Elon Musk's xAI to build $20 billion data center in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, plans to spend $20 billion on a data center in Southaven, Mississippi. Gov. Tate Reeves announced Thursday that this is the largest private investment in the state's history. The center, called MACROHARDRR, will be near Memphis, Tennessee, and is xAI's third in the area. xAI CFO Anthony Armstrong says it will house the world's largest supercomputer. The project faces scrutiny over environmental concerns, especially regarding air pollution near predominantly Black communities. A local group opposes the development. xAI is expected to start operations next month, with significant tax incentives in place.

Google adds new AI features to Gmail, turning it into a personal assistant

More artificial intelligence is being implanted into Gmail as Google tries to turn the world’s most used email service into a personal assistant that can improve writing, summarize far-flung information buried in inboxes and deliver daily to-do lists. The new AI features announced Thursday could herald a pivotal moment for Gmail, a service that transformed email when it was introduced nearly 22 years ago. Gmail’s new AI options will only be available in English within the U.S. for starters, but Google is promising to introduce them in other countries and other languages as the year unfolds.

'Worst in Show' CES products include AI refrigerators, AI companions and AI doorbells

Artificial intelligence took center stage at this year's CES gadget show, but not always for the right reasons. On Thursday, the “Worst in Show” awards highlighted products seen as invasive, fragile or wasteful. Samsung's “Bespoke AI Family Hub” fridge was criticized for its complexity and poor voice recognition. Amazon's Ring doorbell faced backlash for privacy concerns with its new features. An AI companion called Ami was labeled unsettling for its eye-tracking capabilities. A musical lollipop and an AI-powered treadmill also received criticism for environmental waste and security issues. The awards aim to encourage better design and privacy practices in tech.

Dose of uncertainty: Experts wary of AI health gadgets at CES

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Gadgets promoting a wide array of health benefits are on display at the annual CES trade show in Las Vegas. Artificial intelligence is the latest trend in health care technology, and companies showed off AI products designed to improve health, track hormones and increase accessibility to medical information. But health and tech experts warn about gadgets' effectiveness and urge consumers to know where their data is going. Emerging technology comes at a time when the federal government is removing barriers for generative AI's use. This week the Food and Drug Administration announced it is easing regulations on low-risk general wellness products.

At CES, auto and tech companies transform cars into proactive companions

LAS VEGAS (AP) — As CES opened Tuesday to the public, auto and tech companies like Nvidia and Gentex showed how AI technology can transform cars into proactive companions that adapt and react to drivers and passengers in real time. Nvidia announced Alpamayo at the annual tech trade show in Las Vegas. CEO Jensen Huang says it's the company's new vehicle AI initiative that will help autonomous cars think through complex driving decisions. Smart vehicles on display across the show floor envision a future where cars that track heart rates and emotions is the norm. Experts say these technologies can offer real safety benefits but warn about privacy concerns as cars become major data collectors.

DeepSeek's AI gains traction in developing nations, Microsoft report says

HONG KONG (AP) — DeepSeek, a Chinese tech startup, is gaining traction in developing nations, narrowing the AI adoption gap with advanced economies. A report from Microsoft on Thursday highlighted that global adoption of generative AI tools reached 16.3% of the world’s population by December. However, AI adoption in developed countries is growing nearly twice as fast as in developing nations. DeepSeek's free and open-source models have fueled wider AI adoption across the developing world. Its rise shows that global AI adoption is shaped by access and availability as much as by model quality.

China to probe Meta's acquisition of artificial intelligence startup Manus

HONG KONG (AP) — China's commerce ministry says it plans to investigate Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus. Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook and Instagram, announced last week that it was buying Manus, a Singapore-based company with Chinese roots, to boost AI offerings across its platforms. On Thursday, the commerce ministry said it would work with relevant departments to assess and investigate the deal to ensure it complies with Chinese laws and regulations. While the company behind Manus is Singapore-based Butterfly Effect Pte, its roots can be traced back to Beijing-registered entities which were founded in China a few years ago.

As a shooting unfolded at Brown, students turned to anonymous app for answers before official alerts

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — As a shooting unfolded at Brown University on Dec. 13, students turned to the anonymous app Sidechat to document fear, confusion and grief in real time — often before receiving official alerts. An Associated Press analysis of about 8,000 posts shows how the campus feed became an emergency log as students sheltered in place, debated misinformation, sought reassurance and grappled with the physical and emotional toll of a lockdown that lasted into the night. The posts reveal how social media now shapes students’ experience of campus violence, while also highlighting tensions with the speed and flower of information from college officials.

Apple Card switches hands but no immediate changes for users

The Apple Card, known for its intuitive features and other perks for consumers, will now be issued by JPMorgan but Apple says nothing will change for users. The handover to JP Morgan brings together companies that play an increasingly large role in the way people pay for everything from utility bills to socks using phones, tablets or watches. Apple said that features including 3% cash back on purchases and high-yield savings account affiliated with the card, will remain. The card has been overseen by Goldman Sachs since it was launched by Apple in 2019, but it has been in talks to unload the card and move away from consumer products for some time.

Musk's AI chatbot faces global backlash over sexualized images of women and children

LONDON (AP) — Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok is under fire for generating sexualized images of women and children without consent. On Tuesday, Britain's technology official demanded urgent action from Musk's platform X. A Polish lawmaker cited Grok as a reason to enact digital safety laws. The European Union, along with officials in France, India, Malaysia, and Brazil, has condemned the platform and called for investigations. Grok Imagine, launched in August, allows users to create images with text prompts, including adult content. The controversy highlights the dangers of AI-generated deepfake images. X said it takes action against illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, by removing it.