Welcome back to your daily dossier talking AI, robotics, crypto and the future of tech. 👾

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

🧠 OpenAI taps Instacart CEO Fidji Simo to lead its apps division.
🛡️ Google deploys AI to block scams in Chrome and Search in real time.
🎵 SoundCloud quietly allows AI training on user content, sparking backlash.
⚡ xAI powers the world’s largest AI supercomputer with Tesla Megapack batteries.
🎨 AI tools are reshaping art and software creation, prompting ethical debates.

AI

• OpenAI hires former head of the Facebook app

  • OpenAI appoints Instacart CEO Fidji Simo to lead its applications division, allowing CEO Sam Altman to focus on research and safety.

  • Simo, a former Facebook app head, oversaw key features like News Feed and Stories, contributing significantly to Facebook's growth.

  • She will remain at Instacart for a few months until a successor is named, while OpenAI expands its ChatGPT apps across platforms.

  Google AI Is Fighting Back Against Scams – And You’ll Love It!

  • Google implements AI-driven measures in Search and Chrome to proactively detect and prevent online scams targeting users.

  • The AI system analyzes patterns and behaviors to identify fraudulent websites and phishing attempts in real-time.

  • This initiative aims to enhance user safety by reducing exposure to deceptive content and malicious actors online.

  SoundCloud changes policies to allow AI training on user content

  • SoundCloud updates its terms to permit AI training on user-uploaded audio, sparking concerns over consent and compensation.

  • The policy change, added in February 2024, allows content to be used to ‘inform, train, [or] develop’ AI technologies.

  • While major label content is exempt, users lack a clear opt-out option, raising ethical questions about data usage.

ROBOTICS

• U.S. automotive industry increased robot installations by 10% in 2024

  • The U.S. automotive sector installed 13,700 industrial robots in 2024, marking a 10.7% increase over the previous year.

  • This growth reflects the industry's ongoing commitment to automation for enhanced efficiency and competitiveness.

  • The trend aligns with global movements towards increased robotic integration in manufacturing processes.

  xAI to use Tesla Megapack batteries to power world's largest AI supercomputer

  • Elon Musk's xAI has equipped its Colossus supercomputer in Memphis with 150 MW of Tesla Megapack batteries.

  • The batteries provide backup power, ensuring stability during outages and peak demand periods.

  • This integration underscores a move towards sustainable energy solutions in high-performance computing infrastructures.

  Wearables with tunable stiffness mimic touch, adapt motion, and remember shape

  • Carnegie Mellon researchers developed wearables capable of adjusting stiffness and remembering shapes for adaptive motion.

  • These devices utilize algorithms to optimize flexural rod placement, enhancing kinematic performance.

  • Applications span medical rehabilitation, haptic feedback systems, and advanced prosthetics.

CRYPTO

• Trump family profited $320M on memecoin despite 87% decline

  • The Trump family earned $320 million in fees from the TRUMP memecoin, while retail investors saw major portfolio losses.

  • The coin dropped 87% in value since launch, yet increased the family’s crypto net worth by nearly $3 billion.

  • Critics call for impeachment after Trump hosted a private crypto event at his Mar-a-Lago club tied to the coin.

  Bitcoin tops $100,000 on trade deal optimism

  • Bitcoin rose above $100K for the first time in months, driven by optimism around a new U.S.–U.K. trade agreement.

  • The cryptocurrency peaked at $101,329.97 with a 4.7% gain, boosting confidence across the broader crypto market.

  • Analysts cite institutional inflows and improving macro conditions as key factors behind the latest price rally.

  Diddy meme coin hits $180M before crashing

  • A meme coin tied to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs soared to a $181 million market cap before falling back to $32 million.

  • The launch coincided with Diddy’s criminal trial, raising eyebrows over timing and possible legal implications.

  • Promoter Sahil Arora claims credit, adding to a streak of celebrity tokens marked by hype and volatility.

CONTENT

• How AI Coding Agents Will Change Your Job

  • AI coding tools are transforming software development, enabling small teams to accomplish tasks that once required large engineering groups.

  • The rise of ‘vibe coding’ allows developers to generate code through natural language prompts, shifting focus from manual coding to AI.

  • This shift democratizes software creation, providing founders with more leverage and making knowledge work more accessible.

  How AI Is Changing Art for Creatives

  • AI-generated images are becoming prevalent, prompting discussions on their impact on traditional artistic processes and human creativity.

  • Artists explore the balance between leveraging AI as a tool and maintaining the essence of human-driven art.

  • The integration of AI in art challenges conventional notions of creativity and the role of the artist.

  Why Apple is trying to save Google

  • Apple's $20 billion annual deal with Google to keep it as the default search engine is under scrutiny amid antitrust concerns.

  • Testimonies reveal Apple's financial interest in Google's dominance, despite exploring AI-powered search alternatives.

  • The evolving landscape of AI search technologies poses potential disruptions to existing partnerships and market dynamics.

AND MORE…

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• Jony Ive's next product is driven by the 'unintended consequences' of the iPhone

  • Jony Ive says the iPhone’s dominance brought social issues that designers must now help solve responsibly.

  • Ive is working with OpenAI on a post-phone device that embraces AI without screen dependency.

  • The goal is to reimagine user interaction, drawing on Apple's design roots but focused on human-centered tech.

  Meta taps former Google DeepMind director to lead its AI research lab

  • Meta appointed Robert Fergus, ex-DeepMind director, to lead its Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) division.

  • The move aims to stabilize FAIR after talent loss to Meta’s product-focused GenAI teams.

  • Fergus returns to elevate open-ended research and compete with rival foundation model labs.

  Man sentenced for funding ISIS with cryptocurrency

  • A Virginia man was sentenced to 30 years for sending $185K in crypto to ISIS operatives overseas.

  • Prosecutors called it one of the most direct uses of crypto for terrorist financing to date.

  • The case renews scrutiny of how digital assets can be exploited for untraceable funding.