News from the AI & ML world
DeeperML - #aiinnovation
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Robby Payne@chromeunboxed.com
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Google is significantly enhancing its Gemini AI integration across its product ecosystem, signaling a major push to make AI a more seamless part of users' daily digital experiences. The Gemini app has received a visual refresh with a new, colorful icon that aligns it with Google's core branding, appearing on both Android and iPhone devices. This updated branding signifies Gemini's growing importance within Google's suite of services.
In addition to the visual update, Google is rolling out a more functional Android widget for Gemini. This widget is designed to offer users quicker and more intuitive access to Gemini's AI capabilities directly from their homescreen. These improvements highlight Google's commitment to deepening AI integration, making Gemini more accessible and useful across its platforms. Furthermore, Gemini's capabilities are expanding to Wear OS, with support beginning to roll out to smartwatches. Beyond app and device integrations, Google continues to advance Gemini's features. The company has introduced a new photo-to-video feature powered by its Veo 3 AI model, allowing users to transform static images into short video clips with AI-generated sound. This feature, now available through the Gemini app, expands creative possibilities. Google is also making strides in professional applications, with advancements in Google Meet's AI note-taking for smarter summaries and enhanced host controls, and the Vertex AI Agent Engine offering Memory Bank for persistent agent conversations, further solidifying Gemini's role as a versatile AI assistant. Recommended read:
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Ellie Ramirez-Camara@Data Phoenix
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Google's Gemini app is now offering a powerful new photo-to-video feature, allowing AI Pro and Ultra subscribers to transform still images into dynamic eight-second videos complete with AI-generated sound. This enhancement, powered by Google's advanced Veo 3 AI model, has already seen significant user engagement, with over 40 million videos generated since the model's launch. Users can simply upload a photo, provide a text prompt describing the desired motion and any audio cues, and Gemini brings the image to life with remarkable realism. The results have been described as cinematic and surprisingly coherent, with Gemini demonstrating an understanding of objects, depth, and context to create subtle camera pans, rippling water, or drifting clouds while maintaining image stability. This feature, previously available in Google's AI filmmaking tool Flow, is now rolling out more broadly across the Gemini app and web.
In parallel with these advancements in creative AI, Google Cloud is enabling companies like Jina AI to build robust and scalable systems. Google Cloud Run is empowering Jina AI to construct a secure and reliable web scraping system, specifically optimizing container lifecycle management for browser automation. This allows Jina AI to efficiently execute large models, such as a 1.5-billion-parameter model, directly on Cloud Run GPUs. This integration highlights Google Cloud's role in providing the infrastructure necessary for cutting-edge AI development and deployment, ensuring that organizations can handle complex tasks with enhanced efficiency and scalability. Furthermore, the broader impact of AI on the technology industry is being underscored by the opening of the 2025 DORA survey. DORA research indicates that AI is fundamentally transforming every stage of the software development lifecycle, with a significant 76% of technologists relying on AI in their daily work. The survey aims to provide valuable insights into team practices and identify opportunities for growth, building on previous findings that show AI positively impacts developer well-being and job satisfaction when organizations adopt transparent AI strategies and governance policies. The survey encourages participation from technologists worldwide, offering a chance to contribute to a global snapshot of the AI landscape in technology teams. Recommended read:
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staff@insideAI News
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IBM has announced several key initiatives to bolster its AI capabilities, including the launch of watsonx AI Labs in New York City and the acquisition of Seek AI. The watsonx AI Labs is designed as a developer-first innovation hub to accelerate AI adoption and development at scale. This new lab, located in Manhattan at IBM’s offices at One Madison, will connect IBM's enterprise resources with the next generation of AI developers to co-create AI solutions. The lab will unite IBM researchers and engineers with startups, scale-ups, and large enterprises to unlock real-world value from their AI investments, fostering a collaborative environment for advancing agentic AI tools.
IBM's commitment to the AI ecosystem extends to nurturing talent and supporting the vibrant tech community in New York City. The city, recognized as a global AI hub, boasts over 2,000 AI startups and has seen its AI workforce grow significantly. IBM’s investment in the watsonx AI Labs underscores its dedication to responsible and cutting-edge AI development. Ritika Gunnar, General Manager, Data & AI, IBM, emphasized that the lab will provide AI developers with access to world-class engineers and resources, enabling them to build new businesses and applications that will reshape AI for the enterprise. To further enhance its AI capabilities, IBM has acquired Seek AI, a New York City-based startup specializing in natural language AI for enterprise data inquiries. Seek AI's technology, which translates natural language questions into database queries, will be integrated into watsonx AI Labs. This acquisition will empower businesses to leverage agentic AI to extract value from their data. Seek AI’s team will relocate to One Madison, joining IBM's new Manhattan offices, and will contribute its expertise to expanding the platform and implementing solutions for IBM clients. The acquisition will further accelerate IBM’s efforts to improve AI trust and security through responsible AI governance. Recommended read:
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staff@insideAI News
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IBM has launched watsonx AI Labs, a developer-first innovation hub located in New York City. The new lab is designed to accelerate the adoption of AI at scale by connecting IBM's enterprise resources and expertise with AI developers focused on building AI applications for business. Located in Manhattan at IBM's new offices at One Madison, watsonx AI Labs aims to connect IBM’s network of engineering labs, bringing together IBM researchers and engineers in a collaborative hub for co-creating and advancing agentic AI solutions.
The watsonx AI Labs is intended to co-create generative AI solutions with IBM clients, nurture AI talent within New York City, and advance enterprise AI implementations. IBM plans to work with startups, scale-ups, and enterprises to discover AI value through this initiative. New York City has a growing AI ecosystem, with more than 2,000 AI startups and an AI workforce that grew by almost 25% from 2022 to 2023. Since 2019, over 1,000 AI-related companies in New York City have collectively raised $27 billion in funding. As part of its investment in AI and commitment to the local startup ecosystem, IBM also announced the acquisition of Seek AI. Seek AI is a New York City-based startup that specializes in building AI agents that leverage enterprise data, providing businesses with a natural language interface to query and analyze corporate data stores. Seek AI's expertise will be integrated into watsonx AI Labs, helping businesses leverage agentic AI to extract value from their data and improve data analysis and summarization capabilities. Recommended read:
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Ken Yeung@Ken Yeung
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Microsoft is aggressively pushing AI innovation to the edge, a key theme highlighted at Microsoft Build 2025. The company is developing and integrating AI capabilities into various platforms, aiming to create smarter, faster experiences across devices. This initiative involves not only expanding cloud capabilities but also embedding AI agents into browsers, websites, the operating system, and everyday workflows. Microsoft envisions a future of AI-powered productivity where human workers partner with autonomous agents to streamline tasks and enhance efficiency.
Microsoft is also making strides in AI-driven weather forecasting with its latest AI model, Aurora. This model promises accurate 10-day forecasts in seconds, a significant improvement over traditional models that take hours. Aurora isn't limited to weather; it can also handle any Earth system with available data, opening possibilities for forecasting air pollution, cyclones, and other environmental factors. While the model "doesn't know the laws of physics," its data-driven approach delivers detailed and quick forecasts, demonstrating the potential of AI in revolutionizing how we understand and predict environmental changes. A core component of Microsoft's AI strategy is the integration of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) into Windows 11. This integration aims to transform the operating system into an "agentic" platform, where AI agents can securely interact with apps and system tools to carry out tasks across files and services. MCP acts as a standardized communication protocol, facilitating seamless interaction between AI agents, applications, and services. With security measures in place, MCP allows for powerful AI integrations while mitigating risks, enabling new forms of AI-driven experiences for Windows 11 users. Recommended read:
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Kevin Okemwa@windowscentral.com
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OpenAI and Microsoft are reportedly engaged in high-stakes negotiations to revise their existing partnership, a move prompted by OpenAI's aspirations for an initial public offering (IPO). The discussions center around redefining the terms of their strategic alliance, which has seen Microsoft invest over $13 billion in OpenAI since 2019. A key point of contention is Microsoft's desire to secure guaranteed access to OpenAI's AI technology beyond the current contractual agreement, set to expire in 2030. Microsoft is reportedly willing to sacrifice some equity in OpenAI to ensure long-term access to future AI models.
These negotiations also entail OpenAI potentially restructuring its for-profit arm into a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), a move that requires Microsoft's approval as the startup's largest financial backer. The PBC structure would allow OpenAI to pursue commercial goals and attract further capital, paving the way for a potential IPO. However, the non-profit entity would retain overall control. OpenAI reportedly aims to reduce Microsoft's revenue share from 20% to a share of 10% by 2030, a year when the company forecasts $174B in revenue. Tensions within the partnership have reportedly grown as OpenAI pursues agreements with Microsoft competitors and targets overlapping enterprise customers. One senior Microsoft executive expressed concern over OpenAI's attitude, stating that they seem to want Microsoft to "give us money and compute and stay out of the way." Despite these challenges, Microsoft remains committed to the partnership, recognizing its importance in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Recommended read:
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Kevin Okemwa@windowscentral.com
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OpenAI and Microsoft are reportedly engaged in high-stakes negotiations to revise their existing partnership, a move prompted by OpenAI's aspirations for an initial public offering (IPO). The discussions center around redefining the terms of their strategic alliance, which has seen Microsoft invest over $13 billion in OpenAI since 2019. A key point of contention is Microsoft's desire to secure guaranteed access to OpenAI's AI technology beyond the current contractual agreement, set to expire in 2030. Microsoft is reportedly willing to sacrifice some equity in OpenAI to ensure long-term access to future AI models.
These negotiations also entail OpenAI potentially restructuring its for-profit arm into a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), a move that requires Microsoft's approval as the startup's largest financial backer. The PBC structure would allow OpenAI to pursue commercial goals and attract further capital, paving the way for a potential IPO. However, the non-profit entity would retain overall control. OpenAI reportedly aims to reduce Microsoft's revenue share from 20% to a share of 10% by 2030, a year when the company forecasts $174B in revenue. Tensions within the partnership have reportedly grown as OpenAI pursues agreements with Microsoft competitors and targets overlapping enterprise customers. One senior Microsoft executive expressed concern over OpenAI's attitude, stating that they seem to want Microsoft to "give us money and compute and stay out of the way." Despite these challenges, Microsoft remains committed to the partnership, recognizing its importance in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Recommended read:
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Carl Franzen@AI News | VentureBeat
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pub.towardsai.net
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OpenAI is facing increased scrutiny regarding its operational structure, leading to a notable reversal in its plans. The company, initially founded as a nonprofit, will now retain the nonprofit's governance control, ensuring that the original mission remains at the forefront. This decision comes after "constructive dialogue" with the Attorney Generals of Delaware and California, suggesting a potential legal challenge if OpenAI had proceeded with its initial plan to convert fully into a profit-maximizing entity. The company aims to maintain its commitment to developing Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) for the benefit of all humanity, and CEO Sam Altman insists that OpenAI is "not a normal company and never will be."
As part of this restructuring, OpenAI will transition its for-profit arm, currently an LLC, into a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC). This move aims to balance the interests of shareholders with the company's core mission. The nonprofit will remain a large shareholder in the PBC, giving it the resources to support its beneficial objectives. The company is getting rid of the capped profit structure, which may allow the company to be more aggressive in the marketplace. Bret Taylor, Chairman of the Board of OpenAI, emphasized that the company will continue to be overseen and controlled by the nonprofit. This updated plan demonstrates a commitment to the original vision of OpenAI while adapting to the demands of funding AGI development, which Altman estimates will require "hundreds of billions of dollars of compute." Further demonstrating its commitment to advancing AI technology, OpenAI is reportedly acquiring Windsurf (formerly Codeium) for $3 billion. While specific details of the acquisition are not provided, it's inferred that Windsurf's coding capabilities will be integrated into OpenAI's AI models, potentially enhancing their coding abilities. The acquisition aligns with OpenAI's broader strategy of pushing the boundaries of AI capabilities and making them accessible to a wider audience. This move may improve the abilities of models like the o-series (rewarding verifiable math, science, and code solutions) and agentic o3 models (rewarding tool use), which the industry is pushing forward aggressively with new training approaches. Recommended read:
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Alexey Shabanov@TestingCatalog
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Meta is actively expanding the capabilities of its standalone Meta AI app, introducing new features focused on enhanced personalization and functionality. The company is developing a "Discover AIs" tab, which could serve as a hub for users to explore and interact with various AI assistants, potentially including third-party or specialized models. This aligns with Meta’s broader strategy to integrate personalized AI agents across its apps and hardware. Meta launched a dedicated Meta AI app powered by Llama 4 that focuses on offering more natural voice conversations and can leverage user data from Facebook and Instagram to provide tailored responses.
Meta is also testing a "reasoning" mode, suggesting the company aims to provide more transparent and advanced explanations in its AI assistant's responses. While the exact implementation remains unclear, the feature could emphasize structured logic or chain-of-thought capabilities, similar to developments in models from OpenAI and Google DeepMind. This would give users greater insight into how the AI derives its answers, potentially boosting trust and utility for complex queries. Further enhancing user experience, Meta is working on new voice settings, including "Focus on my voice" and "Welcome message." "Focus on my voice" could improve the AI's ability to isolate and respond to the primary user's speech in environments with multiple speakers. The "Welcome message" feature might offer a customizable greeting or onboarding experience when the assistant is activated. These features are particularly relevant for Meta’s hardware ambitions, such as its Ray-Ban smart glasses and future AR devices, where voice interaction plays a critical role. To ensure privacy, Meta is also developing Private Processing for AI tools on WhatsApp, allowing users to leverage AI in a secure way. Recommended read:
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