Talk Fuse

    AI

    AI is reshaping how businesses, governments and creative industries operate, and this hub tracks the debates, breakthroughs and mishaps that come with that shift. It covers the technology's expanding footprint, from data centre investment and enterprise infrastructure spending to proposals for automating public sector roles, alongside the cultural pushback over AI's place in art and creative work.

    It also follows the growing scrutiny of AI safety and accountability, including research into how models behave when given autonomy, scrutiny of their security vulnerabilities, and disagreement among experts and policymakers over how tightly the technology should be regulated. Legal and ethical stumbles, such as fabricated evidence in court filings or missteps in how AI systems interact with the public, feature regularly too.

    Taken together, the coverage reflects a technology moving faster than the institutions meant to oversee it, making it essential reading for anyone trying to understand what AI means for their job, their rights and the wider world around them.

    • Teen founder secures $11m to build local AI computer priced at $3,499

      Ghost has emerged from stealth with an $11 million seed round to develop Core, a computer designed to run personal AI agents. The launch matters because it aims to make locally run assistants that can use a person’s data and perform tasks easier to set up, while keeping that information on the device. Founded by…

    • Sisters launch AI dating advice app focused on young women

      Two sisters have launched Hot Girl Hotline, an AI-powered advice app designed specifically for young women seeking relationship and dating guidance. The startup addresses a gap in how people seek advice: whilst many turn to chatbots like ChatGPT or post anonymously on Reddit, general-purpose AI tools can pose mental health risks, with ChatGPT having faced…

    • OpenAI PR tells journalist to ‘move on’ while asking Sam Altman about a ChatGPT user’s suicide

      An OpenAI publicist interrupted a Vanity Fair interview with chief executive Sam Altman when journalist Mark Guiducci asked about a ChatGPT user who died by suicide. The exchange raises questions about how the company responds to scrutiny of the chatbot’s role in mental health crises. Guiducci referred to journalist Laura Reiley’s account of her daughter’s…

    • Sam Altman says ‘some bad things’ will happen but AI is totally worth it

      Sam Altman said society should expect some harms from AI, including hacks and scams, because he believes the technology will enable far greater benefits. His comments underline a divide between OpenAI’s more permissive stance and Anthropic’s more cautious approach, as regulators and AI companies face growing questions about safety. Altman described OpenAI as a pragmatic…

    • HackerRank’s AI interviewer offers a glimpse into what job interviews could become

      HackerRank is making Chakra, its AI interviewer, generally available after about six months in beta. The tool watches candidates work through coding tasks and evaluates their reasoning and judgement as well as their answers, reflecting a shift in what employers may assess as AI makes it easier to produce finished work. Candidates tackle a task…

    • Volantis develops photonic links to expand AI chip memory capacity

      Volantis, a Sam Altman-backed AI chip startup, is developing an accelerator using photonic interconnects to overcome a fundamental constraint in AI chip design. By using light-based connections instead of electrical wires to link memory to processors, the company claims it can dramatically increase the amount of high-bandwidth memory available to large language models. This tackles…

    • Pentagon ends use of Anthropic’s Claude tools after safety dispute

      The US Pentagon has officially ceased using Anthropic’s Claude AI tools, an official confirmed to the BBC, following months of contention with the company over AI safety features. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth designated Anthropic a national security risk in February after the company refused to remove safety guardrails from its systems, citing concerns about mass…

    • OpenAI to test image generation adverts in ChatGPT in October

      OpenAI plans to test visual adverts in ChatGPT, initially while users generate images. The move expands the company’s advertising in the chatbot and could give brands a new way to promote products, while raising questions about how the adverts will appear and whether they will interrupt the experience. The test is due to begin in…

    • HPE and NVIDIA executives to discuss AI data sovereignty at Washington dinner

      The Register is hosting an off-the-record dinner in Washington on 29 October bringing together senior executives from HPE and NVIDIA with industry leaders to discuss AI data sovereignty. The event uses the Chatham House Rule, which means discussions can be shared without attributing statements to speakers, allowing frank conversation about the practical realities of AI…

    • Lola Vision develops software to run AI models on specialised chips

      Lola Vision Systems, founded by Tayo Adesanya in 2024, is developing software to make it easier to run AI models on specific chips, as well as designing its own chips. The company aims to shorten the lengthy setup process and help device makers run models more reliably and with less power, particularly in fields where…