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Study Highlights Optimal US Sites for AI Data Centers Amid Environmental Concerns

Study Highlights Optimal US Sites for AI Data Centers Amid Environmental Concerns

A new analysis published in Nature Communications examines the environmental footprint of the rapid AI‑driven data‑center expansion in the United States. While tech giants pour billions into new facilities, the study finds that location dramatically influences carbon and water impacts. States such as Texas, Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota emerge as optimal sites because they balance lower water scarcity with cleaner electricity grids. In contrast, traditional hubs like Virginia and California face growing pressure on energy and water resources, raising doubts about the feasibility of industry net‑zero pledges.

Google Brings Gemini AI Directly Into Photos, Turning Personal Libraries into Instant Answer Machines

Google Brings Gemini AI Directly Into Photos, Turning Personal Libraries into Instant Answer Machines

Google has integrated its Gemini generative‑AI model into Google Photos via a new “Ask” button. The feature lets users query their own photo collections—rather than the web—for specific images, delivering results in seconds. A user with a library of nearly 172,000 photos demonstrated the tool by asking for pictures of a bay window with shades, receiving dozens of relevant shots and even contextual commentary. The rollout showcases Google’s push to embed Gemini across its apps and highlights how AI can streamline everyday tasks like locating a single photo in a massive personal archive.

Google Maps Unveils New Gemini-Powered AI Tools for Developers and Users

Google Maps Unveils New Gemini-Powered AI Tools for Developers and Users

Google Maps announced a suite of AI-driven features powered by Gemini models, aimed at both developers and everyday users. The rollout includes a Builder Agent that generates map‑based prototypes from text prompts, a styling agent for custom map designs, and a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that links AI assistants to Maps documentation. Additional tools such as Grounding Lite and Contextual View provide low‑code visual answers to location queries. The enhancements also extend to consumer experiences, with hands‑free Gemini navigation and region‑specific alerts in select markets.

OpenAI’s Sora App Tops Google Play Store’s Free Chart

OpenAI’s Sora App Tops Google Play Store’s Free Chart

OpenAI’s AI‑video platform Sora has surged to the No. 1 spot in the Google Play Store’s free‑app rankings, overtaking its sister app ChatGPT. The Android version logged 470,000 downloads on its first day, far exceeding the initial iOS launch numbers. New creation tools, cameo features, basic editing, and expanded social options are rolling out, while payment plans now let users purchase extra video generations for $4. Pro users gain longer video limits and storyboarding capabilities. OpenAI’s head of Sora, Bill Peebles, outlined these updates and hinted at further professional‑grade enhancements.

1Mind Raises $30 Million to Expand AI Sales Agent Mindy

1Mind Raises $30 Million to Expand AI Sales Agent Mindy

AI sales startup 1Mind announced a $30 million Series A round led by Battery Ventures, bringing its total funding to $40 million. Co‑founder Amanda Kahlow, formerly of 6Sense, said the company’s AI agent, named Mindy, focuses on inbound sales and can handle tasks from web‑site assistance to closing enterprise deals. Mindy, built on a mix of large‑language models including OpenAI and Google Gemini, uses deterministic AI to limit hallucinations and is designed to say when it does not know an answer. More than 30 companies, including HubSpot, LinkedIn and New Relic, are already using Mindy, and the startup plans to grow its team and product capabilities.

AI Companies Face Growing Copyright Lawsuits Over Training Data

AI Companies Face Growing Copyright Lawsuits Over Training Data

AI developers are under increasing legal pressure as creators allege that large language model and image generator firms have used copyrighted works without permission to train their systems. More than thirty lawsuits have been filed against firms such as OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and Meta, while the industry pushes for a fair‑use exemption to keep development costs low. Courts have delivered mixed rulings, with some judges deeming the use "exceedingly transformative" and others allowing settlements. The dispute highlights a clash between the need for rapid AI innovation and the protection of creators’ rights.

Apple Plans AI-Powered Health Chatbot for Upcoming Health+ Subscription

Apple Plans AI-Powered Health Chatbot for Upcoming Health+ Subscription

Apple is reportedly developing an artificial‑intelligence health chatbot that would be integrated into a new Health+ subscription service. The chatbot is intended to help users interpret and manage their health data, positioning Apple against competitors that already bundle AI assistants with fitness wearables. While the feature could enhance Apple’s health ecosystem, analysts warn it must deliver tangible value beyond existing tools or risk being seen as unnecessary bloat.

Agentic AI: Four Ways It’s Delivering Real Business Value

Agentic AI: Four Ways It’s Delivering Real Business Value

Enterprises are moving beyond generative AI that merely creates content toward agentic AI systems that act autonomously. While 78% of companies now use generative AI, many see little impact on productivity or revenue. Agentic AI promises to close that gap by turning insights into actions, embedding trust through audit logs and data lineage, linking fragmented tools, and operating continuously without user prompts. Early adopters report faster reporting cycles, reduced compliance costs, and measurable productivity gains, suggesting a shift from surface‑level AI tools to solutions that deliver tangible bottom‑line results.

Amazon’s ‘House of David’ Leverages AI for Hundreds of Visual Effects in Season 2

Amazon’s ‘House of David’ Leverages AI for Hundreds of Visual Effects in Season 2

Amazon Prime’s biblical drama “House of David” dramatically increased its use of generative AI in its second season, employing roughly four times as many AI‑generated shots as the first. Showrunner Jon Erwin described the approach as a cost‑effective way to create large‑scale battle scenes and expansive landscapes. The production combined image generators, up‑resolution tools, and video generators from vendors such as Runway, Luma, Google and Adobe, using “10 to 15 core tools.” While some critics decried the visual quality, industry labor groups noted the cautious adoption of AI, emphasizing consent and fair compensation for performers.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Says China Will Win the AI Race

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Says China Will Win the AI Race

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang warned that China is poised to win the artificial‑intelligence race, arguing that restrictive U.S. chip export policies could push Chinese developers toward independent ecosystems. Huang emphasized the importance of keeping American hardware and software at the core of global AI development while also engaging China’s massive developer community. He cautioned that policies limiting Chinese access to Nvidia’s latest processors might diminish U.S. influence over AI innovation worldwide.

Elon Musk Shares AI-Generated Videos on X After Tesla Compensation Vote

Elon Musk Shares AI-Generated Videos on X After Tesla Compensation Vote

Following shareholder approval of a new compensation package, Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted two AI-generated videos on his X platform using xAI's Grok Imagine tool. The first video featured a synthetic woman reciting a love message, posted at 4:20 am EST, and was followed 24 minutes later by a second clip of actress Sydney Sweeney delivering a quirky line in a fabricated voice. The posts sparked a mix of amusement and criticism from X users, including commentary from author Joyce Carol Oates, highlighting the growing intersection of AI creativity and public figures’ social media activity.

OpenAI Urges Expansion of Chips Act Tax Credit to Cover AI Data Centers

OpenAI Urges Expansion of Chips Act Tax Credit to Cover AI Data Centers

OpenAI sent a letter to the White House urging the administration to broaden the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (AMIC) beyond semiconductor fabrication to include AI servers, data centers, and related grid components. The company argues the change would lower capital costs, de‑risk early investments, and unlock private capital for U.S. AI infrastructure. OpenAI also called for faster permitting, streamlined environmental reviews, and a strategic reserve of raw materials such as copper, aluminum, and processed rare‑earth minerals. Executives later clarified that OpenAI does not seek government guarantees for its data‑center build‑out, emphasizing that taxpayers should not bail out private ventures.