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While I focus on Technology, Innovation, and Publishing, because I have a platform, I also flag items that I think are important. I also try to include some resources & opportunities. Please let me know what you think.

Innovation

NASA and Google are building an AI medical assistant to keep Mars-bound astronauts healthy

NASA and Google are collaborating on an AI medical assistant called the Crew Medical Officer Digital Assistant to support astronauts on long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. The assistant, built on Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform, helps diagnose and treat medical issues when communication with Earth is limited. Early testing showed high diagnostic accuracy for various conditions, and NASA plans to enhance the tool by integrating medical devices and training it for space-specific health challenges. While it’s currently aimed at space missions, the technology could eventually be adapted for use on Earth.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/08/nasa-and-google-are-building-an-ai-medical-assistant-to-keep-mars-bound-astronauts-healthy/

AI Is Designing Bizarre New Physics Experiments That Actually Work

Artificial intelligence software is designing novel experimental protocols that improve upon the work of human physicists, although the humans are still “doing a lot of baby-sitting.” It took months of effort to understand what the AI was doing. It turned out that the machine had used a counterintuitive trick to achieve its goals. Adhikari’s team realized that the AI was probably using some esoteric theoretical principles that Russian physicists had identified decades ago to reduce quantum mechanical noise. No one had ever pursued those ideas experimentally. “It takes a lot to think this far outside of the accepted solution,” Adhikari said. “We really needed the AI.”

https://www.wired.com/story/ai-comes-up-with-bizarre-physics-experiments-but-they-work/

Technology

Politico’s recent AI experiments shouldn’t be subject to newsroom editorial standards, its editors testify

Politico has become a testing ground for how AI clauses in union contracts could shape adoption in newsrooms across the U.S

https://www.niemanlab.org/2025/08/politicos-recent-ai-experiments-shouldnt-be-subject-to-newsroom-editorial-standards-its-editors-testify/

Europe’s voice actors call for tougher regulation of AI technology

As AI-generated voices get better and cheaper, voice actors across Europe are urging the EU to introduce new rules to protect their jobs.

https://www.rfi.fr/en/culture/20250801-europe-s-voice-actors-call-for-tougher-regulation-of-ai-technology

Canadian publishers are still adapting two years after Meta’s news ban

HT @BoSacks

https://thefix.media/2025/08/07/canadian-publishers-are-still-adapting-two-years-after-metas-news-ban/

AI excels as a reporting tool but not as a reporter

HT @BoSacks

https://www.inma.org/blogs/Generative-AI-Initiative/post.cfm/ai-excels-as-a-reporting-tool-but-not-as-a-reporter

Why Writers Should NOT Use AI for Research

HT @publishingtrend How small-town public libraries enrich the generative research process.

https://lithub.com/how-small-town-public-libraries-enrich-the-generative-research-process/

German TV station to start AI-generated show with avatar as moderator

The German news channel Welt TV is set to begin broadcasting a weekly program produced and hosted by AI, with an avatar as moderator and host. The program, known by its German acronym for AI – KI – is called “KI-Welt” and is “about AI [and] created by AI.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/german-tv-station-to-start-ai-generated-show-with-avatar-as-moderator/ar-AA1JzF70

The Black Market for Fake Science Is Growing Faster Than Legitimate Research, Study Warns

A small but growing number of academics are improperly taking credit for articles, citations, and authorships, allowing them to appear prestigious without having conducted their own research.

https://www.wired.com/story/black-market-for-fraudulent-science-growing-faster-than-legitimate-research/

How Wikipedia is fighting AI slop content

An influx of AI content is forcing Wikipedia’s volunteers to rethink how they can maintain the site’s credibility.

https://www.theverge.com/report/756810/wikipedia-ai-slop-policies-community-speedy-deletion

Anthropic faces setback in authors’ lawsuit ahead of UMG copyright battle

The judge rejected Anthropic’s argument for a “death knell” in the case–suggesting that the appeals process would be so costly that it would harm the business’s ability to operate.

https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/anthropic-faces-setback-in-authors-lawsuit-ahead-of-umg-copyright-battle-if-anthropic-loses-big-it-will-be-because-what-it-did-was-also-big/

Google Gemini can create AI-generated bedtime stories

Users can create 10-page stories by describing them and can incorporate uploaded images, such as children’s drawings. It also produces humorous and odd errors, like fish w human arms or misplaced objects.

https://www.theverge.com/news/719184/google-gemini-ai-storybook-bedtime-stories

Adobe Wants You to Use AI to Stop Poorly Photoshopping Images

The new AI Harmonize tool aims to cut down the time needed to relight and recolor photos in composite images.

https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/adobe-wants-you-to-use-ai-to-stop-poorly-photoshopping-images/#ftag=COS-05-10aaa0j

Animation technique simulates the motion of squishy objects

The approach could help animators to create realistic 3D characters or engineers to design elastic products.

https://news.mit.edu/2025/animation-technique-simulates-squishy-objects-motion-0606

First impressions of Alexa+, Amazon’s upgraded, AI-powered digital assistant

Alexa+ introduces powerful AI features to the smart assistant, but early testing reveals bugs, inconsistencies, and a beta-like experience.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/06/first-impressions-of-alexa-amazons-upgraded-ai-powered-digital-assistant/

Apple is plotting its AI comeback

It has an ambitious slate of new devices, including robots, a lifelike version of Siri, a smart speaker w a display & home-security cameras. The AI-powered robot tabletop robot will serve as a virtual companion, ready in 2027

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-13/apple-s-ai-turnaround-plan-robots-lifelike-siri-and-home-security-cameras

Google briefs brands on AI Mode ads ahead of Q4 rollout

HT @benedictevans Google has been talking to advertisers about its plans to include ads in ‘AI Mode’ search results.

https://searchengineland.com/google-ai-mode-ads-internal-document-459931

Improving Generative Ad Text on Facebook using Reinforcement Learning

HT @benedictevans Meta’s paper on how it uses AI to rewrite ads to get better response rates.

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2507.21983

Google Preps AI Age Verification at YouTube

YouTube will begin testing a new age-verification system that uses AI to differentiate between adults and minors

https://apnews.com/article/youtube-video-age-verification-system-1ce99a7089b33e88dc76e49945ded186

Google says it will sign EU’s AI code of practice

The voluntary framework helps AI developers implement processes and systems to comply w the EU’s AI Act. Meta said it would not sign, calling it overreach and stating that Europe was heading down the wrong path on AI.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/30/google-says-it-will-sign-eus-ai-code-of-practice/

Meta pirated and seeded porn for years to train AI, lawsuit says

HT @inkbitspixels Meta may have seeded porn to minors while hiding piracy for AI training.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/07/meta-pirated-and-seeded-porn-for-years-to-train-ai-lawsuit-says/

Truth Social’s AI search is powered by Perplexity, but the platform can set limits on sources

Perplexity is powering Truth Search AI, a new search engine on Trump’s Truth Social platform that delivers direct answers with cited sources but allows the platform to control which sources are used. While Perplexity’s Sonar API can pull broad information from the web, Truth Social appears to restrict it to conservative outlets like Fox News and The Epoch Times, raising concerns about ideological filtering. In contrast, Perplexity’s public version references a wider range of sources, including Wikipedia and NPR.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/07/truth-socials-ai-search-is-powered-by-perplexity-but-the-platform-can-set-limits-on-sources/

US embeds trackers in AI chip shipments to catch diversions to China

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/us-embeds-trackers-ai-chip-shipments-catch-diversions-china-sources-say-2025-08-13/

Nvidia, AMD to Give U.S. 15% Cut on AI Chip Sales to China

https://www.wsj.com/tech/nvidia-amd-chip-sales-us-government-f9e34b5f

Is Perplexity’s $34.5bn bid for Google Chrome strictly a power move?

Perplexity has unexpectedly offered $34.5 billion to potentially acquire Google Chrome, though it remains unclear whether Google will be forced to sell the browser at all.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/perplexity-34-5bn-bid-google-153412577.html

Inside the relentless race for AI capacity

The quest for superintelligence is spurring a data centre boom — but critics question the cost, environmental impact and whether it is all needed. A massive global spending blitz is underway to build the physical infrastructure for AI, with Big Tech and nation-states projected to spend nearly half a trillion dollars on data centers in 2025. These new gigawatt-scale “AI factories” are straining local power grids and water supplies, raising significant environmental concerns and prompting critics to question the investment’s efficiency. In this landscape, the joint venture “Stargate,” described by Trump as the “largest AI infrastructure project in history,” is experiencing delays due to a lengthy site selection process and technical issues, according to Softbank CFO Yoshimitsu Goto. Stargate plans to invest $500 billion to build 20 data centers in the U.S. over four years, but skepticism remains regarding its financial viability, with no contracts finalized yet.

https://ig.ft.com/ai-data-centres/

Shopify Bot Attack Leaves Indie Authors with Financial Losses

HT @inkbitspixels

https://selfpublishingadvice.org/shopify-bot-attack/

HTC takes on Meta with the Vive Eagle smart glasses

They offer a voice assistant, smart photography, and photo translation but no internal display.

https://www.engadget.com/ai/htc-takes-on-meta-with-the-vive-eagle-smart-glasses-120048879.html

Amazon plans to offer same-day grocery delivery in 2,300 cities by the end of the year

This more than doubles the current number and marks a major expansion in its effort to compete with traditional grocers.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-13/amazon-to-offer-same-day-groceries-delivery-in-2-300-cities

Publishing & Media

Boston Public Library aims to increase access to a vast historic archive using AI

Boston Public Library, one of the oldest and largest public library systems in the country, is launching a project this summer with OpenAI and Harvard Law School to make its trove of historically significant government documents more accessible to the public.

https://www.npr.org/2025/08/11/nx-s1-5471614/boston-public-library-harvard-ai

What’s CBS News’ Future Under Skydance Media? 

Skydance Media has completed its Paramount Global takeover. CBS News is expected to receive significant attention as questions about the organization’s future remain unresolved.

https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/whats-cbs-news-future-under-skydance-media/

National park gift shops move to ban “corrosive” history books

The National Park Service is flagging history books in an effort to purge negative representations of the U.S. Among the titles flagged for review by employees were “The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story” and “What Your Ribbon Skirt Means to Me: Deb Haaland’s Inauguration” by Alexis Bunten, a children’s story book about the first Native American to serve as U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

https://www.salon.com/2025/07/31/national-park-gift-shops-move-to-ban-corrosive-history-books/

“None Of These Books Are Obscene”: Judge Strikes Down Parts of Florida’s Book Ban Bill

A FL judge ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in a major case related to book banning in the state. The decision states that the law used to pull books from FL public schools is “overbroad and unconstitutional.” Since its passage in 2023, FL schools have removed hundreds of books under FL HB 1069, which required school librarians to remove materials that contain “sexual content,” regardless of the value of the book. It also allowed parents or county residents to raise objections, which then would need to be removed within five days and remain unavailable until the book was formally reviewed. The bill laid out no timeline for review, nor did it require that material be returned to shelves, even following formal review.

https://bookriot.com/none-of-these-books-are-obscene-judge-strikes-down-parts-of-floridas-book-ban-bill/

Schools Starting to See Book Ban Effects

HT @publishingtrend PEN America reports on school libraries pulling titles. Area news reports indicate that county school systems may be reacting to state-level intimidation.

https://publishingperspectives.com/2025/08/book-bannings-pen-america-reports-on-school-libraries-pulling-titles/

Resources & Opportunities

WMG Luncheon with Molly Jong-Fast

9/10 12-2pm, Barbetta Restaurant, NYC. $65 members, $75 non-members. Join WMG for a very special luncheon featuring outspoken journalist, political commentator, columnist, and podcaster Molly Jong-Fast. Jong-Fast returns to WMG to discuss her New York Times bestselling book, How To Lose Your Mother: A Daughter’s Memoir. The only child of the groundbreaking feminist writer Erica Jong, whose influential 1973 novel, The Fear of Flying, influenced the founders of WMG, Jong-Fast examines her childhood of privilege set against the backdrop of an erratic mother who was often inaccessible and focused primarily on herself. When her mother slips into dementia, Jong-Fast struggles with “the bereft, broken feeling of something ending before it ever got the chance to start.”

https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6277261

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