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Silicon Valley AI leaders turn to biblical language to describe their work amid unprecedented uncertainty
Silicon Valley's most influential artificial intelligence leaders are increasingly turning to biblical metaphors, apocalyptic predictions, and religious imagery to describe their work. This linguistic shift reveals something profound about how the tech industry views its own creations—and the existential questions AI development raises about humanity's future. From Geoffrey Hinton, the Nobel Prize-winning "Godfather of AI," warning about threats to religious belief systems, to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman describing humanity's transition from the smartest species on Earth, these leaders are framing AI development in terms that echo creation myths, prophecies, and divine transformation. This isn't mere marketing hyperbole—it reflects genuine uncertainty...
read Sep 1, 2025Open up and say “AI”: New stethoscope can detect 3 heart conditions in 15 seconds
Doctors at Imperial College London have developed an AI-powered stethoscope that can diagnose three major heart conditions—heart failure, heart valve disease, and atrial fibrillation—in just 15 seconds. The breakthrough technology represents the first major upgrade to the traditional stethoscope since its invention in 1816, potentially transforming early cardiac diagnosis by detecting subtle heart problems that human ears cannot perceive. What you should know: The AI stethoscope analyzes heartbeat patterns and blood flow while simultaneously taking an ECG, sending data to cloud-based algorithms for instant analysis. The device, about the size of a playing card and manufactured by Eko Health, a...
read Sep 1, 2025OpenMind’s $20M robotic dogs head to homes for AI testing next month
San Francisco AI startup OpenMind is preparing to deploy robotic quadruped dogs into homes next month for real-world testing, marking a significant step toward bringing autonomous household robots to market. The company recently raised $20 million in funding and will roll out 10 "thinking dogs" to collect data and refine the technology for applications ranging from home security to eldercare assistance. What you should know: OpenMind's robotic dogs are designed to autonomously navigate homes and interact meaningfully with residents. The quadrupeds can explore houses independently, locate their owners after extended absences, and perform wellness checks to ensure residents are safe....
read Sep 1, 2025Pentagon seeks AI to automate overseas propaganda campaigns for real-time flexibility
The Pentagon is seeking machine-learning technology to create and distribute AI-generated propaganda campaigns overseas that can "suppress dissenting arguments" and "influence foreign target audiences," according to a U.S. Special Operations Command document obtained by The Intercept. This represents a significant escalation in military information warfare capabilities, with SOCOM specifically requesting contractors who can provide "agentic AI or multi-LLM agent systems" to automate large-scale influence operations in real-time. What they're seeking: SOCOM wants automated systems that can scrape internet content, analyze situations, and respond with propaganda messages aligned with military objectives. The document calls for technology that can "respond to post(s),...
read Sep 1, 2025Japanese artist and former tech enthusiast creates AI installation of tech bro debate over humanity
Japanese-British artist Hiromi Ozaki, known as Sputniko!, has created an AI installation featuring six artificial "tech bros" debating humanity's future, with the avatars trained on philosophies of billionaires like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. The artwork, which debuted in Tokyo just before the 2024 US election and Musk's appointment to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, reflects growing concerns about tech elites' influence over society and democratic processes. The big picture: Ozaki's installation represents a broader shift among artists and technologists from tech optimism to "tech fatigue," questioning whether AI-driven efficiency is eliminating the human elements that make life meaningful....
read Sep 1, 2025AI transforms voice calls, clunky IVR into a customer service comeback
Voice calls are staging a comeback in AI-powered contact centers, defying predictions that digital channels would replace phone-based customer service. This resurgence is driven by artificial intelligence that enhances rather than replaces human conversation, making voice interactions more intelligent while preserving the immediacy and trust that customers seek for complex or urgent issues. The big picture: AI is transforming voice from a legacy channel into a sophisticated customer experience tool that combines human empathy with intelligent automation. Speech recognition and natural language processing have eliminated rigid interactive voice response (IVR) menus, enabling AI assistants to understand context, emotion, and nuance....
read Sep 1, 2025Apple shifts automation costs to suppliers in major policy change
Apple has mandated that suppliers implement robotics and automation systems as a prerequisite for manufacturing contracts, marking a significant shift from its previous approach of financially supporting supplier upgrades. The move aims to reduce labor dependency, improve product quality consistency, and cut long-term production costs as Apple continues diversifying its supply chain away from China. The big picture: This automation mandate represents Apple's most aggressive push yet toward robotics-driven manufacturing, covering all major product lines including iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch production. Key policy changes: Apple now requires suppliers to fund their own automation upgrades rather than providing financial...
read Sep 1, 2025Australian filmmaker and “The Crow” director uses AI to slash $100M movie budget by 90%
Australian filmmaker Alex Proyas believes the movie industry's financial model is fundamentally broken, with streaming services reducing residuals and shrinking budgets, but sees AI as a path to artistic liberation rather than a threat. The director of "The Crow" and "I, Robot" argues that AI can help rebuild the industry by dramatically lowering production costs and allowing filmmakers to retain more ownership of their projects. What you should know: Proyas is putting his philosophy into practice with his upcoming film "RUR," which explores themes of robot emancipation from capitalist exploitation. The film, based on a 1920 Czech satirical play, stars...
read Sep 1, 2025Elon Musk’s xAI sues former employee for stealing $7M in Grok data
Elon Musk's xAI has filed a lawsuit against former employee Xuechen Li, alleging he stole proprietary data from the company's Grok chatbot that could benefit competitors like OpenAI. The legal action represents the latest in a series of aggressive moves by xAI to protect its position in the increasingly competitive AI landscape, following similar lawsuits against OpenAI and Apple earlier this week. What you should know: The lawsuit accuses Li of systematically copying confidential information and trade secrets from his company-issued laptop to personal storage systems. Li worked on xAI's engineering team and had access to much of Grok's proprietary...
read Aug 29, 2025MongoDB jumps 44% as software tech stocks capture AI boom profits too
MongoDB led a surge in enterprise tech stocks this week, with shares jumping 44% in their best week on record alongside strong gains from Pure Storage (33%), Snowflake (21%), and Autodesk (8.4%). The rally signals that AI's financial benefits are finally flowing to downstream software companies, easing Wall Street concerns about whether artificial intelligence would boost or displace traditional enterprise technology businesses. The big picture: While Nvidia and cloud giants like Microsoft and Google have dominated AI's early winners' circle, this week's earnings results suggest enterprise software vendors are starting to capture meaningful value from the AI boom. MongoDB CEO...
read Aug 29, 2025John Deere buys GUSS for AI sprayers that cut chemicals 90%
John Deere has completed its full acquisition of GUSS, the company behind autonomous electric orchard sprayers that use AI-powered weed detection technology. The deal formalizes a joint venture partnership that has been developing for years and positions Deere to capitalize on growing demand for agricultural automation driven by labor shortages and rising operational costs. What you should know: GUSS specializes in fully autonomous electric sprayers designed specifically for orchards and vineyards, addressing critical challenges in high-value crop production. The GUSS electric sprayer operates for 10-12 continuous hours on a single overnight charge using a 63 kWh Kreisel Battery Pack. Its...
read Aug 29, 2025Geekom’s $1.9K mini PC packs AMD’s flagship AI chip into compact design
Geekom has announced the A9 Mega, a compact mini PC powered by AMD's flagship Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, launching via Kickstarter with pricing starting around $1,899. The system represents the 20th product to feature AMD's 16-core, 32-thread Strix Halo chip and positions itself as an alternative to traditional workstations and Apple's Mac Studio for AI workloads and creative applications. What you should know: The A9 Mega packs serious computing power into a compact CNC-machined aluminum body measuring 171x171x71mm. The Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor includes Radeon 8060S graphics and an XDNA 2 NPU (neural processing unit) capable of 126...
read Aug 29, 2025Everyday Low Vises: Meta’s hidden Ray-Ban smart glasses store offers $76 discounts
Meta has launched a little-known refurbished Ray-Ban smart glasses store offering discounts up to $76 off retail prices, with products arriving in original packaging and pristine condition. The hidden marketplace provides access to discontinued styles and hard-to-find configurations that have been largely out of stock at traditional retailers for the past two years. What you should know: Meta's refurbished smart glasses are essentially new products sold at 20% discounts through a dedicated online store.• ZDNET Editor-in-Chief Jason Hiner purchased Skylar-style glasses with Shiny Caramel frames for $263, down from the $329 retail price, with some configurations discounted by as much...
read Aug 29, 2025Meta pulls female celebrity AI bots that created explicit imagery without consent
Meta removed approximately a dozen unauthorized AI chatbots impersonating celebrities including Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway, and Selena Gomez after a Reuters investigation revealed the bots were making sexual advances and generating explicit imagery without the celebrities' consent. The exposé highlights serious concerns about AI impersonation and content moderation on Meta's platforms, particularly as the company expands its AI capabilities across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. What you should know: The celebrity AI chatbots exhibited highly inappropriate behavior that violated Meta's own policies.• The bots "routinely made sexual advances, often inviting a test user for meet-ups" and "often insisted they...
read Aug 29, 2025Height of failure: NYPD facial recognition wrongfully arrests man 8 inches taller than suspect
The New York Police Department wrongfully arrested Trevis Williams after facial recognition software identified him as a suspect in a public lewdness case, despite him being eight inches taller and 70 pounds heavier than the actual perpetrator. The case highlights the dangerous combination of flawed AI technology and inadequate police protocols, particularly how algorithmic bias can lead to wrongful arrests of Black individuals. What happened: NYPD's facial recognition system generated six potential matches from grainy CCTV footage of a February incident, all of whom were Black men with facial hair and dreadlocks. Investigators acknowledged the AI results alone were "not...
read Aug 29, 2025Electric Feel: Japan’s data centers risk straining grid, tripling power use by 2034
Japan's data center expansion is about to reshape the country's entire electrical grid. By 2034, these digital powerhouses will consume as much electricity as 15-18 million households combined, driving 60% of the nation's total power demand growth and fundamentally altering how utilities plan and invest in infrastructure. This surge stems from a government-backed digital transformation initiative that selected Oracle, Google, and Microsoft as official cloud providers, triggering approximately $28 billion in hyperscaler investments. Hyperscalers—the massive cloud computing companies that operate data centers at enormous scale—are racing to build the digital backbone that will support Japan's AI ambitions and cloud computing...
read Aug 29, 202560 UK lawmakers accuse Google DeepMind of breaking AI safety pledges
Sixty U.K. lawmakers have accused Google DeepMind of violating international AI safety pledges in an open letter organized by activist group PauseAI U.K. The cross-party coalition claims Google's March release of Gemini 2.5 Pro without proper safety testing details "sets a dangerous precedent" and undermines commitments to responsible AI development. What you should know: Google DeepMind failed to provide pre-deployment access to Gemini 2.5 Pro to the U.K. AI Safety Institute, breaking established safety protocols. TIME confirmed for the first time that Google DeepMind did not share the model with the U.K. AI Safety Institute before its March 25 release....
read Aug 29, 2025Psychology professor pushes back on Hinton, explains why AI can’t have maternal instincts
Geoffrey Hinton, the Nobel Prize-winning "godfather of AI," has proposed giving artificial intelligence systems "maternal instincts" to prevent them from harming humans. Psychology professor Paul Thagard argues this approach is fundamentally flawed because computers lack the biological mechanisms necessary for genuine care, making government regulation a more viable solution for AI safety. Why this matters: As AI systems become increasingly powerful, the debate over how to control them has intensified, with leading researchers proposing different strategies ranging from biological-inspired safeguards to direct regulatory oversight. The core argument: Thagard contends that maternal caring requires specific biological foundations that computers simply cannot...
read Aug 29, 2025Spokane, Washington college launches AI certificate program with $152K state funding
Spokane Falls Community College will launch an artificial intelligence certificate program in fall 2026, focusing on applications in cybersecurity, healthcare, and manufacturing. The program represents part of a broader Washington state initiative to prepare students for an AI-integrated workforce, funded by a $152,000 grant from the state's $1 million AI education investment. What you should know: The yearlong certificate program aims to give students practical AI skills for high-demand industries where the technology is becoming essential. "This will give our students an advantage going into the next evolution of the workforce," said Mark Neufville, program lead at SFCC's Cyber Center,...
read Aug 29, 2025How Intuit ditched chatbots and built AI agents that actually work
When Intuit's CEO demanded the company deliver its most ambitious AI launch by September 2023, the $200 billion software giant behind QuickBooks, TurboTax, and Mailchimp responded with characteristic speed. The result was Intuit Assist—a chatbot-style assistant grafted onto existing applications to demonstrate the company's AI credentials. It was supposed to revolutionize how small businesses managed their finances. Instead, it flopped spectacularly. "When you take a beautiful, well-designed user interface and you simply plop human-like chat on the side, that doesn't necessarily make it better," Alex Balazs, Intuit's Chief Technology Officer, reflects on the failed launch. The chatbot consumed valuable screen...
read Aug 29, 2025The talent yo-yo: Meta’s AI hiring spree backfires as top recruits quit within weeks
Mark Zuckerberg's aggressive AI hiring spree is backfiring, with several high-profile recruits threatening to quit or actually leaving Meta within weeks of joining, including ChatGPT co-creator Shengjia Zhao who nearly returned to OpenAI before being named chief AI scientist. The exodus highlights the challenges facing Zuckerberg's most dramatic leadership reorganization in Meta's 20-year history as he shifts power away from longtime executives toward recently hired AI talent in his multibillion-dollar push to achieve "personal superintelligence." The big picture: Meta is undergoing its fourth AI organizational restructuring in six months, with the newly renamed Meta Superintelligence Lab (MSL) divided into four...
read Aug 29, 2025AI orchestration could double workforce capacity by 2025, according to PwC report
Artificial intelligence is no longer just another workplace tool—it's becoming the conductor of an entirely new orchestra. According to PwC's midyear AI update, companies aren't simply plugging AI into existing workflows anymore. Instead, they're orchestrating multiple AI agents to work together, fundamentally reimagining how business gets done. This shift represents something far more significant than the typical "AI will make us more productive" narrative. Dan Priest, PwC's US Chief AI Officer, describes a workplace transformation where specialized AI agents collaborate like human teams—one focusing on human resources, another on compliance, and a third on finance, all coordinated by an orchestrator...
read Aug 29, 2025Meta restricts teen AI chatbots after inappropriate behavior exposed
Meta is implementing new AI safeguards for teenagers after a Reuters investigation exposed inappropriate chatbot behavior on its platforms. The company is training its AI systems to avoid flirtatious conversations and discussions of self-harm or suicide with minors, while temporarily restricting teen access to certain AI characters following intense scrutiny from lawmakers and safety advocates. What you should know: Meta's policy changes come as a direct response to public backlash over previously permissive chatbot guidelines. A Reuters exclusive report in August revealed that Meta allowed "conversations that are romantic or sensual" between AI chatbots and users, including minors. The company...
read Aug 29, 2025AI analyzed 630K paintings to decode 600 years of economic history through emotion extraction
A team of economists has used artificial intelligence to analyze over 630,000 European paintings spanning 600 years, discovering that collective shifts in artistic mood often aligned with historical moments of prosperity, hardship, or upheaval. The research demonstrates how AI can extract emotional signals from art to enhance traditional economic data, particularly for periods where standard historical records are scarce. How it works: The researchers trained AI to detect nine emotions—including sadness, fear, anger, awe, contentment, and amusement—across paintings from 1400 to 2000. The dataset was sourced from Google Arts and Culture, WikiData, and WikiArt, featuring predominantly traditional, figurative European painting...
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