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Claude’s voice mode just got smarter
Anthropic has upgraded Claude’s voice mode so that it can use its more capable Sonnet and Opus AI models, rather than relying solely on the smaller Haiku model. The change is intended to improve responses to more complex spoken requests and adds access to connected services such as Gmail and Slack, subject to user permission.…
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Meta’s New Feel-Good AI Ad Uses a Song About the World Ending
Meta has released an Instagram advertisement presenting artificial intelligence as a tool for connection and personal potential, using David Bowie’s 1972 song “Five Years” as its soundtrack. The choice has drawn criticism because the song depicts an apocalyptic future, creating a contrast with the advert’s optimistic message and underscoring wider public unease about AI companies’…
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AegisAI, founded by former Google security execs, lands $36M to stop AI-driven spear phishing
AegisAI, a cyber-security startup founded by former Google security executives Cy Khormaee and Ryan Luo, has raised a $36 million Series A to combat AI-enabled spear-phishing attacks. The company says increasingly personalised, AI-generated emails are evading traditional rule-based protections, making more adaptive defences a growing priority for businesses. The funding round was led by Battery…
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VOIVOD Announces October 2026 U.S. Tour With BAT
Canadian metal band VOIVOD will tour the United States in October 2026, playing ten dates with support from Richmond metal-punk trio BAT. The run gives the band a focused East Coast and southern US itinerary while frontman Denis “Snake” Bélanger is temporarily absent from its separate European tour for a family matter. The tour begins…
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Season 2 of George R.R. Martin’s Favorite ‘Game of Thrones’ Spin-Off Gets a Massive Filming Update
Showrunner Ira Parker says filming on the second season of HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is in its final weeks and remains scheduled for release in the first half of 2027. The update matters because it confirms the Game of Thrones spin-off is progressing despite serious weather-related disruption during production. The new season…
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Music publishers file amended lyrics lawsuit against Anthropic – just as AI firm’s separate $1.5B settlement with authors wins court approval
Concord Music Group, Universal Music Publishing Group and ABKCO Music have filed an amended US lawsuit accusing Anthropic of systematically copying and reproducing copyrighted song lyrics through its Claude AI chatbot. The case matters because it adds detailed allegations based on Anthropic’s internal records, intensifying a wider legal dispute over whether AI companies can train…
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Elon Musk says his AI platform will create ‘historically accurate’ full-length ‘Odyssey’ movie
Elon Musk said he plans to use his AI platform to create a feature-length adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey”, describing it as historically accurate and faithful to the author’s intentions. The announcement matters because it places another major cultural work at the centre of debate over AI-generated filmmaking and adaptation. Musk made the comments on…
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Venice Chief Alberto Barbera on Hollywood’s Festival Retreat, Gender Parity Backslide and the AI Question
Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera has unveiled a 2026 programme combining established auteurs with emerging international filmmakers, but the selection highlights continuing concerns over Hollywood studios’ reduced involvement in major European festivals. The absence of many large studio titles and a less star-heavy red-carpet line-up than last year may affect Venice’s mainstream profile, while…
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Patreon is laying off 20 percent of workers
Patreon is cutting about 20 per cent of its workforce, affecting roughly 93 employees, as it reorganises amid rapid changes in the technology industry. Chief executive Jack Conte said the decision was not based on a belief that AI can replace people, but argued that AI has fundamentally altered how technology companies work, build products…
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Netflix Drops ‘Tires’ Season 3 Trailer as Shane Gillis’ Star Skyrockets
Netflix has released the trailer for the third series of *Tires*, Shane Gillis’ workplace comedy, ahead of its 12 August premiere. The announcement follows Gillis setting two Guinness World Records for stand-up attendance, underlining his growing profile as Netflix expands the series. The new series sees Shane and his cousin Will, played by Steve Gerben,…