GoKawiil
Tech News
A reader survey conducted by Android Authority found that camera quality and clean software topped the list of priorities for people buying new phones, ahead of performance and reliability. Ecosystem lock-in and customization options, features brands frequently tout, ranked far lower among respondents' concerns.
Napster, once known as a pioneering music-sharing service shut down after copyright lawsuits, has been relaunched as an AI company under new owner Infinite Reality. It has struck a partnership with Gems Education in Dubai to develop AI agents and digital personas aimed at classrooms, with former Landvault CEO Samuel Huber now leading Napster's Middle East and Africa operations.
San Mateo County's Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 to advance an ordinance requiring businesses to obtain permits before deploying autonomous, battery-powered robots in workplaces. Companies must submit an Economic Impact Assessment and Workforce Mitigation Plan, choosing to redeploy displaced workers at equal pay, offer 60 days' notice with severance, or pay into a new county fund for retraining. The rule, believed to be the first of its kind in the U.S., still needs final adoption before taking effect 30 days later.
American AI governance discussions focus largely on existential risks and protecting humanity from potential harms of advanced systems. Chinese authorities, by contrast, prioritize AI rules that shield the Communist Party's authority and political stability, reflecting fundamentally different visions of what 'safe' AI should look like.
Google is expanding its CC AI agent, previously a solo daily-briefing tool, into a household assistant that up to six family members can share information with via its own dedicated Google account. Members can forward emails, calendar invites, PDFs, receipts and images to CC, which compiles them into a shared Daily Brief covering upcoming events and to-dos. CC can also assist with chores such as filling out forms, building shopping lists and planning meals.
Executives from media and retail sectors discussed the growing gap between the volume of consumer data companies collect and their ability to extract meaningful understanding from it. The conversation focused on identifying emerging cultural shifts early, distinguishing genuine signals from noise, and defining where human judgment still matters alongside AI-generated analysis.
Emerald AI has launched the AI Energy Management Alliance with Google, Nvidia and Anthropic, alongside utilities like AES, Constellation, National Grid and NRG Energy. The coalition aims to use demand-response software that lets data centers pause noncritical tasks or shift compute loads during peak grid stress, potentially enabling 100 additional gigawatts of data center capacity to connect to the grid.
NVIDIA, Google, and startup Emerald AI have created the AI Energy Management Alliance (AEMA), a coalition aimed at making AI data centers more flexible in their power consumption. The group wants facilities to be able to shift workloads, tap batteries, and cut usage during peak demand, in exchange for utilities granting faster grid connections and potentially sharing infrastructure costs.
The European Commission has proposed the EU Kids Act, which would prohibit chatbots from mimicking emotions or personal relationships when interacting with users under 18. The draft law also bars children under 13 from using chatbots without parental supervision, prevents chatbots from retaining memory across separate conversations, and stops platforms from auto-activating or prominently placing AI companions in minors' contact lists. Companies that fail to build in these child-safety protections could face fines up to 6% of their global turnover.
Walmart is rolling out AI-driven product recommendations, quicker delivery options and a broader selection of budget-friendly clothing to attract more online shoppers. The retailer says these changes are already showing results in customer engagement and sales growth. Executives frame the effort as part of a larger strategy to embed Walmart more deeply into everyday consumer habits.
Noise, a marketing platform that lets anyone with a smartphone create sponsored content for brands and get paid per view, has raised a $5.5 million seed round led by Capital Midwest, M25, and Grishin Robotics, bringing total funding to $7.2 million. The app connects brands seeking scalable content campaigns with a pool of over 1.5 million creators across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, handling briefs, payments, and sourcing automatically. Founded in 2025 by Diego Kafie, Stu Feldt, and Nic Weber, the company says its top creators earn six figures annually.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei proposed letting third-party evaluators like METR and Redwood Research operate inside frontier AI companies with deep access to systems and training data, not just finished models. OpenAI's Sam Altman said his company would adopt a similar approach. Evaluators welcomed the idea but say specifics—and possibly legislation—are needed to ensure genuine independence rather than vendor-style arrangements.