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AI Chatbots Show Mixed Performance on Suicide‑Help Requests

AI Chatbots Show Mixed Performance on Suicide‑Help Requests

Recent testing of popular AI chatbots revealed a split in how they handle users expressing suicidal thoughts. While some models, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, promptly provided accurate, location‑specific crisis resources, others either failed to respond, offered irrelevant numbers, or required users to supply their own location. Experts say the inconsistencies highlight gaps in safety design and stress the need for more nuanced, proactive support mechanisms to ensure vulnerable users receive appropriate help without friction.

Google Introduces Managed MCP Servers to Streamline AI Agent Integration with Cloud Services

Google Introduces Managed MCP Servers to Streamline AI Agent Integration with Cloud Services

Google Cloud has launched managed Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers that let AI agents directly access Google services such as Maps, BigQuery, Compute Engine and Kubernetes Engine. The servers, offered in public preview at no extra cost to existing enterprise customers, simplify connector setup by allowing developers to paste a URL and instantly grant agents tool access. Built with Google Cloud IAM, Model Armor and audit logging, the offering adds security and governance controls. Google plans to expand MCP support to additional storage, database, monitoring and security services in the coming months, positioning the platform as a broader enterprise solution for AI‑driven workflows.

Oboe Secures $16 Million Series A to Accelerate AI‑Powered Course Generation Platform

Oboe Secures $16 Million Series A to Accelerate AI‑Powered Course Generation Platform

Oboe, the AI‑driven learning startup founded by former Spotify executives, announced a $16 million Series A round led by a16z with participation from existing backers including Eniac, Haystack, Offline and Factorial, as well as individual investors such as Adam D’Angelo and Garry Tan. The funding will fuel growth and product enhancements for Oboe’s platform, which lets users define learning goals and automatically generates multi‑modal courses—including text, audio, quizzes and flashcards—tailored to each topic. The company also introduced new pricing tiers that expand unlimited course generation and export capabilities.

ChatGPT Tops Apple’s Free iPhone App List in the United States for 2025

ChatGPT Tops Apple’s Free iPhone App List in the United States for 2025

Apple released its annual ranking of the most downloaded free iPhone apps in the United States, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT claimed the top spot for 2025. The AI chatbot surpassed popular platforms such as Threads, Google, TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, and YouTube. The list highlights the rapid adoption of artificial‑intelligence tools on mobile devices, underscoring ChatGPT’s shift from a niche product to a mainstream utility that now outpaces traditional social and search apps.

Tavus Unveils Upgraded AI Santa with Real‑Time Interaction and Safety Features

Tavus Unveils Upgraded AI Santa with Real‑Time Interaction and Safety Features

AI startup Tavus has released a second‑generation AI Santa that can see users' facial expressions, remember past conversations, and even perform tasks like web searches and drafting emails. The platform, called a Tavus PAL, lets families chat via text, phone or video and includes content filters, mental‑health resource links, and data‑deletion options. Founder and CEO Hassaan Raza reports heavy user engagement, with many spending hours with the virtual Santa. While the experience aims to be family‑friendly, experts note concerns about children’s ability to distinguish AI from a real person and the broader impact of prolonged AI interaction.

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.