OpenAI is developing an AI initiative, codenamed ‘Project Mercury,’ that seeks to automate entry-level banking tasks by leveraging insights from over 100 former investment bankers from firms like JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs, paid $150 per hour. This project aims to alleviate the burdens of junior bankers, who often endure 80-hour workweeks. Despite OpenAI's impressive $500 billion valuation, the company has yet to report a profit, prompting this move to commercialize its AI solutions effectively.
Meta has revised the WhatsApp Business API policy, banning general-purpose AI assistants starting January 15, 2026. This move targets companies like OpenAI and Perplexity, which have utilized WhatsApp to deploy AI bots to its 3 billion users. A Meta spokesperson noted that the API was intended for customer support, not hosting AI, explaining it puts strain on the platform’s infrastructure. The change underscores Meta's focus on business communications and monetization strategies.
An August cyberattack on Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), a subsidiary of Tata Motors, significantly impacted the UK economy, costing approximately £1.9 billion ($2.55 billion), according to an independent cybersecurity report. The breach affected over 5,000 organizations across the country, raising serious concerns about vulnerabilities in cybersecurity infrastructure. Experts are calling for immediate enhancements to safeguard sensitive data and prevent future incidents, underscoring the need for robust digital defenses.
OpenAI’s introduction of ChatGPT Atlas marks its entry into the AI browser realm, raising alarms about potential prompt injection attacks that could compromise user data. Researchers warn that this vulnerability could lead to significant data breaches alongside issues of model hallucination, where the AI generates inaccurate information. Expert Vishal Mathur emphasizes the need for stringent safeguards as these risks pose serious implications for user security and trust in AI technologies.
Leaked documents indicate Amazon plans to replace 600,000 workers with robots by 2027, a move signaling a significant shift towards automation. The company's focus on robotics could streamline operations but raises concerns over job security in the logistics sector. Analysts emphasize the potential impact on the workforce, urging discussions on ethical considerations and solutions to mitigate displacement. As automation advances, the future of work at Amazon remains uncertain.
Adobe's Firefly service, launched in 2023, has enabled companies to create over 25 billion marketing assets, highlighting a surge in demand for generative AI technology. “It’s highly personalized,” notes Elsakr, emphasizing how the service allows brands to tailor campaigns for various seasons, languages, and formats. Unlike typical Adobe products sold per seat, AI Foundry utilizes a usage-based pricing model, providing companies with flexible deployment options to enhance their marketing strategies effectively.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff recently disclosed that the company replaced 4,000 employees with Artificial Intelligence solutions. He emphasized the significant role AI now plays in Salesforce’s operations, streamlining processes and enhancing productivity. Benioff stated, "AI is our future," highlighting the transformative impact of automation on the workforce. This shift raises questions about the ethical implications of AI deployment in corporate environments and its influence on job security across the tech industry.
Anthropic has launched Claude Code in a beta version, enabling developers to execute coding tasks directly through their browser at claude.com/code. This tool allows users to connect GitHub repositories and manage tasks in isolated cloud environments, complete with real-time tracking and automatic pull request generation. “You can actively steer Claude to adjust course,” Anthropic states, emphasizing its focus on security with sandboxed environments and proxy-managed Git interactions. A mobile version is also available through their iOS app.
DeepSeek AI has unveiled DeepSeek-OCR, an innovative optical character recognition system capable of processing over 200,000 pages daily on a single NVIDIA A100 GPU, scaling up to 33 million pages across 20 nodes. The model boasts over 96% precision while compressing text at rates of 9x to 10x, and is designed for high efficiency at various document types, including charts and multilingual text. DeepSeek states this approach could revolutionize text processing in AI applications.
Apple faces intensifying global regulatory scrutiny, particularly from the EU’s Digital Markets Act, requiring alternative app stores and payment systems. However, developers criticize these changes as “cosmetic” due to high fees on external payments. In the U.S., lawsuits allege monopolistic practices, echoing outcomes in other nations like Japan and South Korea, where Apple continues to face penalties. With rising tensions between China and the U.S., the outcome of ongoing investigations may further reshape Apple's App Store strategies.