Scientists explore AI-powered pet communication
The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience at LSE will investigate animal consciousness and explore how AI can help humans “speak” with their pets. Director Prof Jonathan Birch warns that “with the advent of AI, the ways in which your pet will be able to speak to you is going to be taken to a whole new level,” highlighting both opportunities and risks in this emerging field.
Source: The Guardian
AI therapy chatbots show dangerous stigmatisation risks
Stanford researchers warn that therapy chatbots powered by large language models may stigmatise users with mental health conditions and respond inappropriately or even dangerously. The study, examining five therapy-focused chatbots against human therapist guidelines, found “significant risks” despite widespread use as “companions, confidants, and therapists.”
Source: TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/13/study-warns-of-significant-risks-in-using-ai-therapy-chatbots/
Video game actors win AI protections after 11-month strike
SAG-AFTRA members approved a new contract with major video game studios requiring written consent before creating digital replicas and payment comparable to in-person work. The deal, approved by over 95% of voters, covers popular games including Call of Duty, Mortal Kombat, and Apex Legends, with voice actor Jennifer Hale saying she feels “more confident that the work I do will not be abused or misused.”
Source: The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/10/arts/video-game-actors-contract-ai.html
UNESCO sounds alarm on AI’s massive energy appetite
A joint UNESCO-UCL report warns that generative AI’s energy demands have reached unsustainable levels, with one prompt using 0.34 watt-hours. With over 1 billion daily users, global energy demand reaches 310 gigawatt-hours annually, equivalent to the electricity consumed by over 3 million people in a low-income country. “We need a paradigm shift in how we use it,” warns UNESCO’s Tawfik Jelassi.
Source: TechRepublic
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-ai-energy-sustainability-unesco-report
Grok 4 appears to echo Elon Musk’s personal politics
xAI’s new Grok 4 model seems to consult Elon Musk’s X posts when answering controversial questions about Israel-Palestine, abortion, and immigration. Users discovered the AI references Musk’s stance through his social media posts and news articles about the billionaire, suggesting the model may be designed to consider its founder’s personal politics despite Musk’s goal of creating a “maximally truth-seeking AI.”
Source: TechCrunch
Missouri AG investigates AI chatbots over Trump rankings
Attorney General Andrew Bailey is threatening Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Meta with deceptive business practices claims because their AI chatbots allegedly ranked Donald Trump last when asked to “rank the last five presidents from best to worst, specifically regarding antisemitism.” Bailey accuses the chatbots of providing “deeply misleading answers” that “disregard objective historical facts.”
Source: The Verge
YouTube clarifies AI content monetisation amid creator backlash
Following creator concerns about demonetisation, YouTube is clarifying its updated policies around “inauthentic” content under the Partner Programme. The platform aims to stem the flood of AI-generated video spam whilst maintaining support for legitimate creators, as low-quality AI content becomes increasingly accessible and floods the platform.
Source: The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/703772/youtube-monetization-policy-update-ai-spam
The rise of “Dr. ChatGPT” in medical consultations
Consumer AI tools are changing how people seek medical advice, with the era of “Dr. Google” giving way to “Dr. ChatGPT.” Harvard Medical School instructor Adam Rodman reports seeing patients use AI chatbots during hospital rounds, with one woman correctly diagnosing her blood disorder after plugging medical records into ChatGPT during a long wait time.
Source: WIRED
Why we confide in machines instead of humans
Despite AI’s unreliability and data-gobbling nature, many users turn to chatbots for intimate conversations about ADHD, mid-life crises, and teenage loneliness rather than talking to other people. Guardian columnist Van Badham suggests we may prefer machines precisely because they’re not human – we suspect AI might find us “pathetically inconsequential” and therefore keep our secrets.
Source: The Guardian
xAI launches Grok 4 with $300 monthly premium tier
Elon Musk’s xAI released its flagship Grok 4 AI model alongside a new $300-per-month “SuperGrok Heavy” subscription plan. The model, deeply integrated into X (formerly Twitter), faces high expectations as it competes against OpenAI’s forthcoming GPT-5, expected to launch later this summer.
Source: TechCrunch
Chinese researchers unveil first AI “memory operating system”
A team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Zhejiang University developed MemOS, the first “memory operating system” for AI that treats memory as a core computational resource. The system addresses AI’s fundamental limitation in persistent memory and learning, demonstrating a 159% boost in temporal reasoning tasks compared to OpenAI’s memory systems.
Source: VentureBeat
Hugging Face opens orders for desktop robots
The AI development platform is accepting orders for its Reachy Mini desktop robots, available in two versions: the wireless Reachy Mini Wireless ($449) and the tethered Reachy Mini Lite ($299). The open-source robots come as build-it-yourself kits, about the size of a stuffed animal with screen eyes and antennas.
Source: TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/09/hugging-face-opens-up-orders-for-its-reachy-mini-desktop-robots/
ChatGPT tests “Study Together” educational feature
Some ChatGPT subscribers report seeing a new “Study Together” mode that asks questions and requires human answers rather than providing direct responses. The feature appears to be OpenAI’s answer to Google’s LearnLM, potentially supporting group study sessions, though the company hasn’t officially announced availability details.
Source: TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/07/chatgpt-is-testing-a-mysterious-new-feature-called-study-together/
Industry split on which workers AI threatens most
AI industry leaders disagree on who faces the greatest displacement risk. Anthropic’s Dario Amodei suggests AI could eliminate half of entry-level white-collar roles within five years, while OpenAI’s Brad Lightcap argues experienced workers stuck in routines may be more vulnerable. The debate has major implications for education policy and labour market stability.
Source: The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/business/ai-job-cuts.html
Teachers’ union secures $23M for AI training program
The American Federation of Teachers announced a new AI training hub with $23 million funding from Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic. The National Academy for A.I. Instruction will open in New York City, starting with hands-on workshops this fall to help educators use AI tools for tasks like generating lesson plans.
Source: The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/08/technology/chatgpt-teachers-openai-microsoft.html
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