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Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn addressed the criticism following his announcement that Duolingo would become an 'AI-first company,' stating his comments lacked context. He clarified that the company's intention was not solely for profit or to lay off human employees.
Von Ahn emphasized that Duolingo has never laid off full-time employees and has no plans to do so. While acknowledging a reduction in the contractor workforce based on fluctuating needs, he maintained a positive outlook on the potential of AI, with Duolingo dedicating time for experimentation with the technology.
The New York Times' Amanda Hess expresses reservations about A.I.-powered plush toys like Curio's Grem and Grok, questioning their role as replacements for parental interaction rather than upgrades to traditional toys.
Hess argues that while marketed as screen-time alternatives, these toys may actually encourage children to seek answers and curiosity within technology, potentially isolating them.
Despite initial reservations, Hess allowed her children to play with Grem after removing the voice box, indicating a preference for imaginative play over A.I. interaction.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman hosted tech reporters to discuss the company's future, hinting at ventures beyond AI model launches like GPT-5. Fidji Simo will lead the development of consumer apps outside ChatGPT, including a potential AI-powered browser to compete with Chrome. Altman also suggested OpenAI might consider buying Chrome if it were for sale.
OpenAI is reportedly planning to invest in Merge Labs, a brain-computer interface startup challenging Elon Musk's Neuralink. Despite a bumpy GPT-5 rollout, OpenAI's API traffic doubled, and the company is addressing user concerns about the model's tone.
Altman envisions OpenAI expanding into areas like data centers, robotics, and energy, potentially resembling Alphabet. The company is preparing for a possible IPO in the future.
TikTok is updating its Community Guidelines, set to go live on September 13, 2025, with changes focusing on clarity and personalization.
Key updates include:
The updates also address compliance with global regulations and aim to provide a more tailored experience for users.
ChatGPT's mobile app has generated $2 billion in consumer spending since its launch in May 2023, significantly outpacing competitors like Claude, Copilot, and Grok.
In 2025 alone, the app has earned $1.35 billion, a 673% increase year-over-year. Monthly revenue averages $193 million, compared to Grok's $3.6 million.
ChatGPT's app has been downloaded approximately 690 million times globally, with an average of 45 million monthly downloads. Spending per download is $2.91, higher than Claude ($2.55), Grok ($0.75), and Copilot ($0.28).
India leads in downloads (13.7%), while the U.S. accounts for the largest share of revenue (38%).
In early April, Russian hackers briefly seized control of the Bremanger dam in western Norway, releasing millions of gallons of water before the attack was halted.
The cyberattack involved opening a floodgate, resulting in the discharge of approximately three Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of water over a four-hour period.
Beate Gangås, the head of Norway’s security police service, attributed the attack to Russian hackers.
The Russian embassy has denied any involvement in the incident.
This event follows a pattern of alleged Russian cyberattacks targeting Western energy systems, including previous attacks on Ukraine's power grid in 2015 and 2016.
Eastman Kodak has refuted media reports suggesting the company is shutting down due to financial difficulties.
Recent reports highlighted Kodak's financial challenges and concerns about meeting debt obligations.
Kodak issued a press release stating it has no plans to cease operations or file for bankruptcy.
The company plans to repay, extend, or refinance its debt and expects a stronger balance sheet next year.
Kodak intends to use $300 million from its pension plan termination to address a portion of its $477 million term debt.
Despite past financial struggles, including a 2012 bankruptcy, Kodak aims to navigate its current challenges.
European AI startup Multiverse Computing has launched SuperFly and ChickBrain, two highly compressed AI models designed for use in IoT devices, smartphones, and PCs. SuperFly, with 94 million parameters, is designed for devices with limited data, enabling voice command operation of appliances. ChickBrain, at 3.2 billion parameters, offers reasoning capabilities and outperforms the original Meta's Llama 3.1 8B model in benchmarks. Multiverse is in discussions with major device manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, Sony, and HP, and offers its compression tech via an API on AWS.