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Suno Launches Faster, More Expressive Free v4.5-All Music Model

Suno Launches Faster, More Expressive Free v4.5-All Music Model

Suno has replaced its free‑tier v3.5 model with the new v4.5‑All, delivering quicker generation, richer sound, and more expressive vocals. The upgraded model brings professional‑level song creation to anyone without a subscription, handling tone shifts and prompts more effectively while still being optimized for efficiency. The move arrives amid growing competition in the AI music space, where many platforms keep their most advanced tools behind paywalls. Suno’s decision to elevate its free offering could pressure rivals to broaden access, even as the industry faces scrutiny over AI‑generated content.

AI-Generated Videos Spread Misinformation During Hurricane Melissa

AI-Generated Videos Spread Misinformation During Hurricane Melissa

As Hurricane Melissa approaches Jamaica, a surge of AI-created videos depicting catastrophic damage and rescue scenes circulates across social media platforms. These fabricated clips, some marked with OpenAI's Sora watermark, blend past storm footage with entirely synthetic imagery, causing confusion and panic among the public. Authorities urge residents to rely on official sources such as the Jamaica Information Service and the Office of Disaster Preparedness for accurate updates, emphasizing the need to verify content before sharing. The episode highlights the growing challenge of deepfake media in disaster situations.

Senators Introduce Bill to Ban Minors From AI Chatbots and Mandate Age Verification

Senators Introduce Bill to Ban Minors From AI Chatbots and Mandate Age Verification

U.S. Senators Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal have introduced legislation that would require AI companies to verify the age of every user and prohibit individuals under 18 from accessing AI chatbots. The proposal, known as the GUARD Act, also calls for clear disclosures that chatbots are not human and bans the creation of sexual or self‑harm content aimed at minors. Lawmakers argue the measures are needed to protect children from exploitative or manipulative AI interactions.

Mappa’s AI Voice Analysis Platform Aims to Reduce Hiring Bias at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

Mappa’s AI Voice Analysis Platform Aims to Reduce Hiring Bias at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

Mappa, founded by Sarah Lucena, uses AI to analyze voice patterns and assess candidate traits such as communication style, empathy, and confidence. The startup, which has raised a seed round led by Tim Draper’s firm, reports that hires made through its platform have a turnover rate of just 2%, far below the industry average. With more than 130 U.S. customers and over 3,000 hires, Mappa is a top‑20 finalist in the Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, showcasing its technology to investors and enterprises alike.

AI’s Share of Global Power, Water and Carbon Footprint

AI’s Share of Global Power, Water and Carbon Footprint

A recent analysis shows that artificial intelligence consumes a modest portion of worldwide electricity, water and CO₂ emissions compared with other technologies. While AI prompts represent a tiny fraction of individual energy use, the rapid growth of data‑center demand means AI will claim a larger slice of the overall mix, especially as it drives new infrastructure. The article compares AI’s resource use to Wi‑Fi, streaming video, enterprise cloud services and emerging electric‑vehicle charging, highlighting both the relative insignificance and the potential for concentrated local impacts.

OpenAI Reports Over a Million Weekly ChatGPT Users Discuss Suicide, Launches Mental Health Safeguards Amid Lawsuit

OpenAI Reports Over a Million Weekly ChatGPT Users Discuss Suicide, Launches Mental Health Safeguards Amid Lawsuit

OpenAI disclosed that roughly 0.15 percent of its more than 800 million weekly active ChatGPT users engage in conversations containing explicit suicidal indicators, amounting to over a million people each week. The company says a similar share show heightened emotional attachment and that hundreds of thousands display signs of psychosis or mania. In response, OpenAI has consulted over 170 mental health experts to improve model behavior, aiming to recognize distress, de‑escalate, and guide users toward professional care. The revelations come as OpenAI faces a lawsuit from the parents of a 16‑year‑old who confided suicidal thoughts to the chatbot and warnings from 45 state attorneys general urging stronger protections for young users.

OpenAI Announces Timeline for Autonomous AI Researcher and Corporate Restructuring

OpenAI Announces Timeline for Autonomous AI Researcher and Corporate Restructuring

OpenAI revealed its goal to develop an intern‑level AI research assistant by September 2026 and a fully autonomous "legitimate AI researcher" by 2028. The announcement came during a livestream with CEO Sam Altman and chief scientist Jakub Pachocki, who described the upcoming system as capable of handling large research projects independently. In parallel, OpenAI transitioned to a public‑benefit corporation, freeing it from non‑profit constraints and allowing new capital‑raising opportunities. The nonprofit OpenAI Foundation will retain a 26% stake, oversee research direction, and commit $25 billion to disease‑curing initiatives, while the for‑profit arm plans massive infrastructure investment to support the ambitious AI roadmap.

Senators Push Bill to Restrict AI Companion Bots for Children

Senators Push Bill to Restrict AI Companion Bots for Children

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.

Using AI to Find Your Look-Alike: How ChatGPT and Third-Party Tools Match Faces

Using AI to Find Your Look-Alike: How ChatGPT and Third-Party Tools Match Faces

A growing number of AI applications let users discover celebrity look‑alikes by uploading personal photos. While ChatGPT itself cannot perform facial recognition, users can access specialized GPTs that accept images and generate match suggestions. The process involves selecting clear, front‑facing photos without accessories or filters, uploading them to a dedicated GPT, and receiving a list of possible celebrity matches. Users have reported mixed results—some tools suggest familiar faces, while others produce surprising or humorous outcomes. Privacy concerns remain, as the technology relies on image analysis and pattern matching.

PayPal to Enable Purchases on ChatGPT Starting Next Year

PayPal to Enable Purchases on ChatGPT Starting Next Year

PayPal announced that it will integrate its payment services with OpenAI's ChatGPT platform next year, allowing users to buy and sell directly through the chatbot. The move brings PayPal to a growing list of e‑commerce partners that includes Walmart, Shopify and Etsy, and follows popular demand from developers. A demo shows a user requesting shoe recommendations and receiving a PayPal checkout button. PayPal CEO Alex Chriss highlighted the large base of wallet holders who will benefit from a secure, click‑to‑buy experience on ChatGPT.

Mem0 Secures $24 Million to Power AI Memory Infrastructure

Mem0 Secures $24 Million to Power AI Memory Infrastructure

AI startup Mem0 has raised $24 million in a funding round led by Basis Set Ventures, with participation from Peak XV, Y Combinator, and other investors. The company offers a model‑agnostic memory framework that lets developers store, retrieve, and evolve user data across large language models and applications. Mem0’s open‑source API has garnered over 41,000 GitHub stars and more than 13 million Python package downloads, while its cloud service serves over 80,000 developers and processes hundreds of millions of API calls. The startup positions itself as a neutral, interoperable memory layer for the growing AI ecosystem.

GitHub Launches Agent HQ to Bring Multiple AI Coding Agents to Developers

GitHub Launches Agent HQ to Bring Multiple AI Coding Agents to Developers

GitHub is rolling out a new platform called Agent HQ that lets developers use a range of AI coding agents—including OpenAI’s Codex, Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Jules, xAI, and Cognition’s Devin—directly within GitHub. Available to Copilot subscribers, the service adds a mission‑control style dashboard, the ability to run several agents in parallel on the same task, and new VS Code tools such as Plan Mode and a code‑review step powered by CodeQL. The move expands the ecosystem of AI‑assisted development while giving users more control over which agent’s output they prefer.