OpenAI is developing a social network that could shake up the AI landscape. The project centers on ChatGPT's image generation and includes a social feed, according to sources close to the matter.
OpenAI just updated its rulebook for handling powerful AI, and the timing couldn't be better. Their AI models keep getting smarter, and like any parent of a gifted teenager, they're setting firmer boundaries.
Claude just got a major upgrade that transforms how it finds and uses information. The AI assistant now searches the web and connects with Google Workspace, making it a more capable research partner.
White House Tech Chief Demands More Bang for Research Buck
The White House's new science chief wants to overhaul U.S. research funding. In an interview with Bloomberg News, Michael Kratsios laid out his vision for smarter spending on technology research despite sweeping budget cuts.
His first public remarks since Senate confirmation hit hard. Speaking at the Endless Frontiers retreat in Austin, Kratsios called for "creative" use of R&D money. He wants faster decisions on research proposals, citing lessons from the Covid pandemic.
The cuts bite deep. The National Science Foundation, which leads AI research, faces layoffs across its grant-making teams. But Kratsios, the former Scale AI executive, sees a path forward.
"We have to be the place where these breakthroughs ultimately happen," he told Bloomberg News. His plan? Work with budget officials to target funding at key priorities like AI development.
His past hints at his priorities. Kratsios served as White House chief technology officer in Trump's first term. Now he's back with a July deadline to craft a new AI Action Plan. Trump recently scrapped Biden's executive order on AI after returning to office.
Kratsios pulls no punches on past policies. He slammed the Biden administration's "spirit of fear" in tech regulation. Instead, he pushes for fewer rules, especially in nuclear energy.
China features heavily in his thinking. "After 30 years of subsidizing Chinese growth, it's time to stop helping a rival catch up," he said at the Austin retreat. He backs stronger export controls, even as some push to ease recent chip restrictions.
Why this matters:
This marks the sharpest turn yet in U.S. research policy - betting that focused investment beats broad funding
The tech industry faces a new reality: compete harder with less help from Washington
InternVL3, a new open-source AI model, matches or beats proprietary giants like GPT-4 and Gemini in understanding images and video. Its key breakthrough lies in how it learns to process visual information alongside language from the start, rather than adding these capabilities later.
Stanford and Google DeepMind researchers built an AI system that can analyze millions of street photos to track how cities change over time. The system found striking patterns.
Even the most advanced AI visual systems have a serious problem: They try to answer questions they can't actually solve. A new study from the University of Tokyo and their collaborators tested leading AI models on what seems like a simple task - knowing when to say "I can't answer that."
A Georgia Tech study shows AI language models frequently generate harmful content about people with mental health conditions, even without prompting. The research team analyzed thousands of AI responses to track how these systems can worsen social stigmas.
