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Boop Launches AI‑Powered Social Travel Planning App

Boop Launches AI‑Powered Social Travel Planning App

Boop, a new travel‑tech startup founded by former Meta and Microsoft AR/VR lead Nancy Li Smith, is rolling out an AI‑driven platform that transforms real‑world trip data into shareable, bookable itineraries. By capturing users' location and photo metadata, the app creates shoppable travel guides that friends and creators can copy and personalize. Boop also embeds affiliate links, allowing creators to earn commissions on bookings. Backed by investors from TripAdvisor, Marriott and Expedia, the company raised a pre‑seed round and is launching on a mobile invite‑only basis with a public waitlist.

Microsoft’s Windows Copilot Falls Short of AI Hype

Microsoft’s Windows Copilot Falls Short of AI Hype

Microsoft promotes Windows Copilot as a conversational AI that can see, speak, and act on a user’s behalf, but early testing reveals a gap between marketing promises and reality. The assistant struggles to correctly identify objects in images, provides inconsistent answers, and cannot perform many of the tasks it advertises, such as controlling system settings or running simulations. While the technology shows potential for accessibility and future integration, its current performance leaves users frustrated and raises questions about Microsoft’s timeline for a fully functional AI‑driven PC experience.

ChatGPT Free vs Paid: Will Upgrading Actually Improve Your Experience?

ChatGPT Free vs Paid: Will Upgrading Actually Improve Your Experience?

OpenAI offers three main subscription tiers for ChatGPT: a free tier, ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Pro. The free tier provides limited access to the latest model and restricts features such as image generation and video creation. ChatGPT Plus, priced at $20 per month, expands usage limits, grants access to legacy models, the Sora video generator (720p, 10‑second clips with a watermark), and the AI Agent tool. ChatGPT Pro, costing $200 per month, unlocks the most advanced GPT‑5 Pro model, higher‑resolution video creation (1080p, longer clips without watermarks), and broader feature access. Users must weigh their needs against the cost and capabilities of each plan.

Microsoft Prepares AI Agents for Windows 11 with Experimental Agent Workspaces

Microsoft Prepares AI Agents for Windows 11 with Experimental Agent Workspaces

Microsoft is rolling out an experimental feature called agent workspaces in Windows 11, allowing AI agents to run in a sandboxed environment separate from the user’s account. The design emphasizes security and privacy by granting agents limited permissions to specific apps and files. Early testing will involve a small group of insiders, with plans to expand as feedback is gathered. Microsoft highlights the ability to manage each agent’s access, maintain logs of activity, and protect against risks such as hallucinations or prompt injection. Sample agents include Copilot Actions for routine tasks and Manus AI for more complex projects.

Databricks in Talks to Raise Funding Valuing Company Over $130 Billion

Databricks in Talks to Raise Funding Valuing Company Over $130 Billion

Databricks is reportedly in early-stage discussions to secure new capital that would place the data intelligence firm at a valuation of at least $130 billion, according to The Information. The company has not signed a term sheet yet. This potential round would represent a valuation increase of roughly 30% compared with its $100 billion valuation from the recent $1 billion Series J round. CEO Ali Ghodsi previously said the funds would support a database for AI agents and an AI agent platform. Databricks also recently acquired open‑source database startup Neon for $1 billion, reflecting its aggressive push into the $105 billion database market and the growing share of AI‑generated databases.

Essential Do's and Don'ts for Using AI Chatbots Safely and Effectively

Essential Do's and Don'ts for Using AI Chatbots Safely and Effectively

A concise guide outlines best practices for leveraging AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. It highlights productive uses such as brainstorming, proofreading, learning, coding, and entertainment, while warning against cheating, blind trust, sharing personal payment details, and seeking medical advice. The advice stresses adult supervision for younger users and the importance of verifying AI‑generated information.

Google’s Gemini 3 Targets ChatGPT Lead with Five Key Upgrades

Google’s Gemini 3 Targets ChatGPT Lead with Five Key Upgrades

Google is preparing to launch Gemini 3, its next AI chatbot, with a focus on five upgrades that could help it overtake ChatGPT. The new model aims to improve memory, speed, intent understanding, image analysis, and task completion. Gemini 2.5 already offers long‑form conversation and a “thinking mode,” but users note occasional lapses in context and speed. By addressing these gaps, Gemini 3 hopes to become a true personal assistant rather than a smart search box, delivering a more reliable and versatile experience for everyday users.

Google Launches WeatherNext 2, an AI‑Powered Forecasting Model

Google Launches WeatherNext 2, an AI‑Powered Forecasting Model

Google has unveiled WeatherNext 2, an AI‑driven weather forecasting system that delivers faster, higher‑resolution predictions by simulating hundreds of possible outcomes in under a minute. Built with a Functional Generative Network and trained on individual variables such as temperature and wind speed, the model claims up to eight‑times faster processing and improved accuracy for 99.9% of variables up to 15 days out. WeatherNext 2 is being integrated across Google Search, Gemini, Pixel Weather, and Maps, with plans for broader API access. The technology aims to give users a richer view of weather uncertainty and supports sectors like renewable energy and emergency services.

Berlin AI Startup Peec AI Secures $21 Million Series A to Power Generative Engine Optimization

Berlin AI Startup Peec AI Secures $21 Million Series A to Power Generative Engine Optimization

Peec AI, a Berlin‑based startup that monitors brand presence in AI‑driven search results, has closed a $21 million Series A led by Singular. The round follows a seed investment from 20VC and brings total backing from Antler, Combination VC, identity.vc and S20. The company reports more than $4 million in annual recurring revenue and a customer base of roughly 1,300 firms, including Axel Springer, Chanel and TUI. With plans to hire dozens of staff, open a New York sales office and expand its GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) platform, Peec AI aims to shape the emerging AI‑search market.

a16z‑Backed Super PAC Targets New York Lawmaker Over AI Safety Bill

a16z‑Backed Super PAC Targets New York Lawmaker Over AI Safety Bill

A political action committee backed by Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI president Greg Brockman has singled out New York Assembly member Alex Bores as its first target. The PAC, called Leading the Future, was formed with a commitment of more than $100 million to support policymakers who favor a light‑touch approach to AI regulation. Bores, the chief sponsor of New York’s bipartisan RAISE Act, says the group’s tactics are a direct response to his efforts to require large AI labs to adopt safety plans and disclose critical incidents. The clash highlights growing tensions between Silicon Valley and state legislators seeking stronger AI safeguards.

Google Battles Defamation Lawsuit Over AI-Generated Claims

Google Battles Defamation Lawsuit Over AI-Generated Claims

Google has filed a motion to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by activist Robby Starbuck, who alleges the company's AI falsely linked him to sexual assault accusations and white nationalist ideology. Starbuck, who previously sued Meta over similar AI-generated allegations, is seeking $15 million in damages. Google argues the claims stem from misuse of developer tools that induce hallucinations and notes that no U.S. court has yet awarded damages for AI defamation. The case highlights growing legal challenges surrounding artificial‑intelligence outputs.

Google Photos' Conversational Editing Disabled in Texas and Illinois Over Biometric Regulations

Google Photos' Conversational Editing Disabled in Texas and Illinois Over Biometric Regulations

Google Photos' new Conversational Editing feature, which lets users edit images via voice or typed prompts, is unavailable to users in Texas and Illinois. The restriction stems from state biometric privacy laws that limit the collection and storage of facial geometry data required by the feature's companion Face Groups function. Both states have previously sued Google over biometric data practices, leading the company to disable the feature in those regions while keeping it active elsewhere in the United States.