News/Business
OpenAI launches $50M fund for nonprofits amid corporate restructuring
OpenAI has launched a $50 million fund to support nonprofit and community organizations, marking the first major initiative from the company's newly formed nonprofit commission. This move comes as OpenAI works to balance its founding mission of developing AI for public good with its ongoing corporate restructuring to attract massive capital investments needed to compete in the AI arms race. Why this matters: The fund represents OpenAI's attempt to demonstrate commitment to its original nonprofit mission despite significant corporate changes. OpenAI plans to convert its for-profit entity into a public benefit corporation, with the nonprofit parent becoming a shareholder rather...
read Jul 18, 2025AI shifts SaaS pricing from user-based to output models
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming how software companies price their products, shifting from traditional user-based models to output-based pricing that reflects the actual work AI performs. This evolution demands a complete rethink of SaaS business models, as value increasingly stems from automated tasks like code generation and support ticket resolution rather than simple user access. The big picture: The transition from cloud-era to AI-era software represents a fundamental shift in how value is created and measured in enterprise technology. In the cloud era, value scaled with the number of users accessing shared systems like Salesforce, making per-seat pricing logical and...
read Jul 18, 2025Meta rejects EU AI code, calls it innovation-stifling overreach
Meta Platforms has declined to sign the European Union's artificial intelligence code of practice, with global affairs chief Joel Kaplan calling it an overreach that will "stunt" companies. The rejection comes as the EU's AI compliance framework prepares to take effect next month, highlighting growing tensions between Big Tech and European regulators over AI governance. What you should know: Meta joins a growing list of companies pushing back against Europe's new AI rulebook, which aims to improve transparency and safety around AI technology. The European Commission, the executive body of the EU, published the final iteration of its code for...
read Jul 18, 2025Google upgrades AI Mode with chat history and sharing features
Google is working on significant updates to AI Mode within its Android app, including improved chat history management and conversation sharing capabilities. An APK teardown reveals these features could make AI Mode more accessible and user-friendly while bringing it closer to Gemini's functionality. What you should know: Google plans to consolidate AI Mode chat history with regular search history and bookmarks under a unified Activity tab. Currently, AI Mode history is accessed through a button on the top-right of the interface, but the new system would integrate it with standard search functions. The modified interface shows only the three most...
read Jul 18, 2025Netflix has strong second-quarter while moving into live sports, AI experimentation
Netflix exceeded Wall Street's second-quarter expectations with strong performance driven by popular returning shows and live programming, while providing optimistic guidance for the rest of 2025. The streaming giant's strategic expansion into live sports, events, and AI-powered content creation signals its evolution beyond traditional on-demand viewing as it seeks new growth avenues after dominating the first phase of the streaming wars. What you should know: Netflix's financial performance surpassed analyst predictions, though shares dipped slightly in after-hours trading despite a remarkable 128% stock surge over the past year to around $1,253 per share. The company maintained its content spending guidance...
read Jul 18, 2025Accenture’s AI agent platform cuts VPN setup time by 93%
Accenture has built the Accenture Advanced Technology Agent (AATA), an agentic AI-powered integration platform that orchestrates IT operations across the global consulting firm's complex technology infrastructure. The platform, which earned the company a 2025 CIO 100 Award in IT Excellence, addresses the challenge of maintaining diverse technology portfolios while competing for increasingly rare technical talent. What you should know: AATA serves as an orchestration layer between Accenture's human workforce and technology platforms, enabling IT teams to resolve issues without filing tickets or connecting to agents. The platform currently operates more than 100 active agents and supports Accenture's roughly 800,000 employees...
read Jul 18, 2025Docker adds AI agent support to compose files for streamlined development
Docker has positioned itself as the central orchestration platform for AI agent development, extending its compose specification to include a new "models" element that allows developers to define AI agents, large language models, and Model Context Protocol tools within standard YAML files. This integration eliminates the fragmented development experience that has plagued enterprise AI projects, enabling teams to deploy complete agentic stacks with a single "docker compose up" command and treating AI agents as first-class citizens alongside traditional containerized applications. The big picture: Docker's strategy centers on supporting multiple AI agent frameworks simultaneously rather than favoring a single solution, integrating...
read Jul 18, 2025Netflix deploys AI for first time in original production to create visual effects for “The Eternauts”
Netflix has used generative artificial intelligence to create visual effects on screen for the first time in one of its original productions, according to co-CEO Ted Sarandos. The streaming giant deployed AI technology to generate a building collapse scene in the Argentine science fiction series "The Eternauts," marking a significant milestone in the entertainment industry's adoption of AI-generated content. What you should know: Netflix's use of generative AI represents the first time the company has incorporated AI-created visual effects into final footage for an original series or film. The AI technology was used specifically to create a scene showing a...
read Jul 18, 2025Meta taps AI executive Connor Hayes to lead Threads come September
Meta is handing off Threads to Connor Hayes, a longtime AI executive, marking the first time someone outside Instagram will lead the text-based social app. The leadership change, effective September 2025, signals Meta's growing commitment to treating Threads as a standalone platform rather than just an Instagram sidekick. What you should know: Hayes brings deep AI expertise to a platform that's been experimenting with AI-generated content in users' feeds.• Hayes previously served as head of generative AI product at Meta and was part of the original team that built the first version of Threads.• He's been with Meta since 2011,...
read Jul 17, 2025Roblox launches AI age verification for teens amid safety concerns
Roblox is rolling out new safety features that use AI to scan video selfies of teens to verify their ages, enabling access to unfiltered chatting through a new "Trusted Connections" system. The platform aims to keep users engaged while addressing mounting concerns about child safety, following reports of at least 24 arrests related to grooming and abuse on the platform. What you should know: The new age verification system requires users to submit video selfies that are analyzed by AI against a "diverse dataset" to estimate age. Users who appear under 13 automatically lose access to age-inappropriate features, while those...
read Jul 17, 2025Google adds visual song search history to Circle to Search on Android
Google has added Song Search history to Circle to Search on Android, allowing users to view their recent music searches in an organized grid format. The feature, which was previously available only on iOS, provides a more visual way to track music identification history compared to the existing text-based activity log. What you should know: The new history feature appears as a clock icon in the top-right corner of Circle to Search's music interface. After tapping the music icon in Circle to Search, users can access "Recent song searches" showing cover art, song titles, artists, and search dates. The grid...
read Jul 17, 2025ChatGPT “agent mode” transforms AI from chat to active task completion
OpenAI has launched ChatGPT agent mode, a new capability that allows ChatGPT to perform complex, multi-step tasks autonomously rather than just providing text-based responses. Available to Pro, Plus, and Team users, the feature enables the AI to navigate websites, compile research, create presentations, and complete real-world assignments while maintaining user control and approval throughout the process. What you should know: ChatGPT agent mode transforms the AI from a conversational assistant into an active task executor that can work across multiple platforms and applications. Users can ask ChatGPT to review calendars and summarize upcoming meetings, plan recipes and purchase ingredients, or...
read Jul 17, 2025Delta Air Lines uses AI to assess customer habits, willingness to pay in new pricing scheme
Delta Air Lines has become the first airline to use AI-powered personalized pricing, with about 3% of domestic flights sold through the system over the past six months. The airline plans to expand this to 20% of tickets by year-end, with executives reporting "amazingly favorable results" that could signal the end of standardized flight pricing across the industry. What you should know: Delta's AI pricing system charges different customers varying amounts for identical flights based on their personal data profiles. President Glen William Hauenstein confirmed the pilot program's success on last week's earnings call, stating "We like what we see....
read Jul 17, 2025Slack launches AI features to challenge Microsoft’s workplace dominance
Slack is making its boldest move yet to challenge Microsoft's workplace AI dominance, rolling out an extensive suite of artificial intelligence features that transform the messaging platform into a comprehensive productivity hub. The announcements mark Salesforce's most direct assault on the $45 billion enterprise collaboration market, where Microsoft Teams and its Copilot AI assistant have steadily gained ground since Salesforce acquired Slack for $27.7 billion in 2021. The new capabilities include AI-powered writing assistance, contextual message explanations, automated action item identification, and enterprise search that spans multiple business applications. However, the strategy comes with a significant caveat: Salesforce is simultaneously...
read Jul 17, 2025TSMC reports record $12.9B profit as AI chip demand soars
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is expected to report a record-breaking 52% surge in second-quarter profit to T$377.4 billion ($12.9 billion) on Thursday, driven by soaring demand for advanced AI chips. However, the world's largest contract chipmaker faces mounting concerns over potential U.S. tariffs under President Trump and a strengthening Taiwan dollar that could pressure future margins. What you should know: TSMC's anticipated quarterly profit would mark its highest-ever net income and sixth consecutive quarter of growth, reflecting the company's central role in the AI boom. The company has already flagged a 38.6% rise in second-quarter revenue for the three...
read Jul 16, 2025Let $17 AI headshots replace the $300 photography sesh
ResumePhoto AI has launched a premium package offering professional headshots generated by artificial intelligence for $16.97, down from its regular $29 price. The service allows users to create LinkedIn-ready professional portraits without hiring a photographer, targeting professionals who need quality headshots for networking, interviews, and social media profiles. How it works: Users upload at least eight casual selfies with good lighting, and the AI generates dozens of high-resolution professional headshots within five minutes. The platform offers various realistic outfits ranging from suits to sweaters and backdrops from offices to parks to suit different industries. All uploaded photos are automatically deleted...
read Jul 16, 2025Rakuten builds memory-enhanced Japanese AI model with government backing
Rakuten has been selected for the third phase of Japan's government-backed Generative AI Accelerator Challenge (GENIAC), a program supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The Japanese tech giant plans to develop an open-weight Japanese language model with enhanced memory capabilities, positioning itself to create more personalized AI applications across its business ecosystem while contributing to Japan's domestic AI research capacity. What you should know: Rakuten will focus on creating a lightweight, memory-augmented Japanese language model using a Mixture of Experts architecture starting in August 2025. The model...
read Jul 16, 2025Uneven AI terrain as development clusters in Bay Area while emerging cities see talent gaps
The artificial intelligence boom isn't distributed equally across America's economic landscape. While tech giants concentrate their AI investments in familiar Silicon Valley strongholds, a new analysis reveals how this geographic clustering could reshape regional economies—and which cities might emerge as unexpected winners in the AI transformation. The Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank, released comprehensive research mapping AI development across U.S. metropolitan areas, revealing stark disparities in how different regions are positioned for the AI economy. The findings matter because AI adoption isn't just about technology—it's about jobs, economic growth, and which communities will thrive as artificial intelligence reshapes entire...
read Jul 16, 2025GM’s used EV batteries will power grid storage as AI electricity demand triples by 2028
General Motors and Redwood Materials have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to repurpose both new and second-life GM EV batteries into energy storage systems for the US electrical grid. The collaboration addresses surging electricity demand from AI data centers, electrified transport, and industrial applications, with AI facilities alone expected to triple their share of US electricity use from 4.4% in 2023 to 12% by 2028. What you should know: This partnership leverages Redwood's new venture, Redwood Energy, which launched in June to transform EV battery packs into grid-scale energy storage solutions. GM's repurposed EV batteries are already powering the...
read Jul 16, 2025Meta boroughs into expansion plans with $100B+ AI spending on Manhattan-sized data centers
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the company will spend hundreds of billions of dollars on artificial intelligence development and construct a data center nearly the size of Manhattan. The massive investment positions Meta to compete aggressively in the race toward artificial general intelligence while leveraging its profitable advertising business to fund the ambitious AI expansion. What you should know: Meta is building multiple "titan clusters" of unprecedented scale to support its AI ambitions. The first multi-gigawatt data center, called Prometheus, is expected to come online in 2026. A second facility, Hyperion, will scale up to 5 gigawatts over the coming...
read Jul 16, 2025Scale AI cuts 200 jobs after ramping up GenAI capacity too quickly
Scale AI is laying off 200 employees, or 14 percent of its workforce, along with 500 global contractors as part of a broader restructuring just one month after Meta's $14.3 billion investment in the company. The cuts reflect the AI data labeling company's acknowledgment that it "ramped up our GenAI capacity too quickly" over the past year, creating inefficiencies and redundancies in its operations. What you should know: Scale AI provides data labeling services to major AI companies, using human workers to annotate training data for companies like Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic. CEO Jason Droege will restructure the company's generative...
read Jul 16, 2025Oracle invests $3B to expand AI cloud infrastructure across Europe
Oracle will invest $3 billion over five years to expand its cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure across Germany and the Netherlands, marking a significant expansion of the company's European operations. The investment responds to growing demand for sovereign AI services and data governance compliance in the region, with $2 billion allocated to Germany's Frankfurt region and $1 billion to the Netherlands' Amsterdam region. The big picture: Oracle's European expansion reflects the increasing demand for localized AI infrastructure that meets strict EU data governance requirements while supporting both public and private sector digital transformation initiatives. Key details: The investment will enhance...
read Jul 16, 2025AWS launches comprehensive platform for building enterprise AI agents at scale
Amazon Web Services has unveiled Bedrock AgentCore, a comprehensive platform for building and deploying enterprise AI agents at scale. The new offering, announced at AWS's New York Summit, represents a significant expansion beyond the company's existing Bedrock Agents framework by supporting any agent framework or foundation model—not just those hosted within Bedrock—positioning AWS to compete directly with OpenAI's Agents SDK and Google's Gemini-based platforms in the rapidly growing enterprise AI agent market. What you should know: AgentCore is a modular stack of services designed to move AI agents from prototype to production environments with enterprise-grade security and scalability. The platform...
read Jul 16, 2025Watch out secretaries, Google’s AI assistant now makes business calls for users nationwide
Google has launched a new AI-powered feature that allows users across the United States to have artificial intelligence make phone calls to local businesses on their behalf. The service, now available through Google Search, enables users to request pricing and availability information from businesses like pet groomers, dry cleaners, and auto shops without having to make the calls themselves. How it works: Google's Gemini model uses Duplex technology to conduct business calls, announcing itself as an AI assistant representing a customer. Users can select "have AI check pricing" from business listings in Search results for supported service types. The system...
read