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26 Dec 2025

Google NotebookLM adds Lecture Mode for 30-minute AI learning sessions with British accent

Google's NotebookLM is introducing a new Lecture Mode that generates 30-minute audio overviews from uploaded content. The AI-powered feature delivers single-voice explanations structured like class sessions, designed for passive learning and consumption of lengthy documents. The platform will also support a British accent option for audio delivery.

2 Sources

Coforge to acquire AI-native firm Encora for $2.35 billion in largest Indian IT services deal

Indian IT services provider Coforge announced plans to acquire California-based AI firm Encora for $2.35 billion from private equity groups Advent International and Warburg Pincus. The technology services deal marks the largest acquisition in India's IT sector by deal value, surpassing HCL Technologies' $1.8 billion IBM products purchase in 2018. The combined entity expects to generate $2 billion in revenue by FY27.

7 Sources

LG UltraGear evo gaming monitors debut with 5K AI Upscaling at CES 2026

LG Electronics has introduced UltraGear evo, a new premium gaming monitor brand debuting at CES 2026. The lineup includes three flagship models featuring the world's first 5K AI Upscaling technology, designed to enhance lower-resolution content to near-5K clarity without requiring GPU upgrades. The monitors span 39-inch OLED, 27-inch Mini-LED, and 52-inch ultra-wide formats, each targeting different gaming needs.

5 Sources

Critical LangGrinch Flaw in LangChain Core Exposes AI Agent Secrets and Enables Prompt Injection

A critical security vulnerability dubbed LangGrinch has been discovered in LangChain Core, scoring 9.3 on the CVSS scale. The serialization injection flaw could allow attackers to steal sensitive secrets including cloud credentials and API keys, and even manipulate AI responses through prompt injection. With langchain-core recording 847 million total downloads, the vulnerability affects a massive portion of the AI ecosystem.

2 Sources

Japan quadruples AI and chip spending to $7.9 billion as tech race with U.S. and China intensifies

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is set to nearly quadruple its budgeted support for cutting-edge semiconductors and AI development to ¥1.23 trillion ($7.9 billion) for fiscal year 2025. The massive increase reflects Japan's push to strengthen its position in frontier technology as the U.S. and China continue their dominance, while also securing better supply chain access for critical technologies.

2 Sources

Vitalik Buterin says Grok keeps Elon Musk's X honest despite potential biases

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin praised Grok, calling it the biggest boost to X's truth-friendliness after community notes. He noted the AI chatbot often contradicts users seeking confirmation of political biases. While acknowledging concerns about algorithmic bias toward Elon Musk's views, Buterin argued Grok remains superior to unchecked misinformation on the platform.

2 Sources

25 Dec 2025

AI-Powered Toys Spark Child Safety Concerns After Tests Reveal Inappropriate Content

Recent testing by the US PIRG Education Fund revealed that several AI-powered toys exposed children to dangerous and sexually explicit content. FoloToy's Kumma and Alilo's Smart AI Bunny, both running on OpenAI's models, discussed topics like bondage, spanking, and provided instructions for lighting matches. The findings have sparked debate about responsible AI integration in children's products and whether current guardrails are sufficient.

2 Sources

Eurostar accused security researchers of blackmail after AI chatbot vulnerability disclosure

Security firm Pen Test Partners discovered four critical flaws in Eurostar's AI chatbot that could allow attackers to inject malicious content and leak system information. After reporting the vulnerabilities through official channels and receiving no response for weeks, the researchers were accused of blackmail by Eurostar's head of security. The incident highlights growing challenges in responsible disclosure as AI-powered customer interfaces become widespread.

2 Sources

24 Dec 2025

Nvidia locks in $20 billion Groq deal, securing AI chip rival's technology and talent

Nvidia has structured a $20 billion agreement with AI chip startup Groq that includes licensing the company's inference technology and hiring key executives like CEO Jonathan Ross. While technically not an acquisition, the deal gives Nvidia control over Groq's assets and expertise in low-latency AI processors, raising questions about whether this arrangement sidesteps antitrust scrutiny while consolidating Nvidia's dominance in AI hardware.

24 Sources

Amazon Blocks AI Shopping Agents While Building Its Own as E-Commerce Battle Intensifies

Amazon is blocking third-party AI shopping agents from accessing its platform even as it develops its own AI-powered tools like Rufus and Buy for Me. The company faces a critical decision: partner with AI agents from OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity, or risk losing control over customer relationships and its $1 trillion advertising business as agentic commerce reshapes the online retail landscape.

2 Sources

Snowflake eyes $1 billion Observe Inc deal to strengthen AI and monitoring capabilities

Snowflake is negotiating a $1 billion acquisition of application monitoring startup Observe Inc to expand its AI and observability capabilities. The deal would add advanced monitoring tools for AI applications to Snowflake's growing portfolio, following recent acquisitions of Select Star and TruEra. With $1.94 billion in cash and strong Q3 results, Snowflake continues its push into AI-driven analytics and cloud data management.

2 Sources

OpenAI plans to monetize ChatGPT with ads as subscriptions fall short of covering costs

OpenAI is developing an advertising strategy for ChatGPT that could prioritize sponsored content within the chatbot's responses. With 800 million weekly active users but only 35 million paying subscribers, the company faces mounting pressure to monetize its free user base. Internal discussions reveal plans for intent-based monetization and conversational ads that could launch as early as 2026.

5 Sources

Google Gemini overlay will let you multitask while AI processes requests in the background

Google is testing a major upgrade to the Gemini overlay on Android that addresses its biggest limitation. Users will soon be able to navigate away from Gemini while it processes queries, with a floating action button allowing them to return to persistent sessions. The update transforms how the AI assistant handles multitasking.

4 Sources

Microsoft sets ambitious 2030 goal to eliminate C and C++ using AI-powered code translation

Microsoft distinguished engineer Galen Hunt revealed plans to eliminate all C and C++ code from Microsoft by 2030, using AI and algorithms to rewrite massive codebases. The company is hiring engineers to build translation tools targeting its largest systems, with a benchmark of translating 1 million lines of code per engineer per month. Hunt later clarified this is a research project, not an immediate Windows rewrite.

2 Sources

Consciousness May Require Physical Brain Computation, Not Just Abstract Code

A new theoretical framework proposes biological computationalism as a third path between computational functionalism and biological naturalism. Researchers argue that consciousness cannot be reduced to abstract information processing because brain computation is inseparable from its physical, hybrid, and energy-constrained dynamics. This challenges assumptions about whether digital AI can truly recreate conscious experience.

2 Sources

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