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Need-to-Know
- Andon Labs tested top LLMs on a robot and found that most still struggle to convert reasoning into physical, embodied action.
- Reddit reported that AI chatbots are not a major traffic source, with Google Search and direct visits continuing to dominate.
- Fox News retracted a report after unknowingly citing AI-generated TikTok videos as real evidence.
- Perplexity introduced an AI-powered patent search tool that lets users discover patents and prior art via natural language queries.
- Canva launched its AI-driven Creative Operating System, unifying design, video, and marketing tools in a single collaborative workspace.
- OpenAI clarified that its Oct 29 policy update does not change how ChatGPT handles legal or health-related data.
- Utopai Studios and LG’s founder’s grandson formed Utopai East to build AI infrastructure for next-generation film and TV production across Asia.
- Databricks upgraded Agent Bricks and MLflow with new features for evaluating and governing enterprise-grade AI agents.
- AWS partnered with Formula 1 to create a data-driven racing ecosystem using AI to optimize car design, race strategy, and fan engagement.
- Hippocratic AI raised $126 M at a $3.5 B valuation to scale its safe, clinician-built healthcare agents globally.
- Coca-Cola’s new AI Christmas ad faced backlash for uncanny visuals despite faster, cheaper production.
- Overwhelmed by AI submissions, arXiv will reject computer-science review papers lacking peer-review proof.
- Microsoft uncovered SesameOp, a backdoor that exploited OpenAI’s Assistants API to secretly link infected systems.
- Lambda signed a multibillion-dollar partnership with Microsoft to build massive Nvidia-powered AI infrastructure.
- Walmart’s CEO said the retailer is “all-in” on AI, retraining every employee and embedding automation into daily operations.
- Ex-Meta designers unveiled Sandbar Stream Ring, a wearable “mouse for voice” that records thoughts and controls audio, redefining human–AI interfaces.
- People Inc. signed a content-licensing deal with Microsoft using a pay-per-use model that directly compensates publishers.
- OpenAI’s Sora video generator officially launched on Android in the U.S., Canada, Japan, and Korea.
- xAI reportedly required staff to submit biometric data to train Elon Musk’s virtual AI companion, “Ani.”
- Microsoft launched MAI-Image-1, its first in-house image generator for Bing and Copilot, reducing reliance on OpenAI.
- Shopify reported AI-driven traffic up 7× and orders up 11× since January, cementing AI as the engine of “agentic commerce.”
- Apple will pay ≈ $1 B per year for a custom version of Google Gemini powering next-gen Siri.
- Inception raised $50 M to apply diffusion models to text + code generation, outperforming autoregressive LLMs in speed and cost.
- Google introduced Ironwood TPUs and Axion instances to supercharge AI inference and cloud compute.
- Collins Dictionary named “vibe coding” the 2025 Word of the Year, capturing humanity’s mix of AI enthusiasm and authenticity anxiety.
Weekly AI Launches
- WhatsDiff released an open-source CLI showing code-package changes (npm/composer) with instant terminal changelogs.
- BilberryDB launched a no-code multimodal vector database enabling fast embedding search across 3D, video, and text data.
- Ultracite debuted a zero-config linter + formatter that ensures humans and AI produce consistent, type-safe code.
- PoemCam introduced a free photo app that adds AI-generated poems matching each image’s mood.
- Multifactor rolled out a secure link-sharing tool for granting account access without exposing passwords—even to AI agents.
- Build0 unveiled a no-code builder that creates full internal apps + AI workflows from a single prompt.
- 1stCollab launched an all-in-one influencer-marketing platform automating sourcing, campaigns, and payments.
- Odyssey-2 debuted an interactive AI video model that streams instantly and responds to text guidance in real time.
- Uneed launched Uneed Community, a redesigned “social launchpad” with X-style feeds for feedback + marketing.
- Jinna.ai released an AI invoicing tool that generates and tracks invoices via chat, auto-chasing late payments.
- Floqer launched a RevOps automation platform detecting GTM signals, enriching leads, and triggering outreach.
- Softr introduced Softr Workflows, a visual builder for creating automations + AI agents inside Softr apps.
- Baidu unveiled MeDo, an agentic AI that builds full-stack production apps from a prompt in minutes.
- Blindspot launched a real-time digital-billboard platform where anyone can book screens (e.g., Times Square) for as little as $1 / hour.
- Context Link released a connector that securely links Notion + personal docs to ChatGPT for contextual responses.
- Extra Thursday launched an inbox AI that lets users chat with their entire email history and manage threads effortlessly.
- Dazl introduced a hybrid app builder combining generative AI with chat, visual, and code-level editing.
- Ancher unveiled a “growth feed” that filters algorithmic noise to surface actionable insights and balanced perspectives.
- Golf launched the Golf Firewall, shielding MCP servers from prompt injections, PII leaks, and credential exposure.
- Fire Your QA Today released a tool that turns screen recordings into autonomous QA agents, testing apps with no scripts needed.
