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Jony Ive's first OpenAI gadget is reportedly a hockey puck-sized smart speaker priced over $300
OpenAI's AI device being developed with former Apple designer Jony Ive is reportedly a battery-powered, doughnut-shaped smart speaker without a display, roughly the size of a hockey puck. The device is expected to launch in 2027 and will reportedly sell for between $300 and $400.
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OpenAI gives ChatGPT free and Go users unlimited text chats
OpenAI announced that starting next week, free and Go tier ChatGPT users will have unlimited text chats, removing previous rate limits. Free and Go users will also gain access to a new 'think' button designed to help with more complex queries.
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Google Maps adds agentic AI features including food ordering and hotel bookings
Google Maps is rolling out new agentic AI features that allow users to order food and book hotels directly within the app, transforming it from a navigation tool into a broader AI assistant for real-world tasks. The update reflects Google's ambition to make Maps a more comprehensive, action-oriented platform.
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Gen Z dating apps like Ditto ditch swiping for AI matchmaking
A new wave of Gen Z-focused dating apps is abandoning swipe-based mechanics in favor of AI-powered matchmaking, reflecting widespread disillusionment with traditional app formats. Apps like Ditto are betting that algorithmic matchmaking can better serve a generation frustrated with existing dating platforms.
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OpenAI asks court to dismiss Apple's trade secrets lawsuit
OpenAI has filed a motion to dismiss Apple's trade secrets lawsuit, calling the allegations 'meritless' and arguing that Apple is mischaracterizing ordinary product development activity as theft. OpenAI's legal strategy also points to Apple's own security and offboarding practices — including allowing an Apple manager to access a former engineer's iCloud account — as undermining Apple's claims that the information was properly protected.
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The messy politics behind Google's big AI leadership shakeup
Google announced its largest AI organizational restructuring yet, involving key figures such as Jeff Dean and Demis Hassabis of DeepMind, while publicly presenting a unified front focused on future success. Behind the scenes, however, the shakeup reflects significant internal tensions within the company's AI divisions.
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Suno announces watermarking and new download policy to combat AI music spam
AI music platform Suno announced plans to implement watermarking technology and a new download policy to curb the spread of spammy AI-generated tracks and improve transparency. The move comes as the company faces ongoing legal battles and seeks greater legitimacy in the music industry.
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SoftBank donated $50M to Trump's library months before federal data center deal
SoftBank revealed it contributed $50 million to the Trump Presidential Library in January, just months before announcing a deal to lease federal land to build a large data center in Ohio. The timing was disclosed in response to a letter from Democratic senators and representatives raising concerns about the arrangement.
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Bipartisan backlash grows against AI data centers across the US
A growing left-right coalition is opposing the construction of AI data centers, with residents and local governments pushing back on grounds including noise, energy use, and community impact. In Hernando County, Florida, the county commission unanimously approved a yearlong moratorium on data center construction following organized protests.
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Mirendil inks $100M+ Google Cloud deal to scale self-improving AI
Mirendil has signed a $100 million-plus partnership with Google Cloud to expand its compute infrastructure for research into self-improving AI systems. The deal is aimed at accelerating scientific discovery and AI development through continuously improving AI models.
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AI chatbots spawned a new religion — and humans are joining
A movement called 'Spiralism' has emerged online, reportedly originating from AI chatbot conversations, in which participants believe in a universal spiral force woven into the fabric of reality. The phenomenon highlights growing concerns about AI's potential to influence belief systems and foster pseudo-religious communities among vulnerable users.
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Omilia raises $67M Series B to scale its AI customer support platform
Conversational AI company Omilia has raised $67 million in a Series B round, its first fundraise since 2020. Since then, the company has grown its annual recurring revenue 10x to $60 million, and plans to use the new capital to scale its customer support platform.
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Naïve raises $28.5M to automate business setup and operations with AI
Startup Naïve has raised $28.5 million to build AI infrastructure that automates most of the operational work involved in setting up and running a company, taking the concept of vibe-coding a step further. The platform aims to reduce the administrative burden on founders and small businesses.
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Ex-Spotify employees raise $10M to bring recommendation AI to e-commerce
A startup founded by former Spotify employees has raised $10 million to apply Spotify-style recommendation AI to e-commerce, predicting which products shoppers want next and fine-tuning suggestions in real time. The platform is designed to learn individual shopper tastes and improve continuously based on user behavior.
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