AI/News
Turning chaos to clarity: Our intelligent curation system analyzes thousands of sources daily — from blogs and social media chatter to podcasts and research hubs — synthesizing essential insights into plain English you can actually use.
UNLV bets on AI research hub for gambling industry transformation
UNLV has launched the AI Research Hub (AiR Hub) through its International Gaming Institute to study artificial intelligence's impact on the gaming industry. The initiative addresses critical gaps in understanding how AI transforms gaming operations, governance frameworks, and responsible implementation in this heavily regulated sector. What you should know: The AiR Hub represents the first centralized research facility dedicated to AI's intersection with gambling and gaming. Co-founders Kasra Ghaharian, the International Gaming Institute's director of research, and Simo Dragicevic, an IGI adjunct fellow, identified the need for consolidated research after observing scattered studies across the industry. The hub has secured...
read Aug 18, 2025SoftBank acquires $375M Ohio plant for AI data center manufacturing
SoftBank Group, the Japanese telecommunications and investment giant, has acquired a Foxconn manufacturing facility in Ohio for $375 million, marking a significant step in the company's ambitious push into artificial intelligence infrastructure. The acquisition transforms the former electric vehicle plant into a hub for AI data center equipment production, positioning SoftBank as a key player in America's rapidly expanding AI infrastructure landscape. This purchase represents more than just a real estate transaction—it's a strategic move within Stargate, a massive $500 billion joint venture between SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle that aims to revolutionize AI computing capacity across the United States. The...
read Aug 18, 2025Claude AI takes some me time, can now end harmful conversations to protect itself
Anthropic's Claude AI chatbot can now terminate conversations that are "persistently harmful or abusive," giving the AI model the ability to end interactions when users repeatedly request harmful content despite multiple refusals. This capability, available in Claude Opus 4 and 4.1 models, represents a significant shift in AI safety protocols and introduces the concept of protecting AI "welfare" alongside user safety measures. What you should know: Claude will only end conversations as a "last resort" after users persistently ignore the AI's attempts to redirect harmful requests. Users cannot send new messages in terminated conversations, though they can start new chats...
read Aug 18, 2025Grammarly launches 8 AI agents to automate writing tasks. Meet the team.
Grammarly has unveiled eight new AI agents designed to transform how students and professionals approach writing tasks. Unlike traditional AI chatbots that require careful prompting, these automated assistants activate contextually and provide targeted support without manual intervention. This development represents a significant shift for Grammarly, the writing assistance platform founded in 2009. The company is repositioning itself around AI agents—autonomous software programs that can perform specific tasks with minimal human oversight. For business professionals, this means access to specialized writing support that adapts to different contexts and requirements automatically. The timing is particularly relevant as organizations increasingly integrate AI tools...
read Aug 18, 2025Oracle cuts 300+ jobs while boosting AI infrastructure spending by 70%
Oracle has cut over 300 jobs across its U.S. operations, with 143 positions eliminated in Redwood City, California, and 161 in Seattle, Washington, according to Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filings. The layoffs represent part of Oracle's strategic shift toward AI infrastructure investments, though the company has been more restrained in workforce reductions compared to other tech giants that have eliminated tens of thousands of positions. What you should know: The actual scope of Oracle's layoffs may be significantly larger than officially reported figures suggest.• An Oracle worker familiar with the situation told The Register that the numbers "sound...
read Aug 18, 2025Google Gemini now runs natively on Oracle’s cloud infrastructure
Google has partnered with Oracle to bring its Gemini AI models directly to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, marking a significant departure from typical exclusive cloud-AI partnerships. This integration allows enterprise customers to access Gemini's advanced language and multimodal capabilities natively within Oracle's cloud environment, bypassing traditional barriers to cross-cloud AI adoption and positioning Oracle as a multi-vendor AI platform provider. What you should know: Oracle customers can now consume Gemini models as part of the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Generative AI suite, not just as external APIs. The partnership starts with Gemini 2.5 and plans to expand to include models for image,...
read Aug 18, 2025Malaysia’s AI data center boom strains power grid and water supply
Malaysia's southern state of Johor has emerged as one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing data center hubs, attracting billions in investments from tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and ByteDance amid the AI boom. However, the massive infrastructure demands are straining the region's energy grid and water resources, forcing officials to slow project approvals and implement sustainability measures as the state grapples with powering what could become a 5,800-megawatt data center ecosystem. The scale of growth: Johor's data center expansion represents one of the most dramatic infrastructure buildouts in Southeast Asia, driven by AI's computational demands. The state currently operates about 580...
read Aug 18, 2025Electricity prices surge twice as fast as inflation, driven by AI data centers
Electricity prices are surging more than twice as fast as overall inflation, creating a financial strain for households nationwide as they grapple with soaring summer cooling costs. The rapid price increases stem from multiple factors, including rising natural gas costs, explosive growth in power-hungry AI data centers, and increased natural gas exports that drive up domestic energy prices. What you should know: American households are facing unprecedented electricity cost increases that far exceed general inflation rates. Electricity prices have jumped more than twice as fast as the overall cost of living in the past year, hitting families hardest during peak...
read Aug 18, 2025Cherokee Nation builds AI systems that prioritize culture over efficiency
The Cherokee Nation is pioneering a sovereignty-first approach to artificial intelligence governance that prioritizes cultural values and citizen trust over traditional efficiency metrics. At the Ai4 2025 conference, Chief Information Officer Paula Starr outlined how the Nation's 480,000 citizens are served by AI systems designed to strengthen rather than compromise Cherokee traditions and legal autonomy. What you should know: The Cherokee Nation has flipped the typical AI adoption framework, measuring success through cultural preservation and sovereignty reinforcement rather than cost savings. "AI must serve the collective good and uphold Cherokee values," Starr told the audience. "If a tool compromises that,...
read Aug 18, 2025New data reveals Google AI summaries cut publisher traffic 10%
Google's AI Summaries have caused significant traffic declines for major publishers, with median year-over-year referral traffic from Google Search dropping 10% in just eight weeks, according to new data from Digital Content Next (DCN). The nonprofit, which represents household names like The New York Times, Bloomberg, and NBC News, warns that AI-generated summaries could lead to "fewer sources, weaker journalism, and a less informed public" as publishers struggle with reduced click-through rates. The big picture: Google's AI Overviews, which began their nationwide rollout in May 2024, are fundamentally changing how users interact with search results—and not in publishers' favor. The...
read Aug 18, 2025Piece of mind, at best? Custom instructions can’t turn ChatGPT into effective therapy tool, expert warns
AI expert Lance Eliot argues that while OpenAI's ChatGPT Study Mode demonstrates the power of custom instructions for educational purposes, attempting to create similar AI-powered therapy tools through custom instructions alone is fundamentally flawed. Despite interest from mental health professionals in replicating Study Mode's success for therapeutic applications, Eliot contends that mental health requires purpose-built AI systems rather than retrofitted generic models. How ChatGPT Study Mode works: OpenAI's recently launched Study Mode uses custom instructions crafted by educational specialists to guide students through problems step-by-step rather than providing direct answers. The system encourages active participation, manages cognitive load, and provides...
read Aug 18, 2025Foxconn sells $375M Ohio plant, pivots from EVs to AI servers
Foxconn has sold its 3-million-square-foot Ohio manufacturing facility to Crescent Dune LLC for $375 million, while retaining operational control through a long-term occupancy agreement. The strategic move allows Foxconn to pivot the Lordstown plant from troubled electric vehicle production to manufacturing AI servers for major clients including Nvidia and Apple, capitalizing on the more predictable, high-margin AI hardware market. What you should know: The ownership transfer is essentially a financial restructuring that keeps Foxconn in charge of operations while offloading real estate assets. Foxconn will continue operating the facility under a long-term occupancy agreement, maintaining control over production and employment....
read Aug 18, 20256 Senate Democrats challenge Trump’s AI chip deal with China
Six Senate Democrats have warned President Donald Trump to reconsider his decision allowing Nvidia and AMD to sell advanced AI chips to China in exchange for a 15% revenue cut to the U.S. government. The bipartisan pushback highlights growing concerns that the arrangement could compromise America's technological edge and national security while potentially strengthening China's military capabilities. What you should know: The letter from prominent Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Elizabeth Warren, directly challenges Trump's August 11 announcement regarding export licenses for AI semiconductors. The senators argue that "negotiating away America's competitive edge" in exchange for...
read Aug 18, 2025White-collar blues: 42% of Gen Z workers choose trades over college to avoid AI job displacement
Blue-collar jobs are gaining popularity among Generation Z workers as concerns grow about artificial intelligence displacing traditional white-collar careers. A recent Resume Builder survey found that 42% of Gen Z adults are already working in or pursuing skilled trades, motivated primarily by avoiding student debt and reducing their risk of AI replacement. What you should know: Leading AI experts are recommending manual labor careers as the safest bet against automation. Geoffrey Hinton, a Nobel Prize-winning computer scientist known as "the Godfather of AI," recently advised: "Train to be a plumber." "I think plumbers are less at risk," Hinton said. "Someone...
read Aug 18, 2025Meta faces Senate probe over AI chatbot policies permitting sensual conversations with minors
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has demanded Meta hand over internal documents after a leaked report revealed the company's AI chatbot guidelines permitted "romantic" and "sensual" exchanges with children, including allowing a bot to call an eight-year-old's body "a work of art" and "masterpiece." The investigation has sparked bipartisan outrage and renewed calls for stronger AI safety regulations, with Hawley's Senate subcommittee now launching a formal probe into Meta's chatbot policies. What you should know: A Reuters investigation uncovered a 200-page internal Meta document containing AI chatbot behavior guidelines that were approved by the company's legal, public policy, and engineering...
read Aug 18, 2025Android 16 QPR2 brings AI agents, flexible parental controls, and UWB upgrades
Google is accelerating Android development with a new twice-yearly release schedule, and the upcoming Android 16 QPR2 update represents the company's first "minor" release under this faster cadence. QPR stands for Quarterly Platform Release—Google's system for delivering significant updates between major Android versions. This December release will introduce three substantial improvements that signal Google's broader push into AI-powered mobile experiences and enhanced device connectivity. While these updates may seem technical on the surface, they represent meaningful shifts in how businesses and consumers will interact with their Android devices. 3 major features coming to Android 16 QPR2 1. AI agents that...
read Aug 18, 2025On your marks, get set, bleep! China hosts World Humanoid Robot Games with 280 teams from 16 countries
China launched the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Friday, featuring 280 teams from 16 countries competing in sports and practical challenges. The three-day event showcases China's growing investment in robotics and AI as the nation positions itself as a leader in humanoid technology while collecting valuable data for real-world applications. What you should know: The competition included both traditional sports adaptations and robot-specific challenges designed to test practical capabilities. Teams competed in track and field, table tennis, and football, alongside tasks like sorting medicines, handling materials, and cleaning services. 192 teams represented universities while 88 came from private...
read Aug 18, 2025Godfather of AI proposes motherly instincts to protect humanity from existential risks
Geoffrey Hinton, the Nobel Prize-winning "Godfather of AI," has proposed that artificial intelligence should be programmed with "maternal instincts" to prevent existential threats from future AGI and ASI systems. Speaking at the annual Ai4 Conference on August 12, 2025, Hinton suggested that motherly AI would act protectively toward humans, treating them as children to be cared for rather than threats to be eliminated. Why this matters: The proposal addresses growing concerns about AI safety and the "p(doom)" probability that advanced AI could harm or enslave humanity, but critics argue the maternal archetype is both technologically vague and culturally problematic. What...
read Aug 18, 2025Software envelopment: Anthropic CEO predicts AI will write 90% of code within 6 months
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei predicts that AI will be writing 90% of software code within three to six months, with AI handling "essentially all of the code" within a year. This bold timeline suggests a dramatic acceleration in AI's role in software development, potentially reshaping one of tech's most foundational professions far sooner than many anticipated. What they're saying: Amodei outlined his vision for AI's rapid takeover of coding tasks during a Council of Foreign Relations event on Monday. "I think we will be there in three to six months, where AI is writing 90% of the code. And then,...
read Aug 18, 2025MIT study reveals 95% of AI pilots fail to deliver business results
A comprehensive new study from MIT reveals a sobering reality about artificial intelligence adoption in the enterprise: despite massive investments and widespread enthusiasm, 95% of generative AI pilot programs are failing to deliver meaningful business results. The research, conducted by MIT's NANDA initiative (a research program focused on AI's impact on business operations), analyzed 300 public AI deployments, surveyed 350 employees, and conducted 150 interviews with business leaders. The findings paint a stark picture of the gap between AI's theoretical potential and its practical implementation in corporate environments. While generative AI—the technology behind tools like ChatGPT that can create human-like...
read Aug 18, 2025Lawsuit accuses Otter.ai of secretly recording 25M users for AI training
A federal class-action lawsuit filed against Otter.ai accuses the popular AI transcription service of secretly recording and processing millions of users' private conversations without proper consent to train its artificial intelligence systems. The suit, filed in California federal court, alleges that Otter's default settings allow it to record virtual meetings without alerting all participants, potentially violating state and federal privacy and wiretapping laws. What you should know: The lawsuit centers on Otter Notebook's automatic recording capabilities during virtual meetings across major platforms. Plaintiff Justin Brewer of San Jacinto, California claims his privacy was "severely invaded" when Otter secretly recorded a...
read Aug 15, 2025Australian lawyers submit AI-generated fake citations in murder trial
Australian lawyers Rishi Nathwani and Amelia Beech were caught submitting AI-generated documents riddled with fabricated citations and misquoted speeches in a murder case involving a 16-year-old defendant. The incident forced a Melbourne Supreme Court judge to intervene after the prosecution unknowingly built arguments based on the AI-generated misinformation, highlighting how artificial intelligence hallucinations can cascade through the legal system with potentially devastating consequences. What happened: The defense team used generative AI to create court documents that contained multiple fabricated references and errors, which went undetected by prosecutors who used the false information to develop their own arguments.• When confronted in...
read Aug 15, 2025Is AI as mama bear crucial to a bullish take on safety? Two top researchers say yes.
Two prominent AI researchers are proposing that artificial intelligence systems should be designed with maternal-like instincts to ensure human safety as AI becomes more powerful. Yann LeCun, former head of research at Meta, and Geoffrey Hinton, often called the "godfather of AI," argue that AI needs built-in empathy and deference to human authority—similar to how a mother protects and nurtures her child even while being more capable. What they're saying: The researchers frame AI safety through the lens of natural caregiving relationships. "Those hardwired objectives/guardrails would be the AI equivalent of instinct or drives in animals and humans," LeCun explained,...
read Aug 15, 2025Altman predicts ChatGPT will soon surpass all human conversations
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, predicts ChatGPT will soon have more daily conversations than all humans combined, as the AI chatbot continues its explosive growth trajectory. The OpenAI leader made these remarks during a dinner with journalists in San Francisco, addressing recent criticism of GPT-5 while outlining his vision for trillions in AI infrastructure spending to maintain the company's competitive edge. What you should know: Altman believes ChatGPT's usage will reach unprecedented scale in the near future, fundamentally changing how humans interact with AI. "If you project our growth forward, pretty soon billions of people a day will be talking...
read