News/AI Models
Meta VP Vishal Shah tells metaverse staff to go 5X faster with AI
Meta's VP of Metaverse Vishal Shah is urging employees to use AI to "go 5X faster" across all workflows, according to an internal message obtained by 404 Media. The directive reflects Meta's broader push to integrate AI into every aspect of work as the company seeks to accelerate development of its struggling metaverse products, which have consumed tens of billions of dollars with limited user adoption. What they're saying: Shah's message emphasizes making AI adoption a fundamental shift rather than an incremental improvement. "Our goal is simple yet audacious: make AI a habit, not a novelty. This means prioritizing training...
read Oct 9, 2025AI bubble concerns grow as handful of companies do all the stock market work
AI investments are driving U.S. economic stability despite President Trump's tariff and immigration policies creating business uncertainty. Deutsche Bank analysts warn that without tech-related spending, the U.S. "would be close to, or in, recession this year," but growing concerns about AI's actual utility could threaten this economic lifeline. The big picture: Seven major tech companies heavily invested in AI are single-handedly pulling the broader S&P 500 forward, with massive infrastructure investments like the $500 billion Stargate program and Nvidia's $100 billion OpenAI commitment keeping the economy afloat. Nvidia recently became the first U.S. company to hit $4 trillion in market...
read Oct 9, 2025Study finds just 250 malicious documents can backdoor AI models
Researchers from Anthropic, the UK AI Security Institute, and the Alan Turing Institute have discovered that large language models can develop backdoor vulnerabilities from as few as 250 malicious documents inserted into their training data. This finding challenges previous assumptions about AI security and suggests that poisoning attacks may be easier to execute on large models than previously believed, as the number of required malicious examples doesn't scale with model size. What you should know: The study tested AI models ranging from 600 million to 13 billion parameters and found they all learned backdoor behaviors after encountering roughly the same...
read Oct 9, 2025Stay-at-home bots: Figure 03 humanoid robot can fold laundry, wash dishes
Figure AI has unveiled its Figure 03 humanoid robot, a 5-foot-6-inch, 132-pound machine designed to perform household chores like folding clothes, washing dishes, and tidying rooms. The California startup positions this as a significant leap from factory automation to everyday home assistance, powered by its proprietary "Helix" AI system that enables real-time decision-making without predetermined scripts. What you should know: Figure 03 represents a major advancement in autonomous household robotics, operating independently without remote human control. The robot can perform complex sequences like picking up dishes from a living room, walking to the kitchen, rinsing them at the sink, and...
read Oct 9, 2025North Carolina’s All Things Open 2025 dedicates 25% of programming to AI
All Things Open returns to Raleigh next week for its 13th annual conference, expecting over 6,000 attendees and featuring more than 200 sessions across 18 tracks at the Raleigh Convention Center. The east coast's largest open source conference is placing unprecedented emphasis on artificial intelligence, with AI-focused sessions comprising nearly 25% of all scheduled talks across three dedicated tracks. What you should know: The conference has evolved into a comprehensive showcase of open source innovation with a heavy AI focus. More than 6,000 attendees are registered, representing 500 companies with 100+ exhibitors participating. AI will dominate programming with over 50...
read Oct 9, 2025Google adds AI virtual try-on for shoes in Search and Shopping
Google has expanded its AI-powered virtual try-on feature to include shoes and sneakers, allowing users to see how footwear looks on them through Google Search and Shopping results. The technology uses full-body photos rather than requiring specific foot images, positioning Google to capture more of the growing virtual shopping market as consumers increasingly seek digital try-before-you-buy experiences. How it works: The virtual shoe try-on uses the same technology as Google's clothing try-on feature, requiring only a full-length photo upload.• Users can select shoes from Google Shopping or search results and tap the "try it on" button to generate a virtual...
read Oct 9, 2025Forrester predicts “frumpy but functional AI” era as 95% of projects fail
Forrester Research, a market research firm, predicts that 2026 will mark the beginning of "the age of frumpy but functional AI," signaling a shift from AI hype to practical implementation. The firm expects businesses to focus more on governance and measured adoption rather than rushing to deploy new AI tools, as companies realize many AI initiatives fail to deliver expected returns on investment. The big picture: AI is transitioning from a revolutionary technology grabbing headlines to a mundane but essential part of business operations, similar to how the iPhone evolved from groundbreaking innovation to everyday necessity. Key spending trends: Forrester...
read Oct 9, 2025SlimFast for the AI era? Weight loss app Simple raises $35M from Kevin Hart’s fund
Kevin Hart's venture capital firm, Hartbeat Ventures, has led a $35 million Series B funding round for Simple, a London-based AI-powered weight loss app that uses behavioral coaching instead of calorie counting. The investment positions Hart's firm to capitalize on the growing AI wellness market, while Simple aims to use the capital for hyper-personalization features and gamified experiences that have shown promising early results in user retention and weight loss success. What you should know: Simple takes a behavior-first approach to weight loss, ditching traditional calorie counting for AI-driven habit coaching through its virtual guide, Avo. The app adapts to...
read Oct 9, 2025Sony and AMD develop AI hardware architecture for PlayStation 6
Sony's PlayStation 6 will feature a revolutionary graphics architecture that combines traditional processing with dedicated AI hardware to deliver unprecedented gaming visuals. The announcement comes from PlayStation architect Mark Cerny and AMD, who revealed their collaborative "Amethyst" project that promises to overcome current limitations in AI-enhanced gaming through specialized neural processing units and advanced ray tracing technology. What you should know: Sony and AMD are developing three key technologies that will fundamentally change how the PlayStation 6 processes graphics and game data. Neural Arrays will connect compute units within GPU shader engines to function "like a single, focused AI engine,"...
read Oct 9, 2025The eye in AI: World’s first AI-driven robotic cataract surgery completed successfully
Horizon Surgical Systems has completed the world's first robotic cataract surgery using its Polaris platform, with the procedure performed by Los Angeles-based surgeon Uday Devgan, M.D., FACS. This milestone represents the convergence of AI-driven visualization and micro-robotic control in ophthalmic surgery, potentially addressing workforce shortages and standardizing outcomes in the most commonly performed operation worldwide. What you should know: The Polaris system combines artificial intelligence with robotics specifically designed for eye surgery, aiming to reduce variability and increase precision in cataract procedures. Cataract surgery is performed more than five million times annually in the United States alone, but outcomes can...
read Oct 9, 2025Google unfurls Gemini Enterprise to compete in business AI market
Google has launched Gemini Enterprise, a new AI platform designed specifically for business customers, as the tech giant intensifies its push to capture more corporate clients in the competitive enterprise AI market. The platform enables employees to interact conversationally with their company's data, documents, and applications using Google's most advanced AI models, positioning the company to compete directly with Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic in the lucrative business AI sector. What you should know: Gemini Enterprise offers both pre-built AI agents and tools for companies to create custom solutions tailored to their specific needs. The platform provides pre-built Google AI agents...
read Oct 9, 2025Bank of England warns AI hype could trigger global market crash
The Bank of England warned on Wednesday that global financial markets could face a "sharp correction" if investor sentiment turns negative on artificial intelligence or the U.S. Federal Reserve's independence. The central bank's Financial Policy Committee issued its strongest warning to date about AI-triggered market risks, noting that U.S. stock valuations have reached levels similar to the dotcom bubble peak and expressing concern about potential spillovers to Britain's financial system. The big picture: Market concentration and AI-driven valuations have created unprecedented vulnerability in global financial markets. The five largest companies now represent 30% of the S&P 500's total valuation, marking...
read Oct 9, 2025Tongue Tech: AI diagnoses diseases by tongue color with 96% accuracy
Artificial intelligence systems can now diagnose diseases by analyzing tongue color with over 96% accuracy, bridging ancient medical wisdom with cutting-edge machine learning technology. This breakthrough represents a fascinating convergence where traditional Chinese medicine meets modern healthcare innovation, potentially offering a non-invasive, rapid diagnostic tool for conditions ranging from diabetes to COVID-19. The technology stems from a practice thousands of years old. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners have long examined patients' tongues as part of comprehensive health assessments, studying color, shape, and coating to detect illness. What was once entirely dependent on human observation and interpretation is now being standardized...
read Oct 9, 2025Google expands Nano Banana AI to Search and Lens after 200M edits
Google's Nano Banana AI image-generation tool may soon expand beyond Gemini to other Google services, with code hints appearing in the Google app for Android. The potential integration signals Google's confidence in the tool's popularity—it has completed over 200 million edits since launching in August and sparked multiple social media trends. What you should know: Android Authority discovered evidence of Nano Banana integration across multiple Google app features, including AI Mode for Search, Google Lens, and Circle to Search.• In AI Mode, a beta version shows a refreshed layout with a new "Create images" option that mirrors Gemini's description of...
read Oct 9, 2025Consent of the AI-governed: Indian film studios push for copyright protections
Hollywood and Bollywood film studios are lobbying an Indian government panel to establish stricter copyright protections that would prevent AI companies from using their content to train AI models without proper licensing. The push comes as India reviews whether its current copyright laws are adequate for addressing AI-related intellectual property disputes, with the film industry arguing that blanket training exceptions could undermine creative incentives and revenue streams. What you should know: India's government formed a panel this year to examine whether existing copyright law sufficiently addresses AI-related disputes and make recommendations for potential changes. The panel consists of lawyers, government...
read Oct 7, 2025JEDEC unveils UFS 5.0 storage standard with 10.8GB/s speeds for AI apps
The Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC), the organization that sets industry standards for semiconductor devices, has officially announced UFS 5.0, a new Universal Flash Storage standard that nearly doubles data transfer speeds to 10.8GB per second. The upgrade represents a significant leap from UFS 4.0's 5.8GB per second speeds and is specifically designed to meet the demanding performance requirements of AI-powered mobile applications and computing systems. What you should know: UFS 5.0 delivers substantial performance improvements while maintaining backward compatibility with existing hardware. The new standard reaches speeds of 10.8GB per second, compared to UFS 4.0's 5.8GB per second...
read Oct 7, 2025OpenAI’s basic tool demos not a good sign for DocuSign as stock drops 12%
OpenAI's internal AI tools announcement last week triggered significant stock drops for enterprise software companies, despite the tools being relatively basic demonstrations. DocuSign fell 12%, HubSpot dropped 50 points, and Salesforce saw smaller declines after OpenAI revealed custom programs including DocuGPT for contracts, an AI sales assistant, and customer support bots. The market reaction highlights how OpenAI's influence can reshape investor sentiment even when showcasing simple API-based tools. The big picture: OpenAI's power in the current AI market means even routine internal tool demonstrations can be interpreted as competitive threats to established enterprise software providers. The company was simply showcasing...
read Oct 7, 2025New AI tool predicts if your electric vehicle can complete planned trips
Engineers at the University of California, Riverside have developed State of Mission (SOM), an AI diagnostic tool that predicts whether an electric vehicle can complete a specific trip based on real-world conditions rather than just showing battery percentage. The system combines machine learning with physics to factor in elevation, traffic, temperature, and driving style, addressing a critical gap in current EV battery management that often leaves drivers uncertain about their actual range. How it works: SOM replaces traditional battery gauges with mission-specific predictions by blending AI adaptability with electrochemical reality.• The hybrid model "learns" from how batteries behave over time—how...
read Oct 7, 2025OpenAI launches AgentKit to transform ChatGPT into AI development platform
OpenAI has launched AgentKit, a comprehensive toolkit that enables developers and business users to build, deploy, and manage AI agents directly within chat interfaces. The October 6 release positions OpenAI as a platform leader in the rapidly expanding agentic AI market, potentially creating an "agent store" ecosystem similar to Apple's App Store model. What you should know: AgentKit comprises three core components designed to streamline multi-agent workflow creation and deployment. Agent Builder serves as a canvas for creating and versioning multi-agent workflows. Connector Registry functions as a centralized hub where administrators can manage tool and data connections across OpenAI products....
read Oct 7, 2025Google expands AI Plus to 36 more global markets with 50% discount
Google has expanded its AI Plus subscription service to 36 additional emerging markets, bringing the total availability to 77 countries just under a month after its initial announcement. The service is positioned as a more affordable alternative to Google's AI Pro subscription, targeting users in developing regions with comprehensive AI-powered features across Google's ecosystem. What you should know: AI Plus provides access to Google's advanced AI capabilities at a discounted rate for eligible users in emerging markets. Users get access to Gemini 2.5 Pro and Deep Research with a 128K token context window through the Gemini app. The service includes...
read Oct 7, 2025Legal AI startup EvenUp levels up, raises $150M at $2B valuation
EvenUp, an artificial intelligence provider specializing in legal technology, announced Tuesday a $150 million Series E funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners that values the company at over $2 billion. Why this matters: The substantial funding and valuation highlight the increasing demand for AI solutions in the traditionally conservative legal industry. Legal technology represents a significant market opportunity as law firms seek to modernize operations and improve client outcomes. The $2 billion valuation places EvenUp among the most valuable companies in the legal AI space. This investment reflects broader investor confidence in AI applications beyond consumer technology. What you...
read Oct 7, 2025Here are 5 ways AI is transforming aircraft maintenance operations
Aviation maintenance has long been a reactive discipline—technicians troubleshoot problems after they occur, often working against tight deadlines to get aircraft back in service. However, artificial intelligence is beginning to transform this high-stakes industry by predicting failures before they happen and streamlining complex repair processes. Veryon, a San Francisco-based aviation software company serving over 5,500 customers globally, recently launched AIRE, an AI-powered platform that demonstrates how machine learning can revolutionize aircraft maintenance. The system combines decades of maintenance data with predictive analytics to help airlines and aircraft operators shift from reactive repairs to proactive maintenance strategies. This technological shift matters...
read Oct 7, 2025Oracle NetSuite Next brings AI-first ERP with natural language assistant
Oracle NetSuite has unveiled NetSuite Next, positioning it as "the future of NetSuite" with AI-first functionality centered around a natural language assistant called Ask Oracle. The platform represents a fundamental shift in how enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems—software that helps businesses manage day-to-day operations like accounting, procurement, and project management—operate, moving beyond traditional interfaces to conversational, AI-driven workflows that could reshape how businesses interact with their data. What you should know: NetSuite Next introduces comprehensive AI capabilities that transform how users navigate and analyze business data. Ask Oracle serves as a built-in AI assistant that allows users to navigate, search,...
read Oct 7, 2025NYC’s Advertising Week draws record 20K attendees as AI reshapes marketing talent
Advertising Week New York drew record attendance as marketers grappled with AI-driven disruption across talent acquisition, creative production, and brand authenticity. The 20,000 attendees confronted mounting pressures from broken measurement systems, widening AI-created skill gaps, and evolving definitions of authentic brand engagement in an increasingly synthetic content landscape. The big picture: Generative AI is fundamentally reshaping advertising talent requirements, forcing agencies to prioritize creative intuition over technical training. Entry-level roles that rely on automated mechanisms are being redefined as AI tools eliminate traditional production barriers. One anonymous CMO now seeks candidates with successful TikTok portfolios rather than traditional ad school...
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