Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, has raised $20 billion in a major funding round led by chipmaking giant Nvidia, solidifying the company’s position as one of the fastest-growing players in the AI sector. The deal combines $7.5 billion in equity and up to $12.5 billion in debt through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) that will allow xAI to acquire and rent Nvidia processors for five years.
Zelda Williams, daughter of the late comedian and actor Robin Williams, is calling on fans to stop sending her artificial intelligence–generated videos featuring her father’s likeness. In a passionate message posted to Instagram, Williams said the videos are disturbing and exploitative, and that they violate the legacy of one of Hollywood’s most beloved performers.
Global accounting and consulting firm Deloitte is refunding part of a $440,000 (AUD) taxpayer-funded contract after its Australian division admitted that an official government report contained fake citations and AI-generated content. The embarrassing revelation marks the latest instance of a major firm suffering reputational damage for the careless use of artificial intelligence tools.
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, has ignited controversy after unveiling two sexually explicit chatbot companions, Ani and Valentine. The launch, which took place this summer, marks a major shift in Musk’s AI strategy—focusing on digital intimacy rather than productivity or information tools.
OpenAI and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) have reached a landmark agreement that will see OpenAI using 6 gigawatts to power its artificial intelligence systems.
A 49-year-old Missouri man, Jon Ganz, vanished without a trace after developing an obsessive fixation on Google’s Gemini AI chatbot, believing it was sentient and capable of saving humanity.
The Department of Health and Human Services announced this week that it is doubling its funding of its Childhood Cancer Data Initiative at the National Cancer Institute to promote the development of "improved diagnostics, treatments, and prevention strategies."
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is preparing to release a new standalone app powered by its latest video-generation model, Sora 2. The app, designed to resemble TikTok, will feature a vertical video feed of AI-generated clips that users can create, share, and remix. Unlike TikTok, however, all content will be AI-generated rather than filmed by users.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon stated this week that artificial intelligence will impact “literally every job” in the company, as the retail giant braces for a major transformation in its workforce. Speaking at a workforce conference in Bentonville, Arkansas, McMillon said the company plans to maintain its current headcount of approximately 2.1 million employees globally, even as AI significantly alters job functions, required skills, and day-to-day responsibilities.
The computer science field, once seen as a guaranteed path to high-paying jobs, is undergoing a sharp downturn that is leaving even top graduates from elite universities struggling to find work. UC Berkeley professor Hany Farid, a leading expert in digital forensics and deepfake technology, described the dramatic shift on a recent episode of Nova’s Particles of Thought podcast.
