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Making a habit of Starbucks? Starling Bank launches AI tool that assesses spending routines
Starling Bank has launched an AI-powered spending analysis tool that answers natural language questions about customers' financial habits, such as revealing how much they've spent at specific retailers like McDonald's over any given period. Built with Google Gemini, the "enhanced search" feature automatically categorizes transactions across more than 50 customizable categories and provides personalized spending insights through conversational prompts. How it works: The opt-in AI tool transforms traditional banking data into an interactive financial advisor that responds to everyday questions about spending patterns. Customers can ask questions like "How much did I spend at Amazon last month?" or "How much...
read Jun 10, 2025AI development breaks tech tradition with its unpredictable updates, not anticipated annual cycles
AI's rapid evolution is fundamentally different from previous tech revolutions like smartphones and social media, with models updating continuously rather than following predictable annual cycles. This shift challenges traditional tech industry patterns, creating a landscape where being first doesn't guarantee long-term dominance and where companies face both accelerated development timelines and unpredictable performance outcomes. The big picture: Unlike smartphones that follow predictable release cycles, AI models evolve constantly with updates that can be "fast and furious," making them far more unpredictable than cyclical tech products. "(AI models) are launching far, far faster than once a year. These updates are actually...
read Jun 10, 2025UK launches £17M Sparck AI scholarships for 100 master’s students
The UK government has launched the Sparck AI scholarships, a £17 million program that will provide fully-funded master's degrees to students at nine universities, including the University of Bristol. Named after pioneering British computer scientist Karen Sparck Jones, the scholarships aim to develop the next generation of AI "pioneers" and strengthen the UK's position in artificial intelligence. What you should know: The program combines academic study with direct industry experience to create a comprehensive AI talent pipeline. Applications open in spring 2026, with the first cohort beginning studies in autumn 2026. All 100 scholars receive full funding covering both tuition...
read Jun 10, 2025Apple expands OpenAI partnership while major Siri upgrades remain distant
Apple expanded its partnership with OpenAI and introduced several AI-powered features during its Worldwide Developers Conference, though significant improvements to Siri remain on the distant horizon. The announcements signal Apple's continued effort to catch up in the AI race, building on the ChatGPT integration first introduced last year that now underpins many capabilities coming to iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and visionOS 26 this fall. What you should know: Apple's AI strategy continues to rely heavily on external partnerships rather than purely in-house development. The expanded OpenAI relationship will power new features across Apple's operating system updates launching this...
read Jun 10, 2025Sony’s AI system replaces all human line judges at Wimbledon 2025
Sony's Hawk-Eye Innovations will replace human line judges at Wimbledon 2025, marking the first time the prestigious tennis championship will rely entirely on AI-powered electronic line calling. The move represents a significant milestone for sports automation, with Sony's subsidiary using 12 courtside cameras and artificial intelligence to track ball trajectories and make in-or-out calls across the tournament. What you should know: Wimbledon will eliminate traditional human line judges for the 2025 championship, starting June 30. Sony Group Corp.'s subsidiary Hawk-Eye Innovations will provide the electronic line calling system using AI technology to determine whether balls land in or out. The...
read Jun 10, 2025Pentagon cuts AI weapons testing staff by half amid military AI adoption
The Pentagon is cutting the Department of Defense's Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation in half, reducing staff from 94 to 45 people and replacing its director. This move eliminates crucial independent safety testing for AI and weapons systems at a time when the military is rapidly integrating AI technologies across all operations, potentially compromising safety oversight in favor of faster deployment. What you should know: The Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation serves as the final checkpoint before military technologies reach the battlefield. • Established in the 1980s by Congress after weapons performed...
read Jun 10, 2025TSMC revenue surges 40% as companies stockpile AI chips
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. reported a 40% surge in May revenue to NT$320.5 billion ($10.7 billion), driven by companies stockpiling chips amid rising trade uncertainties. The strong performance from the world's leading contract chipmaker—which produces semiconductors for Nvidia and Apple—signals continued resilience in AI-driven demand despite broader geopolitical tensions affecting the tech supply chain. What you should know: TSMC's May revenue growth slightly decelerated from April's 48% increase but still exceeded analyst expectations for the quarter.• The May figure represents an 8.3% month-over-month decline from April, suggesting some normalization after the previous month's exceptional performance.• Analysts on average expect a...
read Jun 10, 2025Apple delays AI upgrades as stock drops 1.2% at WWDC
Apple's latest Worldwide Developers Conference revealed a company taking a notably cautious approach to AI integration, with executives acknowledging that promised Siri upgrades need "more time to reach our high-quality bar." This measured stance contrasts sharply with competitors rushing AI features to market, positioning Apple as potentially the only major tech company prioritizing reliability over rapid deployment in the AI race. What you should know: Apple's WWDC 2024 focused primarily on visual updates rather than the AI breakthroughs investors expected. The company's stock fell 1.2% during Monday's event, reflecting disappointment over the lack of substantial AI progress. Craig Federighi, Apple's...
read Jun 10, 2025Seedtag launches neuro-contextual AI that reads consumer emotions, feelz for ad targeting
Seedtag has launched neuro-contextual advertising, an AI-powered system that predicts not just what consumers see, but how they feel about content. The contextual advertising company's AI, called Liz, interprets deeper psychological signals like interest, emotion, and intent, applying these insights to optimize ad placement across premium connected TV, video, and the open web. The big picture: This represents a significant evolution beyond traditional contextual advertising, which typically relies on keyword matching or basic content analysis. Seedtag's neuro-contextual approach combines AI with neuroscience principles to understand how people think, engage, and make purchasing decisions. The system aims to identify "emotionally charged...
read Jun 10, 2025Meta forms dedicated AGI team as AI competition intensifies
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is assembling a new team of experts focused on achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI), according to Bloomberg News. This strategic move signals Meta's renewed commitment to competing in the race toward advanced AI capabilities, though the company has not provided details about the team's size, timeline, or specific objectives. What you should know: The report comes from Bloomberg News, with Reuters noting they could not immediately verify the information independently. The big picture: Meta's decision to form a dedicated AGI team reflects the intensifying competition among major tech companies to develop more advanced AI systems that...
read Jun 10, 2025AI scammers steal $11M in student aid using fake “ghost students”
Scammers are deploying AI-powered "ghost students" to fraudulently enroll in online college courses and steal millions in federal financial aid, prompting the U.S. Education Department to introduce emergency identity verification requirements. The scheme has exploded alongside the rise of artificial intelligence and online learning, with California community colleges alone reporting 1.2 million fraudulent applications in 2024 that resulted in 223,000 suspected fake enrollments and $11.1 million in stolen aid. The big picture: Criminal organizations are using chatbots to impersonate students in online classes, staying enrolled just long enough to collect financial aid checks before disappearing. Professors report discovering that almost...
read Jun 10, 2025OpenAI makes ChatGPT standard for 460K students across 23 campuses
OpenAI is launching a comprehensive strategy to embed ChatGPT and AI tools throughout college campuses, positioning artificial intelligence as core educational infrastructure. The company's "AI-native universities" vision would provide students with personalized AI assistants from orientation through graduation, while professors create custom study bots and career services offer AI-powered interview practice. What you should know: OpenAI is selling ChatGPT Edu, a premium service designed specifically for universities that offers enhanced features and privacy protections compared to the free version. Universities like Duke, University of Maryland, and California State University are already implementing campus-wide AI access for students and faculty. Cal...
read Jun 10, 20255 prompts that turn you into a strategic director, not a mere worker
The workplace anxiety around artificial intelligence often centers on a single question: Will AI replace human workers? This concern, while understandable, misses a more strategic opportunity. Rather than competing with AI, the most successful professionals are learning to direct it—using these tools to amplify distinctly human capabilities that no algorithm can replicate. AI excels at processing information, following patterns, and executing defined tasks. However, it cannot replicate human intuition, emotional intelligence, or strategic judgment. These uniquely human skills become more valuable, not less, as AI handles routine work. The key lies in knowing how to leverage AI to strengthen these...
read Jun 10, 2025How to spot AI misinformation when technical detection methods fail
Artificial intelligence has fundamentally changed how false information spreads online, creating sophisticated "deepfakes"—AI-generated images, videos, and audio so realistic they can fool even careful observers. While obviously fake content like Italian brainrot memes (surreal AI creatures with flamboyant names that have gone viral on TikTok) might seem harmless, the technology behind them is rapidly advancing toward perfect deception. This technological arms race between AI-generated lies and human detection abilities has serious implications for businesses, investors, and professionals who rely on accurate information for critical decisions. Understanding how to navigate this landscape isn't just about avoiding embarrassing social media mistakes—it's about...
read Jun 10, 2025Huawei CEO admits chips lag US despite $25B annual R&D spend
Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei has publicly acknowledged that the company's chips lag one generation behind U.S. competitors, marking the first official comments from Huawei leadership about their advanced chip manufacturing capabilities since U.S. export controls began in 2019. Despite this technological gap, Ren revealed that Huawei is deploying alternative strategies like cluster computing and mathematical optimization to bridge performance differences, while investing $25 billion annually in research and development. What you should know: Huawei is compensating for its chip technology deficit through innovative workaround solutions rather than direct competition. The company uses "mathematics to supplement physics, non-Moore's law to supplement...
read Jun 10, 2025UK approves AI for teachers to mark quizzes and write letters
The UK government has released new guidance allowing teachers in England to use artificial intelligence for routine tasks like marking quizzes and writing letters to parents. The Department for Education's training materials, distributed to schools, aim to reduce teacher workloads by automating administrative duties so educators can focus on direct instruction and student support. What you should know: The guidance establishes clear boundaries for AI use in educational settings while emphasizing transparency and human oversight. Teachers can use AI for "low-stakes" marking such as quizzes or homework, but must always verify the results before relying on them. AI is approved...
read Jun 10, 2025AI risks deepening worker alienation not unlike how Marx predicted
A new psychological analysis argues that artificial intelligence risks deepening worker alienation in ways that mirror Karl Marx's 19th-century warnings about industrialization. The research, published in Psychology Today by Dr. Nigel R. Bairstow, suggests that as AI automates more workplace tasks, employees may lose control, creativity, and connection to their work—potentially creating the same emotional detachment Marx observed during the Industrial Revolution. What you should know: Marx identified four key types of worker alienation that remain relevant as AI reshapes modern workplaces. Workers become disconnected from the products they create, the production processes they participate in, their own human potential,...
read Jun 9, 2025Meta in talks to invest billions in Scale AI data labeling startup
Meta is in advanced talks to invest billions of dollars in Scale AI, a San Francisco-based startup that specializes in data labeling and preparation for artificial intelligence training systems. The potential investment would be unusual for Meta, which typically avoids external investments, and signals continued Big Tech interest in AI infrastructure companies amid intensifying competition for AI leadership. What you should know: Scale AI has built its business around armies of contract workers who label and "clean" vast amounts of data to make it suitable for training AI systems.• The company, founded in 2016 by Alexandr Wang and Lucy Guo,...
read Jun 9, 2025YouTube creators fight AI music flood with “No AI” playlist labels
YouTube creators are increasingly labeling their background music playlists as "No AI" as artificial intelligence-generated content floods the platform's ambient music space. The trend highlights how AI-generated music has become so pervasive that curators must actively distinguish their human-created content, while some channels exploit AI tools to rapidly produce monetizable playlists without crediting artists or disclosing their methods. What you should know: AI-generated music has infiltrated YouTube's popular background music ecosystem, particularly affecting lo-fi and instrumental playlists that millions use for studying and relaxation. Music influencer Derrick Gee discovered that one popular lo-fi playlist channel used almost entirely AI-generated tracks,...
read Jun 9, 2025MIT AI enables drones to adapt to wind without prior training
MIT researchers have developed an AI-powered control system that enables autonomous drones to automatically adapt to unpredictable disturbances like gusty winds without requiring advance knowledge of these conditions. The breakthrough system uses meta-learning to simultaneously learn from flight data and select the optimal adaptation algorithm, achieving 50% less trajectory tracking error than existing methods in simulations. How it works: The system replaces traditional control functions with a neural network that learns to approximate disturbances from just 15 minutes of flight data. Instead of relying on pre-programmed knowledge about wind patterns, the AI model automatically determines which optimization algorithm from the...
read Jun 9, 2025MIT alumni’s AI platform turns visual chaos into business insights
Coactive, an AI-powered platform founded by MIT alumni, has raised significant attention for its ability to analyze unstructured visual data like images, audio, and video at enterprise scale. The company addresses a critical business blind spot—while 80-90% of global data is unstructured, most companies lack tools to extract insights from their visual content, creating massive untapped value in their data repositories. What you should know: Coactive's platform serves as an "AI operating system" that can instantly search, organize, and analyze visual content without manual tagging or sorting. The model-agnostic system allows businesses to swap out AI models as technology improves,...
read Jun 9, 2025Duolingo CEO surprised by backlash over AI replacing human contractors boast
Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn expressed surprise at the intense backlash he received after publicly boasting about replacing human contractors with AI earlier this year. The controversy highlights growing consumer resistance to AI automation in the workplace, forcing the language-learning company's leadership into damage control mode as users threatened to abandon the platform en masse. What happened: Von Ahn initially embraced AI replacement with enthusiasm, stating that Duolingo would "gradually stop using contractors to do work that AI can handle" and that the company would "rather move with urgency and take occasional small hits on quality than move slowly and...
read Jun 9, 2025What’s not to love about vibe coding? Swedish AI startup Lovable seeks $100M at $1.5B valuation
Lovable, a Swedish AI startup that enables non-programmers to build apps and websites, is in early-stage discussions to raise at least $100 million at a $1.5 billion valuation. The funding round would position the company as one of Europe's largest AI newcomers, reflecting growing investor appetite for AI tools that democratize software development. What you should know: The startup has been holding talks with US investors for a significant funding round that could value the company at $1.5 billion or higher. The discussions are still in early stages and terms could change, according to people familiar with the matter who...
read Jun 9, 2025Apple bets on design over AI with iOS 26’s new interface showcased at WWDC
Apple unveiled iOS 26 at its developer conference, introducing a redesigned "liquid glass" interface that brings transparency effects to tabs, files, and app icons across iPhones, iPads, and Macs. The company is betting on refined user experience improvements rather than rushing to match competitors' AI-heavy product launches, though it did announce expanded Apple Intelligence capabilities for third-party apps. What you should know: Apple's software update prioritizes visual design improvements over artificial intelligence features, marking a departure from the industry's current AI obsession. The new "liquid glass" design allows Safari web pages to cover entire screens with disappearing tab bars that...
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