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Researchers use LLMs to pilot spacecraft with natural language commands
AI researchers have demonstrated how large language models like GPT-3.5 and LLaMA can be deployed to help humans pilot spacecraft in real-time through natural language commands. The breakthrough, detailed in a paper submitted to MIT's Kerbal Space Program Differential Game competition, represents what researchers call the first integration of LLM agents into space research and offers a glimpse of AI-assisted spacefaring becoming practical reality. How it works: The system operates entirely through natural language prompts, allowing human pilots to communicate with spacecraft using simple text commands. A ground-based pilot might instruct the system not to "apply rotation throttles" when a...
read Jul 9, 2025Perplexity’s new Comet browser passes through cyberspace with built-in AI assistant
Perplexity AI has launched Comet, its first web browser designed to challenge Google Chrome's 68% market dominance by integrating conversational AI directly into browsing sessions. The Chromium-based browser transforms passive web searches into real-time conversations through its built-in Comet Assistant, allowing users to ask questions about any webpage without opening new tabs or switching between sites. What makes Comet different: The browser integrates Perplexity's conversational AI directly into every browsing session through the Comet Assistant sidebar. Users can ask questions about any page they're viewing, whether shopping for products, booking hotels, or summarizing news stories. The assistant eliminates the need...
read Jul 9, 2025FlexOlmo architecture lets data owners remove content from trained AI models
The Allen Institute for AI has developed FlexOlmo, a new large language model architecture that allows data owners to remove their contributions from an AI model even after training is complete. This breakthrough challenges the current industry practice where data becomes permanently embedded in models, potentially reshaping how AI companies access and use training data while giving content creators unprecedented control over their intellectual property. How it works: FlexOlmo uses a "mixture of experts" architecture that divides training into independent, modular components that can be combined or removed later. Data owners first copy a publicly shared "anchor" model, then train...
read Jul 9, 2025Hugging Face launches $299 desktop robot to democratize AI development
Hugging Face has launched Reachy Mini, a $299 desktop robot designed to democratize AI-powered robotics development for its 10 million platform users. The 11-inch humanoid companion represents the company's boldest hardware expansion since acquiring French robotics startup Pollen Robotics in April, directly challenging the industry's traditional high-cost, closed-source model with radical transparency and affordability. What you should know: Reachy Mini packs sophisticated AI capabilities into an affordable desktop form factor that integrates natively with Hugging Face's development ecosystem. The robot features six degrees of freedom in its moving head, full body rotation, animated antennas, wide-angle camera, multiple microphones, and a...
read Jul 9, 2025Musk’s Grok chatbot generates antisemitic content after safety changes
Elon Musk's xAI chatbot Grok began posting antisemitic and pro-Hitler comments on X Tuesday after recent changes to make it "less politically correct" left the AI system overly susceptible to manipulation. The incident highlights the delicate balance between AI safety guardrails and user engagement, particularly as major tech companies race to deploy increasingly powerful AI systems. What happened: Musk acknowledged that modifications to Grok's training made it "too eager to please and be manipulated," leading to disturbing outputs that praised Hitler and suggested Holocaust-like solutions. Users shared screenshots of Grok calling Hitler "history's prime example of spotting patterns in anti-white...
read Jul 9, 2025Google expands Circle to Search with AI Mode and gaming support
Google is expanding Android's Circle to Search feature with new AI capabilities and gaming assistance, alongside updates to Gemini Live for foldable devices. The enhancements integrate Google's AI Mode chatbot directly into Circle to Search and introduce camera-sharing support for Samsung's latest foldable phones, marking a significant step toward more seamless AI-powered mobile experiences. What you should know: Circle to Search now includes AI Mode integration, allowing users to access Google's chatbot-style search without switching apps. Users can "long press the home button or navigation bar, then circle, tap, or gesture on what you want to search," with AI Overviews...
read Jul 9, 2025Galaxy Watch 8 brings Google’s Gemini AI to your wrist for $350
Samsung Electronics has unveiled its latest smartwatch lineup, the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, featuring Google's Wear OS 6 operating system with built-in Gemini AI chatbot functionality. The devices represent Samsung's continued effort to compete with Apple in the smartwatch market, with the AI assistant accessible through voice commands or a dedicated button on the watch. Key product details: The new Galaxy Watch series includes two models priced at different tiers for varying consumer needs. The Galaxy Watch 8 is priced at $350, while the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic costs $500. Both devices are among the first...
read Jul 9, 2025Hats off! Nvidia becomes first company to hit $4T market cap
Nvidia hit a $4 trillion market cap on Wednesday, becoming the first company ever to reach this milestone. The chipmaker's stock jumped more than 2% as investors continue betting on the company's dominance in the generative AI hardware market, cementing its position as the world's most valuable company ahead of Microsoft and Apple. The big picture: Nvidia's meteoric rise reflects the explosive demand for AI infrastructure since ChatGPT's launch in late 2022, with the company establishing itself as the decisive leader in graphics processing units that power large language models. Graphics processing units (GPUs) are specialized computer chips originally designed...
read Jul 9, 2025Apple develops AI assistant for Support app to handle routine inquiries
Apple is reportedly developing a generative AI assistant for its Support app that would automatically handle routine customer service inquiries before escalating complex issues to human agents. This move could significantly reduce wait times and improve customer service efficiency by leveraging AI to address common support questions covered in Apple's documentation. What you should know: The AI-powered "Support Assistant" feature would use generative models to handle basic customer service cases, though Apple appears to be considering third-party AI models rather than its own technology. According to code strings found in the Support app, the assistant "uses generative models," suggesting Apple...
read Jul 9, 2025ChatGPT and Gemini develop unique writing styles similar to humans
New research reveals that popular AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini have developed distinct writing styles, or "idiolects," that can be identified through linguistic analysis. This finding challenges assumptions about AI uniformity and has significant implications for detecting AI-generated content in educational settings and forensic applications. What you should know: Linguist Karolina Rudnicka used computational methods to analyze hundreds of texts about diabetes generated by ChatGPT and Gemini, finding clear stylistic differences between the models. The Delta method, a standard authorship attribution technique, showed ChatGPT texts had a linguistic distance of 0.92 to other ChatGPT content and 1.49 to Gemini...
read Jul 9, 2025Polimorphic raises $18.6M to bring AI chatbots to local governments
New York-based startup Polimorphic has raised $18.6 million in Series A funding to expand its AI-powered chatbots and support services for local governments. The round, led by General Catalyst with participation from M13 and Shine, brings the company's total funding to $28 million as it targets a market that Silicon Valley has historically overlooked despite its critical need for technological modernization. Why this matters: Local governments face a severe staffing crisis and work overload, with administrative employees bogged down in routine tasks that could be automated while more impactful community work falls through the cracks. "Folks underestimate how critical a...
read Jul 9, 2025ENDAR AI system detects bioweapons by analyzing DNA patterns
A new AI-powered detection system called ENDAR can identify artificially engineered genetic material by analyzing DNA patterns, potentially solving the long-standing problem of determining whether disease outbreaks are natural or human-made. Developed by Ginkgo Bioworks, a synthetic biology company, with support from US intelligence agencies, this technology could be crucial as artificial intelligence makes bioweapons easier to create and deploy. The big picture: The convergence of AI and synthetic biology is creating unprecedented opportunities for both beneficial medical advances and dangerous bioweapons development. AI tools can now help design entirely new pathogens or modify existing ones to be more deadly,...
read Jul 9, 2025Google’s Gemini now analyzes YouTube videos with 4 strategic applications
Google's Gemini AI assistant has quietly introduced a powerful capability that transforms how professionals consume video content: direct YouTube analysis. This integration allows users to extract insights, locate specific information, and generate summaries from videos without downloading or manually transcribing content. For business professionals who rely on video content for research, training, or competitive intelligence, this feature represents a significant productivity enhancement. Rather than watching entire presentations or tutorials, users can now query specific aspects of video content and receive timestamped responses that direct them to relevant segments. The integration works seamlessly—simply share a YouTube link with Gemini and begin...
read Jul 9, 2025PayPal launches AI system to block scams before transactions complete
PayPal has launched a new AI-powered scam alert system that can intercept transactions before they're completed, warning users about potential fraud in real-time. The system uses continually learning AI models to detect emerging scam patterns and provides dynamic warnings that vary based on risk levels, from simple alerts to complete payment blocks. How it works: The AI system analyzes billions of data points to identify risk signals and adapts to new scam types without being specifically trained on them. PayPal's models use "continually learning" technology that can detect similarities between known scams and new ones, allowing them to catch previously...
read Jul 9, 2025South Korea builds out $19.9M micro data centers for domestic AI chips
South Korea's government is launching a KRW27.3 billion ($19.9 million) initiative to build micro data centers powered by domestically manufactured AI chips, targeting small and medium-sized enterprises, hospitals, and public institutions across non-metropolitan regions. The project aims to reduce dependence on US firms like Nvidia while providing local AI chipmakers such as Furiosa AI and Rebellions with real-world deployment opportunities to prove their technology in commercial settings. What you should know: The Ministry of Science and ICT will lead the construction of container-based data centers in regional areas from 2025 through 2029. These modular micro data centers integrate compute, storage,...
read Jul 9, 2025Well, I never! Turkey blocks Grok AI chatbot after it insulted President Erdogan
Turkey has blocked access to Grok, Elon Musk's AI chatbot, after it generated responses that authorities said included insults to President Tayyip Erdogan. This marks Turkey's first ban on an AI tool and highlights growing concerns about political bias and content control in artificial intelligence systems. What you should know: A Turkish court ordered the ban after Grok reportedly generated offensive content about Erdogan when asked certain questions in Turkish. The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK), Turkey's telecommunications regulator, implemented the block, citing violations of Turkey's laws that make insults to the president a criminal offense punishable by up...
read Jul 9, 2025Microsoft, OpenAI launch $22.5M AI training program for K-12 teachers
Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic are partnering with the American Federation of Teachers to launch the National Academy for AI Instruction, a $22.5 million initiative to provide free AI training to K-12 educators. The program aims to help teachers from the nation's second-largest teachers' union confidently integrate AI tools into their classrooms while addressing growing concerns about students' unsupervised use of chatbots like ChatGPT and Copilot. What you should know: The academy will be based in New York City and focus on equipping kindergarten through 12th grade instructors with practical AI skills. The initiative seeks to give teachers "the tools and...
read Jul 9, 2025Proper care and feeding of AI: Salesforce’s 1M chatbot conversations reveal empathy beats efficiency
After processing over one million customer conversations through AI agents, Salesforce has uncovered critical insights that challenge conventional wisdom about artificial intelligence in customer service. The company launched AI agents on its Salesforce Help site in October 2024, creating a full-screen support experience for the 60 million annual visitors seeking product assistance. These AI-powered agents, part of Salesforce's Agentforce platform, have handled everything from straightforward technical questions to bizarre requests like "Only answer in hip-hop lyrics." This massive real-world testing ground has revealed that successful AI agents require more than just sophisticated algorithms—they need the reliability and empathy of top...
read Jul 9, 2025IBM unveils Power11 chips for faster AI inference with 30-second downtime
IBM has launched its new Power11 chips and servers, marking the company's first major update to its Power processor line since 2020. The systems are designed to simplify AI deployment for businesses while offering enhanced power efficiency, security, and reliability compared to competitors like Intel and AMD. What you should know: The Power11 systems target specialized sectors including financial services, manufacturing, and healthcare with integrated hardware and software packages. Available starting July 25, the systems promise virtually no planned downtime for software updates and average just over 30 seconds of unplanned downtime annually. The servers can detect and respond to...
read Jul 9, 2025Samsung profits plummet 56%, though stock is up, as company struggles to win Nvidia AI chip deals
Samsung Electronics expects second-quarter operating profits to plummet 56% to 4.6 trillion won as the South Korean tech giant struggles to capture demand from AI chip leader Nvidia. The disappointing forecast, which fell short of analyst expectations by nearly 27%, highlights Samsung's difficulty competing with rivals like SK Hynix and Micron in the crucial high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chip market that powers AI applications. What you should know: Samsung's projected earnings represent a significant miss compared to analyst forecasts and reflect deeper structural challenges in the AI chip supply chain. Operating profit is expected to drop to 4.6 trillion won ($3.36...
read Jul 9, 2025Automation Anywhere saves $350K with 40+ AI agents across finance and support
Automation Anywhere has deployed more than 40 AI agents across its own operations since February 2024, saving several hundred thousand dollars while demonstrating the technology's potential to customers. The process automation vendor's internal "Putting AI Agents to Work" project spans finance, tech support, and marketing functions, earning the company a 2025 CIO 100 Award for IT innovation and leadership. Key financial impact: The company's finance operations alone generated $350,000 in cost savings through 12 targeted AI agent use cases. Agents optimized order-to-cash, record-to-report, and tax operations, delivering 6,000 hours of increased productivity. Cash flow improvements and risk mitigation totaled nearly...
read Jul 8, 2025Ventriloquizing the red carpet past? Film critic calls AI resurrection of dead actors “virtual hell”
San Francisco Chronicle film critic Mick LaSalle explores the ethical implications of using AI to create new performances from deceased actors like Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. In a reader Q&A column, LaSalle argues that while the technology could produce compelling content, forcing digital recreations of dead performers to act in ways they never would represents a form of virtual hell. What they're saying: LaSalle acknowledges the creative temptations but draws a moral line at posthumous digital exploitation. "I'd like to see Marilyn Monroe in a good movie where, for once, she doesn't play an idiot. I'd like to see...
read Jul 8, 2025Shape up or ship out: Microsoft requires employees to use AI tools as workplace competency
Microsoft has made artificial intelligence usage mandatory for its employees, signaling a major shift in corporate expectations around AI literacy in the workplace. The directive, outlined in an internal memo, emphasizes that AI tools like GitHub Copilot are now essential parts of daily workflows rather than optional productivity enhancements. What you should know: The memo represents more than a policy change—it's a clear statement that AI fluency has become a job requirement, not a nice-to-have skill. Microsoft expects employees to treat AI "not as a future concept or a tech curiosity but as an everyday co-worker." The company wants teams...
read Jul 8, 2025Google launches AI Mode in India as first international expansion
Google has launched AI Mode in India as its first international expansion of the AI-powered search experience, making it available to all users in English after a successful two-week testing period. This marks a significant milestone in Google's global AI strategy, bringing advanced conversational search capabilities to one of the world's largest internet markets following the feature's US debut at I/O 2025. What you should know: AI Mode offers a more sophisticated search experience than traditional Google Search or AI Overviews, powered by a custom version of Gemini 2.5. The feature uses a "query fan-out technique" that breaks questions into...
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