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Court blocks Trump from firing top copyright official over AI report
A federal appeals court has blocked the Trump administration from firing the US' top copyright official, ruling that President Trump lacks the authority to remove Shira Perlmutter from her position as register of copyrights. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals determined that Perlmutter, who was allegedly fired for preparing an AI report Trump disagreed with, works for the legislative branch and can only be dismissed by the Senate-confirmed Librarian of Congress. What you should know: The 2-1 court decision represents a significant check on presidential power over legislative branch officials. Shira Perlmutter was appointed register of copyrights in 2020 by...
read Sep 9, 2025Reddit fixes AI bug that wrongly altered LGBT subreddit descriptions for weeks
Reddit has resolved a bug that incorrectly altered subreddit descriptions on its Android app, including changing a lesbian community's description to say it was for "straight" women. The issue, which persisted for weeks and sparked user concerns about unauthorized AI content modification, was caused by a malfunctioning translation service that mistakenly performed "English-to-English translations." What happened: Multiple subreddit descriptions were inaccurately changed when viewed through Reddit's Android app, with some alterations significantly misrepresenting community purposes. The r/actuallesbians subreddit's description was changed from "a place for cis and trans lesbians" to "a place for straight and transgender lesbians." The r/autisticparents community,...
read Sep 9, 2025Somewhere between Big AI and blue-collar are the skills driving the robotics and automation hiring boom
The robotics and automation industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, fundamentally reshaping how companies across sectors approach work and productivity. As businesses increasingly integrate intelligent machines into their operations, a surge in specialized job opportunities is creating new career pathways for professionals ready to embrace this technological shift. This transformation extends far beyond traditional manufacturing floors. From surgical robots assisting in operating rooms to autonomous vehicles navigating city streets, the applications of robotics and automation are expanding rapidly across industries. Understanding these hiring trends—and the skills driving them—provides crucial insight for professionals navigating this evolving landscape. The automation talent boom Companies...
read Sep 9, 2025EFF’s executive director steps down after 25 years of digital rights advocacy
Cindy Cohn announced Tuesday that she is stepping down as executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation after 25 years with the digital rights organization. The departure of Cohn, who has led EFF since 2015, marks the end of an era for one of the most influential voices in the fight for online privacy and digital freedoms during a critical period of tech expansion and government surveillance. What you should know: Cohn's tenure at EFF spans some of the most significant battles over digital rights in the internet age. She first gained prominence as lead counsel in Bernstein v. Department...
read Sep 9, 2025Google launches $4.56 AI Plus tier targeting Indonesia and emerging markets
Google has launched AI Plus, a new subscription tier priced at approximately $4.56 per month in Indonesia, positioned between its free Gemini offering and the $19.99 AI Pro plan. Designed specifically for emerging markets, the service provides expanded access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, additional AI tools, and 200 GB of Google One storage at a fraction of the cost of premium tiers. What you should know: AI Plus offers significantly more functionality than Google's free tier while remaining affordable for users in developing economies. Free users currently receive only five Gemini 2.5 Pro prompts daily, while AI Plus subscribers get...
read Sep 9, 2025NASA scientist proposes AI astronauts could replace humans on Mars missions
Planetary scientist Pascal Lee proposes that "artificial astronauts" — AI-powered humanoid robots with human-like physical capabilities — could serve as actual crew members on Mars missions within the coming decades. These space-rated artificial humans would eliminate the need for life support systems and consumables required by human astronauts, while potentially surpassing human capabilities in space exploration tasks. What you should know: The concept builds on rapid advances in robotics and artificial intelligence that could mature alongside planned Mars mission timelines. Lee, who chairs the Mars Institute and directs NASA's Haughton-Mars Project, presented this vision at a Space Robotics Workshop in...
read Sep 9, 2025CoreWeave launches $1B+ venture fund to back AI startups
CoreWeave, a cloud infrastructure company specializing in AI workloads, has launched a venture capital arm called CoreWeave Ventures to invest in AI-focused startups. The announcement sent the company's stock surging 4.67% as investors see the move as a strategic expansion that could create a pipeline benefiting both earnings and future demand for computing power. What you should know: CoreWeave Ventures offers startups a comprehensive package beyond traditional funding, combining capital investment with technical resources and market access. The venture arm provides direct capital investment, compute for equity arrangements, and access to CoreWeave's AI-optimized cloud and production-grade testing clusters. Startups also...
read Sep 9, 2025Microsoft plays the field, plans to add Anthropic’s Claude to Copilot features
Microsoft reportedly plans to start using Anthropic's Claude models to power some Copilot features in Office 365 applications, marking a potential shift away from its exclusive reliance on OpenAI technology. The move suggests growing tensions between Microsoft and OpenAI as the companies navigate disputes over OpenAI's restructuring plans, while also highlighting Microsoft's assessment that Claude 4 Sonnet outperforms competing models in specific use cases. What you should know: Microsoft currently uses OpenAI's technology to power most AI features in Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, but plans to announce the integration of Anthropic models "in the coming weeks."• The company will...
read Sep 9, 2025New tech, old world: Helsing and ARX partner to develop AI-powered defense systems for Europe
Helsing, an AI defense company, and ARX Robotics, a specialist in unmanned ground systems, have announced a strategic partnership to develop AI-based reconnaissance and strike systems for European defence forces. The collaboration aims to digitize and network land domain operations using artificial intelligence, drawing on battle-tested technologies from Ukraine to give European armed forces a technological advantage on the battlefield. What you should know: The partnership focuses on transforming Europe's fragmented and analog land warfare capabilities into a connected, AI-driven network. The companies will jointly develop reconnaissance and strike systems that enable armed forces to "act faster, more precisely, more...
read Sep 9, 2025Apple plays down AI messaging at iPhone 17 event amid talent exodus
Apple dramatically scaled back AI messaging at its iPhone 17 event, offering only brief mentions of Apple Intelligence features during the 75-minute presentation. This marked a sharp contrast to last year's iPhone 16 launch, where AI dominated the conversation but led to public disappointment when promised features failed to materialize on schedule. The big picture: Apple positioned AI as a behind-the-scenes enabler rather than a consumer-facing headline feature, focusing more on hardware improvements and how machine learning powers core functionality. What you should know: The company emphasized technical infrastructure over flashy AI capabilities throughout the event. Executives highlighted how an...
read Sep 9, 2025California tax and fee bureaucracy launches $445K AI assistant to handle calls
California's Department of Tax and Fee Administration has launched an AI-powered virtual assistant to help its call center handle taxpayer inquiries, marking one of three state-funded AI initiatives under Governor Gavin Newsom's broader technology adoption effort. The $445,000 pilot program aims to eliminate the need to reassign workers during peak tax season when call volumes spike by over 50%, while potentially enabling the department to answer over 10,000 additional calls annually. The big picture: California is testing generative AI across government services while navigating labor concerns and public trust issues as the technology becomes more prevalent in public sector operations....
read Sep 9, 2025AI reveals African Great Migration has only 533K wildebeest, not 1.3M
A new AI-powered analysis of satellite imagery has revealed that East Africa's Great Migration involves far fewer wildebeest than previously estimated, with researchers counting only 324,000-533,000 animals instead of the widely cited 1.3 million. This finding challenges decades-old population estimates and demonstrates how artificial intelligence can provide more accurate wildlife census data crucial for conservation efforts. What you should know: Princeton University researchers used deep-learning models to analyze thousands of square kilometers of satellite imagery, producing the first comprehensive AI-based count of wildebeest in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Two AI models—U-Net and YOLOv8—were trained on a dataset containing 70,417 manually labeled...
read Sep 9, 2025Apple Watch can now detect creeping hypertension with machine learning
Apple's latest Apple Watch now includes hypertension detection capabilities, marking the tech giant's entry into monitoring what's often called the "silent killer." The feature uses machine learning to identify high blood pressure in users, targeting a condition that affects over a billion people globally and often goes undiagnosed until serious complications arise. Why this matters: Hypertension frequently presents no obvious symptoms while silently damaging blood vessels and organs, making early detection through wearable technology potentially life-saving for millions of users. The technology: Apple's implementation relies on machine learning algorithms integrated into the watch's existing sensor array to monitor blood pressure...
read Sep 9, 2025Ledger leaders: Fintech company Ramp hits $22.5B valuation with AI-powered expense automation
Ramp has raised $22.5 billion in valuation across two funding rounds just two months apart, cementing its position as one of the fastest-growing fintech companies challenging American Express in the corporate credit card market. The six-year-old startup, which crossed $1 billion in annualized revenue in August and serves over 45,000 businesses, is leveraging AI-powered automation to transform how companies manage expenses and spending—positioning itself to capture market share from established financial giants with a 169-year head start. The big picture: Ramp has evolved from a simple corporate credit card company into a comprehensive financial platform that promises to save businesses...
read Sep 9, 2025EPA eases air quality permits to accelerate AI infrastructure buildout
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has announced changes to the New Source Review program that will allow companies to begin construction on new facilities before obtaining air quality permits, as long as the initial work doesn't involve "emissions units" that release air pollution. The move is designed to accelerate the construction of data centers and power plants needed to support America's artificial intelligence infrastructure, with Zeldin calling the current permitting system "broken." What's changing: The EPA will now permit companies to start certain building activities before receiving full Clean Air Act construction permits. Companies can begin work on elements like installing...
read Sep 9, 2025Park City, Utah hotels turn to AI as tourism revenues drop 21.7%
Summit County's tourism economy is poised to become increasingly dependent on artificial intelligence, as major hospitality and design companies already implement AI to streamline operations and enhance guest experiences. This shift comes as Park City faces declining hotel tax revenues, making operational efficiency through AI potentially crucial for maintaining the region's tourism-dependent economic foundation. What you should know: Marriott International and Gensler, a global architecture firm, have partnered to integrate AI throughout the hotel design and guest experience process.• AI allows designers to pitch, create and showcase ideas without spending time and money building physical mockups, according to Jordan Goldstein,...
read Sep 9, 2025Massachusetts startups pursue “AgeTech” to tackle senior care crisis
Massachusetts-based startups are developing AI-powered robots and wearable devices to address the challenges of a rapidly aging population amid severe caregiver shortages. These "age-tech" companies are targeting a market where 13% of the state's 1.2 million seniors have dementia and one-quarter of direct care positions remain unfilled, though venture capital investment in the sector remains limited. What you should know: Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have created Abbi, an AI-powered conversational robot designed to combat loneliness among seniors with dementia. The robot runs on SoftBank hardware and engages residents in personalized conversations using preloaded pictures and topics from their life...
read Sep 9, 2025Firefox literally shakes things up with new iPhone feature that generates AI web summaries
Firefox has introduced a "shake to summarize" feature for iPhones that generates AI-powered summaries of webpages users are reading. The feature makes Firefox one of the first major third-party apps to integrate with Apple Intelligence, positioning Mozilla to compete in the growing market for AI-enhanced browsing experiences. How it works: The shake-to-summarize feature offers multiple ways for users to access AI-generated webpage summaries. Users can physically shake their iPhone to trigger a summary, tap the "thunderbolt" icon in the address bar, or select "Summarize page" from the three-dot menu at the bottom of the screen. On iPhone 15 Pro and...
read Sep 9, 2025“Lord of the Rings” star Sean Astin leads SAG-AFTRA prez race as AI contract negotiations loom
Sean Astin is running for president of SAG-AFTRA against Chuck Slavin in an election that concludes September 12, positioning himself as the frontrunner to succeed Fran Drescher. The winner will lead the 160,000-member performers union through critical 2025 contract negotiations with major studios, facing mounting challenges from AI threats, runaway production, rising healthcare costs, and an industry still recovering from 2023's 118-day strike. What you should know: Astin brings Hollywood star power and extensive union experience, while Slavin represents a more aggressive negotiating approach as a rank-and-file candidate. Astin, known for roles in "The Lord of the Rings" and "Rudy,"...
read Sep 9, 2025Eli Lilly launches TuneLab, sharing $1B AI drug discovery platform with biotech partners
Eli Lilly has launched TuneLab, an AI-powered platform that provides biotech companies access to drug discovery models trained on over $1 billion worth of the pharmaceutical giant's proprietary research data. The platform aims to democratize AI capabilities in drug development, allowing smaller companies to leverage the same advanced tools used by Lilly's scientists while contributing their own data to enhance the system. Why this matters: The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly turning to AI to accelerate drug discovery and reduce costs, with analysts projecting AI-related R&D spending to reach $30-40 billion by 2040 as companies seek faster, cheaper alternatives to traditional...
read Sep 9, 2025How PacSun leverages influencers and turned 1 TikTok creator into $20M in denim sales
PacSun has launched its first Youth Advisory Council, featuring Gen Z and Gen Alpha influencers who will directly advise executives on product development, marketing campaigns, and business decisions. The move reflects CEO Brieane Olson's strategy to compete in the $114.6 billion denim market not through massive marketing spend, but by embedding customer voices into core business operations. The big picture: While competitors like American Eagle, Gap, and Levi's poured millions into celebrity-driven campaigns during 2025's "denim wars," PacSun is betting that real-time customer feedback and creator-driven insights will deliver better results than traditional marketing approaches. Who's on the council: The...
read Sep 9, 2025UAE releases 32B-parameter AI model that matches OpenAI performance
The United Arab Emirates has released K2 Think, an open-source AI reasoning model that matches the performance of much larger systems from OpenAI and DeepSeek while using just 32 billion parameters compared to their 200+ billion. Developed by researchers at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi and backed by tech conglomerate G42, this represents one of the strongest indicators yet that the UAE's massive AI investments are yielding competitive results in the global race for AI supremacy. What you should know: K2 Think is specifically designed for advanced reasoning tasks rather than being a complete large...
read Sep 9, 2025Heads up! NASA’s AI gives satellite operators 24-hour warning for solar storms
NASA's Frontier Development Lab has successfully used artificial intelligence to predict disruptive solar events up to 24 hours in advance, working with commercial partner KX Systems to adapt financial market analytics software for space weather forecasting. This breakthrough could help satellite operators prepare for solar activity that causes both stunning auroras and potentially damaging disruptions to GPS and other space-based infrastructure. How it works: The collaboration leveraged KX Systems' kdb+, a data analytics software typically used to track rapid financial market shifts, to analyze space weather patterns. Researchers imported multiple datasets monitoring the ionosphere (the upper layer of Earth's atmosphere),...
read Sep 9, 2025Fermi files for Nasdaq IPO to build nuclear-powered AI data centers
Texas-based data center developer Fermi has filed for an initial public offering on Nasdaq under the symbol "FRMI," less than a year after its founding by former U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry. The company aims to build the world's largest data-energy complex powered by nuclear, natural gas, and solar energy to support AI workloads, representing the first major nuclear-related investment since President Trump's executive orders to accelerate nuclear project approvals. What you should know: Despite generating no revenue yet, Fermi has secured significant funding and strategic partnerships for its ambitious energy infrastructure project. The company raised $100 million in August...
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