Tech

Source: The Verge Elon Musk’s xAI could soon make its next move to compete with OpenAI: launching a standalone app for its Grok chatbot. Musk created xAI as an alternative to OpenAI, the company he helped found but later distanced himself from over ideological differences. Now, The Wall Street Journal reports, xAI is planning to…

Source: The Verge I’ve been itching to get my hands on an easy-to-use hobbyist drone that I won’t hate myself for eventually breaking. The DJI Mini 3 has been at the top of my list: it hits the mark as a compact drone that you can pilot without having to attend aviation school, and I’ll…

Source: The Verge The design of Transparent’s latest wireless speaker looks like the complete opposite of the glass-enclosed see-through speakers that helped originally launch the brand. The $4,000 Brutalist speaker is made from aluminum, and although it stands around 23-inches tall in person, without context it could be easily mistaken for a minimalist office tower…

Source: The Verge The US Department of Energy (DOE) thinks AI can speed up the process of connecting new energy projects to the power grid. It announced $30 million in funding now available through its Artificial Intelligence for Interconnection (AI4IX) program. The DOE is interested in fostering partnerships between grid operators and software and energy…

Source: The Verge Walmart is linking up with Roku to release a full-length Christmas movie that will let viewers buy products on their TV during specific parts of the story, Business Insider reports. It’s the retailer’s second go at the idea of shoppable TV after previously trying out a social media romcom series. Walmart learned…

Source: The Verge International investigators reportedly believe the crew aboard Yi Peng 3, a bulk carrier full of Russian fertilizer, dragged its anchor for more than 100 miles across the Baltic seabed, damaging the cables that run across it. Two different internet links — one between Sweden’s Gotland Island and Lithuania, and another between Finland and…

Source: The Verge Google has released a new chess website that puts one fun twist on the game: it uses custom pieces that are created each time by generative AI. The game starts by letting you type in a short description for what the white pieces should look like; it’ll generate the set using its…

Source: The Verge What GM takes away, the aftermarket restores. General Motors’ controversial decision to drop Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from most of its electric vehicles now has a possible workaround. As noticed by InsideEVs, a company called White Automotive and Media Services (WAMS) is advertising a new aftermarket upgrade kit that restores the…

Source: The Verge Uber is using gig workers to get into the AI labeling business, Bloomberg reports. It’s a sign that the ridehail and delivery company is interested in expanding its independent contractor-powered business model to meet the demands of the fast-growing world of machine learning and large-language models. The company’s new “Scaled Solutions” division…