AI News You Should Know About

Taylor Swift Files to Trademark Her Voice and Likeness and Google Gemini can generate PDF, Word and Excel Files

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 21:17:41 +0000

This episode covers the latest AI innovations including Anthropic's integration of Claude into creative apps, Google's new file generation capabilities, OpenAI's potential new phone, and Taylor Swift's AI trademark filings. Stay informed on how AI is transforming creative tools, mobile tech, and celebrity rights.

Anthropic plugged Claude into 9 creative apps including Photoshop, Blender, Ableton, and Fusion, letting you 3D model and edit scenes by prompt. (Anthropic Blog)

Google Gemini can now generate full PDF, Word, Excel, Slides, and LaTeX files directly in chat, killing the copy-paste-into-blank-template loop. (Google Blog)

OpenAI could be making a phone with AI agents replacing apps (TechCrunch)

Taylor Swift Files to Trademark Her Voice and Likeness, Apparently to Protect Against AI Misuse (Variety)

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI News Highlights

00:58 Anthropic's Claude Integration in Creative Apps

03:36 Google Gemini's Document Generation Capabilities

05:37 OpenAI's Potential Smartphone with AI Agents

09:36 Taylor Swift's Trademark for Voice and Likeness

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ChatGPT Images 2.0 from OpenAI is Released and SpaceX Attempts to Purchase Cursor

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:43:03 +0000

This week, we reveal how OpenAI's new ChatGPT Images 2.0 is transforming creative workflows with 2K resolution, native reasoning, and four times the image fidelity, while highlighting the pressing risks of AI vulnerabilities—like the 27-year-old bug uncovered by Anthropic’s Mythos that could crash critical systems.

Links:

OpenAI launched ChatGPT Images 2.0 with native reasoning, 2K resolution, ~99% text accuracy, and up to 8 consistent images per prompt. (OpenAI Blog)

SpaceX struck a $60B option to acquire AI coding startup Cursor later this year, or spend $10B on a Colossus supercomputer collaboration. (Yahoo Finance)

Anthropic’s Mythos autonomously uncovered vulnerabilities that survived 27 years of human review. (Venturebeat)

Bond, a new social media platform, wants to use AI to help you kick your doomscrolling habit (TechCrunch)

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Allbirds Pivots to AI, Meta’s Zuckerberg AI Clone, and Snap Layoffs

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:54:12 +0000

The AI shakeup of 2026: From layoffs to bold pivots

In this episode, we unpack the latest trends shaping the tech landscape—from Snap's layoffs driven by AI automation, to Allbirds' surprising pivot from shoes to GPU manufacturing. We also explore AI advancements like Meta's digital Mark Zuckerberg and Anthropic’s newest models, framing how these developments reflect a fundamental shift in business priorities and strategic thinking.

In this episode:

Snap's plan to cut 16% of its workforce, aiming for $500 million in annual savings via AI-driven automation
The alarming trend of companies preemptively downsizing, unsure of how to deploy AI for efficiency
Anthropic's new models, Claude Opus 4.7 and AI design studios, signaling a move toward more accessible AI tools
Allbirds' unexpected pivot from footwear to AI hardware, illustrating radical diversification during market turbulence
Meta's experiment with AI-generated digital twins of Mark Zuckerberg, raising questions about AI's role in leadership and communication
The broader implications of democratizing AI tools and its impact on quality and industry standards

Timestamps:

00:00 - Weekly AI news roundup: Why layoffs are reshaping Silicon Valley

01:03 - Snap's massive job cuts and the move to AI automation

02:13 - Industry context: Long-term outlook for Snap amid repeated layoffs

03:01 - Anthropic's developments: Claude Opus 4.7 and AI design studios

03:56 - The threat to design tools and creative industries from AI

05:28 - Anthropic's most powerful models and cybersecurity applications

06:48 - Allbirds' unexpected pivot to hardware GPUs and AI solutions

08:38 - Reflection on Allbirds' risky strategic shift

10:25 - Meta's AI Mark Zuckerberg: innovation or overreach?

12:37 - The potential political and organizational implications of AI CEOs

13:07 - Redefining executive value and AI’s role in leadership

14:09 - How to support the show and enter the Amazon gift card giveaway

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A final word:

The rapid pace of AI advancements is reordering the very fabric of corporate strategy—what was once considered innovation is now an existential necessity. As leaders navigate layoffs, pivots, and digital doubles, the key insight is clear: adaptability isn’t optional; it’s survival.

Watch carefully, because in the realm of AI, today’s bold move is tomorrow’s standard practice.

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OpenAI's ChatGPT Thinks It Has a Timer When Sam Altman Says It Does Not

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 23:31:45 +0000

This week's revelations — from AI-powered cybersecurity alliances to public missteps in product capability. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the rapid, sometimes contradictory AI developments, you're not alone—and this episode is your clarifying lens.

Links:

Anthropic’s Project Glasswing partners with major tech companies to deploy Claude for defensive cybersecurity. (Anthropic Blog)

OpenAI’s AGI deployment chief Fidji Simo is taking medical leave, triggering a reshuffle of executive responsibilities at the top of the company. (Wired)

“Sam Altman Watches Awkwardly As He’s Shown Bizarre ChatGPT Issue: “Uh, Maybe, Uhhh…” (Futurism)

Meta is reentering the AI race with a new model called Muse Spark (The Verge)

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4-3-26 - OpenAI Receives $122 Billion in Funding, Becoming the Most Valuable Private Company Ever

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 17:48:51 +0000

This week's discussion of the latest AI headlines include Anthropic's accidental source code leak and OpenAI's record-breaking $122 billion funding round. We also discuss a Stanford study on the risks of seeking personal advice from AI chatbots and survey findings on Americans' trust in AI.

Links:

Anthropic accidentally leaked Claude Code’s full source code, triggering over 8,000 GitHub takedowns in 48 hours. (Tech Crunch)

OpenAI closed a record $122 billion funding round, becoming the most valuable private company ever at an $852 billion valuation. (Tech Crunch)

Stanford study outlines dangers of asking AI chatbots for personal advice (TechCrunch)

1,400 Americans surveyed, more than three-quarters said they don’t trust AI (TechCrunch) / 15% of Americans say they’d be willing to work for an AI boss, according to new poll (TechCrunch)

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3-27-26 - Why OpenAI's Video Venture Failed Despite a $1 Billion Disney Deal

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 16:02:03 +0000

Listen to us unpack the week's most compelling AI news, including OpenAI’s unexpected shutdown of the Sora video app, the White House's new AI policy framework, and Meta’s use of AI to revolutionize shopping on Instagram and Facebook. Stay ahead of the curve with sharp insights on industry shifts, regulatory updates, and corporate strategies.

Links:

OpenAI is shutting down its Sora video generation app, killing a $1B Disney licensing deal that would have brought AI content to Disney+. (Variety)

The White House released an AI policy framework urging Congress to act on regulation, safety standards, and innovation investment. (The White House)

Meta turns to AI to make shopping easier on Instagram and Facebook (TechCrunch)

OpenAI’s plans to make ChatGPT more like Amazon aren’t going so well (TechCrunch)

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3-20-26 - ByteDance's AI Video App Gets Shutdown and Facebook Adds AI to Marketplace

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 20:50:53 +0000

In this episode, we unpack the latest wave of AI-powered innovations and the emerging debates shaping the industry—from government crackdowns on deepfake and AI-generated videos to corporate strategies for scaling AI adoption. We delve into how AI is entering everyday platforms, the potential for industry regulation, and the ethical implications of crowdsourcing labor for AI training.

Links:

Senators tell ByteDance to shut down Seedance 2.0 AI video app 'immediately after it generated videos using real actors and licensed characters without permission. (Endgadget)

Anthropic launched a $100M Claude Partner Network with Accenture, Deloitte, and Cognizant on board. (Anthropic Blog) https://claude.com/partners

Facebook Marketplace now lets Meta AI respond to buyers’ messages (TechCrunch)

DoorDash launches a new ‘Tasks’ app that pays couriers to submit videos to train AI (TechCrunch)

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3-13-26 - OpenAI Includes Sora in ChatGPT and Meta buys AI Only Social Platform

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:31:39 +0000

This week the latest developments in AI include OpenAI's integration of Sora Video Generator into ChatGPT, Perplexity’s enterprise AI platform, Alexa’s new personality style, and Meta’s acquisition of Moltbook, highlighting the future of AI agents.

Links:

1. OpenAI reportedly plans to integrate Sora video generator directly into ChatGPT after the standalone app saw a 45% install drop. (The Verge)

2. Perplexity launched Computer for Enterprise, routing tasks across 20 AI models with 400+ app connectors and Slack integration. (Venture Beat)

3. Alexa+ gets a new ‘adults only’ personality option that curses but won’t get into NSFW content (TechCrunch)

4. Meta’s Moltbook deal points to a future built around AI agents (TechCrunch)

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3-6-26 Meta’s AI Glasses Privacy Problem, Apple’s AI Music Labels & Why NVIDIA Is Pulling Back

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 6 Mar 2026 22:01:22 +0000

Topics Covered This Week

NVIDIA Pulls Back From OpenAI & Anthropic Investments

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang signaled that the company’s recent investments in OpenAI and Anthropic may be the last as both companies approach potential IPOs. The decision could reshape the dynamics between AI infrastructure providers and the companies building large language models.

Google NotebookLM Introduces AI Video Summaries

Google’s NotebookLM is expanding its capabilities with cinematic AI video overviews generated from documents using Gemini and Veo models. The feature allows users to transform written material into narrated visual explanations, representing another step toward multimodal AI productivity tools.

Meta Smart Glasses Lawsuit Raises AI Privacy Concerns

Meta is facing a class-action lawsuit in California over allegations that footage captured by its AI smart glasses was reviewed by subcontracted data annotators, raising questions about user privacy and transparency.

Investigations revealed that workers reviewing the footage encountered sensitive personal content while labeling data used to train AI systems. Read the lawsuit filing here: https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Clarkson_Meta_Class_Action_Complaint-1.pdf

Apple Music Adds AI Transparency Labels

Apple Music is introducing new metadata tags designed to identify when AI is used in music production. The goal is to improve transparency for listeners, though the labeling system is currently voluntary and depends on distributors to disclose AI involvement.

Why This Matters

These stories highlight several key themes shaping the future of artificial intelligence:

The growing economic power dynamics between AI model developers and infrastructure providers
The rapid expansion of multimodal AI tools
Increasing scrutiny around AI privacy and data training practices
Ongoing debates about AI transparency in creative industries

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2-27-26 - Jack Dorsey Laid Off 4,000 Employees and Says Your Company is Next

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 23:34:51 +0000

In this episode, we explore the latest developments in AI, focusing on government influence, corporate partnerships, and societal impacts. Key topics include the Pentagon's use of the Defense Production Act, Meta's partnership with AMD, privacy concerns with smart glasses, and the implications of layoffs at Block.

Links:

U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth gave Anthropic until Friday to drop AI safeguards or face Pentagon blacklist and the Defense Production Act. (Axios)

Meta signed a $60 billion deal with AMD for AI chips over five years, taking direct aim at Nvidia’s GPU dominance. (AMD)

This App Will Detect People Wearing Smart Glasses Near You (Lifehacker)

List of Smart Glasses (Spreadsheet)

Jack Dorsey just halved the size of Block’s employee base — and he says your company is next (Twitter)

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2-20-26 - The Latest AI Was Created Using AI and Why It's Significant

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

This week we discuss the Pentagon's use of Anthropic's Claude AI in Venezuela, NVIDIA's new support for OpenClaw on RTX GPUs, and the implications of AI self-improvement as highlighted by OtherSide AI's CEO. We also explore the challenges of AI advertising, with Perplexity opting out to maintain user trust.

Links:

1.The Pentagon deployed Anthropic’s Claude AI through a Palantir contract during operations in Venezuela targeting Maduro. (AXIOS)

2. NVIDIA now lets users run OpenClaw, a local-first AI personal agent, for free on RTX GPUs and DGX Spark systems using CUDA acceleration. (NVIDIA)

3. “Something Big Is Happening” blog post from co-founder and CEO of applied AI company OthersideAI (Matthew Shumer Blog)

4. Perplexity drops advertising as it warns it will hurt trust in AI (Financial Times)

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2-13-26 xAI Loses Another Cofounder, ChatGPT Rolls Out Ads, Jony Ive Hardware Device Delayed

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 20:47:01 +0000

In this episode, we unpack the latest tumult at Elon Musk’s AI venture, explore the delays in Johnny Ive’s new AI device amid legal battles, analyze the paradox of AI intensifying work rather than reducing it, and examine OpenAI’s introduction of ads—what it means for users and the industry at large. Stay ahead in the AI landscape with clear insights and strategic perspectives.

Key topics:

Elon Musk’s xAI faces leadership upheaval amid co-founder departures and company uncertainties
OpenAI’s Jony Ive-designed hardware delayed to 2027, amid legal challenges affecting product branding
New Harvard Business Review study reveals AI is amplifying workload, fueling burnout not easing it
ChatGPT rolls out ads—industry shift toward monetization and implications for user trust and market dynamics
Industry contrasts: Anthropic’s ad-free stance vs OpenAI’s ad testing, and the future of AI monetization models

Resources & Links:

Elon Musk’s XAI (official site)
Jimmy Ba’s Twitter (for updates)
Harvard Business Review study (search for "AI workload study")
OpenAI Hardware Delay Announcement
ChatGPT Ads Rollout Announcement

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1-9-26 Grok's Controversy, ChatGPT Health and Meta's Ray-Ban Demand Dilemma

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 9 Jan 2026 18:08:50 +0000

This week, we discuss the latest AI headlines, including Meta's decision to pause the global rollout of their Ray-Ban display glasses due to high demand, Grok's controversial generation of sexualized images flagged by France, OpenAI's launch of ChatGPT Health, and Ford's upcoming AI assistant and hands-free tech. Join the discussion on the implications of these developments, exploring privacy concerns, market opportunities, and the future of AI in healthcare and automotive industries.

Links:

1. Meta pauses Ray-Ban Display global rollout: Due to “unprecedented demand” in the US, Meta is delaying international expansion. Waitlists now extend well into 2026 (TechCrunch)

2. Grok Sexual Images Draw Rebuke, France Flags Content as Illegal (Bloomberg)

3. OpenAI unveils ChatGPT Health, says 230 million users ask about health each week (TechCrunch)

4. Ford has an AI assistant and new hands-free BlueCruise tech on the way (TechCrunch)

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1-2-26 - YouTube videos for new users are 20% AI slop

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Sat, 3 Jan 2026 22:24:33 +0000

This week, we discuss how over 20% of videos shown to new YouTube users are AI-generated content, explore Sam Altman's new role focused on AI dangers, and learn about Amazon's Alexa Plus expanding its capabilities. Finally, we discuss Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri's, insights on AI's impact on authenticity - all in under 15 minutes!

Links:

1.More than 20% of videos shown to new YouTube users are ‘AI slop’, study finds (The Guardian)

2.Sam Altman is hiring someone to worry about the dangers of AI (The Verge)

3. Amazon’s AI assistant Alexa+ now works with Angi, Expedia, Square, and Yelp (TechCrunch)

4. The Head of Instagram writes a long post about AI (Instagram)

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12-24-25 - Year in Review and Predictions for 2026

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 15:47:37 +0000

As part of our year in review we discuss the significant developments in AI throughout 2025, highlighting industry shakeups, regulatory challenges, consumer innovations, and the implications for businesses. We also share our predictions for 2026, emphasizing the need for responsible AI implementation and the evolving landscape of AI technology.

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12-5-25 - OpenAI declares an internal "Code Red" to focus on beating Google's Gemini 3

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 5 Dec 2025 21:54:22 +0000

OpenAI declares Code Red on its efforts to compete with Google Gemini while increasing it's referral traffic to major online retailers, Anthropic wants more non-profit clients, and Apple brings on a new AI chief to improve it's offering.

Links:

OpenAI just declared an internal “Code Red” to focus purely on beating Google’s Gemini 3, pausing other projects to win the race. (Matt Wolfe)

Anthropic helps Nonprofits: Claude is now 75% cheaper for nonprofits, launching with GivingTuesday to automate grant writing. (Anthropic)

Apple just named a new AI chief with Google and Microsoft expertise (TechCrunch)

ChatGPT referrals to retailers’ apps increased 28% year-over-year, says report (TechCrunch)

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11-27-25 - Google's New AI Image Tool Nano Banana Pro and OpenAI's Upcoming Hardware Device

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 23:39:07 +0000

This week's news included Google's new Nano Banana Pro image generation tool, Anthropic's findings about it's code generation tools, and Johnny Ive's collaboration with OpenAI to develop innovative AI-enabled hardware devices, focused on a new screenless product expected to launch within two years.

Links:

Google Drops Nano Banana Pro and Changes AI Images Forever (Google)

Anthropic releases new findings on emergent misalignment and reward hacking (Anthropic)

Meta Looks to Power Trading to Support Its AI Energy Needs (Bloomberg)

Sam Altman describes OpenAI’s forthcoming AI device as more peaceful and calm than the iPhone (TechCrunch)

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11-21-25 - Google Rolls Out Gemini 3 Plus Wikipedia's Guide to Detecting AI

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 01:27:17 +0000

In this week's discussion of the latest developments in AI technology, Ashley and Daniel talk about Perplexity's new AI shopping experience, Google's Gemini 3 release, the integration of Gemini into Android Auto, and Wikipedia's guide to detecting AI-generated writing. They also share insights on the implications of these advancements and provide a tech tip for using AI responsibly.

Perplexity rolls out a brand new AI shopping experience just in time for Black Friday (CNET)

Google releases Gemini 3 with major improvements in multimodal reasoning and performance (Google Blog)

Gemini starts rolling out to Android Auto globally (TechCrunch)

Wikipedia’s Guide :Signs of AI writing (Wikipedia)

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11-14-25 - OpenAI unveils Chat-GPT 5.1 with major upgrades in reasoning

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 18:57:36 +0000

This week we discuss groundbreaking updates from OpenAI, Google, and more, shedding light on how these advancements will shape our digital landscape. Our conversation explores the ethical implications of algorithms in policy and legislation, particularly focusing on how they affect pricing and fairness. It highlights the need for human oversight in algorithmic decision-making and commends New York for its pioneering efforts in regulating these technologies.

Links:

OpenAI unveils GPT-5.1 with major upgrades in reasoning + multimodal AI (OpenAI)

Google updates Search Images with new browsing & organization features (Google)

Even Realities’ new smart glasses ditch cameras and speakers (The Verge)

Attorney General James Warns New Yorkers About Algorithmic Pricing as New Law Takes Effect (NY.gov)

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11-7-25 - Elon Musk's xAI Girlfriend required employees to train it with their biometric data

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 7 Nov 2025 18:30:13 +0000

Today we talk about controversial project by Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, which involves creating an AI girlfriend named Ani. Employees are required to submit biometric data to enhance the AI's human-like interactions. The project raises ethical questions about privacy and consent, especially as employees must sign release forms allowing the use of their likenesses. We also get into Apple's plan to use Gemini to power Siri, plus OpenAI's deal with Amazon and the Sora app now being available on Android.

Links:

Apple to pay Google $1B yearly to power Siri with Gemini - A major deal could make Google Gemini the brains behind Apple’s next-gen Siri (Tech Crunch)

xAI used employee biometric data to train Elon Musk’s AI girlfriend (The Verge)

OpenAI strikes $38 billion AI training deal with Amazon (The Verge)

OpenAI launches its Sora app on Android (The Verge)

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10-31-25 - Chat-GPT Integrates with PayPal and Microsoft's Partnership with Open-AI Expands

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 14:35:29 +0000

Chat-GPT announces a PayPal integration, the Microsoft-OpenAI partnership makes some big leaps, another nuclear power plant is getting brought back online to provide power for AI, and we talk about the security challenges for AI browsers.

Links:

Chat-GPT Enters E-Commerce Mode with PayPal Integration (Paypal Newsroom)

The next chapter of the Microsoft–OpenAI partnership (OpenAI)

AI browsers are a cybersecurity time bomb (The Verge)

Another shuttered nuclear power plant is getting new life, thanks to Big Tech (The Verge)

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10-24-25 - OpenAI Launches a Browser called ChatGPT Atlas and Meta Lays Off 600 in AI Division

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 16:21:40 +0000

Today we get into OpenAI's launch of a web browser called ChatGPT Atlas, Reddit's lawsuit against Perplexity for data scraping, Meta's job cuts in its AI division, and Amazon's introduction of AI smart glasses for delivery drivers. The conversation highlights the implications of these advancements and the ongoing challenges in data ownership and privacy.

Links:

Goodbye Chrome? OpenAI Enters the Browser Wars with ChatGPT Atlas (OpenAI)

Reddit sues Perplexity AI for alleged large-scale data scraping to train its models (The Verge)

Meta slashes 600 jobs in its AI operations (Axios)

Amazon unveils AI smart glasses for its delivery drivers (TechCrunch)

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10-17-25 - OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says they're not "moral police" but Sora 2 allows Copyright Infringement

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 22:27:50 +0000

Today on the show, we talk about OpenAI for multiple reasons, including their business plan and revenue goals, plus their allowance of erotic material, along with how easy they make copyright infringement using Sora 2. We also talk about a new startup bringing conversational AI to job hunting.

Links:

Sam Altman says OpenAI isn’t ‘moral police of the world’ after erotica ChatGPT post blows up (CNBC)

OpenAI makes five-year business plan to meet $1 Trillion spending pledges (Financial Times)

Japanese Government Calls on Sora 2 Maker OpenAI to Refrain From Copyright Infringement, Says Characters From Manga and Anime Are 'Irreplaceable Treasures' That Japan Boasts to the World (IGN)

Startup Jack & Jill raises $20 million to bring conversational AI to job-hunting (TechCrunch)

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10-10-25 - OpenAI and Nvidia's interconnected business tractions, ChatGPT plans to have an Operating System

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 19:02:08 +0000

Today on the show, we dive into some concerns about the entire AI industry and how all the money is flowing between companies, creating an inflated sense of value. Additionally the City of New York is suing Meta, Alphabet, Snap and ByteDance, accusing them of creating mental health problems by getting children addicted to social media, ChatGPT plans an Operating System and Sora gives rights-holders more control.

Links:

Nvidia's and OpenAI's wave of deals is escalating concerns that the $1T+ AI boom is being artificially propped up by interconnected business transactions (Bloomberg)

New York City sues Meta, Alphabet, Snap, and ByteDance, accusing them of fueling a mental health crisis among children by addicting them to social media (Reuters)

OpenAI’s Nick Turley (Head of ChatGPT) on transforming ChatGPT into an operating system (TechCrunch)

Changes to Sora, giving rights-holders more control and revenue generation, plus revenue sharing (Sam Altman’s Blog)

Ashley Coffey: (Instagram) (Threads)

AI Newsletter (Subscribe!)

Coffey and Consult (Website) (Podcast)

Daniel Hill: (Instagram) (Threads)

The Instagram Stories - Social Media News (Podcast)

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10-3-25 - Meta and Open AI Launch Social Media Feeds with AI Only Content

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 3 Oct 2025 20:13:38 +0000

This week on the show, we talk about an AI-generated actress who's making headlines, Meta's new plans to sell targeted ads based on what's inside your AI chats, plus Meta and Open AI launching social media feeds of only AI content.

Links:

AI-Generated Actress Draws a Rebuke From Actors Union (Reuters)

Meta plans to sell targeted ads based on data in your AI chats (TechCrunch)

AI apps with social media feeds - Meta AI app gets Vibes and ChatGPT launches Sora

Ashley Coffey: (Instagram) (Threads)

AI Newsletter (Subscribe!)

Coffey and Consult (Website) (Podcast)

Daniel Hill: (Instagram) (Threads)

The Instagram Stories - Social Media News (Podcast)

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9-26-25 - OpenAI launches ChatGPT Pulse for News and Grok Cleared for US Government Use

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 03:03:31 +0000

This week we discuss TikTok becoming a separate American company, Elon Musk's AI Grok being cleared for use across government agencies, Open AI's new ChatGPT Pulse tool that will create morning briefings for you, and Spotify's new AI policy changes to label AI music.

Links:

Trump signs executive order supporting proposed deal to put TikTok under US ownership (Associated Press)

Musk’s Grok AI Cleared for Use Across US Government Agencies (Axois)

OpenAI launches ChatGPT Pulse to proactively write you morning briefs (TechCrunch)

Spotify to label AI music, filter spam and more in AI policy change (TechCrunch)

Ashley Coffey: (Instagram) (Threads)

AI Newsletter (Subscribe!)

Coffey and Consult (Website) (Podcast)

Daniel Hill: (Instagram) (Threads)

The Instagram Stories - Social Media News (Podcast)

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9-12-25 - OpenAI and Microsoft Expand Their Partnership and Anthropic Works on Settling Lawsuit

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 14:56:03 +0000

This week we discuss the evolving partnership between OpenAI and Microsoft, the controversial $1.5 billion settlement involving pirated books, a new podcast company that plans to make AI podcasts on the cheap and a new California bill aimed at regulating AI companion chatbots.

Links:

OpenAI and Microsoft say they have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding for the next phase of their partnership, and are working to finalize terms (Axios)

Judge skewers $1.5B Anthropic settlement with authors in pirated books case over AI training (AP News)

5,000 Podcasts. 3,000 Episodes a Week. $1 Cost Per Episode — Behind an AI Start Up’s Plan (Hollywood Reporter)

A California bill that would regulate AI companion chatbots is close to becoming law (TechCrunch)

Ashley Coffey: (Instagram) (Threads)

AI Newsletter (Subscribe!)

Coffey and Consult (Website) (Podcast)

Daniel Hill: (Instagram) (Threads)

The Instagram Stories - Social Media News (Podcast)

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9-5-25 - Instagram Launches an iPad app and Apple Siri will Include Gemini

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 5 Sep 2025 17:25:17 +0000

This week we talk about Meta's long-awaited launch of Instagram for iPad, Google's recent antitrust case and stock surge, Apple's plans for an AI-powered web search tool using Google, and insights from a year of using Meta's smart glasses. The conversation also touches on privacy concerns surrounding smart glasses and personal experiences with AI tools.

Links:

Meta launches Instagram for iPadOS, 15 years after its iOS debut; it is slightly different than the mobile app (TechMeme)

Google stock jumps 8% after search giant avoids worst-case penalties in antitrust case (CNBC)

Apple Plans AI-Powered Web Search Tool for Siri to Rival OpenAI, Perplexity (Bloomberg)

What I've Learned After Nearly a Year of Wearing Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses (Lifehacker)

Ashley Coffey (Instagram) (Threads)

Coffey and Consult (Website) (Podcast)

Daniel Hill (Instagram) (Threads)

The Instagram Stories - Social Media News (Podcast)

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8-29-25 - Using AI to Vibe Hack and to handle non-emergency 911 calls

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 16:39:51 +0000

This week we discuss the emerging threat of vibe hacking, a lawsuit by Elon Musk's xAI against Apple and OpenAI, the use of AI in 911 centers to manage non-emergency calls, and Google Translate's new language learning features aimed at competing with Duolingo. The conversation highlights the implications of these advancements and the importance of digital literacy in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Links:

Vibe-hacking’ is now a top AI threat (The Verge)

Elon Musk's xAI sues Apple and OpenAI over AI competition, App Store rankings (Reuters)

911 centers are so understaffed, they’re turning to AI to answer calls (TechCrunch)

Google Translate takes on Duolingo with new language learning tools (TechCrunch)

Ashley Coffey (Instagram) (Threads)

Coffey and Consult (Website) (Podcast)

Daniel Hill (Instagram) (Threads)

The Instagram Stories - Social Media News (Podcast)

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8-22-25 - AI in corporations isn't working as well as it does for individuals

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:51:17 +0000

This week we dive an MIT report into how AI in corporations isn't working as well as it does for individuals, Claude being able to stop inappropriate conversations, AI glasses with a heads-up display, and a Google Photos new feature that gives the ability to edit photos without needing Photoshop or a graphic designer.

Links:

MIT report: 95% of generative AI pilots at companies are failing (Fortune.com)

Claude Opus 4 and 4.1 can now end a rare subset of conversations (Anthropic)

Harvard dropouts to launch ‘always on’ AI smart glasses that listen and record every conversation (TechCrunch)

You Can Now Talk to Google Photos To Make Your Edits (TechCrunch)

Ashley Coffey (Instagram) (Threads)

Coffey and Consult (Website) (Podcast)

Daniel Hill (Instagram) (Threads)

The Instagram Stories - Social Media News (Podcast)

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8-15-25 - AI Chip Makers Pay the US Government, Meta's AI Chatbot is out of control, and more

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 10:51:01 +0000

This week we discuss US embedding trackers in AI shipments to prevent diversion to China, an unusual agreement for the US to receive a cut of Nvidia and AMD chip sales to China, and a troubling incident involving Meta's AI chatbot and a senior citizen. We also explore the implications of ChatGPT's model changes and the emotional attachment users have to AI models.

Show Links:

US embeds trackers in AI chip shipments to catch diversions to China, sources say (Reuters)

US will get a 15% cut of Nvidia and AMD chip sales to China under a new, unusual agreement (PBS)

Meta’s flirty AI chatbot invited a retiree to New York - He Never Made It Home (Reuters)

ChatGPT Model Switching - (TechCrunch)

ChatGPT Rollout Explainer (Instagram)

Ashley Coffey (Instagram) (Threads)

Coffey and Consult (Website) (Podcast)

Daniel Hill (Instagram) (Threads)

The Instagram Stories - Social Media News (Podcast)

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8-8-25 - Grok's Deepfake Videos, Perplexity vs. Cloudflare and Google's Genie 3 AI Video Creation Tool

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Sat, 9 Aug 2025 18:01:55 +0000

This week we're discussing Grok's controversial deepfake tool, OpenAI's legal battles with the New York Times, Perplexity's fight against Cloudflare and Google's groundbreaking Genie 3 model for video creation.

In this episode of "AI News You Should Know About," hosts Ashley Coffey and Daniel Hill explore the cutting-edge developments in artificial intelligence that are making headlines. They kick off with a discussion on Grok's new generative AI video tool, which has sparked controversy by creating deepfakes of celebrities like Taylor Swift without explicit user prompting. The hosts delve into the ethical implications and the need for robust safeguards to prevent misuse of such technology. They also touch on the ongoing legal battle between OpenAI and the New York Times, highlighting the complexities of intellectual property rights in the age of AI.

The conversation continues with an analysis of Perplexity's stealthy web crawling tactics and Google's innovative Genie 3 model, which promises to revolutionize interactive 3D environments. Ashley and Daniel provide insights into how these advancements could reshape content creation and consumption, while also pondering the potential societal impacts. Tune in to stay informed about the latest AI trends and their far-reaching consequences.

Links:

Grok's new “spicy” option on its generative AI video tool Imagine produces nude deepfakes of celebrities like Taylor Swift, even without explicit user prompting (The Verge)

OpenAI offers 20 million user chats in ChatGPT lawsuit. NYT wants 120 million (Ars Technica)

Perplexity is using stealth, undeclared crawlers to evade website no-crawl directives (Cloudflare) Some people are defending Perplexity after Cloudflare ‘named and shamed’ it (TechCrunch)

Google’s DeepMind thinks its new Genie 3 world model presents a stepping stone toward AGI (TechCrunch)

Ashley Coffey (Instagram) (Threads)

Coffey and Consult (Website) (Podcast)

Daniel Hill (Instagram) (Threads)

The Instagram Stories - Social Media News (Podcast)

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8-1-25 - ChatGPT's Agent and What Jobs Are Safe From AI

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Fri, 1 Aug 2025 20:30:31 +0000

We're discussing ChatGPT's ability to bypass CAPTCHA tests, YouTube's new age verification measures for minors, Amazon's funding of an AI-driven streaming service, and Microsoft's insights on jobs most likely to be replaced by AI.

Links:

ChatGPT Agent Casually Clicks Through I Am Not A Robot Verification Test (Ars Technica)

YouTube will identify and restrict minors’ accounts with AI (The Verge)

Amazon just funded a streamer that lets you use AI to make your own TV shows. Read its pitch to Hollywood studios. (Business Insider)

Microsoft Study - Working with AI: Measuring the Occupational Implications of Generative AI (Cornell University)

Ashley Coffey (Instagram) (Threads)

Coffey and Consult (Website) (Podcast)

Daniel Hill (Instagram) (Threads)

The Instagram Stories - Social Media News (Podcast)

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7-26-25 - News from Anthropic, Microsoft and a new privacy focused AI assistant

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 16:36:08 +0000

Today we talk Anthropic's leaked memo about seeking funding from Gulf states, the recent Microsoft SharePoint hack involving ransomware, Proton's new privacy-focused AI assistant, and the US government's new directives on AI development. The conversation highlights the ethical implications of AI funding, cybersecurity threats, privacy concerns, and the evolving landscape of AI regulations.

Links:

Leaked Memo: Anthropic CEO Says the Company Will Pursue Gulf State Investments After All (Wired)

Microsoft says some SharePoint server hackers now using ransomware (Reuters)

Proton’s new privacy-first AI assistant encrypts all chats, keeps no logs (Techcrunch)

The US Government Issues New Directives on AI Development (Social Media Today)

Ashley Coffey (Instagram) (Threads)

Coffey and Consult (Website) (Podcast)

Daniel Hill (Instagram) (Threads)

The Instagram Stories - Social Media News (Podcast)

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7-19-25 - Chat-GPT AI Agents, Open Source Social Media, AI Regulation and More

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Ashley Coffey, Daniel Hill) — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 11:04:19 +0000

Today we dive into Open AI's new Chat-GPT agent, Jack Dorsey's investment in an open source social media platform, Meta refusing to sign the EU's AI code of Practice, and Open AI leveraging Google's Cloud for Chat-GPT.

Welcome to "AI News that you should know about" with your hosts, Ashley Coffey and Daniel Hill! This week, we dive into the latest and most impactful AI developments you need to know about.

Episode Highlights:

OpenAI's New ChatGPT Agent: Discover OpenAI's latest ChatGPT agent, which can control an entire virtual computer and perform tasks for you. This innovative tool combines the "operator" model (task-oriented) and "deep research" model (for exhaustive research) to create a powerful agent. The agent creates a virtual environment with a visual browser and command line, designed to handle "menial tasks" that are time-consuming. It is highly tailored for outputs like spreadsheets and PowerPoints, and demonstrations have shown its ability to plan trips, manage budgets, and even find the best travel prices by avoiding price trackers. While initial tasks might take time and aren't always 100% successful, its potential for offloading numerous daily tasks is significant.
Jack Dorsey Invests in Open-Source Social Media: Learn about Jack Dorsey, Twitter co-founder and Block CEO, who has invested $10 million in a nonprofit focused on open-source social media. This effort aims to fund experimental projects to transform the social media landscape, which has seen little change since its inception. The funds are funneled through an online collective called "and other stuff," formed in May, whose team includes Dorsey, Twitter's first employee Evan Henshaw Pla Hay, and others. The group has collaborated on Noster, an open, apolitical social networking protocol, and will experiment with other tools like ActivityPub, which powers Mastodon. The core idea is decentralization and the "Fediverse," aiming for a future where a singular social account can travel with users across platforms, eliminating the need for multiple accounts. This initiative explores the possibility of open-source social media where revenue is possible without ads or selling data. However, the permanence of information pushed to wider networks in the Fediverse means it cannot be easily retracted.
Meta Refuses to Sign EU's AI Code of Practice: We discuss Meta's refusal to sign the European Union's voluntary AI Code of Practice, which is part of the EU's broader AI Act. This framework aims to control AI usage, manage AI access to information, and establish guidelines and guardrails for corporations operating in the EU. Key components include updating documentation about AI tools, banning training AI on pirated content, and requiring companies to comply with content owners' requests not to use their work in AI datasets. Meta's Chief Global Affairs Officer, Joel Kaplan, stated their refusal due to "legal uncertainties" and measures that "go far beyond the scope of the AI act," echoing concerns from other European businesses that it could "throttle the development and deployment of frontier AI models". Ashley Coffey interprets Meta's stance as prioritizing "profit over humanity," suggesting the EU is trying to "slam the brakes on the impact of AI on society," particularly concerning creative output and intellectual property. Europe has a strong history of protecting citizens through data protection laws.
OpenAI Quietly Turns to Google Systems: Finally, we cover OpenAI's quiet move to add Google Cloud as an official service provider to power ChatGPT and other AI products. Despite being backed by Microsoft and seen as a direct competitor to Google, OpenAI needs external infrastructure support to stabilize its rapidly growing systems. Ashley Coffey notes that 80-90% of the world's infrastructure is on Google or Amazon Web Services. This strategic partnership is seen as beneficial for pushing innovation forward and leveraging better negotiations and collaborations OpenAI has had with Google compared to Microsoft. This move is also speculated to be strategic given Google's antitrust lawsuit and the potential for OpenAI (and Yahoo) to acquire Google Chrome if it were to break away from Google.

Links:

OpenAI’s new ChatGPT Agent can control an entire computer and do tasks for you (The Verge)

Jack Dorsey pumps $10M into a nonprofit focused on open source social media (TechCrunch)

Meta refuses to sign EU’s AI code of practice (TechCrunch)

OpenAI Quietly Turns to Google to Stay Online (Gizmodo)

Connect with the Hosts:

Ashley Coffey (Instagram) (Threads)

Coffey and Consult (Website) (Podcast)

Daniel Hill (Instagram) (Threads)

The Instagram Stories - Social Media News (Podcast)

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7-10-25 - Meta's AI Glasses Revolution + BitChat

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 15:29:37 +0000

In this episode of AI News, hosts Ashley Coffey and Daniel Hill discuss significant developments in the AI landscape, including Meta's investment in AI glasses, Jack Dorsey's new messaging app BitChat, OpenAI's upcoming web browser, and Cloudflare's initiative to protect content creators from AI scraping. The conversation highlights the implications of these innovations for technology and society.

Links:

1. Meta Invests $3.5 Billion in World's Largest Eye-Wear Maker in Al Glasses Push (Yahoo Finance)

This isn't a new partnership or next phase. Meta and EssilorLuxottica have spent years co-developing AI-enabled glasses that combine design credibility with tech capability. The Ray-Ban Meta models already offer real-time AI features like image-captioning and voice-accessed stock updates, with Oakley-branded variants also hitting the market. Analysts view the deal as another sign Meta is serious about carving out a long-term position in wearable AI. In Meta's eyes, smart glasses could finally give it something it's lacked: a native hardware platform that bypasses phones and puts its ecosystem front and center.

2. Jack Dorsey launches a WhatsApp messaging rival built on Bluetooth (CNBC)

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey announced a new peer-to-peer messaging app that works entirely over Bluetooth.
Chats are encrypted, ephemeral and stored only on-device — with no accounts, phone numbers, or servers involved.
The app is now live in beta on TestFlight, with future updates set to add WiFi Direct for faster, longer-range communication

3. OpenAI to release web browser in challenge to Google Chrome (Reuters)

OpenAI is close to releasing an AI-powered web browser that will challenge Alphabet's market-dominating Google Chrome, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The browser is slated to launch in the coming weeks, three of the people said, and aims to use artificial intelligence to fundamentally change how consumers browse the web. It will give OpenAI more direct access to a cornerstone of Google's success: user data.A web browser would allow OpenAI to directly integrate its AI agent products such as Operator into the browsing experience, enabling the browser to carry out tasks on behalf of the user, the people said.

OpenAI's browser is built atop Chromium, Google's own open-source browser code, two of the sources said. Chromium is the source code for Google Chrome, as well as many competing browsers including Microsoft's Edge and Opera.

4. The New Internet Sheriff Takes a Shot at Google (Gizmodo)

Earlier this month, Cloudflare launched what it called “Content Independence Day,” a policy change that blocks AI companies from scraping the websites it protects unless they compensate content creators. The move challenges the decades-old web economy where companies like Google could freely index content in exchange for traffic and replaces it with a new, much tougher standard: no more crawling without a deal.

But the real story is what happened next.
In a series of unfiltered X (formerly Twitter) replies over several days, Prince revealed that Cloudflare is already treating some AI giants as violators, signaling a dramatic power shift in who sets the rules of the web.

In short: Cloudflare wants to protect the very idea that content has value. Think of Cloudflare as a massive, intelligent security guard and express delivery service for your website. When someone tries to access your site, their request often goes through Cloudflare’s global network first. Cloudflare can then block malicious traffic, speed up content delivery, and, crucially, identify and control specific types of automated bots, like AI crawlers, before they ever reach your website’s actual server. In the emerging AI arms race, that makes Cloudflare one of the most important gatekeepers on the internet.

First: stop the crawlers. Second: build a marketplace where AI engines pay creators not for traffic, but for value, or how well their content fills knowledge gaps in AI models. Think of it as SEO for the post-search web.
One of the most notable admissions? “Gemini is blocked by default,” Prince wrote on July 3, referring to Google’s AI model. In other words, Google’s AI agents are no longer welcome to freely ingest data from websites protected by Cloudflare unless Google complies with new rules or pays. Prince’s comments go further than most CEOs in tech have dared. While others issue vague calls for “AI safety” or “fair licensing,” he’s laying out the next steps.

Technically speaking, Cloudflare can enforce these rules by identifying AI user agents, basically the software labels that crawlers use, and blocking them automatically unless allowed. For instance, it can block Gemini (Google), Claude (Anthropic), and ChatGPT (OpenAI) from accessing content unless a publisher explicitly whitelists them.

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7-3-25 - Blocking AI from Scraping Content and a Physical Ad Blocker

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (Daniel Hill) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 15:13:12 +0000

In this episode, Ashley Coffey and Daniel Hill discuss the latest AI news, focusing on CloudFlare's new technology to block AI bots from scraping content, Meta's controversial use of AI to access users' camera rolls, an innovative ad blocker for real life, and Mark Zuckerberg's ambitions for AI to manage personal data and tasks. The conversation highlights the ethical implications and privacy concerns surrounding these advancements in AI technology.

Links:

1. Cloudflare vs AI Bots: A Game-Changer for Publishers: Millions of websites, including major publishers, can now block AI bots from scraping their content without permission! (TechCrunch)

Key Highlights:
Cloudflare launches tech to block AI crawlers and protect creator content.
Future plans include a “Pay Per Crawl” model letting creators charge AI firms.
Some experts argue that stronger legal protections are still needed.
Publishers hail this as a major step toward fair value exchange and accountability for AI companies.

2. Facebook is asking to use Meta AI on photos in your camera roll you haven’t yet shared (TechCrunch)

Key Highlights:
Facebook is asking users for access to their phone’s camera roll to automatically suggest AI-edited versions of their photos — including ones that haven’t been uploaded to Facebook yet. The feature is being suggested to Facebook users when they’re creating a new Story on the social networking app. As the pop-up message explains, by clicking “Allow,” you’ll let Facebook generate new ideas from your camera roll, like collages, recaps, AI restylings, or photo themes.
To work, Facebook says it will upload media from your camera roll to its cloud (meaning its servers) on an “ongoing basis,” based on information like time, location, or themes. However, by tapping “Allow,” you are agreeing to Meta’s ToS. This allows your media and facial features to be analyzed by AI. The company will additionally use the date and presence of people or objects in your photos to craft its creative ideas. The creative tool is another example of the slippery slope that comes with sharing our personal media with AI providers. Like other tech giants, Meta has grand AI ambitions. Being able to tap into the personal photos users haven’t yet shared on Facebook’s social network could give the company an advantage in the AI race. Unfortunately for end users, in tech companies’ rush to stay ahead, it’s not always clear what they’re agreeing to when features like this appear.

3. Someone Built an Ad Blocker for Real Life, and I Can't Wait to Try It (Lifehacker)

Key Highlights:

Someone built an XR app for Snapchat Spectacles that blocks ads, and puts giant squares in front of them.
I hate ads. I use an ad-blocker on all my web usage (shout out to uBlock Origin!) I use a version of TikTok with no ads, I use a version of Instagram with no ads, I stream shows with no commercials, and I want to extend that to my real-life as much as possible.
Excited to see this come to life and would love to see it work on televisions.

4. Mark Zuckerberg Already Knows Your Life. Now He Wants His AI to Run It (Gizmodo)

Key Highlights:
The CEO of Meta, Mark Zuckerburg, is hiring a team of AI power hires, in a bid to be as ready as possible for where the world is going.

Zuckerberg now wants to build a new generation of models capable of what insiders call frontier performance. In simple terms, this means AI that can reason, plan, adapt, and act with little to no human instruction. This is the kind of AI that doesn’t just answer your questions. It runs your life.

Through Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, the company already knows more about you than most of your friends do. It has spent the last 15 years quietly building a behavioral map of billions of people, tracking who you talk to, what you look at, what you say, and what you buy. That treasure trove of intimate data is now fuel for the next phase

Zuckerberg’s vision is for “agentic AI,” or AI that can take actions on your behalf. Imagine an always on, infinitely capable, personalized intelligence that lives on your phone, in your glasses, and across all your devices.
You don’t schedule meetings, it does.
You don’t organize your travel, it has already booked it.
You don’t wonder what job to apply for, it is already editing your résumé and simulating the interview.
You don’t ask what to wear, it saw your calendar and laid out your outfit.

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6-27-25 - The Future of Copyright: AI and Anthropic

skaorsk8@yahoo.com (daniel hill, ashley coffey) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:57:02 +0000

In this episode, Ashley Coffey and Daniel Hill discuss the evolving landscape of job applications influenced by AI, the implications of copyright in AI training as seen in the Anthropic case, the advancements in Google Photos' search capabilities, and the introduction of Google's Doppel app for virtual outfit visualization. They explore the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in various sectors, emphasizing the need for standards and efficiency in technology.

Links:

LinkedIn’s CEO Has Advice to Help AI-Proof Your Career - Bloomberg

Claude AI maker Anthropic bags key “fair use” win for AI platforms, but faces trial over damages for millions of pirated works

Google Photos merges classic search with AI to speed up results

Google launches Doppl, a new app that lets you visualize how an outfit might look on you

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