News

Tesla Board Proposes Record‑Breaking Compensation Plan for Elon Musk

Tesla's board has unveiled a compensation proposal that would make Elon Musk the first trillion‑dollar CEO if a 10‑year plan meets aggressive performance targets. The plan ties Musk’s payout to milestones such as lifting Tesla’s market value to $8.5 trillion, deploying one million robotaxis, and launching one million AI robots. It also requires Musk to remain with the company for at least seven and a half years to claim any shares, with full vesting after a decade. Shareholders will vote on the package, which the board says is essential to keep Musk focused on Tesla’s long‑term growth.

Engadget Podcast Covers iPhone 17 Hype, Google Antitrust Ruling, and New AI Gadgets

In a recent Engadget podcast, hosts discuss the muted excitement ahead of Apple's September 9th iPhone 17 event, a U.S. antitrust judge's decision that Google will not be forced to sell Chrome, upcoming Gemini-powered smart home announcements, the Browser Company’s sale to Atlassian, Instagram’s first iPad app after 15 years, Dolby Vision 2 with AI features, and Ooni’s AI‑driven Volt V2 pizza oven. The episode also highlights new hardware from Remarkable, Acer, and Samsung.

Top PC Options to Replace Aging Windows 10 Machines

With Microsoft ending support for Windows 10, users with older PCs face a choice: upgrade or continue with limited security updates. A range of new laptops and desktops now offer strong performance, long battery life, and modern features. Options include the Snapdragon‑powered Surface Laptop, Dell’s refreshed 14 Premium, ASUS ZenBook S 14, Apple’s MacBook Air, as well as compact desktops like the Dell Slim, Apple Mac Mini, and the Geekom A6 Mini. Each device balances price, portability, and power, giving consumers clear pathways to replace legacy Windows hardware without sacrificing productivity or entertainment capabilities.

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Acer Aspire 14 AI Offers Modern Performance at Budget Price

The Acer Aspire 14 AI combines a current Intel Lunar Lake processor, 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory and a 1 TB SSD in a compact 14‑inch chassis for under $600. Its Intel NPU meets the requirements of Microsoft’s Copilot Plus platform, delivering AI‑enhanced features while preserving battery life that approaches 19 hours on a single charge. Though the display and design are modest, the laptop’s aluminum top and bottom panels and solid build set it apart from typical low‑cost models that rely on older components. Overall, the Aspire 14 AI presents a compelling value for budget‑conscious buyers seeking modern specs and AI readiness.

AI Hallucinations: When Chatbots Fabricate Information

AI hallucinations occur when large language models generate plausible‑looking but false content. From legal briefs citing nonexistent cases to medical bots misreporting imaginary conditions, these errors span many domains and can have serious consequences. Experts explain that gaps in training data, vague prompts, and the models’ drive to produce confident answers contribute to the problem. While some view hallucinations as a source of creative inspiration, most stakeholders emphasize the need for safeguards, better testing, and clear labeling of AI‑generated output.

Anthropic Reaches $1.5 Billion Settlement Over Copyright Lawsuit

Anthropic agreed to a $1.5 billion settlement with a class of authors who claimed the company pirated their copyrighted books to train its Claude AI models. The deal, announced after a motion filed in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, would compensate authors roughly $3,000 per work, potentially covering at least 500,000 titles. The settlement follows a landmark district court ruling that found Anthropic’s training practices qualified as fair use, a decision that has shaped the emerging legal landscape for AI developers and content creators.

OpenAI Launches AI‑Powered Jobs Platform and Certification Program

OpenAI announced a new AI‑driven jobs platform slated for the future and a certification program delivered through its OpenAI Academy. The platform aims to match candidates with employers using artificial intelligence, positioning it against existing services such as LinkedIn. Simultaneously, the OpenAI Certifications will offer credentials ranging from basic AI literacy to advanced prompt‑engineering skills, with a goal of certifying millions of Americans. The initiative expands a free online learning hub introduced earlier this year and reflects a broader industry push toward AI education and workforce readiness.

Apple Must Deliver Unique AI Features on iPhone 17 to Win Upgrades

The upcoming iPhone 17 launch faces a critical test: Apple needs to showcase AI capabilities that are genuinely tied to the new hardware, not just a rehash of existing features. While Apple Intelligence already offers tools like email rewriting and personalized emojis, the author argues that without a distinct, hardware‑driven AI experience, many users will see little reason to upgrade. Expectations include innovations that leverage the phone’s sensors and neural engine in ways that cannot be replicated on older models or competing devices.

ChatGPT Stumped by Modified Optical Illusion Image

A Reddit user posted a altered version of the Ebbinghaus optical illusion to test ChatGPT's image analysis. The AI incorrectly asserted that the two orange circles were the same size, despite the modification that made one circle visibly larger. Even after a prolonged dialogue of about fifteen minutes, ChatGPT remained convinced of its answer and did not adjust its reasoning. The episode highlights concerns about the chatbot’s reliance on internet image matching, its resistance to corrective feedback, and broader questions about the reliability of AI tools for visual tasks.

Snapchat Launches Imagine Lens, an Open‑Prompt AI Filter for Subscribers

Snap Inc. has introduced Imagine Lens, a new generative‑AI feature built directly into the Snapchat camera. Unlike previous AI Lenses that offer fixed effects, Imagine Lens lets users type any prompt and receive a customized image that can be saved or shared. The tool is currently limited to Snapchat+ Platinum and Lens+ subscribers on iOS. By blending real‑time AR with open‑prompt AI, Snap aims to keep pace with rivals such as TikTok, Meta, and Google while offering a premium experience for paying users.