire incident. The case adds to ongoing scrutiny of LLM misuse and related lawsuits. Read more →

Students often struggle with planning, juggling responsibilities, and staying motivated. Recent guidance highlights three AI solutions—Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, and the Abby chatbot—that address common time‑management pitfalls. Copilot can estimate how long assignments will take, Gemini can automate calendar reminders, and Abby offers emotional support to keep students on track. By integrating these tools into daily workflows, learners can better align expectations with reality, keep important deadlines visible, and maintain a healthier mindset around academic work. Read more →

Google now adds AI‑generated summaries, called AI Overviews, to many search results. Users who prefer a classic list of links can suppress these summaries by adding a dash‑prefixed term such as “–ai” to the end of their query. The trick works in most desktop browsers and can be combined with the “Web” filter for a link‑only view. While the method is less reliable on mobile apps, it offers a simple way to regain control over the search experience without changing browsers or default search engines. Read more →

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman responded to criticism of artificial‑intelligence energy and water consumption, labeling recent claims as unfounded. He said reports that a single ChatGPT query consumes 17 gallons of water or 1.5 iPhone‑battery charges are “totally fake” and “unfair.” While acknowledging that data‑center cooling once relied on evaporative methods, Altman emphasized the broader need for clean power, noting that the industry should shift quickly toward nuclear, wind, and solar sources. He also highlighted the lack of legal disclosure requirements and the difficulty of measuring AI’s environmental footprint. Read more →

After a rocky launch, CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 has been reborn through major updates and the Phantom Liberty expansion, earning praise for its immersive systems, action, and story. The game’s resurgence has led players to explore the genre’s roots, notably William Gibson’s seminal novel Neuromancer, which the author cites as a major influence on Cyberpunk’s world‑building, cybernetic tech, and AI themes. Both works share neon‑lit futures, corporate power, and space‑station settings, sparking speculation about future game content and cementing Neuromancer as a recommended companion for fans seeking deeper cyber‑punk immersion. Read more →

China's brain-computer interface (BCI) sector is shifting from research to large‑scale commercialization, driven by strong policy support, extensive clinical resources, mature manufacturing, and strategic investment. Startups such as NeuroXess and Gestala are developing implantable and noninvasive ultrasound BCIs, while provincial pricing reforms are integrating BCI treatments into national health insurance. A national roadmap aims for technical milestones by 2027 and a full supply chain by 2030, positioning Chinese firms to challenge U.S. leaders and expand the market well beyond healthcare applications. Read more →

South Korean police have upgraded charges against a 21-year-old woman after digital forensics revealed a series of specific ChatGPT queries about mixing prescription sedatives with alcohol. The woman allegedly spiked drinks served to two men in separate motel rooms, leading to their deaths. Investigators argue that the chatbot searches demonstrate premeditated intent, shifting the case from accidental overdose to deliberate poisoning. The use of AI conversation logs as evidence highlights a new dimension in criminal investigations, raising questions about privacy and the legal treatment of generative‑AI footprints. Read more →

OpenAI’s flagship chatbot, ChatGPT, now serves hundreds of millions of users, a scale that drives massive compute and energy expenses. To sustain the service, the company has shifted from its original nonprofit model to a capped‑profit structure backed by investors such as Microsoft, SoftBank and Nvidia. While subscription tiers like ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Go generate revenue, the costs remain high, prompting OpenAI to introduce advertising for free and low‑cost users. The move reflects a broader effort to balance infrastructure demands with affordable access as generative AI becomes a mainstream tool. Read more →

New York Assembly member Alex Bores has become the focus of an aggressive campaign by the pro‑AI super PAC Leading the Future. In response, Bores secured backing from Public First Action, a PAC funded by a sizable donation from Anthropic. While both groups champion AI, they differ on policy emphasis, with Public First Action urging transparency, safety standards, and public oversight. The conflict centers on Bores' sponsorship of the RAISE Act, which mandates disclosure of safety protocols and reporting of serious AI misuse. Read more →

Elon Musk’s xAI has been concentrating on video‑game walkthroughs, and its chatbot Grok was recently put through a set of Baldur’s Gate questions alongside other leading models. The test found Grok delivering detailed, jargon‑rich answers that were both useful and well‑informed, especially when it came to tables and theory‑crafting. While its style differed from rivals, the overall quality matched that of competing systems, indicating that xAI can compete effectively in niche gaming knowledge domains. Read more →

OpenAI is reportedly preparing to launch its first consumer hardware product, a speaker that integrates a camera and ChatGPT capabilities. The device, priced between $200 and $300, could recognize items on a nearby table, interpret surrounding conversations, and support biometric authentication similar to Face ID. While the company is also prototyping smart glasses and a smart lamp, the glasses are not expected before 2028. Earlier rumors about an ear‑mounted device remain unconfirmed, and OpenAI’s hardware plans are still in early development stages. Read more →

OpenAI is preparing an adult‑only option for ChatGPT that would let verified adults generate erotic content. At the same time, the company’s product‑policy head, Ryan Beiermeister, left the firm after raising concerns that the system’s safeguards against child exploitation were insufficient. OpenAI says her departure is unrelated to the adult‑mode plans and stems from a discrimination allegation she denies. The timing has sparked debate over the company’s safety priorities as it moves toward broader content capabilities. Read more →

OpenAI is developing a line of AI‑powered hardware, beginning with a smart speaker that includes a built‑in camera and facial‑recognition capabilities. A team of over 200 employees is dedicated to the project, and the speaker is expected to retail for between $200 and $300, with shipments slated for early 2027. Later products may include smart glasses in 2028 and a smart lamp prototype. The effort follows OpenAI’s acquisition of Jony Ive’s design firm, but the rollout faces technical, privacy and consumer‑acceptance hurdles. Read more →

OpenAI’s inaugural hardware product is a smart speaker equipped with a camera and facial‑recognition capabilities. Priced between $200 and $300, the device can identify items on nearby surfaces and listen to surrounding conversations, enabling features such as voice‑activated purchases. The speaker follows OpenAI’s acquisition of Jony Ive’s hardware firm for nearly $6.5 billion and is slated for release no earlier than March 2027. While OpenAI also explores smart glasses and a smart lamp, those products remain in early development stages. Read more →

Amazon Web Services experienced a 13‑hour outage in December after its AI coding assistant, Kiro, deleted and recreated an environment it was working on. The incident, which affected parts of mainland China, was traced to a human error that gave the bot broader permissions than intended. Amazon says the outage was limited and emphasizes that the root cause was the human‑driven permission issue, not the AI itself, and notes that safeguards and training have been added following the event. Read more →

Independent creators are exploring generative AI as a new instrument in film production. A cohort organized by Google gave ten filmmakers access to tools such as Gemini, Nano Banana Pro, and Veo, enabling them to generate visuals, effects, and entire short films that would otherwise be out of reach. The participants stress that AI serves as a facilitator rather than a replacement for creative decisions. While the technology promises cost savings and creative freedom, industry veterans warn of artistic dilution and ethical concerns, sparking a vigorous conversation about the future of cinema. Read more →

Amazon Web Services experienced two incidents involving its AI coding assistant Kiro, which were attributed to user error and permission issues rather than flaws in the AI itself. The first incident, described as an "extremely limited event" in mainland China, affected a single service, while the second had no impact on a customer‑facing AWS service. Following the incidents, AWS introduced mandatory peer reviews, staff training, and tighter access controls. The company continues to push for broader AI adoption among developers, targeting 80 percent usage at least once a week, while some employees remain skeptical of the technology’s overall utility. Read more →

OpenAI says users aged 18 to 24 account for nearly half of all ChatGPT messages in India, with people under 30 generating 80% of usage. Professional tasks dominate, and the company’s coding assistant Codex sees three‑fold higher adoption than the global median. OpenAI is also scaling its presence, opening offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru, securing a 100‑megawatt compute partnership with Tata Group, and signing deals with Pine Labs, Ixigo, MakeMyTrip, Eternal, and educational institutions to reach over 100,000 students. Read more →

Anthropic has expanded its Claude in PowerPoint add‑in from a research preview limited to Max, Team and Enterprise users to include Pro subscribers. The update adds connector support, letting the AI pull data from linked apps and services, and introduces a limited‑time promotion that doubles usage limits for all paid plans until March 19. The extension enables users to generate, edit, and reformat slides using natural language, turning bullet points into native charts and diagrams while preserving the presentation’s layout and theme. Read more →