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LA Comic Con Pursues AI-Powered Stan Lee Hologram

LA Comic Con Pursues AI-Powered Stan Lee Hologram

Los Angeles Comic Con is planning an artificial‑intelligence‑driven hologram of Stan Lee, aiming to let fans interact with a digital version of the Marvel legend. The concept builds on the convention’s earlier use of a volumetric hologram for Boffo the Bear, which relied on live motion capture. This new venture will combine the holographic platform created by Proto Hologram with an AI model supplied by Hyperreal, a firm that focuses on digital identity ownership. Organizers hope the avatar will answer questions about the Marvel universe while staying true to Lee’s own words.

Tesla Pushes Drivers to Activate Full Self-Driving Amid Safety Concerns

Tesla Pushes Drivers to Activate Full Self-Driving Amid Safety Concerns

Tesla’s latest software update adds in‑car prompts that tell drivers who appear drowsy or drifting to activate the Full Self‑Driving (FSD) feature. While the automaker argues the messages are meant to keep drivers focused, safety experts warn that encouraging reliance on a supervised system during moments of inattention could increase risk. The move comes as Tesla faces ongoing legal scrutiny over its driver‑assistance claims and continues to position FSD as a cornerstone of its autonomous‑vehicle strategy.

Silicon Valley Ramps Up AI Infrastructure as OpenAI Unveils New ChatGPT Feature

Silicon Valley Ramps Up AI Infrastructure as OpenAI Unveils New ChatGPT Feature

Silicon Valley dominated headlines this week with massive AI infrastructure deals. Nvidia announced a potential $100 billion investment in OpenAI, while OpenAI revealed plans to add five new Stargate data centers in partnership with Oracle and SoftBank, promising gigawatts of fresh capacity. Oracle financed the effort by selling $18 billion in bonds. At the same time, OpenAI launched Pulse, a personalized morning briefing feature in ChatGPT that currently runs only for $200‑a‑month Pro users due to server constraints. The flurry of investments and product launches raises questions about the balance between costly data‑center expansion and new AI services.

Microsoft Tests AI‑Powered Auto‑Categorization in Windows 11 Photos App

Microsoft Tests AI‑Powered Auto‑Categorization in Windows 11 Photos App

Microsoft is trialing an AI feature for the Windows 11 Photos app that automatically groups images of receipts, screenshots, identity documents and handwritten notes into dedicated folders. The capability, available to Windows 11 Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs, identifies visual content without relying on text language, placing the new categories under the app’s left‑hand navigation. The test aims to streamline photo library management by reducing manual sorting, and Microsoft says the feature could expand to additional categories in the future.

Google’s Nano Banana AI Joins Adobe Photoshop as a New Generative Fill Model

Google’s Nano Banana AI Joins Adobe Photoshop as a New Generative Fill Model

Adobe Photoshop’s beta version now lets users access Google’s Nano Banana AI—officially the Gemini 2.5 Flash Image model—directly within the Generative Fill tool. Alongside Adobe’s own Firefly and Black Forest Labs’ FLUX.1 Kontext, Nano Banana offers stylistic, eye‑catching visuals that creators can blend with realistic lighting and commercial‑grade outputs. The integration positions Photoshop as a hub for multiple AI image models, giving designers, marketers and hobbyists the flexibility to switch models on the fly and streamline creative workflows.

Google’s AI Prompt Energy Data Shows Modest Power Use Compared to Everyday Devices

Google’s AI Prompt Energy Data Shows Modest Power Use Compared to Everyday Devices

Google has released official figures for the median energy consumption of a Gemini text prompt, estimating it at 0.24 Wh per prompt. The report compares this figure to common household activities, showing that a single AI prompt uses far less power than streaming video, charging a smartphone, or running a TV. While the per‑prompt impact is small—accounting for a fraction of a user's daily electricity use—the article notes that billions of prompts could add up at scale. Water usage and carbon emissions are also quantified, highlighting the broader environmental considerations of AI workloads.

Consumers Embrace Generative AI Yet Remain Wary of Trust and Privacy Risks

Consumers Embrace Generative AI Yet Remain Wary of Trust and Privacy Risks

A recent Deloitte survey of U.S. consumers shows that while more than half are experimenting with or regularly using generative AI, a majority express concerns about rapid innovation, data privacy, and the accuracy of AI outputs. Around 40% of respondents pay for AI services, and many access the technology through mobile apps and websites. Trust remains fragile—privacy worries have risen, and users are reluctant to share sensitive personal data. Consumers indicate they are more likely to spend money with companies they trust, highlighting a tension between growing adoption and lingering skepticism.

Casio’s AI‑Powered Moflin Robot Pet Sparks Mixed Reactions at Home and in Public

Casio’s AI‑Powered Moflin Robot Pet Sparks Mixed Reactions at Home and in Public

Casio’s newly released Moflin, an AI‑driven robotic pet that mimics emotional support, arrived in a plain box with a charging pad and a Japanese manual. The author set it up, downloaded the limited‑function app, and began integrating the fluffy device into daily life. Interactions with a French Bulldog and a skeptical spouse highlighted jealousy and curiosity, while a coffee‑shop outing turned the robot into an unexpected conversation starter. Casio promises the Moflin will evolve its behavior over the next two months, but the reviewer remains uncertain whether the gadget will become a lasting companion.

Cambridge Researchers Use AI and Satellite Data to Map Hedgehog Habitats

Cambridge Researchers Use AI and Satellite Data to Map Hedgehog Habitats

Scientists at the University of Cambridge are developing an artificial‑intelligence model that identifies bramble patches from satellite imagery to locate potential hedgehog habitats across the United Kingdom. By combining simple machine‑learning techniques with data from the European Space Agency's Sentinel satellites and citizen‑science observations from iNaturalist, the team hopes to provide a scalable alternative to traditional nighttime field surveys. Initial ground‑truthing walks in Cambridge showed the model’s predictions aligning with real‑world bramble locations, offering a promising tool for large‑scale conservation planning.

Apple Develops Internal ChatGPT‑Style App to Test Next‑Gen Siri Features

Apple Develops Internal ChatGPT‑Style App to Test Next‑Gen Siri Features

Apple has created an internal application, dubbed Veritas, that mirrors ChatGPT to evaluate upcoming Siri capabilities. The tool lets employees search personal data on devices and perform actions in apps, providing a rapid feedback loop on the value of a chatbot interface. Bloomberg reports the effort reflects a more advanced stage for Apple’s promised Siri upgrade, originally announced at WWDC 2024, and signals the company’s continued exploration of both its own AI models and potential third‑party partnerships for future releases.

YouTube Music Trials AI Hosts via YouTube Labs

YouTube Music Trials AI Hosts via YouTube Labs

YouTube has introduced YouTube Labs, a testing platform that lets premium members try AI hosts for the Music app. The AI hosts provide relevant stories, fan trivia and commentary to deepen the listening experience. Participation is limited to a small group of U.S. users. The rollout follows YouTube's broader push of AI tools for creators, including spoken‑dialogue song generation, AI‑driven age verification and a version of Google’s AI overviews.

Nvidia Open Sources Audio2Face AI Tool for Real-Time 3D Avatar Animation

Nvidia Open Sources Audio2Face AI Tool for Real-Time 3D Avatar Animation

Nvidia has open sourced Audio2Face, its artificial‑intelligence system that creates realistic facial animations for 3D avatars from spoken audio. By analyzing the acoustic characteristics of a voice, the tool generates animation data that drives lip movement and facial expressions. Developers can now integrate the framework into games, apps, and live‑streaming workflows, and they can also modify the training model for custom use cases. Early adopters such as Farm51 for Chernobylite 2 and the creators of Alien: Rogue Incursion Evolved Edition have already demonstrated the technology in production.