UK startup snares $20m to recreate gigs with ‘hyper-realistic’ digital avatars
UK startup Unit1 raised $20 million to bring hyper-realistic, low-cost digital avatar concerts to standard venues using existing LED technology.
Media
Runway wants to turn AI video generation into a live stream you control in real time
Runway is researching real-time, interactive AI video generation using its GWM-1 world model to enable instant, frame-by-frame user control.
Artists boycotted this portrait prize over AI entries. Now they’re back to take them on
Artists are returning to the Brisbane Portrait Prize to challenge AI-generated entries following previous boycotts over generative media in art competitions.
Suno releases its first AI music model made with record industry help
Suno launched its v6 AI music model trained on licensed record label data with new multi-modal input and pinpoint audio editing features.
Suno launches v6 music models built with Warner, BMG, and Believe
Suno has launched its v6 music generation models built with major record labels while shutting down all previous model versions.
Supporting independent journalism in Ukraine
OpenAI partners with WAN-IFRA and AIRPPU to provide AI masterclasses and API credits to Ukrainian newsrooms.
Seattle Times and Newsday sue OpenAI and Microsoft for infringement
The Seattle Times and Newsday have sued OpenAI and Microsoft, seeking damages and the destruction of AI models trained on their reporting.
Uncanny and unappetizing: appetites spoil as AI images take over food menus
Restaurants adopting low-cost AI food images face sharp consumer backlash and brand damage due to unappetizing visual glitches.
I’m a father of three who studies the impact of artificial intelligence: this is what parents need to know about AI
A technology researcher highlights how synthetic media and AI content tools are reshaping childhood education, creativity, and family life.
Google brings AI music generation directly into the Gemini app with its new Lyria 3.5 model
Google has deployed its Lyria 3.5 music generation model to the Gemini app, Google Vids, and developer APIs.
Alarming AI ads are flooding social media in the lead-up to Victoria’s election. But who is behind them?
Third-party advocacy groups are deploying high-budget AI-generated ad campaigns ahead of Victoria's state election.
Seven minutes with a chatbot beat a fact sheet at reducing conspiracy beliefs in two experiments
A study shows brief conversations with AI chatbots reduced conspiracy beliefs more effectively than static fact sheets.
As AI madness encroaches, we need human connection more than ever. But we’ll have to fight for it | Van Badham
Consumer resistance and union strikes challenge forced enterprise adoption of AI in education and creative sectors.
The Trump administration is supporting OpenAI in the NYT copyright lawsuit
The Trump administration filed a statement of interest supporting OpenAI's fair use defense in The New York Times lawsuit.
Google Pics is like Canva, but with even more AI
Google launched Google Pics for Workspace, embedding granular Gemini-powered image generation and editing tools directly into business workflows.
“Zlibrary my beloved”: Anthropic staff chats extolling piracy cited in Sony suit
Sony and other major music publishers have sued Anthropic over alleged illegal torrenting and copyright infringement used to train AI models.
Instagram cracks down on AI accounts pretending to be human
Instagram will restrict the reach of unlabelled AI-generated human profiles on Reels and Explore as part of a crackdown on deceptive accounts.
A milestone in expanding access to AI
OpenAI reached $1 billion in annualized ad revenue within 200 days, expanding self-service ads globally as monetization scales.
Sony Music and Warner Chappell are suing Anthropic
Sony Music and Warner Chappell have sued Anthropic and its founders for billions over alleged widespread copyright infringement and pirated training data.
Google AI Releases Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash: 40-Second Scene Extension, First/Last Frame Control, and 4K Upscaling
Google launched Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash, adding 40-second video extensions, frame pinning, and 4K upscaling.
AI-generated videos are already displacing actors and livestreamers across China's entertainment industry
Generative video tools are rapidly replacing human talent in China's booming short drama and livestreaming sectors as production costs drop.
Inside the Warehouse Where Amazon Scans and Destroys Books for AI Training
An Amazon warehouse facility in Las Vegas receives, unbinds, and scans thousands of physical books to build proprietary AI training datasets.
Fake US thinktank set up and funded by Israel sought to game AI for propaganda
A foreign-funded campaign deployed a fake thinktank website to publish over 560,000 words optimized for AI chatbot citations.