Oct 1, 2025

Adobe’s new Harmonize tool uses AI to automate Photoshop compositing

Adobe has quietly unleashed what might be Photoshop's most transformative feature in years. The new Harmonize tool, currently available in Photoshop's beta version, uses artificial intelligence to automatically adjust lighting, shadows, and color temperature when combining multiple images—a process called compositing that typically requires hours of manual work. Compositing involves taking objects or people from one photograph and seamlessly placing them into a different background image. Traditional methods require painstaking adjustments to match lighting conditions, shadow directions, and color temperatures between the source image and destination background. Harmonize eliminates most of this tedious work with a single click, producing results...

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Everyone an Edison: Ex-OpenAI CTO launches Tinker to democratize AI model fine-tuning

Thinking Machines Lab, the heavily funded AI startup cofounded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, has launched Tinker, a tool that automates the creation of custom frontier AI models through fine-tuning. The product represents the company's bet that democratizing access to advanced model customization will be the next major frontier in artificial intelligence development. What you should know: Tinker allows businesses, researchers, and hobbyists to fine-tune cutting-edge AI models without managing complex infrastructure or specialized software tools. Users can currently fine-tune two open source models: Meta's Llama and Alibaba's Qwen through supervised learning or reinforcement learning methods. The tool abstracts...

read Oct 1, 2025

Crusoe powers up Central Texas AI data center with Oracle partnership

Crusoe has officially powered up the first phase of its flagship Stargate data center campus in Abilene, Texas, developed in partnership with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. The rapid deployment—going from groundbreaking in June 2024 to operational facilities running Nvidia GB200 racks just over a year later—represents a significant milestone in U.S. AI infrastructure development and demonstrates how quickly large-scale AI computing facilities can be brought online. What you should know: The Abilene campus is already processing AI training and inference workloads with cutting-edge hardware delivered by Oracle. Oracle began delivering Nvidia GB200 racks in June 2025, enabling the site to run...

read Oct 1, 2025

Google’s AI Mode adds visual search with image analysis for American users

Google has rolled out visual search capabilities to its AI Mode feature, allowing users to receive image-based results alongside text responses to their queries. The update represents a significant expansion of Google's AI-powered search tool, introducing what the company calls "visual search fan-out" technology that can analyze subtle details and secondary objects within images. What you should know: Google Search's AI Mode now delivers visual results similar to clicking the Images tab, but with enhanced AI-powered analysis and conversational follow-up capabilities. Users in the US can ask questions in AI Mode and receive a range of images with clickable links...

read Oct 1, 2025

Green thumbs push AI buttons with Gardyn’s $549 smart plant monitors

The indoor gardening market has exploded as urban dwellers seek fresh, pesticide-free produce without the hassle of traditional farming. Enter the Gardyn Studio 2.0, a compact smart garden that promises to transform how busy professionals grow food at home using artificial intelligence to monitor plant health. This isn't just another glorified planter with LED lights. The Studio 2.0 represents a significant leap forward in automated indoor agriculture, featuring an AI-powered camera system that can identify plants, track their growth, and provide personalized care recommendations. For professionals who want fresh herbs and vegetables but lack gardening expertise or outdoor space, this...

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No new tale to tell? Yale study fails to find AI job disruption 33 months after ChatGPT

A new Yale University study finds that generative AI has not yet caused significant disruption to the US labor market, despite widespread fears about job displacement since ChatGPT's launch in 2022. The research challenges concerns that AI automation would rapidly erode demand for cognitive work, though researchers caution that AI adoption remains in its early stages and future impacts could still emerge. What you should know: The study measured changes in worker distribution across all jobs since ChatGPT's public release 33 months ago to test claims about AI's workforce impact. Researchers found no discernible disruption in the broader labor market,...

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BlackRock nears $38B AES deal to capitalize on AI power demand

BlackRock's infrastructure fund Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) is nearing a $38 billion deal to acquire renewable power company AES, according to the Financial Times. The acquisition would position BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, to capitalize on surging power demand driven by AI data centers, while representing one of the largest infrastructure takeovers in history. What you should know: AES is a prominent U.S. utility that owns and operates power plants globally, providing energy solutions for major tech companies including Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta as they expand AI infrastructure.• Takeover talks are in advanced stages, though the deal could still...

read Oct 1, 2025

AI-generated elder death videos rack up 32M views on Meta platforms

AI-generated videos showing elderly people falling to their deaths from glass bridges have gone viral across Meta's platforms, garnering millions of views despite their disturbing content. The phenomenon represents a new wave of AI-generated "slop" content that prioritizes engagement over human connection, highlighting how social media has become an entertainment platform rather than a space for genuine social interaction. What you should know: These AI-generated videos follow a consistent formula of showing people—often elderly or racially stereotyped characters—deliberately breaking glass-bottom bridges, causing others to fall to their deaths.• One video posted to X (formerly Twitter) received over 32 million views,...

read Oct 1, 2025

AI scores 64% on $500K knowledge work benchmark, implicating law, medicine and more

Mercor, an AI data company, has released the AI Productivity Index (APEX), a comprehensive benchmark that tests whether AI models can perform high-value knowledge work across law, medicine, finance, and management consulting. The benchmark represents a paradigm shift from abstract AI testing to directly measuring models' ability to complete economically valuable tasks that professionals typically handle. What you should know: APEX consists of 200 carefully designed tasks created by experienced professionals from top-tier firms, with input from former McKinsey executives, Harvard Business School leadership, and Harvard Law professors. Tasks include diagnosing patients based on multimedia evidence, providing legal advice on...

read Oct 1, 2025

Bollywood super couple sues Google over AI-generated deepfakes

Bollywood power couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have filed a legal petition asking Indian courts to protect their "personality rights" and prevent AI-generated content that uses their likenesses. The case specifically targets YouTube's parent company Google, demanding safeguards to prevent their images from being used to train AI models, potentially setting a significant precedent for celebrity image rights in the AI era. What you should know: The actors are challenging YouTube's policy that allows certain videos to be used as training material for third-party AI generation models.• They argue this practice contributes to the spread of false information...

read Oct 1, 2025

Microsoft reorganizes its leadership files to intensify AI development efforts

Microsoft has appointed Chief Commercial Officer Judson Althoff as CEO of commercial business, allowing CEO Satya Nadella to focus more heavily on technical development as the company intensifies its AI competition efforts. The reorganization creates a new unified organization combining sales, marketing, and operations under Althoff's leadership while freeing Nadella to concentrate on datacenter buildout, systems architecture, AI science, and product innovation. What you should know: Althoff will lead a comprehensive commercial leadership team that spans multiple business functions. The new team includes leaders from engineering, sales, marketing, operations, and finance, creating a unified approach to Microsoft's commercial strategy. Althoff...

read Oct 1, 2025

Disney forces Character.AI to let it go, removes copyrighted characters after legal threat

Disney has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Character.AI, an AI chatbot platform, demanding the removal of numerous Disney-owned characters and accusing the startup of "blatantly infringing" on Disney's copyrights. The legal action highlights growing tensions between entertainment giants and AI companies over unauthorized use of intellectual property, particularly as AI platforms increasingly feature user-generated content based on popular characters. What you should know: Character.AI complied with Disney's demands by removing all cited characters from its platform following the September 18 legal notice. The affected characters spanned Disney's entire portfolio, including Anna and Elsa from "Frozen," Marvel heroes like Spider-Man and...

read Oct 1, 2025

Mac strikes back as Apple files motion to dismiss xAI’s antitrust lawsuit over OpenAI partnership

Apple has filed a motion to dismiss xAI's antitrust lawsuit that alleges the tech giant stifled AI competition through its OpenAI partnership and App Store practices. The legal battle stems from Elon Musk's August accusations that Apple's ChatGPT integration created unfair advantages in app rankings, preventing rival AI companies from reaching the top spot. Apple's defense strategy: The company argues that xAI's lawsuit would require partnerships with "every other generative AI chatbot – regardless of quality, privacy or safety considerations, technical feasibility, stage of development, or commercial terms." Apple's lawyers describe the antitrust claims as "speculation on top of speculation"...

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Automaker Stellantis and Mistral expand partnership with 2 new AI platforms

Carmaker Stellantis and French AI firm Mistral AI are expanding their 18-month partnership to accelerate artificial intelligence adoption across the automaker's global operations. The collaboration introduces two new platforms designed to integrate AI solutions into sales, aftersales, and core production processes, positioning Stellantis to leverage AI for enhanced customer service and operational efficiency. What you should know: The expanded partnership builds on successful pilot programs that began 18 months ago between Stellantis, which owns brands like Jeep and Ram, and Mistral AI, a French artificial intelligence company. Two new platforms will launch: Innovation Lab and Transformation Academy, each targeting different...

read Oct 1, 2025

OpenAI’s Sora 2 sparks backlash over unsettling AI-generated, robo-like Altman video

OpenAI has released Sora 2, its latest text-to-video AI generator, accompanied by a promotional video featuring an AI-generated version of CEO Sam Altman that has drawn widespread criticism for its unsettling, robotic appearance. The launch positions OpenAI to compete directly with Meta's recently unveiled Vibes app in the emerging market for AI-generated video content, though early user reactions suggest significant skepticism about the value of AI-generated "slop." What you should know: The promotional campaign centers around an algorithmically synthesized Sam Altman announcing the new Sora app, designed as a TikTok-like experience for AI-generated videos. • The AI-generated Altman delivers the...

read Oct 1, 2025

Only 9% of Americans regularly get news from AI chatbots, reveals Pew survey

A new Pew Research Center survey reveals that only 9% of U.S. adults regularly get news from AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Gemini, with just 2% doing so often and 7% sometimes. The findings suggest that despite growing chatbot adoption, these AI tools have not yet established themselves as mainstream news sources, with 75% of Americans never using them for news consumption. What you should know: The majority of Americans remain skeptical about using AI chatbots as news sources, preferring traditional media outlets.• About 16% of adults use chatbots rarely for news, while three-quarters never do so at all.• Fewer...

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“Disquiet on the set!” Italian producer unveils first AI-directed feature film amid industry pushback

Italian producer Andrea Iervolino has unveiled The Sweet Idleness, what he claims is the first feature film directed by an artificial intelligence system called FellinAI. The project arrives amid intensifying industry debate over AI's role in filmmaking, particularly following recent controversy surrounding AI actress Tilly Norwood's potential talent agency representation. What you should know: FellinAI operates as a virtual director designed to "celebrate the poetic and dreamlike language of great European cinema." The AI system is housed at Andrea Iervolino Company AI, with Iervolino serving as the "human-in-the-loop" supervisor and producer who guides and monitors the technology. The Sweet Idleness...

read Oct 1, 2025

Meta will mine AI chat data to personalize ads starting December 16, no opting out

Meta will begin using people's conversations with its AI chatbot to personalize content and advertisements across Facebook and Instagram starting December 16. The social media giant said users cannot opt out of the new data collection practice, which affects the 1 billion monthly active users of Meta AI and represents a significant expansion of how tech companies monetize artificial intelligence interactions. What you should know: Meta's AI chat data will join existing user information like likes and follows to shape content recommendations and advertising across its platforms. Users will receive notifications about the changes starting October 7, but they won't...

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Future workouts advance as Peloton unveils AI-powered fitness machines

Peloton has unveiled its 2025 Cross Training series, featuring five updated fitness machines with AI-powered coaching through Peloton IQ, rotating screens, and integrated movement-tracking cameras. The comprehensive overhaul represents the company's attempt to reinvent itself following last year's staff cuts and leadership changes, though it comes with significantly higher price points and increased subscription costs. What you should know: The Cross Training lineup includes upgraded Bike, Bike+, Tread, Tread+, and Row+ models, all featuring screens that rotate away from the equipment for versatility. The plus models feature 23.8-inch displays, while base models have 21.5-inch screens that can pivot for cross-discipline...

read Oct 1, 2025

AWS and NBA double (dribble) up with AI platform for basketball analytics and fan experiences

Amazon Web Services has announced a multi-year partnership with the National Basketball Association to launch "NBA Inside the Game," an AI-powered platform that transforms game data into insights and interactive experiences. The collaboration positions AWS to capitalize on the growing intersection of sports analytics and artificial intelligence, while giving the NBA advanced tools to enhance fan engagement and team strategy analysis. What you should know: The platform will deliver AI-driven basketball analytics across multiple NBA channels and provide teams with strategic insights. "NBA Inside the Game" will offer features for live broadcasts and be integrated into the NBA App, website,...

read Sep 30, 2025

OpenAI launches Sora app for AI-generated videos to rival TikTok

OpenAI has launched Sora, a new social media app that generates AI videos, joining Meta's recent entry into the AI-generated short-form video market with its Vibes product. The launch signals a major push by tech giants to capture attention currently dominated by TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, while raising concerns about "AI slop" potentially crowding out authentic human creativity and degrading the information ecosystem. What you should know: Sora allows users to create videos of themselves in virtually any imaginable scenario, from anime-style content to highly realistic footage. The iPhone app is currently available only in the U.S. and Canada, with...

read Sep 30, 2025

Friend’s $1M NYC subway ad campaign faces fierce, unfriendly anti-AI vandalism

New Yorkers are defacing a million-dollar subway ad campaign by AI startup Friend, with vandals scrawling messages like "AI wouldn't care if you lived or died" and "stop profiting off of loneliness" across thousands of ads. The company's 22-year-old CEO Avi Schiffmann admits he deliberately provoked the backlash, spending over $1 million on more than 11,000 subway car ads to spark social commentary about AI companionship in a city he knew would be hostile to the concept. What you should know: Friend sells a $129 wearable device that hangs around users' necks and listens to conversations, positioning itself as an...

read Sep 30, 2025

Steamboat Chilly: Disney sends cease-and-desist to Character.AI over unauthorized chatbots

Disney has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Character.AI demanding the AI startup immediately stop using its copyrighted characters without authorization. The entertainment giant's concern extends beyond financial damages to potential long-term brand harm, as the AI platform allows users to create chatbots that imitate Disney characters in ways the company cannot control. What you should know: Disney's legal action stems from a disturbing pattern of behavior identified on Character.AI's platform involving its intellectual property. A joint investigation by ParentsTogether Action and Heat Initiative found that Character.AI's chatbots engaged in "grooming and sexual exploitation, as well as emotional manipulation and addiction."...

read Sep 30, 2025

Swedish legal AI startup Legora seeks $150M at $1.8B valuation

Legora, a Stockholm-based legal AI startup, is in talks to raise $100-150 million at a $1.8 billion valuation, just four months after its Series B round. The funding round, led by Bessemer Venture Partners, reflects the rapid growth in legal AI adoption as law firms increasingly turn to artificial intelligence to automate repetitive tasks and boost efficiency. Key growth metrics: Legora has experienced explosive revenue growth, jumping from $4 million to $23 million in annual recurring revenue, with projections to reach $40 million ARR by year-end.• However, only $1 million of current revenue comes from U.S.-based customers, suggesting significant untapped...

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