Latest AI News

Meta is exploring a partnership with Google's Gemini AI to enhance its ad targeting capabilities. The company has already signed a six-year, $10 billion deal with Google Cloud for infrastructure services. This collaboration reflects Meta's strategy to leverage external AI solutions to improve advertising effectiveness, highlighting the growing importance of AI in digital advertising. The partnership also intensifies competition among tech giants for market dominance in cloud services and ad technology.

A federal judge approved a $1.5 billion settlement between Anthropic and authors who claimed their books were illegally used to train the Claude AI. Authors will receive about $3,000 per book used in past training. Judge Alsup ensured all eligible authors would be notified properly. The settlement follows his earlier ruling that while AI training on copyrighted works isn't inherently illegal, Anthropic had wrongfully obtained books through piracy. The case establishes a precedent for intellectual property rights in AI development, with affected authors needing to either accept compensation or opt out to preserve future legal options.

The Trump administration is pushing to extend the life of coal-fired power plants specifically to meet surging energy demands from AI data centers. Through executive orders signed in April 2025, the administration has granted emergency authority to keep plants operational, provided temporary exemptions from emissions regulations, and directed agencies to promote coal as a critical resource. Officials justify these measures as necessary for grid reliability and economic growth driven by AI technology, with Energy Secretary Chris Wright indicating utility support for the initiative. While coal consumption is projected to rise 6% in 2025, environmental groups strongly oppose the policy shift. This represents a significant reversal from previous coal retirement trends, though analysts question whether these measures can overcome coal's economic challenges amid competition from natural gas and renewables.

Microsoft has disabled cloud and AI services for an Israeli defense unit after an internal review confirmed allegations that the technology was being used for surveillance in Gaza and the West Bank. The investigation revealed that the Israeli military had used Microsoft's Azure platform to store and process intelligence data, including phone call recordings from Palestinian territories. Microsoft determined this usage violated its ethical policies and has taken steps to prevent similar misuse. This action reflects growing scrutiny of tech companies regarding how their platforms are used by government agencies. Human rights organizations have praised the decision, while Israeli defense officials have not commented in detail.