Governments in the United Kingdom and Ireland are taking legislative action to address the misuse of artificial intelligence in creating non-consensual images and voice recordings. The UK government is enforcing a law this week that makes it a criminal offense to create or request non-consensual intimate images. This move specifically targets tools like the Grok …
Google has introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard designed to enable AI agents to handle various aspects of online shopping. The company developed the protocol in collaboration with Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart. The protocol allows AI agents to manage different stages of the customer journey, from product discovery to post-purchase …
Apple and Google have announced a multi-year collaboration that will integrate Google’s Gemini models into Apple’s artificial intelligence infrastructure. The partnership will power future Apple Intelligence features, including an updated version of Siri expected to launch this year. According to a joint statement, Apple selected Google’s AI technology after “careful evaluation”. The next generation of …
AI-generated content often feels generic and unreliable, resembling “toys” rather than professional tools. Replit CEO Amjad Masad identifies the core issue: Everything looks the same, from images to code, Taryn Plumb reports for VentureBeat. The problem, known as “slop,” stems from lazy prompting and a lack of individual flavor. Masad believes platforms must expend more …
Artificial Analysis has overhauled how the AI industry measures intelligence, replacing traditional benchmarks with tests that measure whether AI can complete actual work tasks. Michael Nuñez reports for VentureBeat. The independent benchmarking organization removed three widely cited tests from its Intelligence Index, including MMLU-Pro and AIME 2025. The new version 4.0 introduces 10 evaluations focused …
Google is making several AI features in Gmail available to all personal users at no cost. According to Blake Barnes, VP Product for Gmail, the company is bringing the email service into what it calls the “Gemini era.” The newly free features include Help Me Write, which allows users to draft or polish emails using …
Microsoft has introduced Copilot Checkout at the NRF 2026 retail conference, enabling users to complete purchases directly within the Copilot interface without visiting retailer websites. The feature is rolling out in the United States and integrates with PayPal, Shopify, Stripe and Etsy. Participating retailers include Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Ashley Furniture. According to Microsoft, the …
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, believes it will soon be more practical to verify authentic media than to detect AI-generated content. Karissa Bell reports for Engadget that Mosseri expects synthetic imagery to overtake human-made content on social platforms. This shift forces a rethink of how apps identify what is real. Mosseri suggests that the …
Alibaba’s Qwen team has released Qwen-Image-2512. This update improves their foundation model for generating images from text. The model is now available for public use and enterprise integration. According to the developers, this version focuses on three main areas: human realism, natural detail, and text rendering. The model aims to reduce the artificial appearance often …
More than 20% of videos recommended to new YouTube users consist of low-quality AI-generated content designed solely to generate views and revenue, according to new research. Video-editing company Kapwing surveyed 15,000 of the world’s most popular YouTube channels and identified 278 that contain exclusively “AI slop”, Aisha Down reports for The Guardian. These channels have …