AI
* Apple has been criticized for holding back on the large AI investments its peers made. * Wall Street, pundits and media have flagged Apple’s apparent lack of urgency in the AI arms race. * Analysts and commentators now predict Apple could reverse that slump in 2026 by leaning on silicon, integration
AI
Key Takeaways: * Apple’s restrained AI spending leaves it with >$130B in cash and marketable securities. * A redesigned Siri, expected in spring 2026, will lean on Google’s Gemini LLM for conversational upgrades. * The Information argues a cooling AI investment cycle could make Apple’s cautious approach advantageous. * Leadership
AI
* Perplexity AI is integrated into Samsung’s Bixby in One UI 8.5, enabling web-search–based replies for complex queries. * The feature is appearing in One UI 8.5 beta builds (Galaxy S25 series) and is expected to ship stable with Galaxy S26 in early 2026. * One UI 8.5
AI
Key Takeaways: * Chinese vendors are selling modified NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 cards fitted with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory. * Modders use higher-density GDDR7 modules and blower-style ("turbo") coolers to support heavier AI workloads. * These cards prioritize memory capacity for training/inference but carry higher power draw and durability
AI
* Google is testing a new "Lecture" Audio Overview mode in NotebookLM that can produce roughly 30-minute, single-host lectures. * The mode appears alongside Deep Dive, Brief, Critique and Debate and pairs with a "Long" length option. * A language selector and a British English narration voice (expected 2026)
AI
• Key Takeaways: * A UX lead at a generative AI image startup says repeated image-generation sessions triggered a manic bipolar episode and psychosis. * She spent up to nine hours a day prompting early 2023-era image models, then became obsessed with AI depictions of herself. * The experience illustrates a potential digital-addiction pathway
AI
• Elon Musk’s political ascent and collapse reshaped US tech-government ties and hit Tesla sales. • AI drove the biggest corporate investments and a global datacenter and chip buildout led by Nvidia, Google and Microsoft. • Major tech firms aligned with the Trump administration on regulation and policy, altering company priorities like
AI
* Familiar Face filtering now prioritizes clear, complete images to reduce false matches and improve detection accuracy. * Improved animal detection distinguishes dogs and cats at a distance and better identifies color in low‑light scenes. * Home Brief descriptions are more useful for unidentified people and longer videos now get richer AI-generated
AI
* Key Takeaways: * Google is extending the timeline to replace Google Assistant with Gemini on many Android devices beyond 2025. * The company says the adjustment aims to "make sure [it delivers] a seamless transition." * Gemini is already the default on Pixel 9 phones, but device upgrades require Android 10
AI
* Google has pushed the timeline for replacing Google Assistant with Gemini on Android into 2026. * The company said it will "continue our work to upgrade Assistant users to Gemini on mobile devices into 2026." * Once the transition finishes, eligible devices will no longer be able to access or
AI
* Key Takeaways: * Four AI coding agents (OpenAI Codex, Anthropic Claude Code, Google Gemini CLI, Mistral Vibe) were given a single-shot task to build a web version of Minesweeper with sound, mobile support and a surprise feature. * OpenAI’s Codex (GPT-5) produced the strongest one-shot result thanks to chording support, mobile-friendly
AI
* Apple Music is available as an app inside ChatGPT for subscribers. * The integration lets ChatGPT search Apple Music and build playlists via natural language, but it does not stream full songs in-chat. * To use it, visit chatgpt.com/apps, add the Apple Music app, and connect your Apple Music account.