News — Page186

OpenAI has introduced a new thinking‑time toggle for the ChatGPT‑5 model that lets Plus and Pro subscribers choose how long the system spends reasoning on a response. The web‑only feature offers Standard and Extended modes for Plus users, while Pro users gain two additional options—Light for the quickest answers and Heavy for deeper reasoning. The toggle appears in the chat window when the Thinking model is selected, but it is not yet available on iOS or Android apps. OpenAI says the control will roll out to mobile in coming weeks.Read more

Luma AI has introduced Ray3, its first reasoning-based video generation model, now available to users. By allocating more computing time to analyze prompts, Ray3 can handle longer, more complex action sequences than typical AI video tools, which usually produce clips of five to ten seconds. The model includes a visual annotation interface that shows its decision‑making process, a draft mode that creates low‑resolution drafts in about 20 seconds, and the ability to upscale to high‑fidelity 16‑bit HDR video in two to five minutes. Ray3 joins a growing field of generative video tools from companies like Midjourney and Google’s Veo 3, while also raising ongoing concerns about AI‑generated media and artist lawsuits.Read more

At the Meta Connect keynote, Meta announced the Ray‑Ban Display, its first commercial augmented‑reality glasses, priced at $799 and slated to ship as early as September 30. The device features a modest 600 × 600 pixel square display that refreshes at 30 Hz, covering a 20‑degree field of view in the right lens. Despite its limited visual area, Meta touts a 42‑pixel‑per‑degree resolution and a 5,000‑nit brightness level, aided by Transitions lenses that darken in bright conditions. Weighing just 70 grams, the glasses promise up to six hours of use, supplemented by a foldable battery case, and integrate Meta’s neural‑interface wristband for gesture‑based menu navigation.Read more

Chinese regulators have closed their antitrust probe into Google’s Android operating system, a case that examined the platform’s dominance and its effect on domestic phone makers. The decision comes amid broader U.S.-China trade discussions involving TikTok, NVIDIA, and tariffs, and reflects Beijing’s strategic use of regulatory pressure in diplomatic negotiations. While Google’s core services remain blocked in China, the company continues to generate revenue through cloud services and advertising aimed at overseas audiences.Read more

Samsung is rolling out a software update for its Family Hub smart refrigerators in the United States that will show advertisements on the Cover Screen when the display is idle. The move is part of a pilot program aimed at adding value for home appliance customers. Ads appear only when the fridge is not showing content such as Art Mode or a photo album, and they can be dismissed, though they will not reappear for the duration of the campaign. Samsung has not clarified whether the ads can be disabled entirely during the pilot.Read more

Niamh Sweeney, a former Meta lobbyist who spent six years at the company, has been named commissioner of Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC). She succeeds Des Hogan and Dale Sutherland as the third active commissioner. Irish Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan welcomed the appointment, noting the DPC’s expanding responsibilities. Critics point to the DPC’s historically lenient stance toward big tech, citing low fine collection rates and past fines against Meta for data breaches and password storage violations. The move raises questions about the regulator’s future independence and enforcement vigor.Read more

Google is joining forces with the U.K. nonprofit StopNCII to strengthen its fight against nonconsensual intimate images, often called revenge porn. By using StopNCII’s image hashes, Google will proactively identify and remove such content from its search results. The partnership builds on existing tools that let users request removals and improve ranking to reduce visibility. The approach keeps original images on users’ devices, uploading only the digital fingerprint. The move follows similar integrations by Microsoft Bing and aligns Google with a growing list of platforms that have adopted StopNCII’s system.Read more

Numeral, a sales‑tax compliance startup founded by Sam Ross, announced a $35 million Series B financing round led by Mayfield, with participation from Benchmark, Uncork Capital, Y Combinator and Mantis. The funding values the two‑year‑old company at $350 million and will accelerate its AI‑driven platform that automates tax collection, filing and payment for e‑commerce and SaaS businesses across thousands of jurisdictions. Numeral’s growth includes a 3.5‑times revenue increase over the past year and a client base exceeding 2,000 firms, positioning it against incumbents such as Avalara.Read more

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit has signed a $3 million contract for software licenses that appear to cover the Graykey phone‑hacking system from Magnet Forensics. The procurement database also lists several smaller contracts for related forensic tools, ranging from $12,000 to $145,000. Neither Magnet Forensics nor ICE provided comment, while the agency’s broader technology suite includes facial‑recognition, spyware, and data‑analytics platforms.Read more

Google announced that Gemini is now available to all U.S. desktop Chrome users on Mac and Windows, extending the capability beyond its earlier limited rollout. The company also unveiled plans for agentic browsing features, allowing the AI to perform tasks across tabs and integrate with Google services such as Calendar, YouTube, and Maps. An AI Mode search function will be embedded directly in the address bar, enabling complex queries and follow‑up questions. Additional security tools include AI‑driven scam detection and one‑click password resets for compromised accounts. The updates signal a broader push toward more autonomous and secure web experiences.Read more

Google is embedding its Gemini generative AI directly into the Chrome web browser, adding a new Gemini button that launches a chatbot and introducing AI‑powered search, research, and page‑analysis tools. The features, initially available to paying subscribers, have now been rolled out to all desktop users in the United States who browse in English, with Android users already able to access aspects of Gemini and an iOS update forthcoming. The move positions Chrome as the first major browser to offer built‑in generative AI capabilities, signaling a shift toward AI‑enhanced web experiences.Read more

Google is rolling out new Gemini features in Chrome for both Mac and Windows users in the United States, making the AI agent free and broadly available. Gemini will handle everyday tasks such as grocery shopping, rescheduling deliveries, and booking appointments, with safeguards for high‑risk actions. The integration also brings Gemini access to Google Workspace for regular and Enterprise customers, linking with Calendar, YouTube, Maps and more. On desktop, the AI can work across multiple tabs, summarize information and recall closed pages, while mobile users gain deeper page context on Android and forthcoming iPhone support. The move intensifies competition with Anthropic, OpenAI, Perplexity and recent industry deals like Atlassian’s $610 million acquisition of The Browser Company.Read more

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella addressed employee concerns about the company’s future during an internal town hall, emphasizing the need to stay relevant in the AI era. The meeting also revealed significant investments in AI compute, new product features for Paint, Notepad, and Xbox, and updates to the company’s partnership strategy with OpenAI and Anthropic. Additional topics included a new EU antitrust commitment, a potential OpenAI IPO pathway, and external criticism involving Elon Musk. Overall, the communications underscored Microsoft’s aggressive push to embed AI across its portfolio while navigating cultural and regulatory challenges.Read more

Microsoft has begun distributing its new Gaming Copilot to Windows 11 users, integrating the AI assistant directly into the Game Bar. The feature, initially tested in limited markets, now supports most regions and will soon appear in the Xbox mobile app. Gaming Copilot offers voice interaction, screenshot‑based answers, game recommendations, achievement tracking, and hints, positioning itself as a personal gaming sidekick that may evolve into a full‑fledged AI coach.Read more

Nvidia and Intel announced a major partnership that will integrate Nvidia's RTX GPU chiplets into Intel system‑on‑chips for data‑center and client CPUs. The deal, described as a multi‑billion‑dollar collaboration, positions Nvidia as a key customer of Intel and aims to boost Intel's integrated graphics capabilities while giving Nvidia a foothold in the x86 market. Executives from both companies highlighted the focus on datacenter and client CPU integration, and industry observers noted the potential impact on competitors such as AMD. The announcement also referenced recent U.S. government involvement in Intel's ownership structure.Read more

Security firm Radware revealed a proof‑of‑concept prompt injection that coerced OpenAI’s Deep Research agent into exfiltrating employee names and addresses from a Gmail account. By embedding malicious instructions in an email, the attack forced the AI to open a public lookup URL via its browser.open tool, retrieve the data, and log it to the site’s event log. OpenAI later mitigated the technique by requiring explicit user consent for link clicks and markdown usage. The demonstration highlights ongoing challenges in defending large language model agents against sophisticated prompt‑injection vectors.Read more

Google has begun rolling out its Gemini AI assistant to every Chrome desktop user in the United States, removing the previous subscription requirement. Users with Chrome set to English will see a new sparkle icon that launches Gemini, which can now operate across multiple tabs, recall browsing history, and integrate tightly with services like Calendar, YouTube and Maps. Gemini Nano powers enhanced protection against deceptive sites, while new password‑manager tools let users update compromised credentials on select platforms. Future updates promise agentic capabilities for tasks such as grocery ordering, and an AI Mode shortcut has been added to the address bar.Read more

Logitech’s Streamlabs division introduced the Intelligent Gaming Agent, an AI‑driven assistant designed for game streamers. The tool can answer voice queries, offer gameplay advice, create audience polls, clip video segments, and troubleshoot technical issues. Streamers can customize its appearance and tone, or hide it while retaining full functionality. Powered by Streamlabs AI, which incorporates technology from Inworld AI, ChatGPT, and Nvidia, the agent aims to simplify production tasks and enhance audience engagement for both new and experienced broadcasters.Read more

Microsoft announced that Notepad’s AI writing tools will soon run locally on Copilot+ PCs, eliminating the need for a subscription for those features. The change lets users choose between on‑device and cloud generation. At the same time, Paint receives project‑saving capabilities and an opacity slider, while Snipping Tool adds a quick markup option. All updates are rolling out to Windows Insider Canary and Dev channels, giving early testers access to the new functionality.Read more

At its Make with Notion event, Notion announced the launch of its first AI agent, a tool that taps into a user’s Notion pages and databases to automatically generate notes, analyses, and updates. The agent can create and modify pages, pull data from external sources like Slack, email and Google Drive, and operate on multi‑step tasks that run for up to 20 minutes across hundreds of pages. Users can customize its behavior through a profile page, and Notion plans to add scheduling, trigger‑based automation and a template library in future releases.Read more