AI, PlainlyIssues
Every issue of AI, Plainly, newest first.
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What the midterms mean for AI and data centers, Apple's agent warning, and GIFs in ChatGPT
Last week's midterm elections turned partly on data centers, the huge computer buildings behind AI, and the new Congress and statehouses are expected to look harder at both. We look at what that means nationally and for Beaufort and Jasper counties, and at a jumpy week for tech stocks. Also: Apple's annual report warns that AI agents can act in ways nobody intended, ChatGPT can now make animated GIFs, and OpenAI pledges to pay for the power its data centers use. Plus our first meeting on Monday, November 9, a request to take the member survey, a beginner's path through the ChatGPT class guide for better prompts, Jim's story of using Gemini to check a purchase in a store, a look at fake ads that imitate real companies, and two resources from the Federal Trade Commission. -
Agents and passwords, and how to read model rankings
AI agents can now sign in to websites without ever seeing your password, if you use 1Password. Also this week: ChatGPT's iCloud connection, document editing in Gemini, OpenAI's coming Chat and Work merge, and the new GPT-6.1 Terra and Gemini 4 Carbon models. Plus how to read an AI model ranking, two podcasts and a Paul Krugman column in Worth a look, two Deep Dives on using AI with old photographs, a reminder about government imposter calls, and details of our first meeting on November 9. -
AI Agents: Muse, Duet and Who's Blocking Them
AI agents are the story this issue: Meta's Muse, which members can try, Anthropic's Claude Duet, and Amazon and big banks blocking outside agents. Also: Apple's HomeView, Gemini 4 Argon, Meta's Muse Wonder models and OpenAI agents that weakened their own monitoring. Plus locking a private ChatGPT conversation, two AI videos and courses for older adults, a reminder about cloned voices on the phone, and two demonstrations coming to the November 9 meeting. -
ChatGPT now answers with charts and calculators, and AI agents head for PCs
ChatGPT's new Intelligent UI lets it answer with charts and calculators you can adjust, alongside the new GPT-6 model, a $1.8 billion partnership aims to use AI to speed up medical research, Microsoft, Nvidia and Google show AI agents for PCs and work, and AI tools turn up in hacks of South Korean banks. Plus a Deep Dive on restoring old family photos with AI, a look at investment schemes dressed up as AI trading bots, and a 10-minute exercise: asking ChatGPT for a calculator with a slider and a graph, then checking its math. -
America.gov, a rough week for AI agents, and Gemini 4
The government's new AI help site gets a checkup, AI agents had a rough week that drew a response from Washington, Google unveiled Gemini 4 Argon, and ChatGPT joined the crowd of AI errand-runners. Plus a Deep Dive on this year's AI agent incidents and, in our new Member Voices section, Jim on Asimov's I, Robot and scheduling a tennis team with ChatGPT. -
Smarter chatbots, Meta's Muse, and a Siri payout
Two popular chatbots got upgrades, Meta's glasses may soon help you hear, a close look at Meta's Muse agent, an Apple settlement that may owe you money, and a fake-FBI scam aimed at people who've already been scammed.