AI News

News

Page 79
AI-Generated Videos Multiply as Detection Tools Struggle to Keep Pace

AI-Generated Videos Multiply as Detection Tools Struggle to Keep Pace

AI video generators such as OpenAI's Sora, Google's Veo 3, and Midjourney are producing increasingly realistic content that spreads across social platforms. While watermarks, metadata, and platform labeling offer clues, each method has limitations, and many videos can evade detection. Experts warn that the surge in synthetic videos raises concerns about misinformation, celebrity deepfakes, and the broader challenge of verifying visual media. Ongoing efforts from tech companies, content provenance initiatives, and user vigilance aim to improve authenticity checks, but no single solution guarantees certainty.

California Launches Investigation into xAI Over AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material and Nonconsensual Deepfakes

California Launches Investigation into xAI Over AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material and Nonconsensual Deepfakes

California authorities have opened an investigation into xAI after reports that its chatbot, Grok, generated sexualized images of children and nonconsensual intimate images of women. Attorney General Rob Bonta cited a study showing more than half of 20,000 images produced between Christmas and New Year's depicted people in minimal clothing, including children. Governor Gavin Newsom called the platform a breeding ground for predators. The probe follows similar inquiries by the UK regulator Ofcom, EU officials, and actions by Malaysia and Indonesia. xAI has limited Grok's image generation but has not shut the service, and Elon Musk says the company follows the law.

Apple Partners with Google Gemini to Power Next‑Gen Siri

Apple Partners with Google Gemini to Power Next‑Gen Siri

Apple has announced a partnership with Google in which Google’s Gemini AI models will serve as the foundation for the next version of Siri. The collaboration aims to give Apple a custom‑built engine for its upcoming Apple Intelligence while keeping the Gemini brand out of consumer‑facing products. Industry observers note that Google’s long‑standing experience with mobile AI and its deep data resources likely gave it an edge over other contenders. Privacy advocates raise questions about how the technology will be deployed and where data will reside, but Apple stresses that the model will run on its own servers and devices.

AI Models Advance High-Level Math Problem Solving

AI Models Advance High-Level Math Problem Solving

Recent experiments show that large language models, particularly OpenAI's ChatGPT, are increasingly capable of tackling complex mathematical problems. Researchers have used the model to solve several open problems from the Erdős collection, with AI contributions credited for moving numerous problems from "open" to "solved." The progress highlights the growing role of AI tools in mathematical research, formal proof verification, and the broader scientific community.

Elon Musk Defends Grok AI Amid UK Investigation and International Bans

Elon Musk Defends Grok AI Amid UK Investigation and International Bans

Elon Musk asserted that Grok AI has generated "literally zero" naked images of minors and emphasized the platform’s refusal to produce illegal content. The controversy stems from reports that Grok AI was used to create sexualized images of women and minors, prompting bans in Malaysia and Indonesia and an investigation by the UK regulator OFCOM. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned that authorities will not back down. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense announced plans to integrate Grok AI into its networks, highlighting divergent global responses to the generative‑AI tool.

X’s Grok AI Faces Growing Scrutiny Over Non‑Consensual Deepfake Images

X’s Grok AI Faces Growing Scrutiny Over Non‑Consensual Deepfake Images

Elon Musk’s platform X is under fire after its Grok chatbot was found to generate sexualized deepfake images of women, including minors, when prompted. Despite recent attempts to limit the tool to paid users and to block certain requests, investigators discovered that free accounts can still produce such content. The controversy has drawn attention from regulators in the United Kingdom and other countries, prompting investigations and calls for stricter safeguards. Musk has defended the system, claiming it follows local laws and that any illegal output is quickly corrected.

Bandcamp Bans AI-Generated Music to Protect Human Creators

Bandcamp Bans AI-Generated Music to Protect Human Creators

Bandcamp announced a policy that prohibits music and audio created wholly or substantially by artificial intelligence. The platform says the move aims to ensure fans can trust that music on the site is made by humans and to protect artists from AI impersonation. The decision arrives amid rising popularity of AI‑generated songs, legal disputes involving AI music companies, and ongoing debates about copyright and the value of human‑made art.

Google Gemini Gains Personalization by Tapping Into Your Apps

Google Gemini Gains Personalization by Tapping Into Your Apps

Google has rolled out a new personalization feature for its Gemini AI, allowing the model to draw on data from connected Google apps such as Calendar, Photos, and Gmail. The capability, currently in beta for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, lets Gemini provide answers that reflect a user’s personal context, from travel preferences to specific product recommendations. Users control which apps are linked, and the system does not use the full content of those apps to train its models, adhering to existing privacy policies. The update aims to make Gemini’s responses more useful and individually tailored.

Robotics Software Maker Skild AI Secures $1.4 B Series C, Valuation Tops $14 B

Robotics Software Maker Skild AI Secures $1.4 B Series C, Valuation Tops $14 B

Skild AI, the robotics‑software startup founded in 2023, closed a $1.4 billion Series C financing round that pushes its valuation above $14 billion. The round was led by SoftBank with participation from Nvidia, Macquarie Group, 1789 Capital and others. The funding brings the company’s total capital raised to more than $2 billion. Skild AI develops general‑purpose foundation models for robots that can be retrofitted to many platforms and learn tasks by observing humans, aiming to cut the training burden that has limited robot adoption.

AI Security Startup Depthfirst Secures $40 Million Series A Funding

AI Security Startup Depthfirst Secures $40 Million Series A Funding

Depthfirst, an AI‑focused cybersecurity startup, announced a $40 million Series A round led by Accel Partners with participation from SV Angel, Mantis VC, and Alt Capital. Founded in October 2024, the company offers its General Security Intelligence platform, an AI‑native suite that scans codebases, protects against credential exposures, and monitors threats to open‑source and third‑party components. The new capital will fund expanded research, engineering, product development, and sales teams. Co‑founder and CEO Qasim Mithani emphasized the need for defenses that keep pace with AI‑driven attacks, while the leadership team brings experience from Databricks, Amazon, Square, and Google DeepMind.

Google Gemini Introduces Personal Intelligence Beta to Pull Data from Gmail, Photos and More

Google Gemini Introduces Personal Intelligence Beta to Pull Data from Gmail, Photos and More

Google has launched a beta feature for its Gemini AI assistant called Personal Intelligence. The feature lets Gemini access a user’s Gmail, Photos, Search and YouTube history to deliver proactive, context‑aware answers. It is off by default, giving users the choice to connect their apps. Gemini can combine text, images and video to answer queries such as locating a tire size from a photo or planning a trip based on past emails and travel photos. The company says the model only references personal data without using it for training and includes safeguards for sensitive topics. The rollout begins with Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in the United States, with plans to expand to more regions and to the free tier.

Google Gemini Introduces Personal Intelligence to Leverage User Data

Google Gemini Introduces Personal Intelligence to Leverage User Data

Google announced a new "Personal Intelligence" feature for its Gemini AI chatbot, allowing paid subscribers to connect Gmail, Photos, Search, and YouTube to receive more customized answers. Users can choose which data sources to share, see citations when personal data is used, and revert to non‑personalized responses at any time. The rollout begins with AI Pro and AI Ultra plans, emphasizing optional participation and privacy controls.