In light of Meta’s recent decision to dismantle its third-party fact-checking system and loosen content moderation policies, many users are reconsidering their presence on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Google searches for how to delete these accounts have surged as users express frustration over what they perceive as a shift toward becoming a breeding ground for misinformation and polarizing content. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s comments that third-party fact-checkers were “too politically biased” for his vision of “free expression” have only fueled the backlash. Critics accuse him of prioritizing profit and political alliances over user safety. For instance, just days…
Author: Intern
Artificial intelligence tools like generative AI are revolutionizing the way we work, but at what cost? A recent study conducted by researchers from Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University sheds light on a concerning trend: overreliance on AI may be dulling our critical thinking skills. The study, which surveyed 319 professionals who use generative AI at least once a week, reveals that when people depend too heavily on AI, their cognitive efforts shift from higher-order thinking—such as creating, evaluating, and analyzing information—to merely verifying whether an AI’s output is “good enough.” This shift, the researchers argue, can lead to the deterioration…
Google has expanded NotebookLM Plus, a paid version of its AI-powered note-taking and research assistant, to individual users subscribed to the Google One AI Premium plan. This expansion comes nearly two months after its initial release for enterprises via Google Cloud and Google Workspace. First unveiled in December, following an earlier pilot, NotebookLM Plus provides users with higher usage limits and premium features compared to the free version of NotebookLM. These features include 5 times more usage, 500 notebooks, 300 sources per notebook, up to 500 chat queries, and 20 audio generations per day. Now, individual users can access all…
DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company making waves in Silicon Valley and Wall Street, has come under increasing scrutiny for its latest AI model, R1. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the R1 model is significantly more vulnerable to jailbreaking, which refers to manipulating AI systems to produce harmful or illicit content. This includes potentially dangerous instructions such as creating bioweapons or promoting campaigns that prey on vulnerable individuals. Read the full Wall Street Journal report here. Sam Rubin, Senior Vice President at Palo Alto Networks’ threat intelligence division Unit 42, stated that DeepSeek’s R1 model is “more…
Elon Musk recently clarified that he has no interest in acquiring TikTok, despite speculation linking him to a potential deal for the popular social media platform. During an interview at the WELT Economic Summit on January 28, Musk dismissed rumors, stating he is “not chomping at the bit to acquire TikTok.” A video of the interview was published today, offering further insight into his stance. The remarks come amid developments surrounding TikTok’s future in the United States. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump delayed legislation that would require TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance , to sell the app or face a…
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is set to strengthen its presence in Europe by opening its first office in Germany. The new office, located in Munich, is expected to launch in the coming months, marking a significant step in OpenAI’s global expansion strategy. “Germany is renowned for its technical expertise, academic excellence, and industrial innovation,” said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in a statement. “Opening our first office in Germany means we can help even more people, businesses, and institutions benefit from AI’s possibilities.” The decision to establish a foothold in Munich follows extensive discussions between OpenAI and German officials that…
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has raised serious concerns regarding DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company that has gained significant attention in Silicon Valley, particularly with its R1 model. While much of the discourse surrounding DeepSeek has centered on data privacy and its ties to China, Amodei’s warnings focus on an even more alarming issue: the model’s performance in critical safety tests related to bioweapons information. In a recent interview on Jordan Schneider’s ChinaTalk podcast, Amodei disclosed that DeepSeek’s model performed “the worst of basically any model we’d ever tested” during a bioweapons data safety evaluation conducted by Anthropic. According to Amodei,…
OpenAI co-founder John Schulman, who recently departed from AI startup Anthropic after just five months, is reportedly joining forces with former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati at her highly secretive new venture, according to Fortune. While details about Schulman’s specific role remain unclear, the move signals a significant reunion of top-tier AI talent under Murati’s leadership. Since leaving OpenAI in September, Murati has kept tight-lipped about her new project, but sources indicate she has been actively recruiting former OpenAI colleagues to join her team. Among them is Christian Gibson, a key member of OpenAI’s supercomputing team. Murati’s ambitious plans for the…
In a move to address growing competition from rivals like Chinese AI company DeepSeek, OpenAI is rolling out a significant update to its newest AI model, o3-mini , that provides users with more visibility into its step-by-step reasoning process. On Thursday, OpenAI announced that both free and paid users of ChatGPT , the company’s popular AI-powered chatbot platform, will now see an enhanced “chain of thought” (CoT) feature. This update offers a clearer breakdown of how the model arrives at its answers, providing users with greater transparency and confidence in its responses. Subscribers to premium ChatGPT plans using o3-mini in…
Boston Dynamics has announced a groundbreaking partnership aimed at advancing the capabilities of its electric Atlas humanoid robot through improved reinforcement learning. The collaboration is with the Robotics & AI Institute (RAI Institute) , formerly known as The Boston Dynamics AI Institute, which was founded by Marc Raibert, the visionary behind Boston Dynamics and its former CEO for three decades. This partnership underscores Boston Dynamics’ commitment to pushing the boundaries of humanoid robotics, leveraging cutting-edge AI research to tackle the unique challenges posed by bipedal systems like Atlas. With Hyundai’s backing—both Boston Dynamics and the RAI Institute are tied to…
SoftBank is reportedly closing in on a deal to acquire Ampere Computing, the semiconductor company founded by former Intel executive Renee James, for approximately $6.5 billion. This potential acquisition comes amid ongoing speculation about Ampere’s ownership structure and its future direction. If finalized, the deal would position SoftBank as a dominant player in the ARM-based data center chip market, further solidifying its influence in the semiconductor ecosystem. According to Bloomberg, the $6.5 billion valuation reflects a significant reduction from Ampere’s $8 billion valuation in 2021, when SoftBank was initially considering a minority stake investment. While Ampere has declined to comment…
Google Search is undergoing a profound transformation, evolving from a traditional search engine into a more dynamic AI-powered assistant. During Google’s earnings call on Tuesday, CEO Sundar Pichai described this shift as part of an ongoing “journey” centered around artificial intelligence. The journey began with the introduction of AI overviews, a controversial yet groundbreaking change in how Google delivers information to its billions of users. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. “As AI continues to expand the universe of queries people can ask, 2025 is going to be one of the biggest years for search innovation yet,”…
Cashfree, an Indian payments startup that processes over $80 billion annually for its customers, has secured $53 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its valuation to $700 million. The round was led by Krafton, the creator of global gaming hits like PUBG and BGMI, with participation from existing investor Apis Growth Fund. The investment marks an unusual yet strategic partnership between a gaming giant and a fintech firm, highlighting the growing convergence of digital content and financial services. To date, Cashfree has raised nearly $100 million, fueling its ambitions to expand its footprint in international markets, particularly in…
Adam Candeub, a prominent critic of Big Tech and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, is set to join the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as its new general counsel. The news was first reported by Semafor, citing direct confirmation from FCC chairman Brendan Carr. TechCrunch has reached out to the FCC for additional details. Candeub has been a long-standing advocate for reforming Section 230, which shields tech companies and online service providers from liability for user-generated content on their platforms. Critics of repealing Section 230 argue that doing so would make tech platforms liable for user posts, potentially leading…
Presentations.ai, an innovative Indian startup leveraging artificial intelligence to help businesses create presentation decks quickly and efficiently, has secured $3 million in a seed funding round led by Accel. The Bengaluru-based company aims to scale its AI-powered software, which has already amassed over 5 million users globally since its public beta launch in 2023. Presentations are a cornerstone of business communication, used for acquiring clients, updating investors, and sharing internal milestones. However, crafting compelling presentations remains a time-consuming challenge for many organizations. Sumanth Raghavendra, co-founder and CEO of Presentations.ai, highlighted this pain point in an exclusive interview with TechCrunch. “People…