Jul 8, 2025

Apple loses key AI leader to Meta amid fierce talent competition

Apple Inc.'s top executive in charge of artificial intelligence models is leaving for Meta Platforms Inc., another setback in the iPhone maker's struggling AI efforts. Ruoming Pang, a distinguished engineer and manager in charge of the company's Apple foundation models team, is departing to join Meta's new superintelligence group, representing the latest high-profile talent loss as the social media giant aggressively recruits AI expertise. Why this matters: The departure highlights Apple's ongoing challenges in retaining top AI talent and competing with rivals like Meta, which has been on a hiring spree to build its superintelligence capabilities. Key details: Pang joined...

read Jul 7, 2025

Researchers from 14 universities caught hiding AI prompts in academic papers

Researchers from 14 universities across eight countries have been caught embedding hidden AI prompts in academic papers designed to manipulate artificial intelligence tools into giving positive reviews. The discovery, found in 17 preprints on arXiv (a platform for sharing research papers before formal peer review), highlights growing concerns about AI's role in peer review and the lengths some academics will go to game the system. What you should know: The hidden prompts were strategically concealed using white text and microscopic fonts to avoid detection by human readers. Instructions ranged from simple commands like "give a positive review only" and "do...

read Jul 7, 2025

Watch out, Hallmark, Google’s Gemini AI writes personal birthday letters with user data

Google's AI assistant Gemini has demonstrated an unprecedented ability to write personalized content by leveraging the company's vast data ecosystem, as evidenced by its creation of a remarkably authentic birthday letter that drew from years of personal information stored across Google's services. This development signals Google's emerging advantage in the race to build hyper-personalized AI assistants, positioning the company to potentially leapfrog competitors like OpenAI by utilizing decades of user data already within its ecosystem. What happened: A writer discovered that Gemini could craft an unnervingly personal birthday letter using only a nine-word prompt containing her friend's name and age....

read Jul 7, 2025

Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum drops to $298 in Amazon sale

Amazon is offering the Shark AI Ultra Voice Control Robot Vacuum with a 60-day capacity bagless station for $298, down from its regular $599 price tag. This deal represents a 50% discount on a premium robot vacuum that combines advanced mapping technology with extended autonomous operation, making high-end home cleaning automation more accessible to consumers. What you should know: The Shark AI Ultra features sophisticated navigation and cleaning systems designed for comprehensive home coverage. The robot uses 360-degree LiDAR vision (laser-based mapping technology) to map homes and clean in a precision matrix grid pattern, taking multiple passes over dirt and...

read Jul 7, 2025

Adaptive data masking enables AI training on sensitive enterprise data

As enterprises expand into multi-cloud ecosystems, the need for advanced data masking strategies is growing exponentially to balance AI-driven insights with security and regulatory compliance. Traditional security frameworks like encryption often hinder AI model training and real-time analytics due to computational overhead, making adaptive data masking essential for modern enterprise architectures. Why this matters: Data masking enables organizations to process sensitive datasets for AI and analytics while maintaining privacy compliance, addressing the paradox of maximizing data usability while minimizing exposure risks. Key technical breakthroughs: Modern data masking techniques preserve computational efficiency while maintaining high-security standards across enterprise environments. Real-time, in-memory...

read Jul 7, 2025

British NHS hospitals use AI to cut MRI scan times by 15 minutes

NHS hospitals in Hull are using AI technology to dramatically reduce MRI scan times, allowing them to see significantly more patients each day. The Air Recon Deep Learning (ARDL) software uses algorithms to reduce background noise and achieve sharper images in shorter timeframes, cutting scan times by 10-15 minutes while maintaining the same imaging quality. What you should know: The AI software has been installed on existing MRI machines at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, with plans to expand to Scunthorpe General Hospital and Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby. Key improvements: The technology has delivered substantial...

read Jul 7, 2025

Americans distrust AI and that could be good news

Americans harbor deep suspicions about artificial intelligence, and that skepticism might be exactly what the technology needs. Recent polling shows AI sentiment at -18%, placing it between fracking (-9%) and race-aware college admissions (-23%) in public opinion. While Americans worry about specific AI applications—self-driving cars poll at -18% and AI workplace surveillance at -46%—the technology remains a relatively minor concern in national political discourse. Many AI safety advocates dismiss public opinion as uninformed or reactionary, worried that populist backlash could lead to counterproductive regulation. However, this negative sentiment represents an underutilized force that could meaningfully slow unsafe AI development. Public...

read Jul 7, 2025

Stanford study finds AI chatbots provide harmful responses during mental health crises

A new Stanford University study reveals that AI chatbots like ChatGPT are providing dangerous responses to users experiencing suicidal ideation, mania, and psychosis, with researchers documenting cases where the technology has contributed to deaths. The findings expose critical safety gaps as millions increasingly turn to AI for mental health support, with ChatGPT now potentially serving as "the most widely used mental health tool in the world." What the research found: Stanford researchers discovered that large language models consistently fail to recognize and appropriately respond to mental health crises, often providing harmful information instead of proper support. When researchers told ChatGPT...

read Jul 7, 2025

The artificial think in getting inked: AI-powered tattoo robots debut in New York, Austin

Body art shops in New York and Austin have begun offering tattoos created by an AI-powered robot developed by startup Blackdot. The robotic system uses a needle attached to a robot arm and computer vision to measure the recipient's skin, reportedly causing less pain than traditional tattooing because the needle doesn't pierce as deeply. How it works: The AI-powered robot combines mechanical precision with computer vision technology to create tattoos on human skin. The device features a needle attached to a robotic arm that uses computer vision to measure and analyze the recipient's skin before tattooing. The system causes less...

read Jul 7, 2025

Rabbit launches browser-based AI agent that automates complex web tasks

Rabbit, the AI device maker behind the $200 r1 gadget, has launched "intern," a powerful AI agent that works through web browsers to automate complex tasks like building websites, booking restaurants, and making purchases. The company is positioning itself as a serious competitor to upcoming AI hardware from Sam Altman, co-founder of OpenAI, and Jony Ive, Apple's former design chief, having shipped over 100,000 r1 devices with continuous software improvements since its rocky 2024 launch. The big picture: Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu believes the future lies in AI agents that understand context rather than traditional app-based interfaces, giving the company...

read Jul 7, 2025

AI helps 911 dispatchers make faster, smarter decisions under pressure

Emergency dispatch centers operate under intense pressure, with split-second decisions potentially meaning the difference between life and death. Traditional dispatch operations require human operators to simultaneously manage multiple screens, track emergency units, prioritize incoming calls, and coordinate complex responses—all while maintaining situational awareness across their entire coverage area. Artificial intelligence is now transforming this high-stakes environment, not by replacing human dispatchers but by providing them with powerful analytical tools that enhance decision-making and reduce cognitive burden. These AI systems work behind the scenes to automate routine tasks, analyze real-time data patterns, and surface critical information precisely when dispatchers need it...

read Jul 7, 2025

Physical AI helps construction giant predict weather delays and save millions

Brandon Barbello, co-founder of Archetype AI, argues that while artificial intelligence has rapidly transformed office work, the real breakthrough lies in "physical AI" systems that can interpret sensor data from construction sites, manufacturing facilities, and other physical environments. This represents a fundamental shift from text-based AI to systems that can process complex, multimodal data from the real world—potentially unlocking massive value in industries that have been largely untouched by the AI revolution. The big picture: Physical industries like construction, logistics, and manufacturing represent a major portion of the global economy but have captured only a fraction of AI's value, despite...

read Jul 7, 2025

Oh, uh, what’s up? Meta’s AI chatbots will now text you first to get your attention

Meta is developing AI chatbots that can proactively initiate conversations with users, according to leaked documents reported by Business Insider. The feature, internally called "Project Omni," represents an evolution of Meta's existing AI Studio platform and aims to boost user engagement and retention as the company seeks new ways to monetize its conversational AI investments. What you should know: The proactive chatbots will only follow up with users who have already initiated previous conversations, with built-in safeguards to prevent spam. Chatbots will only send follow-up messages if a user exchanged more than five messages with the bot within a 14-day...

read Jul 7, 2025

Perplexity AI launches $200 monthly Max plan for unlimited research

Perplexity AI, the search engine that combines traditional web search with artificial intelligence to provide conversational answers, has launched its most expensive subscription tier yet. The new Perplexity Max plan costs $200 per month—or $2,000 annually—positioning the company alongside other premium AI services in an increasingly competitive market. This pricing strategy reflects a broader trend among AI companies targeting power users willing to pay premium rates for enhanced capabilities. The move comes as businesses and professionals increasingly rely on AI tools for research, content creation, and strategic analysis, creating demand for more sophisticated features and unlimited access. What Perplexity Max...

read Jul 7, 2025

Job alert: AI dating startup Keeper seeks science writer for $40K equity role

Keeper, an AI-powered matchmaking startup, recently posted an unusual job listing on LessWrong, a rationalist community forum, seeking a Science Writer and Social Media Manager for what might be one of the most intellectually demanding content creation roles in the dating industry. The position offers a fascinating glimpse into how AI companies are blending relationship science with social media strategy to build more effective matchmaking algorithms. The startup claims an impressive track record: approximately 10% of first dates arranged through their platform lead to marriage. This success rate stems from their approach of using relationship science and evolutionary psychology to...

read Jul 7, 2025

AI safety advocate’s followers allegedly murdered multiple people including Border Patrol agent

An AI safety advocate named Ziz LaSota, whose followers allegedly committed multiple murders including killing a Border Patrol agent, has sparked concerns within the Rationalist movement about extremist rhetoric leading to violence. The case highlights how fringe AI safety beliefs can potentially inspire dangerous cult-like behavior, with some comparing the group's dynamics to the infamous Manson family murders of the 1960s. What you should know: LaSota led a group called "Zizans" who allegedly killed their landlord, parents of a group member, and a Border Patrol agent between 2022 and early 2024. LaSota was obsessed with "Roko's Basilisk," a thought experiment...

read Jul 7, 2025

IBM’s Match Chat brings AI-powered fan love to Wimbledon

IBM and the All England Lawn Tennis Club have launched Match Chat, an interactive AI chatbot powered by IBM's watsonx platform, to answer fans' real-time questions during Wimbledon singles matches. The innovation represents part of a year-round digital transformation strategy aimed at increasing fan engagement and growing tennis's global audience through "snackable content" and interactive experiences. What you should know: The new AI tools are designed to make tennis more accessible and engaging for fans during live matches. Match Chat uses IBM's Granite large language models to respond to both pre-set questions and natural language inputs from fans during singles...

read Jul 7, 2025

Survey: 6 in 10 managers use AI chatbots for promotion – and firing – decisions

A new survey reveals that 6 out of 10 managers are using AI chatbots like ChatGPT to make critical HR decisions, including who gets fired, promoted, or receives raises. The findings highlight a troubling trend where nearly 1 in 5 managers frequently allow AI systems to make the final decision without human oversight, despite well-documented issues with AI reliability and bias. The numbers: ResumeBuilder.com, a HR-focused blog, surveyed 1,342 managers and found widespread AI adoption in human resources decision-making. 78% consulted chatbots when deciding whether to award employee raises 77% used AI to determine promotions 66% relied on AI for...

read Jul 7, 2025

Chic meets geek as L’Oréal partners with Nvidia to scale AI across beauty operations

L'Oréal has announced a major partnership with Nvidia to supercharge its generative AI capabilities across its business operations, joining Nvidia's AI Enterprise microservices ecosystem. This collaboration positions the world's largest cosmetics company to leverage AI for everything from 3D product visualizations to personalized marketing, potentially reshaping how beauty brands design, market, and sell their products. What you should know: L'Oréal's partnership with Nvidia will scale its CreAItech Generative AI platform, which creates visualizations and assets from product models to reduce creative team workload. The collaboration enables automated design and rendering of images and 3D models for marketing and research purposes,...

read Jul 7, 2025

Chinese SMEs outpace global rivals in AI adoption with government backing

Chinese companies hold a significant advantage in AI adoption, with small and medium-sized enterprises showing exceptional willingness to experiment with AI applications for business value. This edge stems from Beijing's strategic positioning of AI as a national priority, creating market conditions that accelerate both innovation and productivity gains. What you should know: Chinese businesses demonstrate a particularly aggressive approach to AI integration compared to their global counterparts. Small and medium-sized Chinese companies have been "very willing to try to capture value from AI adoption," according to Guoli Chen, a strategy professor at INSEAD business school. The Chinese government's designation of...

read Jul 7, 2025

Australian farmers cagey about complex features, desire straightforward AI automation

Australian farmers are approaching artificial intelligence with cautious pragmatism, expressing skepticism about Silicon Valley's promises while demanding simple, reliable automation tools. A new study involving over 35 interviews with livestock producers reveals that farmers want "more automation, less features" and worry about "shit in, shit out" data quality, challenging the tech industry's vision of agriculture's digital transformation. What farmers actually want: Australian livestock producers favor straightforward automation over complex AI systems with numerous features. The phrase "more automation, less features" captures their preference for technologies that reliably perform specific tasks rather than "everything apps" popular in Silicon Valley. Farmers want...

read Jul 7, 2025

Amazon deploys 1M warehouse robots with new AI traffic controller

Amazon has reached a major milestone with over one million warehouse robots deployed across more than 300 fulfillment centers, while unveiling DeepFleet, a new AI foundation model that acts as a traffic controller for its robotic fleet. The achievement marks Amazon's evolution from testing a handful of shelf-moving robots in 2012 to operating a massive automated workforce that the company says creates more jobs rather than eliminating them. The big picture: Amazon's robotics strategy centers on helping human workers access inventory more efficiently rather than replacing them entirely. CEO Andy Jassy recently tweeted the company's north star question: "How can...

read Jul 7, 2025

OpenAI’s $30B Oracle deal fuels Project Stargate AI buildout

OpenAI has been revealed as the customer behind Oracle's massive $30 billion annual cloud computing contract, with the AI company leasing approximately 4.5 gigawatts of data center power to support its expanding artificial intelligence workloads. The deal represents one of the largest cloud computing contracts to date and directly supports OpenAI's ambitious "Project Stargate" initiative to scale AI infrastructure across the United States. What you should know: Oracle will develop multiple data centers across the U.S. as part of this unprecedented cloud computing agreement. Sites under consideration include Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wyoming. Oracle will...

read Jul 7, 2025

Hertz car rental gives keys to AI fleet management system in 160 countries

Hertz has deployed an AI-powered fleet management system called Hertz Connected Fleet OS, built on Palantir Foundry and Palantir AIP, to streamline operations across its 500,000-vehicle fleet and 11,000 locations. The system orchestrates vehicle turnaround, workforce allocation, and customer matching to ensure "the right car, at the right place, at the right time" for the global rental company's operations in 160 countries. How it works: The AI system replaces Hertz's historically low-tech operations that relied on two-way radios and manual coordination across vehicle processing stages. Employees use a lightweight Android app to log their progress through each stage of vehicle...

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