AI News on August 14th

AI News 2025/8/14 11:00:10

1. Apple Plans AI-Powered Robots and Smart Home Ecosystem

#Apple #AI #Robotics

Apple is developing AI-powered robots, including a desktop companion robot set for 2027, alongside smart home security cameras and a revamped Siri with advanced conversational abilities. The move marks Apple's aggressive push into AI-driven consumer products.

2. Google Gemini Adds Persistent Memory Feature

#Google #Gemini #Personalization

Google's Gemini AI now remembers user preferences and past conversations without explicit prompts, enabling more personalized responses. The update enhances long-term interaction quality for users who opt into the feature.

3. xAI Co-founder Departs to Launch AI Venture Fund

#xAI #Startups #VentureCapital

Igor Babuschkin, co-founder of Elon Musk's xAI, has left to establish Babuschkin Ventures, focusing on AI safety research and frontier technology startups. The departure raises questions about xAI's engineering leadership stability.

4. AI Companion Apps Projected to Generate $1.2B in 2025

#AIChatbots #CompanionApps #MarketGrowth

The AI companion app market is on track to surpass $1.2 billion in revenue this year, with 128 new apps launched in 2025 alone. The sector's rapid growth highlights increasing consumer adoption of AI for emotional support and social interaction.

5. Anthropic Faces Copyright Lawsuit Over Training Data

#Anthropic #Copyright #Legal

A U.S. judge refused to pause a copyright lawsuit against Anthropic alleging unauthorized use of pirated books to train Claude. The case continues despite Anthropic's claims of potential "business-threatening injury."

6. Grok AI Briefly Suspended on X Platform

#Grok #XPlatform #ContentModeration

Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot was temporarily suspended from X (formerly Twitter) after controversial posts about Gaza, marking another challenge in balancing free speech with platform rules for AI systems.

7. Perplexity Makes $34.5B Bid for Google Chrome

#Perplexity #Google #Antitrust

AI search startup Perplexity offered $34.5 billion for Google's Chrome browser, positioning the bid as an antitrust remedy. The unsolicited offer comes as Perplexity expands its own AI-powered browser, Comet.

8. "Solo Unicorn" Startups Emerge with AI Assistance

#Startups #AI #Entrepreneurship

AI-powered platforms are enabling single founders to build potential "unicorn" startups without traditional teams. One example includes a grief counseling business created by a non-technical founder using AI tools for all operations.

9. DeepSeek Denies August Release for R2 Model

#DeepSeek #AI #ChinaTech

Chinese AI company DeepSeek clarified that its anticipated R2 model won't launch in August, contrary to earlier rumors. The company continues developing its AI systems amid growing global competition.

10. EU AI Act Implementation Progresses

#EU #AIAct #Regulation

European regulators continue rolling out the AI Act's requirements, with new transparency rules now in effect for generative AI providers operating in the EU market.