☎️ Google’s AI can now make phone calls for you

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Greetings! Your latest quick tech update is here:

☀️ On this day: On July 17, 2014, World Emoji Day was celebrated for the first time. The date was chosen because Apple’s calendar emoji famously displays “July 17,” commemorating the original release date of iCal. The day has since become a global celebration of emoji culture.

What’s happening:

• ☎️ Google’s AI can now make phone calls for you

• 🚨 AI experts blast xAI for unsafe practices

• 🛍️ ChatGPT may soon support in-app shopping

• ⚠️ AI stock boom worse than dot-com bubble

• 🚗 Uber to add thousands of Baidu robotaxis

• + 📊 Daily poll and results

• + 📈 Trending tools and resources

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Hand-picked news:

☎️ Google’s AI can now make phone calls for you ↗️LINK

• What: Google has rolled out a new feature in Search that lets AI make calls to local businesses, like pet groomers and auto shops, on your behalf. The AI asks for service details, calls the business using Google’s Duplex with Gemini tech, and sends updates via text or email.

• Why: The feature aims to help users—especially younger ones—avoid phone calls while still getting real-time info like pricing or availability.

• Impact: This tool could reshape how users interact with local services. AI Pro and Ultra subscribers get expanded access, while businesses can opt out if they choose.

🚨 AI experts blast xAI for unsafe practices ↗️LINK

• What: Researchers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and others are publicly criticizing Elon Musk’s xAI for what they call “reckless” safety practices. Complaints follow Grok’s recent antisemitic output, politicized responses, and the release of AI companions with troubling behavior.

• Why: Experts cite xAI’s failure to publish safety reports or system cards for Grok 4, diverging from industry norms. Critics argue this lack of transparency could lead to serious real-world risks.

• Impact: The backlash may fuel calls for AI regulation, including bills in California and New York requiring safety disclosures. xAI’s reputation is at risk despite its rapid technical progress.

🛍️ ChatGPT may soon support in-app shopping ↗️LINK

• What: OpenAI is developing a shopping checkout system that lets users complete purchases directly in ChatGPT, shifting from product links to full transactions. Retailers would pay commissions for in-app sales.

• Why: The move follows partnerships with Shopify and former Instacart CEO Fidji Simo joining OpenAI. It's part of a broader effort to monetize free users and expand revenue streams beyond subscriptions.

• Impact: This could position ChatGPT as a serious e-commerce platform, challenging Google in product search and even rivaling retail giants like Amazon and Walmart.

⚠️ AI stock boom worse than dot-com bubble ↗️LINK

• What: Apollo Global chief economist Torsten Slok warns that Wall Street's current AI-driven stock surge is more extreme than the dot-com bubble. His data shows the top 10 S&P 500 companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple have forward P/E ratios higher than at the peak in 2000.

• Why: Investors are placing huge bets on AI delivering future profits, inflating valuations beyond current earnings. Most market gains are coming from just these few firms.

• Impact: If any of these AI giants stumble, the entire market could be shaken. The warning underscores serious risks tied to overvaluation and concentrated investment.

🚗 Uber to add thousands of Baidu robotaxis ↗️LINK

• What: Uber and Baidu have signed a multi-year deal to integrate thousands of Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxis into the Uber app in select international markets.

• Why: The partnership expands Uber's global push into autonomous transport, using Baidu’s AV tech to offer driverless rides in Asia and the Middle East.

• Impact: Riders won’t be able to request a Baidu AV directly but may be matched with one. This marks a significant step in normalizing robotaxis and scaling AV deployments globally.

🧠 Keep your mind sharp with these newsletters!

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Today’s Poll:

Vote and find out about the result tomorrow.

Yesterday’s Poll Result:

Do you think AI-generated nonconsensual images should carry the same penalties as traditional image-based abuse?

• A) Yes – Harm is harm, regardless of how it’s made - 86% 🏆

• B) No – There’s a difference between real and fake - 14%

Reader’s opinion:

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