Research & Development news

• 7 Google AI Features That Make the Internet Easier to Use

  26-01-2026 12:23 via eweek.com
  Google is steadily changing how people use the internet, not by reinventing search or browsers, but by embedding artificial intelligence into everyday virtual tasks. The company’s growing set of AI-powered features makes it easier for users to find information, create content, and get things done online. Rather than pushing users toward separate AI platforms, Google is integrating these tools directly into familiar apps such as Gmail, Search, Chrome, Maps, and Gemini. These AI-powered
  
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• Elon Musk Posts AI Video That Looks Like Sydney Sweeney, Raising Consent Concerns

  29-01-2026 20:01 via eweek.com
  Elon Musk has once again found himself at the center of a digital firestorm.On Wednesday, Musk posted a short, AI-generated video to his X platform. The clip features a woman who looks unmistakably like actress Sydney Sweeney, standing inside a spacecraft. The digital Sweeney turns to a male AI character and says, “So let me get this straight. Grok videos are now 10 seconds, and the audio is greatly improved?”Her counterpart replies, “Yeah, pretty much… Do you like it?&r
  
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• UK Launches Free AI Training for Every Adult in the Country

  29-01-2026 19:08 via eweek.com
  The UK is throwing the doors open to AI training.In what is being described as the most significant upskilling push since the birth of the Open University in the 1970s, the UK government has officially opened the doors to free artificial intelligence training for every adult in the country. Announced this week, the program aims to prepare 10 million workers for a shifting labor market by the end of the decade.The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is spearheading this
  
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• Mozilla Invests $1.4B to Build an AI ‘Rebel Alliance’

  29-01-2026 17:51 via eweek.com
  Mozilla, the nonprofit best known for its Firefox browser, is stepping into the AI race with a familiar underdog mindset.Instead of trying to outspend the biggest players, the organization aims to build an alliance of startups, developers, and public interest technologists committed to making AI more open and trustworthy. Mozilla plans to deploy its roughly $1.4 billion in reserves to support mission-driven AI projects, a move aimed at countering the growing dominance of companies like Open
  
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• Waymo’s Driverless Taxis Could Hit London Streets Later This Year

  29-01-2026 17:35 via eweek.com
  Driverless taxis are edging closer to UK roads, with US autonomous car firm Waymo saying it hopes to launch a robotaxi service in London as early as September, pending regulatory approval.Waymo, which is owned by Google parent Alphabet, has confirmed plans to begin a pilot phase in the UK this April. If regulations allow, the service could open to paying passengers later in the year.The UK government has said it intends to change the rules governing autonomous vehicles in the second half of 2026
  
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• Gemini, Nano Banana Are Coming to Chrome as Google Reinvents the Browser

  29-01-2026 16:22 via eweek.com
  Chrome is no longer just a window to the web; it’s becoming the pilot.In a new update announced Wednesday, Google said it is adding more Gemini-powered features directly into Chrome, including a permanent side panel assistant, built-in image tools, and an “auto browse” feature that can complete multi-step tasks across the web, rolling out in preview in the US for Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra subscribers.The changes are rolling out across macOS, Windows, and Chromebook Plus
  
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• China’s Humanoid Robots Are Finally Headed to the US

  29-01-2026 16:03 via eweek.com
  A new wave of Chinese humanoid robots is quietly closing in on the US market.A growing number of startups from Shenzhen, often called China’s “Silicon Valley,” are stepping onto the global stage, hoping to expand overseas before Tesla’s Optimus robot is even available to the public.One of the most closely watched names is LimX Dynamics, a company that has moved quickly from a small operation into an ambitious player with international plans, according to CNBC’s The
  
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• Boston University School of Law to Launch AI Certificate Program in Fall 2026

  29-01-2026 14:30 via eweek.com
  Boston has more than a feeling when it comes to AI.
  Boston University School of Law is preparing to launch an AI certificate program in fall 2026 as part of a broader initiative aimed at training future lawyers in the ethical and effective use of AI technologies.
  The initiative reflects a growing recognition within legal education that AI is becoming deeply embedded in legal research, writing, and practice. Law school administrators say the program is designed not only to familiarize students wi
  
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• Universal Basic Income Could Help Cushion UK Workers From AI Job Losses

  29-01-2026 13:43 via eweek.com
  As AI continues to take its vicious toll on jobs everywhere, there may be a soft solution in the UK.
  The country could consider introducing a universal basic income (UBI) as a way to protect workers whose jobs are disrupted by AI, according to the investment minister Jason Stockwood, as concerns mount over the pace at which new technologies are reshaping the labour market.
  UBI refers to a system in which individuals receive a regular, unconditional payment from the state, regardless of employmen
  
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• Meta to Nearly Double AI Spending

  29-01-2026 12:43 via eweek.com
  Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has signalled an aggressive expansion of the company’s AI ambitions.
  The Facebook-owner is planning to nearly double its annual spending on AI infrastructure and projects, even as warnings mount about a potential bubble in the fast-growing sector.
  The move underlines Meta’s belief that AI will reshape not only its products but also the wider economy, workplace structures, and competitive dynamics across the technology industry.
  Ramping up investme
  
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• Cisco Boss Warns AI Gold Rush Will End in a Reckoning

  29-01-2026 12:30 via eweek.com
  If the influx of AI-related everything these days hasn’t tipped you off already, I’ll be the one to break it to you: AI is here to stay. But how will its boom of seemingly endless widespread popularity impact the world, and will it ever slow down?The AI boom is indeed transforming tech at a rapid pace; the road ahead is unlikely to be smooth. Chuck Robbins, chairman and chief executive of Cisco Systems, has warned that while AI will reshape the global economy and ultimately be &ldquo
  
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• Google DeepMind AI Model Reads DNA’s Recipe for Life

  29-01-2026 07:00 via eweek.com
  A powerful AI model developed by Google’s DeepMind is being hailed as a potential turning point in genetics.
  Researchers reckon it could dramatically accelerate understanding of how DNA influences disease, cancer, and drug discovery.
  The model, called AlphaGenome, is designed to read and interpret the human genome – the complete set of genetic instructions that governs how the body grows, functions, and responds to illness. Scientists say it offers new insight into why tiny variation
  
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• China’s ‘AI Tigers’ Pounce: A New Wave of Models Challenges US Dominance

  28-01-2026 21:33 via eweek.com
  China’s artificial intelligence race is picking up speed again. From startups to tech giants, Chinese companies are rolling out new AI models at a rapid pace, signaling that the gap with US rivals may be narrowing faster than many expected.Over the past few months, several Chinese firms have unveiled new AI upgrades, adding to the momentum that began last year with DeepSeek’s surprise release of its R1 model. That launch drew global attention by offering performance comparable t
  
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• OpenAI, Google, and Moonshot Unveil New Agentic AI Systems

  28-01-2026 21:27 via eweek.com
  For two years, the workflow was simple: you ask AI a question, AI spits out an answer. Today, three separate announcements from OpenAI, Google, and Moonshot AI quietly killed that paradigm.The new model? AI that investigates, manipulates, and coordinates… without being asked.First, OpenAI’s Prism embeds GPT-5.2 directly inside your research paper
  Instead of copy-pasting text into a separate chat window, GPT-5.2 now reads your entire manuscript — structure, equations, citations
  
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• Apple Is Rumored to Tap Intel for Future iPhone Chip Production

  28-01-2026 19:41 via eweek.com
  Remember the messy breakup between Apple and Intel back in 2020? It looks like both companies could be heading toward a reunion.Reports are swirling that Apple is looking to tap Intel to help build chips for future iPhones. According to a research note from GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu, obtained by MacRumors, Intel is expected to begin manufacturing some Apple chips using its future “14A” process, which is expected to be ready for mass production in 2028.But there is a catch: Intel
  
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• China’s Military Labs Build ‘Apex Predator’ Drones, Robot Packs

  28-01-2026 18:52 via eweek.com
  China’s leading military labs are developing autonomous weapons designed to hunt and operate like apex predators, with the capability to deploy and operate with minimal human input. At one of China’s leading military-linked universities, researchers have studied the behaviour of hawks, wolves, and coyotes to simulate how drones and quadrupedal robots should act when encountering enemy units. In some scenarios, the systems are programmed to behave like apex predators, identifying
  
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• UK Leads Major Economies in AI-Related Job Losses, Morgan Stanley Says

  28-01-2026 18:38 via eweek.com
  Artificial intelligence is supposed to make work easier. In Britain right now, it’s also making work disappear.AI is cutting deeper into jobs in the UK than in other major economies, according to new research from Morgan Stanley. While companies say the technology is boosting productivity, Britain is standing out for the number of roles disappearing along the way.The investment bank’s study shows UK firms recorded an 8% net job loss linked to AI over the past year, the highest among
  
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• Your AI Cheat Codes: 7 ChatGPT Prompts That Help You Work Smarter

  28-01-2026 18:31 via eweek.com
  The era of firing off a “quick question” at AI is giving way to a more sophisticated workplace skill: knowing how to prompt.Recent data and expert reports reveal that the gap between average users and power users is widening, with prompt engineering skills now linked to massive gains in professional efficiency.According to the Pew Research Center, the adoption of ChatGPT in the office is skyrocketing. The center notes that 28% of employed US adults who have ever used ChatGPT now use
  
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• DeepSeek Boosts OCR Performance With Alibaba Open-Source AI

  28-01-2026 16:24 via eweek.com
  Chinese AI company DeepSeek has dropped some intriguing news in the document processing world.
  The firm has unveiled DeepSeek-OCR 2, a completely revamped optical character recognition system that replaces its previous architecture with Alibaba’s Qwen AI technology.
  Tech swap
  DeepSeek has ditched OpenAI’s CLIP framework that powered its original system and swapped it for Alibaba Cloud’s lightweight Qwen2-0.5b model.
  This new approach delivers a 3.7% performance boost over the p
  
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• Robot Restaurant in China Handles Cooking, Serving, and Cleaning

  28-01-2026 15:41 via eweek.com
  Walk into a restaurant in Hangzhou right now, and you might not see a chef shouting orders or servers rushing plates. Instead, you’ll find robotic arms cooking noodles, machines pouring coffee, and delivery bots gliding between tables.Hangzhou’s first “AI robot restaurant” has officially begun trial operations, offering diners a glimpse of what a fully automated dining experience could look like. The venue, called the “24 Solar Terms AI Robot Restaurant,” bega
  
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• Waabi’s $1B Raise Fuels Expansion Into Robotaxis With Uber

  28-01-2026 14:45 via eweek.com
  A Toronto-based firm’s vision for success in physical AI is moving along well.
  Autonomous vehicle company Waabi has secured a landmark $1 billion in new financing, underscoring growing investor confidence in physical AI and intensifying competition in the race to commercialize self-driving vehicles at scale.
  The company announced it has closed an oversubscribed $750 million Series C round, co-led by Khosla Ventures and G2 Venture Partners, alongside an additional future investment commitme
  
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• Anthropic Poised for $20B Funding Round

  28-01-2026 13:08 via eweek.com
  The AI investment frenzy carries on. Let’s all try to keep up.
  Anthropic is on the verge of raising about $20 billion from venture capital firms and other investors, double the amount it initially sought, in a striking demonstration of the intense enthusiasm surrounding leading AI start-ups.
  According to the Financial Times, people familiar with the matter said the fundraising, which is close to being finalised, would value the company at roughly $350 billion. If completed, it would rank a
  
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• Pinterest to Lay Off Nearly 15% of Staff in AI Shift

  28-01-2026 12:41 via eweek.com
  Pinterest plans to lay off less than 15% of its workforce as part of a restructuring that shifts more resources toward artificial intelligence. The company also expects to reduce its office space and reevaluate its sales and marketing strategy, according to a securities filing. Pinterest hopes to complete the changes by the end of its third quarter in late September. Investors reacted quickly, sending Pinterest shares down more than 9% as the company positions itself around AI-powered
  
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• Google Expands AI Plus Subscription to 35 New Countries

  28-01-2026 12:26 via eweek.com
  Google is taking its AI subscription global. The company announced that Google AI Plus is launching in 35 countries, with auto-upgrades for existing Google One subscribers.According to the announcement, the rollout extends AI Plus availability alongside Google’s broader AI subscription plans.Google AI Plus is priced at $7.99 per month in the US, with a 50% introductory discount for new subscribers.Standardization before accelerationThe timing is deliberate. Instead of introducing new headl
  
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• Sundance Documentary Claims to Expose AI’s Dark Truth

  28-01-2026 11:42 via eweek.com
  A documentary premiering at Sundance this week reckons it reveals the disturbing reality behind AI’s rapid rise.
  It all starts with a chilling story from 2016 that predicted today’s AI chaos. “Ghost in the Machine” opens with Microsoft’s experimental chatbot ‘Tay,’ which transformed into a hate-spewing machine within 24 hours of launch, opening what director Valerie Veatch calls a Pandora’s Box that’s now consuming the creative industry.
  Well
  
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• OpenAI Unleashes Prism for AI-Fueled Scientific Research

  28-01-2026 09:19 via eweek.com
  Don’t miss Prism as one AI firm has shown the importance of being earnest when it comes to research.
  OpenAI has launched Prism, an AI workspace powered by GPT-5.2 that integrates directly into scientific research workflows.
  This is a cloud-based environment that offers unlimited projects and collaborators, and is accessible to anyone with a ChatGPT account.
  The platform represents OpenAI’s objective to dominate the scientific research field, with the chance that every future paper wi
  
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• Ranked: 8 Things You Should Never Paste Into an AI Chatbot

  27-01-2026 21:37 via eweek.com
  Pasting something into a chatbot feels casual, almost disposable. It’s the digital equivalent of thinking out loud. But that muscle memory is exactly the problem. In a rush to get an answer, people drop sensitive data, work docs, and personal details they’d never post publicly, even though the risk profile is a lot closer than it feels.Below are the top eight things you should never paste into an AI chatbot, ranked from easy-to-overlook mistakes to the most dangerous exposu
  
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• What Is Clawdbot? The Viral Self-Hosted AI Assistant Taking Over X

  27-01-2026 19:36 via eweek.com
  An open-source AI assistant called “Clawdbot” exploded across X this weekend, so naturally, we had to investigate.Not to be confused with “Claude”, Clawdbot is a self-hosted agent that runs on your computer, texts you through WhatsApp/Telegram/Discord, remembers everything, and can build itself new capabilities on the fly. For a quick TL;DR, Harper Carroll explains Clawdbot well here.Unlike cloud-locked ChatGPT or Claude, Clawdbot lives on your hardware (or a $5 AWS insta
  
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• Apple’s Google-Powered Siri Overhaul Set for February Debut

  27-01-2026 17:26 via eweek.com
  Apple is finally getting ready to show us what a smart Siri actually looks like.According to the latest Power On newsletter from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is less than a month away from debuting a revamped Siri powered by Google’s Gemini. The announcement is expected in the second half of February, with the features likely arriving in the iOS 26.4 beta shortly after.Users will finally get features like Personal Context, which lets Siri reference previous conversations, and on-sc
  
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• Why Apple Considered an AI Home Screen for the iPhone

  27-01-2026 15:34 via eweek.com
  Apple flirted with letting AI reshuffle your iPhone apps. In the end, it was decided that muscle memory mattered more.The tech giant briefly considered using AI to change how the iPhone Home Screen works, including dynamically rearranging apps based on user behavior. The proposal surfaced internally but was ultimately shut down by Apple’s software chief, Craig Federighi, according to The Information.The idea was part of broader internal discussions about pushing AI deeper into Apple’
  
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