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03 May 2026

Ask Jeeves shuts down after 30 years as AI search reshapes how we find information online

Ask Jeeves, the pioneering 90s search engine that allowed users to ask questions in natural language, has officially closed after 30 years. Parent company IAC shuttered Ask.com on May 1, 2026, marking the end of a platform that foreshadowed today's AI-driven search landscape. The closure reflects a broader shift in internet usage toward AI assistants and chatbots that deliver direct answers rather than traditional search results.

3 Sources

OpenAI launches AI pets for Codex coding tool with customizable animated companions

OpenAI has introduced AI pets to its Codex coding tool, offering developers animated companions that float on screen to provide real-time project status updates. Users can choose from eight built-in options or create custom companions, with community creations already featuring characters from Star Wars, Pokémon, and even Microsoft's iconic Clippy.

5 Sources

Google explains why AICore storage spikes during Gemini Nano updates on Android devices

Google has clarified why AICore occasionally consumes more storage than expected on Android phones. The system app keeps both old and new versions of Gemini Nano for up to 3 days during updates as a fail-safe measure. This allows devices to revert to older versions instantly if problems arise, avoiding the need to re-download gigabytes of data.

3 Sources

02 May 2026

AI Boom Fuels Community Opposition as Data Centres Invade Residential Neighborhoods

Across Japan and Australia, residents are pushing back against massive data centre construction in their neighborhoods. In Tokyo, a couple's property lost 25% of its value after a 52-meter data centre was approved near their home. From Melbourne to Sydney, communities report noise pollution, diesel generator exhaust, and concerns over outdated zoning rules that classify these industrial-scale facilities as office buildings.

2 Sources

UK firm plans to build distributed AI data center using 50,000 smart lampposts in Nigeria

Warwickshire-based Conflow Power Group has signed a deal with Nigeria's Katsina State to deploy 50,000 solar-powered iLamp units that double as a distributed AI data center. Each lamppost contains a low-energy Nvidia chip drawing just 15 watts, powered entirely by solar panels. While experts question whether these can replace traditional data centers for demanding AI workloads, the network could serve lighter AI tasks and provide surveillance, traffic enforcement, and public WiFi across the state.

2 Sources

Perplexity Personal Computer Now Available to All Mac Users via New Desktop App

Perplexity has opened access to Personal Computer for all Mac users through its new desktop app. The AI agent works across local files, native Mac apps, and the web to handle multi-step workflows. Apple highlighted Perplexity during its Q2 2026 earnings call as developers choose Mac for enterprise-grade AI assistants.

7 Sources

Agentic AI security crisis forces companies to rethink governance as threats multiply

Anthropic's Mythos model revealed how autonomous AI agents can discover zero-day vulnerabilities and execute multi-step attacks at machine speed. With over 40% of agentic AI projects expected to fail by 2027 due to inadequate risk controls, companies face mounting pressure to implement governance frameworks that can handle cognitive attacks, agent sprawl, and escalating costs before deployment stalls.

16 Sources

Meta launches AI connectors in open beta to transform advertising workflows without coding

Meta has unveiled AI connectors in open beta, allowing advertisers and agencies to manage campaigns directly through their existing AI tools. The new connectors include an ads model context protocol (MCP) server and command line interface (CLI), offering secure connections to ad accounts without requiring coding skills or complex API setups.

2 Sources

Developers ditch ChatGPT for local AI coding agents, saving $20+ monthly with powerful local LLM

As commercial AI providers tighten rate limits and shift to usage-based pricing, developers are turning to local LLM alternatives like Alibaba's Qwen3.6-35B-A3B. Users report successfully running AI coding agents on personal hardware with 12-24GB VRAM, achieving comparable performance to ChatGPT and Claude while saving over $20 per month and maintaining full control over data.

2 Sources

AI chipmaker Cerebras targets $3.5 billion in IPO backed by massive OpenAI partnership

Cerebras Systems is preparing to sell 28 million shares at $115 to $125 each, targeting a $26.6 billion market cap in what could be 2026's largest tech IPO. The AI chipmaker's wafer-scale chips compete directly with Nvidia, and its $20 billion OpenAI deal anchors investor confidence despite customer concentration risks.

11 Sources

BMO bets on quantum computing and AI to predict earthquakes and respond to natural disasters

Bank of Montreal has filed a provisional patent for a quantum algorithm designed to forecast earthquakes, while deploying AI to dispatch mobile banking units to wildfire-affected communities. The bank's Chief AI and Quantum Officer Kristin Milchanowski says over 60% of BMO clients are in earthquake-prone territories across Canada and the US, making disaster prediction critical for managing risk.

2 Sources

Chinese Court Rules Companies Can't Fire Workers Simply to Replace Them With AI

A Chinese court has ruled that companies cannot legally terminate employees solely because AI can perform their jobs, marking a significant shift in worker protection. The Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court found that a tech company illegally fired Zhou, a quality assurance tester, after he refused a 40% pay cut when his role was automated. The ruling establishes that AI adoption is a business choice, not legal grounds for firing workers.

10 Sources

Microsoft launches AI agent for lawyers in Word, but trust issues linger over past AI failures

Microsoft is rolling out Legal Agent, an AI-powered tool integrated into Word for legal teams to review contracts and flag risks. While the feature promises to streamline document review with structured workflows and source citations, the legal industry remains cautious after high-profile cases where AI hallucinations led to fake case citations and court sanctions.

2 Sources

OpenAI CFO says vertical wall of demand drives growth, not revenue target misses

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar pushed back against reports of missed internal targets, stating the company is beating its core plan and experiencing a vertical wall of demand. The real constraint isn't sales growth but data center capacity, as the company projects revenues to surge from $30 billion this year to $284 billion by 2030.

2 Sources

01 May 2026

Academy bars AI-generated actors and screenplays from Oscar eligibility in new rules

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced new rules excluding AI-generated performances and AI-written screenplays from Oscar eligibility. Only roles demonstrably performed by humans with their consent and human-authored screenplays will qualify. The changes take effect for the 99th Academy Awards in March 2027, addressing growing concerns about AI in Hollywood following the 2023 strikes.

25 Sources

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