Research & Development news

• Google Is Powering Apple’s Biggest Siri Upgrade Yet

  12-01-2026 21:58 via eweek.com
  Apple and Google have been circling each other for years. Now, they’re officially sharing the brain.Google’s Gemini AI is set to help power the next generation of Siri. Under a newly announced multi-year agreement, Apple will use Gemini models and cloud technology as the foundation for its upcoming Apple Intelligence features, marking one of the most significant behind-the-scenes collaborations between the companies to date.A joint statement released by Google and Apple on Jan. 12 re
  
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• This Chinese AI Video Tool Just Reached 60M Users, Competing With Sora

  12-01-2026 21:20 via eweek.com
  What began as a short-video platform competing with ByteDance has evolved into one of the world’s most widely adopted AI video tools.Beijing-based Kuaishou’s AI video generator, Kling, has exploded in popularity since launching in July 2024, with reports indicating that the video tool has already garnered more than 60 million users. That growth now places Kling in direct competition with high-profile rivals like OpenAI’s Sora and other leading generative video platforms.Followi
  
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• Inside OpenAI’s New Experiment: Using Real Jobs to Measure AI vs Humans

  12-01-2026 19:26 via eweek.com
  OpenAI is taking an unusually direct route to see how well its AI can handle real jobs.The AI juggernaut is asking third-party contractors to upload real work they completed in previous or current jobs as part of a new effort to test how well its AI systems perform on real-world tasks. The details were first reported by WIRED, which reviewed internal documents and presentations tied to the project.According to the report, the initiative is being carried out in partnership with the training data
  
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• This AI-Powered Drone Sees Through Fog, Rain, and Darkness

  12-01-2026 18:19 via eweek.com
  While most drones are grounded the moment a little fog or rain rolls in, a new player just proved that “bad weather” is now a choice rather than a limitation.Chinese drone manufacturer GDU took the stage at CES 2026 to unveil the UAV-P300, an enterprise-grade machine they are calling the world’s first drone equipped with “AI sight” capable of piercing through thick fog and heavy rain. Unlike standard cameras that simply struggle with low visibility, this drone
  
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• GPT-5.2 Just Solved a 30-Year Math Problem

  12-01-2026 17:24 via eweek.com
  Remember those brain-teaser math problems from school that made you want to throw your pencil? Now imagine ones so hard they’ve stumped mathematicians for decades.Paul Erdős, who published more papers than anyone in math history, left behind hundreds of these puzzles when he died in 1996. This weekend, GPT-5.2 Pro solved one.Neel Somani prompted the AI to tackle Erdős Problem #397, which asks whether infinitely many solutions exist for a specific equation involving central binomi
  
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• Qatar, UAE Join US Tech Supply Chain Initiative

  12-01-2026 17:00 via eweek.com
  Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will soon join a U.S.-led initiative aimed at securing AI and semiconductor supply chains, a move that underscores Washington’s push to reshape global technology cooperation and reduce reliance on rival powers.
  Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg said the inclusion of the two Gulf states reflects a deliberate U.S. effort to bring Israel and Arab partners into a shared, technology-focused economic framework, despite the Middle East&r
  
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• Best AI Tools for Gamers

  12-01-2026 15:53 via eweek.com
  Gaming today is about more than just playing. Many gamers create mods, share clips, experiment with game ideas, or tweak characters and movements. But doing so often means learning complex tools, buying expensive software, or spending hours on trial and error, which can be frustrating.That’s where AI actually helps  —  and it’s far less complicated than it sounds. The best AI tools for gamers don’t replace creativity or skills but allow for faster expe
  
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• A ‘Zombie’ AI Attack Shows How ChatGPT Can Leak Your Secrets

  12-01-2026 15:35 via eweek.com
  ChatGPT, the world’s most popular chatbot with over 800 million weekly users, just got a stark reminder that convenience can come at a price. Security firm Radware has revealed a new attack technique, dubbed “ZombieAgent,” that could turn the AI assistant into a stealthy data thief and even a persistent spy inside users’ accounts.ZombieAgent exploits ChatGPT’s Connectors — the feature that links the chatbot to Gmail, Outlook, Google Drive, GitHub, Teams,
  
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• 5 Things to Know About the Grok AI Deepfake Crisis and the Fallout for X

  12-01-2026 15:33 via eweek.com
  What began as an AI image feature quickly turned into an international crisis. After Grok generated pornographic deepfakes, X moved to contain the fallout by restricting access.The company’s attempt to curb the controversy by limiting Grok’s image generation to paying subscribers has prompted further backlash. According to a Jan. 9 report from CNN, this response has done nothing to appease critics, with government officials from the US, UK, EU, and Asia pushing for harsher actions ov
  
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• Wing and Walmart Expand Drone Delivery to 150 New Stores

  12-01-2026 15:16 via eweek.com
  When drones fly. Alphabet’s Wing and retail giant Walmart have made a princely deal that could change how millions of Americans get their groceries.
  The companies announced plans to bring drone delivery to 150 additional stores across the country, creating the largest commercial drone network in U.S. history.
  This expansion will establish over 270 drone delivery locations by 2027, serving roughly 40 million people and making aerial deliveries as common as ordering pizza. The rollout kicks
  
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• Google Embraces Agentic Commerce With Universal Protocol Release

  12-01-2026 14:02 via eweek.com
  Something has happened that could fundamentally reshape how commerce works online.
  Google has unveiled its Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) at the National Retail Federation’s annual show, creating what could become the infrastructure layer for an AI-dominated shopping future.
  This move represents Google’s counterstrike against competitors who’ve been rapidly claiming territory in AI-powered commerce. With backing from retail powerhouses including Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Targe
  
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• Anthropic Shows Caring Side With Claude for Healthcare Launch

  12-01-2026 12:07 via eweek.com
  Competition is healthy. Following OpenAI’s ChatGPT Health popping up last week, Anthropic has unveiled Claude for Healthcare.
  Anthropic’s offering introduces specialized AI tools that let patients share medical records directly with AI for personalized health insights—and it’s available for Claude Pro and Max subscribers across the US.
  It could be argued that Anthropic isn’t playing catch-up with ChatGPT Health—but changing how providers, insurers, and patient
  
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• Google Scales Back AI Search Summaries Following Health Risk Backlash

  12-01-2026 10:03 via eweek.com
  The tech giant everyone trusts for answers may have become a health hazard.
  Following on from last week, Google has quietly pulled multiple AI-generated health summaries after investigations by The Guardian revealed dangerous misinformation that could literally kill patients. Health experts are calling it “alarming” and “dangerous.”
  Google’s AI Overviews feature provides instant medical advice to millions through its dominant 91% search market share. But when people
  
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