Stories that are getting the most attention from our readers this week.
Intel introduced a new graphics driver for its laptop GPUs that can improve gaming frame rates by up to 10–25% in certain titles. This update marks a strategic push by Intel to make its Arc discrete GPUs more appealing and stay competitive with market leaders like NVIDIA and AMD. The improvements involve tweaks in power management, rendering pipelines, and memory bandwidth efficiency. Early user feedback suggests noticeable gains, especially in graphically demanding games. Intel aims to continue refining its drivers as it battles for greater recognition among gamers seeking viable alternatives to established brands.
With the US Department of Justice having won its antitrust case against Google’s search dominance, a second trial now focuses on remedies—potentially forcing Google to sell Chrome or restrict major device deals. But the legal fight coincides with a paradigm shift: AI chatbots are rapidly emerging as alternative go-tos for online queries. Google’s lawyers argue this underscores healthy competition. Federal prosecutors see it differently, claiming Google can still leverage exclusive pacts to dominate AI-based search too. The question: Is Google’s existing market power so entrenched that new challengers, like ChatGPT or Perplexity, can’t truly uproot it? The outcome will shape how search evolves and whether browser or device deals remain permissible.
YouTube just introduced an AI-powered tool that lets you search for music by humming or describing the lyrics. The feature aims to make it easier to find those catchy tunes stuck in your head.
A new debate has emerged over how we talk to AI chatbots: Should we say “please” and “thank you”? Supporters argue that using polite language with digital assistants can reinforce kindness in daily habits. Others feel it’s unnecessary, noting that chatbots don’t have emotions. Tech researchers highlight potential benefits of empathy training through interactions with unfeeling machines, though cynics worry about wasted effort or the environmental cost of longer prompts.
Twenty-one humanoid robots raced a Beijing half-marathon; only six finished, many overheated or lost limbs. Despite the spectacle, analysts still project a $38 billion robotics market within a decade as AI chips improve.
Tesla quietly launched an internal ride-hail beta for staff in Austin and the Bay Area, using “FSD Supervised” software and Model 3s fitted with passenger screens. Trips include a human safety driver for now, mirroring Waymo’s phased rollout. Elon Musk still touts a driverless robotaxi debut, but regulators and tech challenges cloud the timeline.
