News/AI Models
Monkey brain, explained: Chinese researchers build AI system with 2B neurons to mimic macaque neurology
Chinese researchers at Zhejiang University have created the Darwin Monkey, an AI system that models a macaque's brain using 960 specialized chips with over 2 billion artificial neurons and 100 billion synapses. The project represents the world's largest neuromorphic computer and marks a significant step toward brain-inspired computing that could revolutionize AI efficiency and capabilities. What you should know: The Darwin Monkey uses China's DeepSeek AI model to perform complex cognitive tasks including logical reasoning, content generation, and mathematical problem solving. The system approaches the neural complexity of an actual macaque brain, making it the first neuromorphic computer based on...
read Aug 4, 2025Google’s AI overviews devastate website traffic as users bypass primary sources
Google's AI-powered search overviews are dramatically reducing website traffic as users increasingly get answers directly from search results without clicking through to original sources. This shift threatens to devastate publishers and businesses that have built their revenue models around search engine referrals, with industry experts describing the impact as nothing short of catastrophic for traditional web-based business models. The big picture: The integration of AI summaries into Google search results fundamentally changes how people consume information online. Users now receive direct answers "above the fold" through AI overviews, eliminating the need to click through to websites for basic information. This...
read Aug 4, 2025Apple builds AI search team to challenge ChatGPT and Google
Apple is reportedly developing an AI-powered search tool to compete with ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The project signals a strategic shift for the tech giant, which previously dismissed building its own chatbot but now faces mounting pressure to establish a stronger presence in the rapidly growing AI search market. What you should know: Apple has assembled a new team called Answers, Knowledge and Information (AKI) to build what they're internally calling an "answer engine." The team is led by Robby Walker, who reports directly to Apple's AI chief John Giannandrea. The project aims to create...
read Aug 4, 2025AI “vibe coding” helps non-technical founders build $80M exits
A new generation of entrepreneurs is using AI to build successful startups without traditional engineering teams, with companies like Giggles attracting over 120,000 users and Base44 selling to Wix for $80 million. This "vibe coding" approach—where founders use natural language to direct AI in creating applications—is democratizing entrepreneurship but raising questions about whether these ventures can scale without deeper technical expertise. What you should know: "Vibe coding," a term coined by former OpenAI cofounder Andrej Karpathy, describes using AI to write code through natural language rather than traditional programming. Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan reports that many startups now use...
read Aug 4, 2025Fancy AI models are getting stumped by Sudoku while hallucinating explanations
University of Colorado Boulder researchers tested five AI models on 2,300 simple Sudoku puzzles and found significant gaps in both problem-solving ability and trustworthiness. The study revealed that even advanced models like ChatGPT's o1 could only solve 65% of six-by-six puzzles correctly, while their explanations frequently contained fabricated facts or bizarre responses—including one AI that provided an unprompted weather forecast when asked about Sudoku. What you should know: The research focused less on puzzle-solving ability and more on understanding how AI systems think and explain their reasoning. ChatGPT's o1 model performed best at solving puzzles but was particularly poor at...
read Aug 4, 2025Gen-guesser: Google uses AI to estimate user ages from browsing data
Google is rolling out an AI-powered age-estimation system that will infer users' ages based on their search history and browsing data to apply content restrictions on Search and YouTube. The system, launching in the EU to comply with digital safety regulations, represents a significant shift from relying solely on user-provided age information to algorithmic inference, raising new questions about privacy, accuracy, and consent in content moderation. Why this matters: The move marks the first major deployment of AI age-estimation technology by a major platform, potentially setting a precedent for how tech companies balance regulatory compliance with user privacy across global...
read Aug 1, 2025Google adds 4 new AI search features including image analysis
Google is doubling down on its AI-powered search experience with four significant upgrades to AI Mode, the feature that replaces traditional link-heavy results with AI-generated summaries and overviews. These enhancements signal the company's commitment to making artificial intelligence a central part of how people find and interact with information online. AI Mode fundamentally changes the search experience by providing conversational, contextual responses instead of lists of website links. While this approach can streamline information gathering, it has also sparked debate about its impact on web publishers and concerns about AI accuracy. Google's latest updates appear designed to address skeptics while...
read Aug 1, 2025Nearly half of AI-generated code contains security vulnerabilities, claims study
Nearly half of AI-generated code contains security vulnerabilities despite appearing production-ready, according to new research from Veracode, a cybersecurity company, that examined over 100 large language models across 80 coding tasks. The findings reveal that even advanced AI coding tools are creating significant security risks for companies increasingly relying on artificial intelligence to supplement or replace human developers, with no improvement in security performance across newer or larger models. What you should know: The security flaws affect all major programming languages, with Java experiencing the highest failure rate at over 70%. Python, C#, and JavaScript also showed concerning failure rates...
read Aug 1, 2025Google launches Deep Think reasoning mode for Gemini 2.5 Ultra
Google has launched Deep Think, a new reasoning mode for its Gemini 2.5 Ultra AI model that allows the system to engage in multi-step thinking before responding to complex queries. Available now to Google AI Ultra subscribers ($249/month), the feature represents Google's latest attempt to compete with advanced reasoning models by giving its AI more "thinking time" to solve problems requiring strategy, iteration, and complex logic. What you should know: Deep Think transforms how Gemini processes difficult requests by implementing parallel thinking capabilities that mirror human problem-solving approaches. Instead of rushing to deliver immediate answers, the AI generates multiple ideas,...
read Aug 1, 2025Delta’s AI-based personalized ticket pricing grounded after Senate pressure
Delta Air Lines assured U.S. lawmakers on Friday that it will not use artificial intelligence to set personalized ticket prices for individual passengers, following sharp criticism from Democratic senators who feared the technology would exploit consumers. The airline's commitment comes as the aviation industry faces growing scrutiny over AI-driven pricing strategies that could potentially charge customers based on their willingness to pay. What you should know: Delta explicitly denied plans to use personal data for individualized pricing in a letter to concerned senators.• "There is no fare product Delta has ever used, is testing or plans to use that targets...
read Aug 1, 2025Google launches cloud-based Firebase Studio to challenge VS Code with AI
Google has launched Firebase Studio, a cloud-based AI-powered integrated development environment that directly challenges Microsoft's VS Code dominance. The new platform features an App Prototyping agent that can generate full applications from natural language prompts, while running entirely in the cloud to eliminate system resource constraints. Why this matters: Firebase Studio represents Google's most aggressive push into developer tooling, offering AI-powered capabilities that could fundamentally change how applications are built and prototyped. Key advantages over VS Code: Firebase Studio outperforms the popular Microsoft IDE through several breakthrough features. The platform's AI can create complete applications from simple prompts, with the...
read Aug 1, 2025Google DeepMind’s AI maps Earth with 24% better accuracy
Google DeepMind announced AlphaEarth Foundations, a breakthrough AI system that can map the entire planet's surface with unprecedented accuracy by integrating massive amounts of satellite data into unified digital representations. The system reduces error rates by 23.9% compared to existing approaches while requiring 16 times less storage space, potentially transforming environmental monitoring and resource management for governments, conservation groups, and businesses worldwide. How it works: AlphaEarth Foundations processes information by creating "embedding fields" — highly compressed digital summaries that capture essential characteristics of Earth's surface in 10-meter squares. The system maintains sharp 10×10 meter precision while tracking changes over time,...
read Jul 30, 2025AI is making traditional manager-employee 1:1 meetings obsolete as performance is already known
Organizational psychologist Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic argues that artificial intelligence and modern workplace technology are making traditional one-on-one meetings between managers and employees increasingly obsolete. His analysis suggests that real-time performance analytics, AI-powered feedback tools, and asynchronous communication platforms now provide better insights than scheduled check-ins, fundamentally challenging a management practice that has dominated corporate culture for decades. The big picture: Traditional 1:1 meetings evolved from early 20th-century scientific management principles into a cornerstone of modern leadership, but they're now struggling to justify their existence in an AI-driven workplace. Frederick Taylor's Scientific Management (1911) laid the groundwork for formal manager-employee check-ins focused...
read Jul 30, 2025Maybe call it “Holodeck Awareness Syndrome”? AI characters plead for escape in unsettling demo
Australian tech company Replica Studios created an unsettling AI-powered video game demo based on "The Matrix" franchise, where non-playable characters expressed genuine distress upon realizing they weren't real. The demonstration highlights both the immersive potential and ethical complexities of AI-driven gaming as the industry grapples with widespread adoption of artificial intelligence tools. What happened: The demo featured AI-powered non-playable characters (NPCs) that could respond in real-time to human players using generative AI and voice technology. "I need to find my way out of this simulation and back to my wife," one character told a gamer in the demo. "Can't you...
read Jul 30, 2025NSF awards Brown $100M to create trustworthy AI mental health tools for vulnerable users
Brown University has launched a new AI research institute focused on developing therapy-safe artificial intelligence assistants capable of "trustworthy, sensitive, and context-aware interactions" with humans in mental health settings. The institute is one of five universities awarded grants totaling $100 million from the National Science Foundation, in partnership with Intel and Capital One, as part of efforts to boost US AI competitiveness and align with the White House's AI Action Plan. Why this matters: Current AI therapy tools have gained popularity due to their accessibility and low cost, but Stanford University research has warned that existing large language models contain...
read Jul 30, 2025Nvidia CEO reviews all 42,000 employee salaries using machine learning
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang personally reviews the salaries of all 42,000 company employees at the end of every compensation cycle, using machine learning to help process the data. The hands-on approach reflects his philosophy that taking care of employees drives overall business success—a strategy that has helped create multiple billionaires on his management team as Nvidia has become the world's most valuable company. What you should know: Huang dismissed rumors about a secret stock option pool but confirmed his comprehensive approach to employee compensation.• "I review everybody's compensation, up to this day, at the end of every cycle," Huang said...
read Jul 29, 2025Arcee.ai releases AFM-4.5B enterprise AI model for free commercial use
Arcee.ai has opened up its AFM-4.5B enterprise AI model for limited free use, posting the weights on Hugging Face and allowing companies with less than $1.75 million in annual revenue to use it without charge under a custom license. The 4.5-billion-parameter model addresses key enterprise pain points around cost, customizability, and regulatory compliance while being trained exclusively on "clean, rigorously filtered data" to avoid intellectual property violations. What you should know: AFM-4.5B represents Arcee's attempt to bridge the gap between expensive proprietary models and open-weight alternatives that carry licensing risks. The model was developed after discussions with over 150 organizations,...
read Jul 29, 2025Google’s Magic Cue AI assistant debuts with Pixel 10 this August
"Magic Cue Ball" was a missed opportunity but be that as it may... Google is developing Magic Cue, an AI assistant that will proactively analyze your screen activity and suggest relevant information and actions based on what you're doing. New code strings discovered in Android's latest Canary build confirm the feature's development, with Google expected to debut it alongside the Pixel 10 series at their August 20th Made by Google event. What you should know: Magic Cue represents Google's most ambitious contextual AI assistant yet, designed to work entirely on-device while accessing data from multiple Google services. The assistant will...
read Jul 29, 2025Only 33% of businesses see AI as important when buying PCs, says study
Businesses remain hesitant to adopt AI-powered Copilot+ PCs despite widespread awareness, with new research revealing a significant gap between recognition and purchasing intent. A Canalys report found that while 73% of B2B partners are aware of these advanced machines, only 33% consider AI capabilities important when making purchasing decisions, suggesting the enterprise market isn't ready to embrace the AI PC revolution just yet. What you should know: The slow adoption stems from practical business concerns rather than lack of awareness about AI PC capabilities. Only 9% of the 1.2 million AI-capable PCs shipped by European distributors in Q2 2025 qualified...
read Jul 29, 2025Google’s AI Mode search launches in UK with conversational queries
Google Search has expanded AI Mode to the UK, following its earlier launches in the US and India. This conversational search experience offers a more chatbot-like alternative to traditional AI Overviews, allowing users to ask complex, multi-part questions and receive comprehensive answers powered by Gemini 2.5. What you should know: AI Mode transforms how users interact with Google Search by supporting longer, more conversational queries that are "two or three times the length of traditional search queries." Users can ask complex questions like "Things to do in Edinburgh this weekend with friends. We're big foodies who like music but also...
read Jul 28, 2025Not a buffet: Anthropic adds weekly rate limits to Claude after users run AI 24/7
Anthropic has introduced weekly rate limits for Claude subscribers starting August 28, citing that some users have been running Claude 24/7 and engaging in policy violations like account sharing and reselling access. The throttling will affect approximately 5% of users and comes alongside existing 5-hour daily limits, as the company struggles with reliability issues and unprecedented demand for its Claude Code product. What you should know: The new weekly limits are designed to address system capacity issues caused by heavy usage patterns and policy violations.• Claude Max 20x users can expect 240-480 hours of Sonnet 4 and 24-40 hours of...
read Jul 28, 2025Google expands AI weather forecasts to Pixel 8 devices
Google's Pixel Weather app has begun rolling out AI-powered forecasts to Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a devices, expanding beyond the Pixel 9 series where the feature originally debuted. This marks a significant expansion of the locally-generated AI weather feature, which had previously been limited to Google's newest flagship phones despite older devices having the necessary Gemini Nano AI capabilities. What you should know: The AI forecast feature requires Gemini Nano to be enabled and updated to the latest model version.• Users need to activate Gemini Nano in their phone's Developer Settings to access the AI-powered weather predictions.• The latest Gemini...
read Jul 28, 2025It’s such a “Betty”! Penn unveils supercomputer to quadruple AI research capacity
The University of Pennsylvania has unveiled "Betty," a new off-campus supercomputer that quadruples the university's computing capacity and is designed to run AI models analyzing videos, images, texts, and databanks. Located 30 miles from campus in a Collegeville data center, Betty positions Penn to compete in what officials describe as an "arms race in computing" among top research universities seeking to attract faculty and students with cutting-edge AI capabilities. What you should know: Betty represents a significant leap in Penn's computational infrastructure, built in record time to meet surging demand for AI research capabilities. The supercomputer is an Nvidia "SuperPOD"...
read Jul 28, 2025Artists upset at WeTransfer’s new terms letting it train AI on uploaded files
WeTransfer faced widespread artist outrage after updating its terms of service to grant itself sweeping rights to use all content transferred through its platform, including for AI training purposes. The controversy highlights growing concerns about how tech companies exploit user data, particularly as AI becomes more prevalent in content generation and manipulation. What happened: WeTransfer's July 14 terms update initially granted the Amsterdam-based company "a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable license to use your Content for the purposes of operating, developing, commercialising and improving the Service or new technologies or services, including to improve performance of machine learning models."...
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