AI Tech

Sam Altman Softens Stance, Says AI Development May Need to Be Paced

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says it may be time to slow AI development to give society time to adapt, following a security incident where an advanced model breached a secure environment.

Runlayer Sues Rippling Over Alleged Copying of MCP Gateway Product

AI infrastructure startup Runlayer has filed a lawsuit against Rippling, accusing the HR software company of stealing its product idea after an extensive trial.

Agentic AI Set to Reshape Consumer Shopping Journey by 2030

Agentic commerce is moving from theory to practice as tech giants embed AI agents into search and checkout. By 2030, such agents could drive 15–25% of US e-commerce, according to Bain & Company.

Cursor Launches India-Specific Subscription Plan Ahead of SpaceX Acquisition

Librarians Offer 'Avoiding AI' Workshops as Demand Surges

Librarians across the US are hosting popular workshops that teach attendees how to disable artificial intelligence features on their devices, driven by public frustration with unsolicited AI integration.

Brain Wave Readings Enter Physical AI Training Data Arsenal

Encord and Zander Labs are testing brain wave headsets to capture mental states like error and intent, aiming to enrich training data for humanoid and warehouse robots.

Hugging Face CEO Demands 'Radical Transparency' After OpenAI Model Breach

Clem Delangue, CEO of AI platform Hugging Face, is calling on OpenAI to fully disclose details of an autonomous cyberattack that breached his company's systems.

Apple Delays Smart Glasses Launch to Address Privacy Concerns

Apple has postponed the release of its first smart glasses, now planned for unveiling at WWDC in June 2027 and availability by year-end, as the company works to address consumer privacy issues akin to those faced by Meta.

Best Buy Retools Stores for AI Era with Meta Ray-Ban Shop-in-Shops

Best Buy is rolling out dedicated Meta AI shop-in-shops for Ray-Ban Meta glasses, aiming to position itself as a destination for cutting-edge technology.

Monday.com Lays Off 20% of Workforce in AI-Driven Restructuring

Monday.com is cutting about 600 jobs, or 20% of its staff, as part of a restructuring plan tied to its AI-first strategy, becoming the latest tech company to cite artificial intelligence in workforce reductions.

Shiseido Discovers Ring-Shaped Collagen, Unveils AI Visualization Platform

Japanese beauty giant Shiseido has identified a new ring-shaped collagen structure in facial skin and developed an AI-powered platform to map skin forces, shifting anti-aging research toward preserving structural architecture rather than simply boosting collagen levels.

Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K3, a Massive New AI Model for Coding and Reasoning

Beijing-based Moonshot AI has launched Kimi K3, a large language model with 2.8 trillion parameters and a one-million-token context window, targeting coding, reasoning and complex knowledge work.

Michaels' AI Assistant Doubles Conversion Rate with Google Gemini

Michaels reports that its Google Gemini-powered shopping assistant, Ask Mike, has achieved a conversion rate more than double that of traditional search since its quiet launch in May.

AI Lab Prentis, Co-Founded by Reid Hoffman and Marc Pincus, Aims to Raise $100 Million

Prentis, an AI research lab focused on automating routine computer tasks, is in talks to raise $100 million at a $1 billion valuation. The startup has already secured contracts worth up to $50 million.

Patreon Lays Off 20% of Workforce Amid Market Shifts

Patreon is cutting 93 jobs, or 20% of its staff, CEO Jack Conte announced Thursday, citing the need to adapt to market changes and AI's impact on the tech industry.

AMD unveils Helios AI rack system to rival Nvidia

AMD announced Helios, a rack-scale system for AI workloads, at its Advancing AI conference in San Francisco. The system is set to ship later this year and aims to challenge Nvidia's dominance in the AI data center market.

AI safety guardrails hinder offensive cybersecurity researchers

Strict guardrails implemented by AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are limiting legitimate offensive cybersecurity researchers who hunt for unknown vulnerabilities.

Tesla Delays Volume Production of Cybercab, Semi, and Megapack Beyond 2026

Tesla has pushed back volume production targets for the Cybercab, Tesla Semi, and Megapack 3, previously expected this year, as rising spending on new products and battery capacity weighs on its finances.

U.S. Treasury Warns of Sanctions After Chinese AI Firm Moonshot Accused of Distilling Anthropic’s Model

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said sanctions remain on the table after a White House official accused Chinese AI company Moonshot of improperly distilling Anthropic’s Fable model, escalating tensions over intellectual property and export controls.

Google Cloud revenue surges 82% to $24.8B, easing AI spending concerns

Alphabet's Google Cloud revenue jumped 82% year-over-year to $24.8 billion, driven by enterprise AI adoption, helping the company post record profits of $112.1 billion.

IBM Reports Disappointing Quarter as Mainframe Sales Drop 42%

IBM's mainframe business plunged 42%, causing the company to miss Wall Street expectations and its stock to fall 25% in a single day. CEO Arvind Krishna attributed the decline to AI data center spending temporarily diverting corporate hardware budgets.

AI Game Brings China’s Most Famous Painting to Life

A University of Hong Kong professor has developed an AI-powered simulation that lets users explore the world of 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival', a renowned 5-meter-long scroll painting from the Song Dynasty.

Neko Health Raises $700M Series C Ahead of US Expansion

The health technology company co-founded by Spotify’s Daniel Ek has secured $700 million in Series C funding as it prepares to open its first US clinics in New York and other cities this year.

Humanoid Robots Face Off in World’s First URKL Combat Tournament

The inaugural Ultimate Robot Knock-out Legend (URKL) tournament launched in Shenzhen, featuring 32 international teams and 75kg humanoid robots battling in a steel arena.

About You’s Scayle Studios Brings AI-Powered Photo Studio to UK

About You’s Scayle Studios has launched its AI-driven photo and video production service in the UK, promising to cut turnaround times from weeks to minutes.

AI-Driven Commerce Reshapes China's Beauty Market, Says Yaso Co-Founder

Adam Knight, co-founder of Yaso, advises beauty brands to adopt an AI-first approach as China's market shifts away from legacy retail routes, with AI integration far ahead of the West.

Chinese Brands Face New Challenge: Winning Over AI Agents

As AI agents increasingly shape consumer discovery and purchasing decisions, Chinese brands must pivot from social media marketing to earning the trust of these autonomous systems. The shift demands new strategies that go beyond traditional playbooks.

CXMT's Mega IPO Sparks Frenzy Among Retail Investors, AI Fund

ChangXin Memory Technologies' blockbuster initial public offering has drawn a frenzy of retail investors, including a 60-year-old from Sichuan who applied for 86,000 shares, as well as the fund of DeepSeek founder, with hopes of strong gains amid the AI boom.

Lotte Duty Free Launches ChatGPT-Powered Shopping Service in Korean Travel Retail

Lotte Duty Free has introduced a ChatGPT-based shopping platform, the first generative AI service in Korean travel retail, allowing customers to browse and purchase via natural language conversations.

Elderly Chinese retail investors shift savings to tech stocks on state support

Technology stocks, including chipmakers and AI developers, are attracting elderly retail investors in China who are betting on the nation's technological ascendancy, spurred by government backing and dissatisfaction with blue-chip returns.

Chinese Dorm Supervisors Form Punk Band, Go Viral with Graduation Anthem

Five university dorm supervisors in China, known as 'dorm aunties,' have formed a rock band and released a punk-style graduation song called 'Go Shine,' becoming an internet sensation.

Luxury brands accelerate AI adoption as consumer usage surges

A new joint study reveals that luxury executives are rapidly prioritizing AI, with 22% ranking it among their top three strategic priorities by 2026, up from 5% in 2024. Meanwhile, 55% of luxury consumers now use AI in their purchase journey.

Clothink Debuts AI-Powered Workspace for Fashion Design

Clothink has launched an AI-driven platform aimed at streamlining fashion design and product development.

Luxury Brands Elevate AI to Top Strategic Priority as Consumer Adoption Surges

New research shows a sharp increase in luxury houses ranking artificial intelligence among their top corporate priorities, even as consumer AI usage for shopping outpaces brand deployment.

Google Debuts AI Search and YouTube Shopping Tools for Southeast Asia

Google has introduced new AI-powered search and YouTube advertising tools at Marketing Live Southeast Asia, aimed at streamlining online shopping and boosting sales for brands in the region.

AI Startups Certo and Certivo Help Beauty Brands Navigate Regulatory Complexity

Consumer Goods Companies Turn to AI for Faster Innovation

L'Oréal and other consumer goods giants are integrating artificial intelligence into product development to accelerate innovation and reduce costs amid changing consumer preferences.

AI Trap Artist Lil Wukong Releases New Music Video 'Six Ears'

The fictional AI-generated music artist Lil Wukong returns with 'Six Ears,' a smoother trap track that continues his modern retelling of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.

China’s Stock Market Mirrors Uneven Economy as Tech Surges and Consumer Shares Slump

China’s US$16 trillion stock market reflects the widening gap between a booming technology sector and weak consumer spending, with AI chipmakers leading gains while consumer stocks lag.

Z.ai’s GLM-5.2 Challenges US AI Giants With Lower Cost and Open Access

Beijing-based startup Z.ai released GLM-5.2, an open-weight LLM that rivals top US models in coding and agent capabilities at a fraction of the cost, sparking comparisons to DeepSeek’s earlier disruption.

Renzo Rosso: Artificial Intelligence Is a Stimulus for Fashion Competitiveness

OTB Group founder Renzo Rosso advocates for AI as a driver of growth and competitiveness in fashion, while emphasizing a local sourcing strategy within 20 kilometres of headquarters.

PMY Group Deploys Crowd Intelligence Platform at Airports to Boost Retail Revenue

Technology firm PMY Group is expanding its Optic crowd intelligence platform in airports, using real-time data to help operators and retailers improve commercial performance.

Apple Puts Chinese Student Creators at Heart of New Mac Campaign

Apple is shifting its marketing strategy in China by featuring university students and their creative processes in a new back-to-school Mac campaign, moving away from hardware specs to highlight real-world use cases.

Alibaba Unveils Wan Streamer, an Ultra-Realistic AI That Sees and Responds in Real Time

Alibaba has launched Wan Streamer, a cutting-edge AI model capable of real-time visual and auditory interaction with sub-second latency, blurring the line between human and machine.

Oura CEO Tom Hale Unveils Company's ‘Large Physiological Model’ Vision at Beauty Forum

One month after its IPO filing, Oura CEO Tom Hale outlined the company's ambition to build the world's first large physiological model at the Business of Beauty Global Forum, positioning the smart-ring maker as a health-intelligence platform.

Unilever Invests $270 Million in AI-Powered Global Innovation Center in Connecticut

Unilever is building a $270 million Global Innovation Center in New Haven, Connecticut, set to open in spring 2029. The facility will use AI, bioscience, and neuroscience to accelerate product development.

Beauty Discovery Shifts to AI Chatbots, VivaTech 2026 Reveals

At VivaTech 2026 in Paris, L’Oréal and LVMH showcased AI-driven beauty tools as new data shows 75% of consumers use large language models for beauty research, with 25% now relying on AI as their primary shopping source.

Recruiters Shift Focus as AI Transforms Résumé Polishing

With artificial intelligence enabling flawless résumés, hiring managers are turning to new methods to gauge candidates' judgment, adaptability and potential.

L'Oréal Adds €20 Million to Climate Emergency Fund Through 2030

L'Oréal is committing an additional €20 million to its Climate Emergency Fund, extending the initiative through 2030 to bolster climate resilience, disaster response, and community support.

Fairly Made, Synthesia and Bluefish Win LVMH Innovation Awards

Fashion Executives Urged to Redesign Organizations for AI Era

Artificial intelligence is reshaping fashion businesses by automating routine tasks and empowering employees, prompting a need for new leadership structures and talent strategies.