Google's newest flagship model launched with 1 million token context window and 77.1% on ARC-AGI-2 reasoning benchmarks. Characterized as "upgraded core intelligence" behind last week's Deep Think improvements. Now rolling out in Gemini app and NotebookLM.
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Hollywood's united front against Seedance 2.0 grows — Netflix sent a cease-and-desist demanding ByteDance stop generating content resembling Stranger Things, Squid Game, and Bridgerton within 3 days or face "immediate litigation." Warner Bros also joined the legal pressure campaign. The AI video tool's viral celebrity deepfakes have sparked a major IP battle.
Read moreFunding goes to The Alignment Project to support independent research on AGI safety and security risks. Comes amid increasing scrutiny of AI labs' self-regulation efforts and the Anthropic-Pentagon standoff.
Read moreAfter testing began Feb 9, ads are now appearing in ChatGPT conversations. Adthena spotted placements from major brands triggering after first prompt. The ad model is separate from chat responses with clear labeling — but the monetization shift is real.
Read moreJust as OpenAI goes live with ChatGPT ads, Perplexity is abandoning its ad experiments. The AI search company is "pausing" its advertising program — a notable divergence in monetization strategy between AI search and AI chat platforms.
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New super PACs "Forge the Future Project" (Republican-focused) and "Making Our Tomorrow" (Democrat-focused) will back AI-friendly politicians. The spend signals Big Tech's recognition that 2026 midterms could shape AI regulation for years.
Read moreMajor talent poach: Porch, who landed Beyoncé's surprise album drop on Instagram, becomes OpenAI's first VP of Global Creative Partnerships. Tasked with building relationships with creative industries — a strategic priority as AI content tools expand.
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The Max Planck spin-off's team joins Epic's AI Research division to advance MetaHuman technology. Focus: digital human animation for gaming, film, and entertainment — Unreal Engine's avatar tools getting major AI infusion.
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NAACP sent notice of intent to sue Musk's company for illegally installing gas turbines at its Colossus 2 data center in Mississippi. Thermal drone images show over a dozen turbines running without permits. Environmental scrutiny of AI infrastructure is intensifying.
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After years of lagging, Samsung is testing a rebuilt Bixby with Gemini-style capabilities. The beta signals Samsung's attempt to reclaim its voice assistant from Google Assistant dominance on Galaxy devices.
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HN essay arguing AI tools augment rather than replace human capability — framing the productivity debate in bodily terms. 400+ comments, significant traction among developer circles.
Read moreBBC journalist published a fake blog post about competitive hot dog eating to test AI search. Gemini confidently cited it as fact. The demonstration of AI's vulnerability to SEO manipulation is making rounds.
Read more The Verge reports the two companies "might be getting close to a new, major investment deal." No details yet, but given their Stargate partnership and compute dependencies, markets are watching closely.
Read more The advertising era for conversational AI has begun. Early advertisers include Expedia, Qualcomm, Best Buy, and Enterprise Mobility. Format: clearly labeled, separated from responses. The question: will users tolerate ads in what feels like a private conversation?
Read moreFinal analysis confirms the pattern: AI-enhanced production (VFX, personalization) performed well, but purely AI-generated creative concepts fell flat with audiences. Human storytelling + AI tooling = the winning formula brands are settling on.
Read moreWhile OpenAI pushes forward, Perplexity's advertising pause suggests AI search may not monetize the same way as AI chat. Search users expect neutral results — ads may compromise trust in ways chat users tolerate.
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