Sep 5, 2025

Anthropic to pay $1.5B in first US AI copyright settlement, does not formally admit wrongdoing

Anthropic has agreed to pay at least $1.5 billion to settle a class action lawsuit brought by book authors alleging copyright infringement, marking the first AI copyright settlement in the United States. The company will pay approximately $3,000 for each copyrighted work it allegedly pirated from shadow libraries like LibGen while gathering training data for its AI models, setting a significant precedent for how AI companies must compensate creators for unauthorized use of their intellectual property. What you should know: This landmark settlement establishes the first legal precedent requiring AI companies to compensate copyright holders for unauthorized use of their...

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Lenovo delivers AI-powered Android tablets starting at $270

Lenovo has unveiled two new Android tablets at IFA 2025: the premium Yoga Tab starting at $549.99 and the budget-friendly Idea Tab Plus starting at $269.99. Both devices feature AI-powered capabilities, large batteries, and Android 15, targeting different market segments with flagship-level processors and day-one artificial intelligence integration. Key specifications: The tablets showcase Lenovo's strategy of offering AI features across price points while maintaining competitive hardware. The Yoga Tab features an 11-inch 3,200 by 2,000 display with 144Hz refresh rate, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor (the same chip powering Samsung's Galaxy S24 flagship phones), up to 12GB RAM, and...

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Medical misinformation via TikTok, Facebook costs US healthcare up to $300M daily, survey finds

Medical misinformation on social media platforms has evolved into a significant economic burden for American healthcare, with AI technology accelerating the spread of false health claims. A 2025 survey of over 1,000 U.S. physicians found that 61% reported patients being influenced by misinformation at least moderately in the past year, with 57% saying it significantly undermines their ability to deliver quality care. The big picture: False health information spreads 70% faster than accurate content on social platforms, according to MIT research, because people naturally share novel and emotional content over factual information. The World Health Organization has termed this phenomenon...

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Atlassian acquires Arc browser maker for $610M to build AI work browser

Atlassian has acquired The Browser Company, maker of the Arc and Dia web browsers, for $610 million to build an AI-powered browser specifically designed for knowledge workers. The acquisition positions Atlassian, the software company behind workplace tools like Trello and Jira, to compete in the rapidly evolving browser market where companies are racing to integrate generative AI into web browsing experiences. What you should know: Atlassian plans to upgrade Dia into a specialized browser that uses agentic AI to help knowledge workers navigate and retrieve information more efficiently. The new browser will transform traditional tabs into "icons enriched with context,"...

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AI creating or augmenting jobs, not replacing workers, according to Fed report

A new Federal Reserve report reveals that artificial intelligence isn't replacing human workers as quickly as predicted, with manufacturing and service industries in the New York region remaining largely secure from job displacement in the near term. Instead of mass layoffs, managers are increasingly choosing to retrain employees to work alongside AI systems, suggesting a collaborative rather than replacement model for the technology's integration into the workforce. What you should know: The human-AI partnership model is emerging as the dominant approach across industries, contradicting earlier predictions of widespread job elimination. Manufacturing and service sectors in the New York Federal Reserve...

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Following Roe v. Wade protest, activist conducts hunger strike outside Anthropic HQ

Activist Guido Reichstadter is on day three of a hunger strike outside Anthropic's San Francisco headquarters, demanding the AI company halt its development efforts. The protest reflects growing grassroots opposition to artificial general intelligence (AGI) development, with activists arguing that the current AI race poses existential risks to society and threatens to eliminate human employment on a massive scale. What you should know: Reichstadter is protesting as part of the activist group StopAI, calling on Anthropic to "immediately stop their reckless actions which are harming our society." He posted his statement on LessWrong, a forum founded by AI critic Eliezer...

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Amazon-backed AI platform plans to restore 43 minutes of lost Orson Welles footage

Showrunner, an Amazon-backed AI platform that calls itself the "Netflix of AI," plans to use artificial intelligence to reconstruct 43 minutes of lost footage from Orson Welles' 1942 film "The Magnificent Ambersons." The project aims to restore what many consider a "ruined masterpiece" after studio executives cut nearly an hour from Welles' original vision, representing one of cinema's most famous cases of studio interference. The big picture: This represents a new frontier in AI's application to film restoration, where technology could potentially recover lost artistic works rather than just creating new content from scratch. What you should know: "The Magnificent...

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Incumbent NYC mayor uses AI-generated videos in reelection campaign

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has integrated AI-generated photos and videos into his reelection campaign, marking one of the first major uses of artificial intelligence in American political campaigns. The technology has provided Adams with a cost-effective way to create promotional content and respond to opponents while facing fundraising challenges due to legal troubles and blocked campaign finance requests. What you should know: Adams is running as an independent candidate after facing legal issues, while the Democratic race features underdog Zohran Mamdani, who defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo for the nomination. Adams has used AI to create provocative content,...

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Tesla proposes new $2T pay plan for Musk tied to ambitious milestones

Tesla is asking investors to approve another substantial pay plan for CEO Elon Musk that would grant him over 423 million additional shares across 12 tranches tied to ambitious milestones over the next decade. The proposal would also increase Musk's voting control over the electric vehicle and robotics company, addressing demands he has made publicly since early 2024. What you should know: The compensation structure requires Tesla to nearly double its current market cap to $2 trillion while hitting aggressive operational targets. Musk would receive 1% equity for each half-trillion dollars of market cap growth, plus meeting production and delivery...

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Everyday low-skill upskilling: OpenAI and Walmart partner to train 10M people in AI by 2030

OpenAI has partnered with Walmart to launch an expanded certification program through its OpenAI Academy, aiming to train 10 million people in AI skills by 2030. The initiative comes as studies show AI-savvy workers command higher pay and productivity, positioning both companies to address the growing demand for AI literacy in the workforce. What you should know: OpenAI's Academy has already connected over 2 million people with AI learning resources and will now offer formal certifications across different skill levels. The certifications will range "from the basics of using AI at work all the way up to AI-custom jobs and...

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Whoa, Timekettle’s $349 W4 AI earbuds translate 42 languages with “bone conduction” tech

Timekettle has launched the W4 AI Interpreter Earbuds, real-time translation earbuds priced at $349 that use bone conduction technology to improve voice recognition accuracy in noisy environments. The earbuds represent a more affordable and casual-friendly alternative to the company's $449 over-ear W4 Pro, featuring a modern wireless earbud design optimized for everyday translation needs across 42 languages and 95 accents. Key features: The W4 AI earbuds combine traditional microphones with bone conduction sensors to achieve up to 98 percent translation accuracy, even in loud environments. The bone conduction technology detects voice vibrations through head bones, allowing for more accurate speech...

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AI music hits 2M+ streams, but humans prove creativity can’t be coded. Here are 10 examples.

The music industry stands at a fascinating inflection point where artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape how songs are created, distributed, and consumed. While the technology sparks both excitement and concern across creative industries, the reality of AI's current musical capabilities tells a more nuanced story than either the enthusiasts or skeptics might suggest. Recent developments like The Velvet Sundown—a completely AI-generated band that has accumulated over 2 million streams on Spotify, complete with synthetic band members, fabricated backstories, and algorithmic compositions—illustrate both the potential and limitations of current AI music technology. This virtual band represents a new category of...

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San Jose pilots AI to fix 90% dwelling unit permit rejection rate

San Jose has announced a new AI pilot program launching this fall to streamline the building permitting process for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), targeting the state's ongoing housing crisis. The initiative aims to reduce the 90% rejection rate for ADU applications due to missing information, potentially cutting approval times by weeks while freeing up city staff resources. What you should know: The Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Department will pilot AI software to help customers verify ADU application completeness before submission. Currently, 90% of ADU applications are returned to applicants for missing information, creating weeks-long delays in the permitting process....

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Germany puts “Jupiter,” Europe’s first exascale supercomputer, in orbit. So to speak.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz inaugurated the Jupiter supercomputer at the Juelich research centre, marking Europe's first Exascale-class supercomputer and the world's fourth-fastest computing system. The milestone represents a strategic push by Germany and Europe to compete with the United States and China in AI development and high-performance computing capabilities. What you should know: Jupiter represents a major technological achievement for European computing infrastructure and research capabilities. The supercomputer can perform one billion times one billion calculations per second, equivalent to the power of about 10 million standard notebook computers. It was assembled through a collaboration between Nvidia (the chip manufacturer),...

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Anthropic blocks Chinese firms from AI services over military concerns

Anthropic has become the first US AI company to block sales to Chinese firms, announcing it will stop selling its artificial intelligence services to companies with majority Chinese ownership. The decision reflects growing concerns about Beijing's military and intelligence applications of AI technology, with a company executive estimating the revenue impact at "the low hundreds of millions of dollars." Why this matters: This marks a significant escalation in US-China tech tensions, as American AI companies voluntarily restrict access to their most advanced capabilities amid national security concerns. The big picture: China is increasingly integrating AI into military operations, with The...

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AI data centers drive up electricity costs, making it a central issue in 2025 elections

Rising electricity costs are emerging as a major political issue in the 2025 elections, with candidates across New Jersey, Virginia, and other states making utility bills a central campaign theme. The surge is driven largely by America's aging power grid struggling to meet explosive demand from AI-powered data centers, which consumed nearly a quarter of Virginia's electricity in 2023 and are projected to double or triple energy use by 2028. What you should know: Political campaigns are responding aggressively to voter concerns about skyrocketing utility bills, with both parties proposing dramatically different solutions. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Mikie Sherrill, a U.S....

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Google Cloud survey finds AI delivers on customer service while ROI drops

The artificial intelligence honeymoon period appears to be ending. After years of breathless predictions about AI transforming every aspect of business, a new survey from Google Cloud reveals that executives are taking a more measured approach to evaluating their AI investments—and the results are decidedly mixed. The survey, which polled nearly 3,500 senior leaders globally from companies with at least 100 employees and $10 million in annual revenue, focused exclusively on organizations that have already deployed generative AI systems. Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT that can create text, images, code, and other content based on prompts,...

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GPUs overtake CPUs as the dominant force in modern computing

GPUs have officially overtaken CPUs as the dominant force in modern computing, driven by their superior parallel processing architecture that excels at handling today's most demanding computational workloads. This shift represents a fundamental change in how we approach computing power, with GPUs now leading in artificial intelligence, scientific research, and high-performance computing applications that define the future of technology. The big picture: The transition from CPU to GPU dominance stems from architectural differences that favor modern computing needs, where thousands of smaller GPU cores outperform fewer, more powerful CPU cores for parallel processing tasks. Training complex neural networks on CPUs...

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Chrome extension “Bye Bye Google AI” removes AI overviews, touts 50K+ users

A tech industry veteran has created a free Chrome extension called "Bye Bye Google AI" that removes Google's AI Overviews from search results with a single click. The tool addresses growing concerns about AI summaries that may contain inaccurate information while diverting traffic from original content creators. Why this matters: Research shows that 10.4% of Google's AI Overview responses are derived from AI-generated content, with 52% of citations coming from sources outside Google's top 100 search results—pages the algorithm considers less authoritative. How it works: The Chrome extension modifies search result pages by hiding AI Overviews through CSS manipulation.• Users...

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Running up that hill: Roborock’s new robot mowers tackle 80% slopes and 1.2-acre yards

Roborock has unveiled three new robot lawn mowers at IFA 2025, expanding beyond its popular vacuum cleaners into outdoor maintenance with AI-powered mowing technology. The RockMow Z1, S1, and RockNeo Q1 models feature all-wheel drive systems and can handle steep terrain up to 80% inclines, positioning the company to compete in the growing robotic lawn care market. What you should know: The flagship RockMow Z1 demonstrates impressive technical capabilities designed for various yard sizes and challenging terrain. The Z1 features four independently controlled wheels for all-wheel drive performance and can handle yards up to 5,000 square meters (roughly 1.2 acres)....

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Broadcom scores $10B AI chip deal, shares surge 11% premarket

Broadcom shares surged 11% in premarket trading after the chipmaker announced a massive $10 billion AI chip order from a new customer, marking one of the largest deals in the company's history. The blockbuster agreement reinforces Broadcom's position as a leading custom chip provider as Big Tech companies seek alternatives to Nvidia's expensive and supply-constrained processors, while potentially adding over $160 billion to the company's $1.44 trillion market valuation. What you should know: The deal represents a significant milestone in Broadcom's AI strategy and could reshape competitive dynamics in the custom chip market. If premarket gains hold, Broadcom would cross...

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OpenAI promotes LinkedIn-style job platform to certify 10M Americans by 2030

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has revealed plans to launch a LinkedIn-style job platform alongside an AI certification program, announcing the initiative during a high-profile White House tech dinner. The move represents a significant expansion into workforce development that could directly compete with LinkedIn, which is owned by Microsoft—OpenAI's largest investor—creating potential tension between the AI company and its key partner. What you should know: OpenAI's new Jobs Platform will use large language models to match employers with AI-literate candidates across skill levels. The platform will launch next year and cater to companies seeking talent with AI expertise, from entry-level skills...

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Sen. Hawley wants to end Big Tech’s legal shield over AI training data

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) called for the complete repeal of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the legal shield protecting tech companies from lawsuits over user-generated content, during a Thursday speech at the National Conservatism Conference. The Missouri Republican specifically targeted AI companies' use of copyrighted material to train large language models, arguing that tech firms should face legal liability for unauthorized use of creative works. What they're saying: Hawley emphasized the massive scale of unauthorized content ingestion by AI systems and its impact on creators. "The AI large language models have already trained on enough copyrighted works to...

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Hell no, RTO: Amazon’s 5-day office policy hurts AI talent recruitment

Amazon's strict five-day return-to-office policy is hampering its ability to recruit top tech talent, according to internal documents and recruiter accounts obtained by Business Insider. The policy, which requires employees to work in designated "hub" offices or face termination, is particularly limiting Amazon's access to high-demand professionals with generative AI skills—a critical area where the company is racing to maintain competitiveness. What you should know: Amazon's aggressive RTO stance is creating measurable recruitment challenges that extend beyond typical workplace flexibility concerns. The company's hub strategy is listed as one of the "hotly debated topics" among recruiters, specifically limiting their ability...

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