AI & Robotics

SYDNEY — Users of Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok reported widespread inaccuracies after the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia, raising questions about the reliability of artificial intelligence in reporting breaking news. Videos shared on social media showed a bystander, 43 yearbold Ahmed al Ahmed, disarming one of the attackers. While local and international news outlets … Read more

SoftBank Group Corp. is examining a possible acquisition of US data center operator Switch Inc., according to people familiar with the discussions. Marking one of the most significant potential moves yet in Masayoshi Son’s effort to expand the company’s footprint in the accelerating artificial intelligence sector.  The talks underscore the Japanese conglomerate’s intent to secure … Read more

BlackRock is sharpening its focus on the companies powering the backbone of artificial intelligence infrastructure, arguing that the wave of capital pouring into the sector is unlikely to slow anytime soon.  In a new assessment of global markets, the firm said rapid spending by tech giants is driving what it views as one of the … Read more

New York — The New York Times filed a lawsuit against artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI on Friday, alleging that the company illegally copied, distributed, and displayed millions of its articles without permission to power generative AI products. The case, brought in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, underscores growing … Read more

MIAMI BEACH, Florida — A striking art installation featuring Beeple robot dogs with hyper realistic silicone faces of tech billionaires including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg has drawn widespread attention at Art Basel Miami Beach, combining humor, discomfort, and commentary on digital culture. The robots move within a fenced area, snapping photos of … Read more

LONDON — Former NASA engineer Mark Rober has taken his signature blend of science and entertainment to the football pitch, developing a robotic goalkeeper designed to block shots from Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the world’s most celebrated footballers.  The experiment, a fusion of advanced engineering and sports technology, seeks to answer a simple question: can … Read more

The European Union is preparing to open an EU antitrust probe into Meta over the company’s integration of artificial intelligence tools inside WhatsApp, according to a report published Thursday by the Financial Times.  The investigation marks another escalation in the bloc’s efforts to scrutinize the deployment of generative AI systems on large digital platforms. Two … Read more

YouTube’s new AI deepfake tracking tool has drawn scrutiny from privacy specialists and digital rights advocates who warn that the feature could expose creators to long term risks tied to biometric data.  The tool, which relies on facial recognition to detect AI generated content that mimics a creator’s likeness, requires users to submit government IDs … Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has declared an internal “OpenAI code red” to accelerate improvements to ChatGPT as Google intensifies efforts to reclaim its lead in artificial intelligence, according to a memo viewed by The Wall Street Journal.  The directive signals a renewed focus on the company’s flagship chatbot and a temporary … Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Artificial intelligence startup Runway announced Monday that its latest video model, Gen 4.5, has surpassed competitors from Google and OpenAI in a widely recognized independent benchmark.  The model allows users to generate high definition videos from written prompts, capturing complex motions, human interactions and camera movements with remarkable precision. Runway CEO Cristóbal … Read more