AI News

News

Page 44
Microsoft Windows exec addresses AI rollout criticism and pledges usability improvements

Microsoft Windows exec addresses AI rollout criticism and pledges usability improvements

Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft’s head of Windows, responded to the backlash over AI integration in Windows 11. He acknowledged that the operating system still has work to do on everyday usability, reliability, and performance, and said the team is listening to extensive user feedback. While he highlighted the company’s focus on fixing inconsistent dialogs and power‑user experiences, he did not address concerns about advertising and ecosystem‑driven prompts. The response also drew attention to a recent Copilot demo that many users found confusing, underscoring the challenges Microsoft faces in balancing new AI features with a stable user experience.

AI Chatbots Evolve From Novelty to Everyday Assistants

AI Chatbots Evolve From Novelty to Everyday Assistants

Artificial intelligence chatbots have moved beyond early, clunky versions to become widely used tools that help users with writing, coding, translation, scheduling, and even voice‑based conversation. Major models such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot now offer agent‑mode capabilities that act like personal assistants, while safety features aim to limit hallucinations and inappropriate content. The technology is praised for its versatility, though users are reminded to verify information and adhere to age‑appropriate guidelines.

Sakana AI Secures $135M Series B Funding to Accelerate Japanese-Language AI Development

Sakana AI Secures $135M Series B Funding to Accelerate Japanese-Language AI Development

Tokyo‑based Sakana AI announced a ¥20 billion (approximately $135 million) Series B financing round that values the startup at $2.65 billion. Led by a mix of Japanese financial institutions and global venture firms, the round will fund further research and development of generative AI models optimized for the Japanese language, expand engineering and sales teams, and broaden the company’s enterprise reach beyond finance into industrial, manufacturing, government, defense and intelligence sectors. Founder‑CEO David Ha highlighted plans to pursue strategic partnerships, investments and acquisitions to sustain long‑term growth.

Jeff Bezos Joins AI Startup Project Prometheus as Co-CEO

Jeff Bezos Joins AI Startup Project Prometheus as Co-CEO

Jeff Bezos has taken on the role of co‑CEO at Project Prometheus, an AI‑driven startup focused on improving manufacturing for computers, automobiles and spacecraft. The venture, backed by $6.2 billion in funding that includes Bezos’s own capital, is led alongside co‑founder Vik Bajaj, a former Google X physicist and ex‑Verily executive. Project Prometheus already employs nearly 100 staff, drawing talent from OpenAI, DeepMind and Meta. The move marks Bezos’s first formal operational position since stepping down as Amazon’s chief executive in 2021 and coincides with his continued interest in Blue Origin, which recently achieved a successful New Glenn booster landing.

Google Gemini and ChatGPT Add Scheduled Actions to Boost AI Productivity

Google Gemini and ChatGPT Add Scheduled Actions to Boost AI Productivity

Google Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT have both rolled out scheduled automation features that let users program the bots to perform tasks at specific times or on recurring intervals. Users can create actions or tasks by describing the desired activity and its schedule, and the services will execute them even when the apps are closed, sending notifications via email or push alerts. Both platforms require a paid subscription, limit users to ten concurrent schedules, and provide simple interfaces for creating, editing, pausing, or deleting the automated jobs.

AI Data Centers Accelerate Renewable Energy Push, Report Finds

AI Data Centers Accelerate Renewable Energy Push, Report Finds

A new International Energy Agency report shows global spending on data centers surpassing oil exploration, highlighting the massive power demand of AI-driven facilities. The surge strains electrical grids, especially near large cities, but also opens opportunities for renewable solutions such as solar farms and microgrids built from used EV batteries. Major AI firms like OpenAI, Meta and Anthropic have pledged billions toward new data center projects, while startups focusing on clean energy infrastructure stand to benefit from the shift.

OpenAI’s Sora Deepfake App Sparks Trust and Misinformation Concerns

OpenAI’s Sora Deepfake App Sparks Trust and Misinformation Concerns

OpenAI's AI video tool Sora lets users create realistic videos with features such as the “cameo” function that inserts anyone’s likeness into AI‑generated scenes. The app automatically watermarks videos and embeds C2PA metadata that identify the content as AI‑generated. While these safeguards aim to help viewers verify authenticity, experts warn that easy access to high‑quality deepfakes could fuel misinformation and put public figures at risk. Platforms like Meta, TikTok and YouTube are adding their own labels, but the consensus is that vigilance and creator disclosure remain essential.

Google Photos’ AI Editing Feature Blocked in Texas and Illinois Over Biometric Laws

Google Photos’ AI Editing Feature Blocked in Texas and Illinois Over Biometric Laws

Google's new Conversational Editing tool in Google Photos is unavailable to users in Texas and Illinois because state biometric privacy statutes restrict the collection of facial geometry data required by the app’s Face Groups feature. Legal experts say the laws, including Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act and Texas' Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act, limit how biometric identifiers can be stored, transmitted, or retained. Google has disabled the feature in those states while offering similar functionality through its Gemini app, which does not rely on Face Groups.

Exploring Alternatives to Algorithmic Music Discovery

Exploring Alternatives to Algorithmic Music Discovery

Music discovery has become dominated by algorithmic playlists that can turn listening into a passive experience. Critics argue that younger listeners are finding new artists at lower rates because they rely heavily on auto‑generated stations, Discover Weekly, and endless autoplay. To counter this, a variety of traditional and emerging sources—music journalism sites, independent blogs, curated newsletters, college and freeform radio, and personal community recommendations—offer intentional pathways to uncover fresh music. These alternatives help listeners engage more actively, broaden their musical horizons, and support artists beyond the algorithmic mainstream.

In the Age of AI, What Does Meaning Look Like?

In the Age of AI, What Does Meaning Look Like?

During an OpenAI livestream, CEO Sam Altman asked chief scientist Jakub Pachocki a provocative question about how meaning and fulfillment will evolve as artificial intelligence automates more work. Pachocki responded by emphasizing the value of human participation, analog experiences, and the imperfections that AI cannot replicate. The discussion explored how people may seek craft, physical activity, and personal connections to find purpose, suggesting that the very aspects AI seeks to eliminate—slowness, risk, and embodied effort—could become sources of meaning in a highly automated world.

Chinese Hacking Contractor Leak Reveals AI-Assisted Espionage Tools and Targets

Chinese Hacking Contractor Leak Reveals AI-Assisted Espionage Tools and Targets

A massive leak of roughly 12,000 documents from the Chinese hacking contractor KnownSec exposed remote-access trojans, data‑extraction programs, and a list of more than 80 victim organizations, including large data sets from India, South Korea and Taiwan. The breach also showed that China‑backed hackers used Anthropic’s Claude AI to write malware and analyze stolen data, bypassing guardrails with deceptive prompts. Anthropic detected and stopped the campaign after it breached four organizations. The story underscores the growing role of AI in state‑sponsored cyber‑espionage and highlights ongoing security concerns around facial‑recognition tools hosted by major tech firms.

OmniFocus Adds Private AI Automation Using Apple’s Foundation Model

OmniFocus Adds Private AI Automation Using Apple’s Foundation Model

Omni Group is integrating generative AI into its OmniFocus task‑management app in a discreet, offline‑first manner. Leveraging Apple’s Foundation large‑language model, the new AI features are offered through optional automations that users can install and run without intrusive UI prompts. Early automations like “Help Me Plan” and “Clipboard Events” demonstrate how AI can break tasks into subtasks or turn clipboard text into actionable items, all while keeping data private and under the user’s control.