Pulse

Google is integrating its Gemini AI more deeply into the Android ecosystem, introducing a system called Gemini Intelligence. This new platform aims to make Android devices more proactive assistants by understanding user context and performing multi-step tasks across various applications. New features include generative UI for custom widgets, enhanced autofill capabilities using personal data, and multimodal input for Gemini actions, with initial rollouts planned for premium Pixel and Galaxy phones. AI

Meta is experiencing record profits alongside historically low employee morale, with many workers anticipating layoffs and expressing dissatisfaction with company culture and policies. Employees are reportedly unhappy with widening pay gaps, mandatory role changes, and the use of their activity to train AI models. In response to these concerns, some UK-based employees are organizing to form a labor union, seeking better treatment and job security. AI

Eli Lilly has invested $2.75 billion in Insilico Medicine, a Hong Kong-based company that uses AI for drug discovery. This significant deal highlights the growing trend of major pharmaceutical companies committing substantial funds to AI-driven biotechnology. In a single week, the broader pharmaceutical industry reportedly invested $13.6 billion in AI biotech ventures. AI

Meta is reportedly developing an AI agent named "Hatch," intended to be a consumer-friendly competitor to OpenClaw. This agent is designed to operate within Meta's own applications, including facilitating shopping on Instagram, and has been tested on simulated third-party services like DoorDash and Reddit. The company aims for Hatch to be more accessible than existing agents and is targeting an internal test by the end of June, with a potential launch closer to the end of the year. Meta is also exploring the use of these agents in conjunction with its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. AI

Apple is reportedly in the late stages of developing AirPods with integrated cameras, designed to enhance its AI-powered Siri assistant. These earbuds, which will resemble the AirPods Pro 3 but feature longer stems for the cameras, are intended to capture low-resolution visual information to provide context for Siri queries and potentially aid with navigation. The launch of these camera-equipped AirPods has been delayed due to the development of an upgraded Siri, now expected in September with iOS 27. AI

Seven families of victims from the Tumbler Ridge, Canada mass shooting have filed lawsuits against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman. The suits allege negligence and aiding and abetting the attack by failing to alert authorities about the shooter's concerning ChatGPT activity. Reports indicate OpenAI's safety team flagged the shooter's references to gun violence months before the incident, but leadership allegedly vetoed reporting it to the police, potentially to protect the company's valuation. AI

Taiwanese drone company Thunder Tiger is pivoting to a China-free supply chain, aiming to provide low-cost, AI-enabled suicide drones for military use. The company's general manager, Gene Su, highlighted the cost asymmetry between expensive missiles and affordable drones, drawing lessons from conflicts in Ukraine and Iran. This strategic shift is driven by Taiwan's geopolitical situation and aims to counter China's dominance in the global drone market, with the government supporting the production of 180,000 homegrown drones by 2028. AI

A Chinese AI model, Kimi K2.6, has reportedly surpassed Anthropic's Claude Design in design capabilities, offering comparable or superior results at a significantly lower cost. Kimi K2.6 demonstrated proficiency in generating functional website code, UI elements, and even complex multi-agent tasks, challenging the notion that it is solely a design tool. Meanwhile, Anthropic is expanding its reach by forming alliances with major creative software companies and contributing to open-source platforms like Blender, aiming to integrate Claude into existing creative workflows. AI

Elon Musk initiated a $130 billion lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging CEO Sam Altman "stole a charity," while OpenAI's defense characterized the suit as "sour grapes." The trial began with opening statements, with Musk testifying about the potential damage to charitable giving if such actions are deemed acceptable. Concurrently, Google finalized a classified AI deal with the Pentagon, allowing its models like Gemini for "any lawful government purpose," despite internal employee protests. This Pentagon agreement follows similar deals by OpenAI and xAI, and comes as Google's AI principles have evolved since 2018. AI

OpenAI is planning to expand a cheaper, ad-supported version of ChatGPT, anticipating a significant shift of existing paid subscribers to this new tier. The company projects a substantial increase in overall users, with a notable decrease expected in subscribers for its premium ChatGPT Plus service. This strategy aims to offset potential revenue loss from downgrades with advertising income. AI

Google has explained that AICore, an Android system component, can temporarily occupy several gigabytes of storage by retaining both old and new AI models during updates. This process, intended for rollback safety, lasts about three days and is a sign of increasing storage needs for on-device AI features. Separately, leaks suggest the upcoming Pixel 11 will feature a new Tensor G6 chip with a MediaTek modem and updated AI and image processing units, alongside camera upgrades and a novel 'Pixel Glow' notification light. AI

AI-powered desktop applications are emerging as the new operating system for knowledge work, integrating with existing tools like email and calendars. Companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cursor are developing unified platforms that handle coding, planning, and tracking tasks. These applications aim to streamline workflows by connecting directly to user data and offering advanced agentic capabilities, potentially redefining office software for the next decade. AI

Anthropic has released new tools for legal professionals, including features for reviewing vendor agreements and preparing for bar exams, integrated via their Claude chatbot. Separately, a project called WhatsApp MCP Server allows users to manage their WhatsApp messages, contacts, and media locally, with options to integrate with LLMs like Claude or Cursor. Another development involves connecting various CRM tools through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), enabling agents to interact with a wide range of business functions, with Anthropic recommending rich tool semantics for these integrations. AI

Notion has launched a new developer platform, including a hosted runtime called "Workers," to enable users to deploy AI agents and custom code directly within its workspace. This move transforms Notion from a document hub into an execution layer, allowing for automated multi-step workflows and integration with external data sources and agents. The platform aims to facilitate collaboration between humans and AI agents across various tools and databases, positioning Notion as a competitor in the agentic productivity software space. AI

OpenAI has reportedly missed key revenue and user growth targets, sparking concerns about its ability to fund future compute agreements as it approaches an IPO. This news has led to a decline in the stock prices of major partners including Oracle, Nvidia, AMD, and CoreWeave. While OpenAI has disputed the report, some analysts suggest the slowdown is a natural consequence of increased competition from rivals like Anthropic and Google's Gemini models. AI

The European Commission has issued proposed measures to Google, requiring the company to grant AI competitors access to core Android functionalities. This move aims to ensure compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act, as Google currently reserves key capabilities like voice activation and background processes for its own Gemini AI services. Separately, Microsoft and OpenAI have adjusted their partnership terms, with Microsoft no longer receiving revenue share from OpenAI but maintaining IP licensing until 2032, while continuing as OpenAI's primary cloud partner. AI

The European Commission has proposed new measures under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) that would require Google to grant third-party AI services deeper access to Android's core functionalities. Currently, features like sending emails or sharing photos are largely exclusive to Google's own AI offerings, such as Gemini. The Commission aims to ensure rival AI assistants can integrate with applications and perform tasks on user devices with the same ease as Google's native tools, fostering greater competition and user choice. AI

OpenAI has released GPT-5.5, positioning it as a significant step towards an integrated AI "super app" that combines chat, coding, and browsing functionalities. The company also launched an upgraded image generation tool, ChatGPT Images 2.0, which offers improved layouts and text rendering, though its practical usability for complex tasks remains a concern. Meanwhile, Google is reportedly planning to embed its Gemini AI deeply into Android 17, aiming to automate everyday tasks by allowing users to describe their needs and have the AI manage app interactions seamlessly across devices. AI

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is emerging as a standard for connecting AI applications to external data and tools, enabling models like Claude and ChatGPT to access information and perform tasks. Several articles highlight MCP's role in bridging the gap between AI capabilities and real-world data access, emphasizing the need for secure and controlled connections, especially when interacting with sensitive databases. Tools like APIKumo are automating the creation of MCP endpoints for APIs, while Conexor provides infrastructure for secure database and API connections, underscoring the protocol's growing importance in making AI more functional and integrated. AI

Isomorphic Labs, an AI-driven drug discovery company spun out of Google DeepMind, has secured over $2 billion in a Series B funding round. The substantial investment, led by Thrive Capital, will be used to expand its proprietary drug design engine, IsoDDE, and advance its pipeline of drug candidates toward human clinical trials. The company leverages DeepMind's AlphaFold technology to predict protein structures and design potent, low-side-effect medicines. AI

Project Maven, a controversial military AI initiative, has significantly accelerated the pace of warfare by using computer vision and workflow management to identify and target entities on the battlefield. Initially a Google experiment, the system was developed by Palantir with contributions from Microsoft, Amazon, and Anthropic, and is now used by the US armed forces and NATO. The system's speed has been linked to lethal outcomes, such as the targeting of a girls' school, with critics pointing to the AI's role in enabling rapid, potentially flawed, decision-making. Concerns are also rising about Anthropic's Claude model exhibiting political bias, with users reporting instances of it labeling criticism of Zionism as antisemitic. AI

China has suspended new autonomous vehicle licenses following an incident where dozens of Baidu's robotaxis malfunctioned in Wuhan. This regulatory pause will prevent companies from expanding their driverless fleets or initiating new test projects. The move comes as Chinese automakers are increasingly focusing on autonomous driving technology, with significant investments being made in AI and computing power for these systems. AI