News Archive
Pick a date to read that day's stories.
Days with a blue dot have stories.
- 01 of 10VOICE
Block releases AI voice that can listen while talking
Block has released Dessa, a voice AI that can speak and listen at the same time. The company says it runs on consumer hardware and produces speech with pauses, laughter and other human sounds.
OUR TAKEAt last, a computer capable of interrupting with feeling.
Read more → - 02 of 10POLITICS
Forced-choice AI test finds stark US party splits
A study found that Grok and OpenAI models favoured different parties when explicitly forced to recommend US election candidates. Their consumer chat apps refused the same request, so the findings do not describe the usual chat experience.
OUR TAKEEven computers appear unable to survive an American election without taking sides.
Read more → - 03 of 10MODELS
Moonshot launches Kimi K3.1 Pro for complex tasks
China’s Moonshot AI has released Kimi K3.1 Pro for coding, 3D design and financial analysis. The company reports strong test results and plans to release the model’s weights by 4 November.
OUR TAKEThe spreadsheet now has competition for the title of most demanding colleague.
Read more → - 04 of 10DEFENCE
Japan to refocus defence research on AI and cyber
Japan’s defence minister says the country will reshape its defence research around AI and cyber tools. The stated aim is to spot threats sooner and make decisions faster.
OUR TAKEWhitehall may wish to study the radical notion of deciding things sooner.
Read more → - 05 of 10NETWORKS
KDDI and Broadcom test optical links for AI
Japan’s KDDI and Broadcom will test optical switching equipment for AI computing sites. They will assess power use and network performance, with a wider aim of bringing faster AI services into homes.
OUR TAKEA welcome attempt to make the electricity bill less intelligent.
Read more → - 06 of 10DELIVERY
Neolix raises nearly $400m for driverless delivery
Chinese driverless delivery firm Neolix has secured nearly $400 million in Series E funding, according to a regional funding report. It plans to expand abroad, open service hubs and improve the AI behind its vehicles.
OUR TAKEThe delivery van has secured funding before learning to ring the bell.
Read more → - 07 of 10WORK
India maps jobs where AI can help without replacing
India’s commerce ministry is identifying professions less likely to be replaced by AI, minister Piyush Goyal says. He pointed to areas such as crafts, food and tourism where technology could support people’s work.
OUR TAKEA reassuring moment for anyone whose career involves more than forwarding emails.
Read more → - 08 of 10SERVICES
Dubai upgrades AI helper to handle motoring tasks
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has upgraded its Mahboub assistant to carry out linked service steps. Users can handle tasks such as paying fines and renewing vehicle registration in one conversation.
OUR TAKEBureaucracy has finally discovered that one conversation can be quite enough.
Read more → - 09 of 10FINANCE
Cognitive Credit raises $40m for AI debt research
London’s Cognitive Credit has secured $40 million in growth funding led by Summit Partners. It plans to expand in North America and develop AI research tools built on verified company financial data.
OUR TAKESomeone has found a way to make reading debt reports sound investable.
Read more → - 10 of 10INDUSTRY
Tractian raises $130m to spot factory faults early
Tractian has raised $130 million in Series D funding at a $1.4 billion valuation. Its sensors and AI help industrial customers identify machinery faults and plan maintenance before equipment stops.
OUR TAKEA machine that complains before breaking is still an improvement on most office printers.
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