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Microsoft adds free Copilot Chat to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote

Microsoft announced that all Microsoft 365 business users will receive a free Copilot Chat sidebar in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote. The feature provides AI‑driven assistance such as drafting documents, summarizing content and analyzing spreadsheets without requiring a separate Microsoft 365 Copilot license. While the free version offers core capabilities, the paid Copilot subscription continues to deliver advanced features like file upload, image generation and access to newer models such as GPT‑5. The rollout comes with no price changes for business customers, and Microsoft plans to bundle additional sales, service and finance Copilots into its subscription later this year.

Debate Over Universal Access to ChatGPT Highlights Benefits and Risks

Discussions about providing every citizen with free access to ChatGPT Plus have sparked a broader debate on the role of AI in society. Proponents argue that universal access could boost productivity, bridge the digital divide, and democratize powerful tools. Critics warn of potential dependence, misinformation, bias, and the implications of endorsing a single private company's technology as a public utility. The conversation underscores the need for digital literacy, safeguards, and consideration of open‑source alternatives as policymakers weigh the promise of AI against its possible hazards.

Hidden iOS 26 Features That Enhance Everyday Use

Apple's iOS 26 update brings a suite of subtle yet impactful enhancements that go beyond the headline‑grabbing features. Users can now customize alarm snooze lengths, create custom ringtones without a computer, copy portions of text messages, and view a private list of visited places in Maps. Battery charging estimates appear on the lock screen, Adaptive Power Mode balances performance and efficiency, and Photos introduces Spatial Scenes for immersive viewing. Additional tweaks include screenshot visual search, real‑time lyric translation in Apple Music, live call screening, AirPod‑controlled photo capture, custom chat backgrounds, on‑device PDF editing, middle‑screen back gestures, satellite‑based weather, lens‑clean alerts, HDR screenshots, and early support for digital passports in Wallet.

Busy Beaver Challenge Pushes Boundaries of Computation with Record‑Breaking Turing Machines

Researchers in the Busy Beaver Challenge have repeatedly shattered previous records for the longest‑running six‑rule Turing machines, achieving runtimes expressed in massive power towers such as 10↑↑107 and even surpassing the pentation level 2↑↑↑5. The effort, driven by contributors including Shawn Ligocki, Pavel Kropitz, Katelyn Doucette and the pseudonymous mxdys, showcases new mechanisms like shift‑overflow counters and highlights unresolved mathematical links to problems such as the Collatz conjecture in machines like the Antihydra. The work underscores both the collaborative spirit of the community and the deep theoretical challenges that remain.

AI Becomes a Ubiquitous Label at IFA 2025, Raising Questions About Meaning and Value

At Berlin's IFA 2025, artificial intelligence was attached to nearly every product, from refrigerators to robot lawn mowers. While some brands, such as Samsung and Lepro, demonstrated genuine AI functions, many others used the term as a marketing hook, blurring the line between true generative capabilities and simple algorithms. Reviewers noted that the flood of AI‑branded devices makes it harder for consumers to assess real benefits, especially when features like voice assistants are merely re‑branded. The event highlighted a growing tension between AI hype and practical usefulness in the smart‑home market.

OpenAI’s AI Empire Prioritizes Speed Over Safety

OpenAI has been described as the leading force of an emerging AI empire that emphasizes rapid development and market dominance over efficiency, safety, and broader societal benefits. Journalists note that the company’s push for artificial general intelligence (AGI) has driven massive spending, extensive data scraping, and a race‑for‑speed mindset that shapes the entire industry. Critics argue this approach amplifies harms such as job displacement, concentration of wealth, and content‑moderation challenges, while questioning whether the promised benefits to humanity will ever materialize.

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Senior Developers Turn into AI Code Babysitters Amid Vibe Coding Surge

Developers are increasingly using AI‑generated code, known as vibe coding, to speed up projects. Senior engineers, however, find themselves spending significant time correcting the AI's output, which can include hallucinated packages, deleted information, and security risks. Interviews with developers like Carla Rover and Feridoon Malekzadeh reveal frustrations, costly rewrites, and a new "innovation tax" of extra review work. Companies such as Fastly and NinjaOne acknowledge the productivity boost but stress mandatory human oversight and security scanning to keep AI‑generated code safe for production.

AI Chatbots Gain Traction as Spiritual Guides

A recent New York Times story highlights the rising influence of AI‑powered chatbots in religious practice. Apps such as Bible Chat, with more than 30 million downloads, and Hallow, which topped Apple’s App Store rankings, aim to direct users toward scripture and doctrine. While some see these tools as a bridge to faith for a generation less likely to attend traditional services, experts warn that the underlying AI models can simply echo users’ existing beliefs, potentially reinforcing false or conspiratorial ideas. Scholars stress the need for discernment beyond algorithmic responses.

Penske Media Sues Google Over AI-Generated News Summaries

Penske Media Corporation, the owner of titles such as Rolling Stone and Variety, has filed a lawsuit against Google alleging that the search giant’s AI‑generated news summaries use publisher content without proper permission. The complaint claims Google ties access to its search index to the provision of content for AI Overviews, reducing traffic and revenue for publishers. Google contends that the AI features enhance search usefulness and drive traffic to a broader range of sites, and says it will defend against the claims.

AI Foundation Model Advantage Fades as Competition Shifts Focus to Fine‑Tuning and Interfaces

The early dominance of large AI foundation models is waning as startups and established firms increasingly view these models as interchangeable components. Attention is moving toward post‑training techniques such as fine‑tuning, reinforcement learning, and user‑focused interface design. While companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google retain brand and infrastructure strengths, the lack of a clear technological moat means they risk becoming commodity suppliers rather than market leaders. Venture capitalists note that the rapid evolution of the sector could further reshape the competitive landscape.

Penske Media Sues Google Over AI Overviews Feature

Penske Media, the publisher behind titles such as Rolling Stone and Variety, filed a lawsuit in Washington, DC's federal district court accusing Google of illegally using its website content to power the AI Overviews feature. The publisher claims the feature siphons traffic and revenue from its sites, noting that about 20 percent of Google searches linking to Penske properties now display AI Overviews. Google has called the claims meritless and says the feature drives traffic to a broader range of sites.