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AI Companies Embrace Model Context Protocol as Emerging Industry Standard

AI Companies Embrace Model Context Protocol as Emerging Industry Standard

Leading artificial‑intelligence firms including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Block are co‑operating around the Model Context Protocol (MCP), a framework that lets AI agents access external tools and data in a uniform way. Anthropic has donated MCP to the Linux Foundation, positioning it as an open‑source standard overseen by a neutral body. The collaboration aims to simplify integration, improve agent performance, and address security concerns, while laying groundwork for a marketplace of AI‑compatible services.

Google Introduces Low-Cost AI Plus Subscription in India Amid Competitive AI Pricing

Google Introduces Low-Cost AI Plus Subscription in India Amid Competitive AI Pricing

Google has launched a new AI Plus subscription in India, priced at ₹199 per month for the first six months before rising to ₹399. The plan offers expanded limits for Gemini 3 Pro and Nano Banana Pro, video generation in Gemini and Flow apps, deeper access to NotebookLM research tools, and 200 GB of shared storage across Photos, Drive, and Gmail. The move follows OpenAI's sub‑$5 ChatGPT Go offering and a wave of AI freebies from companies such as Perplexity, Airtel, and Reliance Jio, signaling a fierce pricing battle to capture India's massive user base.

Adobe Brings Photoshop, Acrobat, and Express Directly Into ChatGPT

Adobe Brings Photoshop, Acrobat, and Express Directly Into ChatGPT

Adobe has launched free, integrated versions of Photoshop, Acrobat, and Adobe Express inside ChatGPT, letting users edit photos, PDFs, and create designs through conversational prompts. Users activate each app by naming it alongside an uploaded file and can make adjustments without leaving the chat. While the tools don’t match the full desktop versions, they offer key functions such as background blurring, brightness tweaks, PDF compression, and design editing. The apps are globally available on desktop, web, and iOS, with Android support for Express now live and Photoshop and Acrobat support announced for the future. The move positions both companies against emerging AI competitors.

Tech Companies Urged to Stop Anthropomorphizing AI

Tech Companies Urged to Stop Anthropomorphizing AI

Industry leaders and analysts are calling on technology firms to cease describing artificial intelligence in human terms. Critics argue that phrases such as "AI's soul," "confession," or "scheming" mislead the public, inflate expectations, and obscure genuine technical challenges like bias, safety, and transparency. They contend that anthropomorphic language creates a false perception of agency and consciousness in language models, which are fundamentally statistical pattern generators. The push for more precise terminology aims to improve public understanding, reduce misplaced trust, and highlight the real issues that require scrutiny in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Instagram Launches ‘Your Algorithm’ Feature to Let Users Shape Reels Content

Instagram Launches ‘Your Algorithm’ Feature to Let Users Shape Reels Content

Instagram is rolling out a new tool called “Your Algorithm” that shows users a snapshot of their recent interests and lets them adjust what appears in their Reels feed. The feature, first available in the United States, lists topics generated by AI based on recent activity and provides sliders for users to request more or less of each subject. By exposing the algorithm’s logic and granting direct control, Instagram aims to deepen personalization and keep younger audiences engaged as it competes with TikTok. The move is part of a broader push by Meta to increase transparency and user choice across its platforms.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Appears on The Tonight Show Amid Tech Industry’s Charm Offensive

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Appears on The Tonight Show Amid Tech Industry’s Charm Offensive

OpenAI chief Sam Altman sat down with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, using the platform to highlight how ChatGPT has become a personal assistant for new parents. The interview coincides with a broader push by Silicon Valley firms to shape public perception of artificial intelligence through extensive advertising and pop‑up campaigns. Companies such as Meta, TikTok, and others are deploying TV spots and digital ads that frame AI as a helpful, everyday tool, while also addressing regulatory pressures and growing public scrutiny of AI technologies.

Unconventional AI Secures $475 Million Seed Round at $4.5 B Valuation

Unconventional AI Secures $475 Million Seed Round at $4.5 B Valuation

Naveen Rao, former head of AI at Databricks, has closed a $475 million seed financing for his new venture Unconventional AI, valuing the company at $4.5 billion. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed Ventures, with Lux Capital and DCVC also participating. Rao’s aim is to build an energy‑efficient computer for artificial intelligence, a goal he describes as “as efficient as biology.” The funding represents the first installment toward a potential $1 billion total raise. Rao’s prior successes include MosaicML, acquired by Databricks for $1.3 billion, and Nervana Systems, acquired by Intel for more than $400 million.

EngineAI’s T800 Robot Kicks CEO in Viral Demonstration

EngineAI’s T800 Robot Kicks CEO in Viral Demonstration

EngineAI released a video showing its humanoid T800 robot delivering a hard kick to the midsection of CEO Zhao Tongyang. The footage was presented as a response to earlier accusations that a prior showcase of the robot’s punching and running abilities had been CGI. The new clip emphasizes the robot’s combat capabilities, including running, kicking and punching, and serves as promotion for an upcoming robot boxing match. Earlier robot fighting events in Hangzhou featured smaller bots, but the T800 appears to be a more advanced contender in the growing trend of combat-oriented humanoid robots.

Bipartisan Alliance Fuels State-Federal Clash Over AI Regulation

Bipartisan Alliance Fuels State-Federal Clash Over AI Regulation

A bipartisan nonprofit, the Alliance for Secure AI, is urging states to protect their AI laws from federal preemption. The group, co‑led by former Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser, highlights growing public awareness of AI risks after high‑profile media coverage and the DeepSeek event. Texas recently passed a comprehensive AI law, prompting both Republican and Democratic lawmakers to unite in defending state‑level safeguards. Senator Ted Cruz and other GOP leaders have voiced support for a moratorium on advanced AI development, while industry groups push back, citing economic concerns. The debate underscores the tension between federal ambitions and state‑driven regulation.

Cashee Research Leverages AI to Transform Market Research

Cashee Research Leverages AI to Transform Market Research

Calgary‑based Cashee Research uses artificial intelligence to design and execute custom market‑research surveys, delivering fresh human data faster and at lower cost. The startup, founded by Addy Graves and Rose Wong, was selected for TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield in 2025 and won the Enterprise Stage pitch at TechCrunch Disrupt. By combining AI‑generated survey plans with real‑world respondents, Cashee provides brands—especially small and medium‑size firms—with actionable insights that were previously too expensive or slow to obtain. The company has raised C$1.5 million in pre‑seed funding and is preparing a seed round to expand its U.S. presence and B2B business.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Promotes AI as an Equalizing Force on The Tonight Show

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Promotes AI as an Equalizing Force on The Tonight Show

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to discuss the rapid adoption of ChatGPT and the broader impact of artificial intelligence. He described AI as a tool that levels the playing field, noting that hundreds of millions of users rely on ChatGPT for everyday tasks. While emphasizing the benefits, Altman also warned about the speed of change and the need for safeguards, positioning AI as both a powerful opportunity and a responsibility for developers and society.

Big Tech Partners with Linux Foundation to Standardize AI Agents

Big Tech Partners with Linux Foundation to Standardize AI Agents

Major AI players including Anthropic, OpenAI and Block have joined forces with the Linux Foundation to launch the Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF). The new nonprofit aims to establish common standards for AI agents, centering on the Model Context Protocol (MCP) – dubbed a “USB‑C port for AI.” By creating a shared framework, the coalition hopes to simplify integration of AI models with data sources, accelerate interoperability, and spur broader adoption of agentic AI across products and services.