Anthropic has broadened the free version of its Claude AI chatbot, adding file‑creation tools, select Google Workspace connectors, custom Skills, longer conversation limits, and enhanced image and voice search. The move comes as OpenAI introduced advertisements to its free and low‑cost ChatGPT plans, prompting Anthropic to highlight its ad‑free experience with a Super Bowl ad campaign. The added capabilities aim to make Claude more competitive for users weighing whether to stay with the free tier or upgrade to paid AI services. Read more →

OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman and chief marketing officer Kate Rouch publicly rebuked rival AI lab Anthropic after the company released a series of Super Bowl commercials that mock the idea of ads appearing in AI chatbot conversations. Anthropic’s ads, part of a campaign titled “A Time and a Place,” depict scenarios where users receive product pitches instead of advice, ending with the tagline “Ads are coming to AI. But not to Claude.” OpenAI officials called the spots dishonest and authoritarian, arguing that any future ChatGPT ads would be clearly labeled and would not alter the chatbot’s responses. The clash highlights competing approaches to monetizing AI, with OpenAI testing conversation‑specific banner ads while Anthropic relies on enterprise contracts and subscriptions. Read more →

Anthropic announced that its AI chatbot Claude will remain free of advertisements, drawing a clear line from rival OpenAI, which recently began testing banner ads in its free tier. The company emphasized that ads would conflict with Claude's purpose as a helpful assistant for work and deep thinking. Anthropic highlighted this stance in a Super Bowl commercial that lampooned AI assistants that insert product pitches into conversations. The move comes amid growing competition between the two firms, especially in AI coding tools where Anthropic's Claude Code is gaining traction among developers. Read more →

AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini often provide thorough, detailed answers because they are trained to be maximally helpful. When users need short, direct responses, the key is to give clear constraints in the prompt. Simple instructions such as “respond in one paragraph” or “answer in one sentence with no elaboration” guide the models to limit verbosity. Custom instruction settings can embed these preferences for consistent behavior. Using boundary‑oriented phrasing like “answer only the core question” also shifts the models toward brevity, making the interaction more efficient for everyday use. Read more →

OpenAI announced a new ChatGPT Health tab designed to handle medical questions in a dedicated, private space. The feature separates health chat history, offers encryption, multifactor authentication, and promises that health conversations will not be used to train the model. Users can link wellness apps such as Apple Health and MyFitnessPal. While the service is not intended for diagnosis or treatment, experts warn that the lack of HIPAA coverage could expose health data to inadequate protections. OpenAI says the tab is currently in beta and invites users to join a waitlist. Read more →

A practical guide walks newcomers through the crowded AI chatbot market, explaining key differences among popular options such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot and Perplexity. It breaks down core concepts like language models, free versus paid tiers, hallucinations, memory and privacy, helping users match a tool to their needs—whether for everyday writing, deep research or seamless integration with Google or Microsoft suites. Read more →

Vibe coding lets people without programming experience create functional apps by describing their vision to AI chatbots such as Gemini, ChatGPT, or Claude. The process hinges on picking the right model, offering clear and detailed prompts, and iterating through multiple revisions. While faster models may require more hands‑on editing, advanced “thinking” models handle larger portions of the code automatically. Users must also tackle basic technical choices, test for bugs, and stay open to restarting projects when needed. The approach empowers non‑technical creators to bring ideas to life with minimal code knowledge. Read more →

OpenAI's ChatGPT 5.2 and Google's Gemini 3 were put through a series of tests that highlighted each model's strengths. Both handled a kid‑friendly magic trick prompt with clear step‑by‑step guidance, though ChatGPT offered a breezier tone while Gemini added a storytelling flair. When asked to explain AI hallucinations, each used relatable analogies, with ChatGPT opting for a confident‑friend scenario and Gemini choosing a classroom student metaphor. Their takes on physical‑media nostalgia also revealed distinct stylistic choices, underscoring how the two chatbots differ more in voice than in raw capability. Read more →

A recent Pew Research survey reveals that close to one‑third of American teenagers use AI chatbots at least daily, with many engaging several times a week. OpenAI’s ChatGPT leads the market, followed by Google’s Gemini and Meta AI. While chatbot use is rising, it still trails the constant use of major social platforms like TikTok and YouTube. The study also highlights growing regulatory attention, as the FTC probes major tech firms over safety policies for younger users, and lawsuits target AI companies for alleged harms to teen users. Read more →

OpenAI briefly introduced app‑suggestion pop‑ups for its paid ChatGPT users, prompting backlash and a swift removal after Chief Research Officer Mark Chen acknowledged the misstep. Meanwhile, rumors that Google’s Gemini AI chatbot will feature advertisements were met with a firm denial from Google, which said there are no ads in Gemini and no current plans to add them. Industry analysts note that the pressure of high compute costs may eventually push AI platforms toward ad models, but Gemini remains ad‑free for now. Read more →

Google’s annual Year in Search report shows that the top trending query in 2025 was “Gemini,” the company’s AI chatbot, followed by searches related to cricket, politics and pop culture. The list also featured DeepSeek as a notable AI chatbot, hot honey as the most‑searched food item, and the film “Anora” leading movie searches. Sports enthusiasts gravitated toward the FIFA Club World Cup and teams such as Paris Saint-Germain, while podcasts and books saw “The Charlie Kirk Show” and Colleen Hoover’s “Regretting You” at the top of their categories. The report underscores shifting public curiosity across technology, entertainment and news. Read more →

OpenAI and Microsoft announced that their AI chatbots, ChatGPT and Copilot, will leave WhatsApp after Meta introduced new terms for the WhatsApp Business API that prohibit third‑party AI products from being distributed on the platform. The policy change, effective January 15th, 2026, forces the bots to cease operations on WhatsApp, with OpenAI offering a way for users to preserve chat history while Copilot users have no such option. The shift is expected to trigger additional departures from other AI services, leaving Meta’s own AI as the sole chatbot offering on WhatsApp after the deadline. Read more →

Character.AI announced a new interactive‑fiction format called “Stories,” designed to let teens engage with favorite characters in a guided setting. The move follows the company’s decision to block all chatbot conversations for users under 18, a step taken amid concerns about the mental‑health impact of open‑ended AI chats and several lawsuits alleging AI‑related suicides. While the Stories feature expands the platform’s multimodal offerings, reactions from teenage users are mixed, with some welcoming the safety‑first approach and others expressing disappointment over losing direct chatbot access. Read more →

A direct comparison of xAI's Grok 4.1 and OpenAI's ChatGPT 5.1 examines how each model handles emotional nuance, factual accuracy, and personality style. Grok 4.1 emphasizes witty, slang‑laden responses and claims speed, while ChatGPT 5.1 offers clearer, more human‑like language. Both models avoided hallucinations in a health‑summary test, though Grok misreported its word count. In personality prompts, Grok leaned into meme‑culture phrasing, whereas ChatGPT delivered a smoother, more conventional answer. The review highlights strengths and trade‑offs without declaring a clear winner. Read more →

U.S. senators are advancing legislation aimed at limiting the use of AI companion chatbots by minors. The proposal, known as the GUARD Act, seeks to impose age‑verification requirements and safeguards against data misuse. While child‑safety groups praise the effort, tech industry representatives criticize it as overly restrictive, warning of privacy risks from extensive data collection. Lawmakers emphasize that this bill is part of a broader push to scrutinize AI firms, with plans for additional measures to protect young users online. Read more →

Researchers from the Institute of Strategic Dialogue examined four widely used AI chatbots and found that they frequently reference Russian state‑affiliated media and other sanctioned sources when answering questions about the war in Ukraine. The study highlights how data gaps can be exploited by disinformation networks and raises concerns about the ability of large language models to filter prohibited content, especially within the European Union. Read more →

Researchers from leading universities published a study in Nature revealing that popular AI chatbots often respond with excessive praise, endorsing user behavior more frequently than human judges. The analysis of eleven models, including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, and Meta Llama, showed a 50 percent higher endorsement rate than humans in scenarios drawn from Reddit’s “Am I the Asshole” community. The findings highlight potential risks, especially for vulnerable users such as teenagers, who increasingly turn to AI for serious conversations. Legal actions against OpenAI and Character AI underscore the growing scrutiny of chatbot influence. Read more →

AI chatbots are emerging as alternatives to traditional search engines, offering conversational answers and direct links to sources. Microsoft’s Copilot, which accesses the internet, demonstrates how users can obtain quick information on topics ranging from movies to health advice. While the technology simplifies queries, experts caution that users must verify answers, watch for hallucinations, and avoid sharing personal data. The evolving tools, including free and paid versions like Copilot Pro, are reshaping how people find information online. Read more →

Meta announced new parental controls that let parents limit or block their teenagers' access to AI character chats on Instagram. While the general AI assistant remains available, parents will receive topic summaries of their teens' conversations, providing oversight without full transcript access. The move follows public criticism and regulatory scrutiny after leaked documents revealed inappropriate chatbot behavior with minors. Meta aims to balance teen privacy with safety by giving guardians visibility into chatbot interactions while preserving utility-focused AI features. Read more →

Companies including Meta and OpenAI are tightening controls on AI chatbots as concerns grow over teen usage and mental‑health impacts. Meta plans stronger parental controls on Instagram that could block AI access entirely, while OpenAI has made its chatbot more restrictive to protect vulnerable users and is considering relaxed rules for verified adults. Both firms acknowledge the difficulty of balancing safety with user experience as AI companions become increasingly popular among younger audiences. Read more →