Google announced that the latest update to Password Manager now enables users to sync their passkeys across multiple devices. Previously, Google passkeys could only be easily saved to Password Manager on Android, limiting cross-device utility. Scanning a QR code on an Android device was previously required to use passkeys on non-native platforms. The update makes it possible to use Google Password Manager on desktop systems that run Windows, macOS and Linux. ChromeOS is currently being beta tested and Google says iOS support is “coming soon.” Continue reading Google Debuts Secure Passkey Sync Feature Across Devices

Amazon has joined the ranks of firms offering generative video tools, although its release is aimed only at advertisers, at least for now. Simply called Video Generator, it can turn a product image into a video that showcases the product and even demonstrates its features, “leveraging Amazon’s unique insights to vividly bring a product story to life.” At the company’s Accelerate 2024 conference Amazon also debuted Live Image, which lets brands create animated GIFs from stills, a customizable chatbot assistant for third-party sellers, and a new AI-powered recommendation engine based on customer interests. Continue reading Amazon’s Video Generator Turns Stills into Advertising Clips

After previewing its Windows App unified gateway last year, Microsoft is now rolling it out wide. This means accessing the Windows operating system from mobile devices is intended to increase productivity via a cloud-based workflow. The Windows App is now generally available on Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and via web browser, and in public preview for Android. Microsoft couches the app as a secure way “to connect to Windows across Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, Remote Desktop, Remote Desktop Services, Microsoft Dev Box, and more.” Continue reading Microsoft Offers Mobile Windows App for Android and Apple

BlackRock has joined forces with Microsoft to launch what will initially be a $30 billion investment fund to finance AI infrastructure — concentrating primarily on building data centers and developing energy projects. The amount could quickly scale to about $100 billion. Abu Dhabi-based tech investment firm MGX is also participating, as is Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), which owns, operates and invests across energy, transport, digital and waste management. BlackRock announced it is in the process of acquiring GIP, and says a deal expected to close next month. The new fund is called Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership (GAIIP). Continue reading BlackRock Teams with Microsoft to Advance AI Infrastructure

AI-powered ad campaigns “are continuing to deliver big results for businesses large and small,” according to Google, which has put Gemini to work for Google Ads. The company announced at the DMEXCO digital marketing event in Cologne a new suite of Gemini-powered tools aimed at making the experience even better by providing additional insights and more control over where and how marketing assets are deployed globally using Google Ads. For starters, Gemini’s “conversational experience” for search campaigns will expand its language palette, making auto-generated headlines and images available in German, French and Spanish in the months ahead. Continue reading Google Unveils Gemini-Powered Ad Features and AI Image ID

OpenAI is previewing a new series of AI models that can reason and correct complex coding mistakes, providing a more efficient solution for developers. Powered by OpenAI o1, the new models are “designed to spend more time thinking before they respond, much like a person would,” and as a result can “solve harder problems than previous models in science, coding, and math,” OpenAI claims, noting that “through training, they learn to refine their thinking process, try different strategies, and recognize their mistakes.” The first model in the series is being released in preview in OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT and in the company’s API. Continue reading OpenAI Previews New LLMs Capable of Complex Reasoning

Sony’s $700 PlayStation 5 Pro promises improved graphics and gameplay. The midcycle upgrade, releasing next month, aims to keep the console competitive with — or better than — ever-evolving game PCs. Sony says the new model supports 8K gaming, an upgrade to the native 4K available with the PS5. For those gamers interested in a disc drive for the PS5 Pro, an $80 model is available. Sony Interactive Entertainment’s popular “Gran Turismo 7” racing simulation game is poised to be the first 8K title for the PS5 Pro. Sony says the GPU on the PS5 Pro has 67 percent more compute and 28 percent faster memory, for rendering that is 45 percent faster than its predecessor. Continue reading New Sony PS5 Pro Supports 8K and Improves 4K Ray Tracing

Senza is a connected TV app that parent Synamedia says can “transform the economics of reaching viewers” by offloading streaming controls from set-top boxes and dongles to the cloud. Synamedia claims Senza can reduce streaming costs by up to 90 percent while maintaining content security. The platform can be used to deliver to home TV screens as well as offsite locations such as bars, hotels and stadiums. “Senza moves the user experience from devices — such as connected TVs and streaming sticks — into the cloud and offers an HTML5 interface to quickly launch free, low-cost or premium services,” according to the company. Continue reading Synamedia Reimagines TV Streaming with New Cloud Device

Anthropic has launched the Claude Enterprise subscription plan to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT Enterprise business solution. Focused on security and administrative controls, Claude Enterprise is designed to help organizations securely collaborate with artificial intelligence using proprietary internal data. Pricing will vary based on the number of seats and how Claude is used but is expected to be more expensive than Claude Pro and Claude Teams ($20 and $25 per month, respectively). An expanded 500K context window, more usage capacity, and a native GitHub integration for work on entire codebases are advantages Anthropic touts for Claude Enterprise. Continue reading Anthropic Announces Enhanced Claude Enterprise Plan for AI

OpenAI co-founder and former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, who exited the company in May after a power struggle with CEO Sam Altman, has raised $1 billion for his new venture, Safe Superintelligence (SSI). The cash infusion from major Silicon Valley venture capital firms including Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, DST Global, SV Angel and NFDG has resulted in a $5 billion valuation for the startup. As its name implies, SSI is focused on developing artificial intelligence that does not pose a threat to humanity, a goal that will be pursued “in a straight shot” with “one product,” Sutskever has stated. Continue reading Safe Superintelligence Raises $1 Billion to Develop Ethical AI

An AI-powered coding app called Cursor is building a fanbase, with everyone from hobbyists to engineers subscribing to the service. The platform reportedly has 30,000 paying customers, among them employees at OpenAI, Midjourney and Perplexity. Referred to as “the ChatGPT of coding,” Cursor uses popular models including GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet to automate building apps and other coding tasks. Cursor was launched by two-year-old startup Anysphere, which has raised more than $60 million in Series A funding led by Andreessen Horowitz and Thrive Capital. Continue reading New AI Coding App Cursor Gains Following and $60M in Funds

Adobe, OpenAI and Microsoft are among the major firms backing a California bill that would require tech companies to label AI-generated content with watermarks embedded in the metadata. Such data is easily accessible via browser for material circulated on the Internet, and the initiative would likely involve a campaign to educate the general public on how to find it. The proposed law encompasses video and audio as well as images. The three companies currently supporting the bill initially opposed it, using terms like “unworkable” and “overly burdensome.” Continue reading Bill Mandating GenAI Watermarks Gains Support in California

Creating a universal definition of “open source AI” has generated a fair amount of debate and confusion, with many outfits using elastic parameters in order to achieve a fit. Now the Open Source Initiative (OSI) — “the authority that defines Open Source” — has issued what it hopes will become the baseline definition. That definition, which includes the ability to “use the system for any purpose and without having to ask for permission,” excludes a lot of AI platforms that currently describe themselves as “open,” many freely available only for non-commercial use. OSI’s remaining three parameters involve the ability to inspect the system and modify and share it. Continue reading OSI Aims for Industry Standard by Defining ‘Open Source AI’

California-based semiconductor manufacturer AMD is looking to take on Nvidia for a bigger share of business from the artificial intelligence boom. AMD plans to purchase data center equipment maker ZT Systems in a cash and stock deal that values the company at $4.9 billion. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, is part of AMD’s goal of offering a wider selection of chips, software and system designs to big data enterprise clients such as Microsoft, Google, Meta Platforms and Apple. Privately held ZT Systems, based in New Jersey, makes gear and server solutions for cloud computing and related infrastructure. Continue reading AMD Buying ZT Systems to Expand Data Center Capabilities

WordPress parent Automattic has launched Write Brief with AI to help make documents more concise. Available for free to WordPress.com users, Write Brief with AI measures “readability,” suggests edits and will even make them for you. It identifies complex words and offers alternatives and focuses on simplifying convoluted sentences — all from within the editor function in the WordPress dashboard. Write Brief with AI is now built-in to Jetpack for those who host through WordPress.com, available only in English, though the company says it is working to expand language support. Continue reading WordPress Introduces AI Assistant to Help Users with Writing