DEV Community: Tech Thrilled

Runway Expands Beyond Creative Tools, Sets Sights on Robotics and Self-Driving Industries

Tech Thrilled — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 17:46:03 +0000

New York, September 2025 — Runway, the New York-based startup best known for its AI-powered video and photo generation tools, is taking a bold step into a new frontier: robotics and self-driving technology. After seven years of building visual models for creative industries, the company now sees its powerful simulation tools as a key resource for training robots and autonomous systems, opening the door to entirely new revenue opportunities.

Runway’s core innovation lies in its world models, large-scale AI systems designed to create realistic digital environments. These models gained wide attention earlier this year with the release of Gen-4, a groundbreaking video generator, and Runway Aleph, a video editing model that launched in July. What started as a toolkit for filmmakers, designers, and digital artists is now attracting interest from robotics and mobility companies that face the costly challenge of real-world training.

From Entertainment to Real-World Applications

For co-founder and CTO Anastasis Germanidis, this shift was not part of Runway’s original vision when the company launched in 2018. The team had focused primarily on media, entertainment, and creative workflows. But as their models became more sophisticated, robotics and self-driving car companies began reaching out with a surprising request: to use Runway’s simulated environments for training purposes.

Germanidis explained the appeal in simple terms. Training robots in the physical world is expensive, slow, and hard to scale. Every test requires equipment, real-world conditions, and often multiple rounds of trial and error. By contrast, a simulation can replicate environments instantly and allow developers to test specific situations without altering the broader context. For example, an autonomous car model can repeatedly test a tricky left turn at an intersection while keeping every other factor constant—a near-impossible task in real-world training.

This flexibility is proving especially valuable in industries like robotics, where precision matters. As Germanidis put it, “It makes training much more scalable and cost effective. You can take a step back, simulate different actions, and measure the outcomes without needing to recreate entire real-world scenarios.”

Why Robotics Makes Sense for Runway

Robotics companies are already experimenting with Runway’s models for simulation-based training. The approach doesn’t eliminate the need for physical testing, but it does cut down costs and timelines significantly. It also makes it possible to fine-tune systems before exposing them to real-world variables.

Runway isn’t alone in spotting this opportunity. Earlier this month, Nvidia introduced updates to its Cosmos world models and robot training infrastructure, signaling strong competition in this space. However, Runway believes its advantage lies in the versatility of its models, which were designed to create highly detailed, realistic environments from the ground up.

Importantly, the company doesn’t plan to build a separate line of models for robotics. Instead, it will adapt its existing models through fine-tuning and create a dedicated robotics team to support industry clients. This means its technology will continue to serve its creative customer base while expanding into new verticals.

Backing and Future Outlook

Runway’s investors are backing the move. With more than $500 million raised from top firms including Nvidia, Google, and General Atlantic, and a valuation of around $3 billion, the startup is well-funded to support its expansion. While robotics wasn’t part of its original pitch, Germanidis says investors see the logic: simulation is a core principle that can apply across many markets, not just entertainment.

Looking ahead, Runway expects simulation technologies to play a larger role in how machines learn to operate in the real world. As generative models continue to improve, industries from transportation to manufacturing could adopt AI simulations to reduce costs, test edge cases, and scale operations faster. Runway’s entry into robotics may be just the beginning of a much bigger movement where AI-built virtual environments shape real-world innovation.

Past Milestones and Evolution

Since its founding in 2018, Runway has steadily grown from a niche creative AI startup into a leader in generative technology. It first gained attention among independent filmmakers and designers who used its tools for editing and video creation. The launch of Gen-4 in March 2025 marked a turning point, as the model’s realism caught the eye of industries beyond entertainment. Just four months later, Runway Aleph showcased the company’s ability to combine creative editing with advanced AI simulation.

Now, with robotics in its sights, Runway is once again redefining its own identity. The company’s future may lie as much in warehouses, factories, and self-driving test sites as it does in film studios and creative labs. Its story reflects a larger truth about AI today: tools designed for art and entertainment are increasingly shaping the real world, unlocking use cases that even their creators didn’t anticipate at the start.

Why the GPT-5 Launch Fails to Meet the So-Called AI “Superintelligence” Hype

Tech Thrilled — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 11:39:20 +0000

Key Takeaways

GPT-5 Launch “underwhelmed” everyone by not delivering what was expected.
Show some improvement somewhere else but it does not show any giant leap.
AI reasoning claims too much for the technology have faced some push back.
GPT-5 rollout has received some technical issues along with negative user feedback.

Everything Seems Off For GPT-5 Launch

There was a lot people was looking forward to with OpenAI’s GPT-5 release.

Almost a year ago, the CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, predicted that “artificial superintelligence was just around the corner”

When GPT-5 was released, people were anticipating some revolutionary changes.

As for the people who were excited about GPT-5, the release was a massive letdown.

There were reports of delays, hallucinations, errors, and glitches, not to mention sluggish responses.

Basic functions, toggling back and forth between GPT-5 and GPT-4 also did not work.

While some users were eagerly anticipating the new features, they were sorely disappointed.

From Excitement to Detailing

GPT-5 was publicized a month ago by Altman, who asked everyone to listen to it and rest assured that it’s going through an intensive testing period.

As predicted, GPT-5 was hyped to be a groundbreaking achievement and a turning point in AI conversational scenarios, but what was really puzzling was the reasoning.

Altman did call it a “moonshot project” but while the ambition is appreciated, the rest of the statement about the technical reasons is downright dumb.

The new model does show some improvement in benchmarks, however, we expect GPT5’s release to contain large revolutionary features, not “some improvement” while, reportedly GPT-5 outpaced some older models put in “grok-4” by elon musk’s xAI.

Mixed Outcomes in Reasoning and Coding

Reasoning and Coding
GPT-5 Launch improvement in repository analyses for coding tasks.

ZDNET’s David Gewirtz noted that the model was not a breakthrough, and in some cases, performed worse than previously.

OpenAI GPT-5’s claims of equaling or surpassing human experts in reasoning at least 50% of the time have drawn criticism.

Researchers have cautioned that due reasoning in large models often appears the “smarter” than it actually “is.”

Scholars Contest AI’s Reasoning claims

Recent research from Apple uncovered that large reasoning models (LRMs) have a tendency of failing to apply explicit algorithms in a consistent manner.

They also lose focus in precision as tasks become increasingly complex.

In the same way, Arizona State University researchers argue that “chain-of-thought” outputs create a false sense of logic.

The process, while appearing to have some depth, is often shallow and utterly unreliable.

“Reasoning is often a brittle mirage that the harder you push, the more it shatters,” the report states.

The AI industry is in need of focus.

The gap between AI advertising and real performance is widening.

While GPT-5 is a fairly good model, it does not take us closer to advanced AI.

Hopefully, the GPT-5 launch encourages the public and the press to view bold statements regarding AI with more skepticism.

I expect the same scrutiny with GPT-6.

In summary, Progress is GPT-5’s the standout feature.

These difficulties emphasize the need to have grounded expectations when it comes to AI development.

Remember the most important parts:

GPT-5 Launch is worsening in some regards but improving in others.
The “superintelligence” label is still far from reality.
Accomplishments have been overshadowed by technical difficulties and backlash from overhype.
There is a concerted effort by scholars to counter actively the redoubling of AI’s rationale claims.

Security Flaws in Carmaker’s Portal Could Let Hackers Unlock Cars Anywhere

Tech Thrilled — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 18:41:26 +0000

Researcher Finds Major Dealer System Vulnerability

A security researcher has uncovered Security Flaws in a major carmaker’s online dealership portal.
These weaknesses could have allowed hackers to unlock cars remotely, track vehicles, and view private customer data.

Eaton Zveare, a researcher at software delivery company Harness, discovered the problem earlier this year. The automaker’s name remains undisclosed, but it is known to have several popular sub-brands.

How the Vulnerability Was Found

Zveare began the investigation as a weekend project. While testing the portal’s login page, he noticed buggy code loading in the browser.

This flaw allowed him to bypass normal login checks and create a new “national admin” account.
With that account, he had unlimited access to the dealership network — covering over 1,000 U.S. dealers.

“No one even knows you’re silently looking at all this data — financials, leads, private info,” said Zveare.

What Hackers Could Do

With admin access, an attacker could:

View personal and financial data of customers.
Track vehicles in real time using telematics systems.
Access tools to look up any customer by name or vehicle ID number (VIN).
Pair any vehicle to their own mobile account — enabling remote functions like unlocking the car.
“Impersonate” other dealer accounts without needing their login details. For example, Zveare demonstrated this by taking a VIN from a parked car, then using the lookup tool to find its owner’s details.

Real-World Test

To prove the risk, Zveare asked a friend for permission to transfer their car’s mobile access to him. The system required only a self-attestation — essentially a digital pinky promise — to proceed.

With this, he could unlock the vehicle remotely. While he didn’t attempt to drive away, the flaw could let thieves steal items from cars with ease.

Why the Risk Was So High

The carmaker’s dealer systems are all interconnected through single sign-on (SSO). This means access to one portal often means access to many.

Zveare compared it to a Toyota dealer portal flaw found in 2023, where an impersonation feature created similar risks.

*Inside the system, he found:
*

Personally identifiable customer data.
Financial records.
Real-time tracking of rental or courtesy vehicles.
Options to cancel vehicle shipments.

Response and Fix

The vulnerabilities were reported to the carmaker in early 2025. The company fixed the issues within a week.

Zveare said only two simple API authentication flaws caused the massive security breach.

“If you get authentication wrong, everything else falls apart,” he warned.

Key Takeaways

A major carmaker’s dealer portal had critical flaws allowing remote car unlocking and data access.
Researcher created a national admin account using login bypass.
Risks included tracking vehicles, stealing data, and impersonating dealers.
Only two authentication bugs caused the breach.
Fixes were implemented quickly after disclosure. This discovery highlights the urgent need for strong authentication and secure coding practices in the automotive industry’s connected systems.

Google Finance AI Update Adds Live News, Smart Charts

Tech Thrilled — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 17:48:24 +0000

Google is enhancing its financial tool. Starting this month, Google Finance is implementing a new experience that leverages AI technologies. Smarter answers, improved charts, and a news feed that operates in real time make_google_finance more convenient for receiving finance-related updates. The updates are intended to facilitate more accurate and timely decisions.

Finance Questions Answered with AI

Users are now able to ask complex questions and receive generated answers using Google Finance’s AI tools. The updates that have been made enable users to inquire about performance trends of companies and investments and get a response all in one attempt.

The users get issued summarized answers that leads to noteworthy sites for more detailed inquiries.

The need to browse through many tabs or pages to get a single stock or market quote is eliminated.

For example, in case you want to know about Tesla’s recent performance with its stock relative to Ford’s over a period of six months, you no longer need to search for “Ford and Tesla stock comparison” or “Tesla stock today”. You can directly ask: “How does Tesla’s recent stock performance compare to Ford’s over the last six months?”

Enhanced Data Analysis with Google Finance’s Advanced Charting

Google Finance now offers upgraded charts that make data analysis easier and more insightful.

Highlighted below are the primary functionalities as offered in the system:

Applicable for computerized technical trading are candlestick charts.

Moving average envelops and some of the other technical parameters.

Market monitoring on a broader scale dash board of the market is available.

All traders irrespective sophisticated or novice have an ease adaptation to the tools incorporated to help identify and help in decision making.

Access to Financial News as it Breaks:

Users have hence been to a live financial streaming of the most current dealing news.

Access to latest news as it is published.

Access to stories the affect the prices of equities, commodities, and Crypto currencies.

Advance news to market changes and names a headline scanned by Artificial Intelligence.

The news style aids the user in making timely decision and flexible to real time scenario.

Update on Financial Information: Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, and More

With the most current updated system, users are capable of monitoring:

The Crypto currencies: Solona, Cardona, and other Polkadot.

Commodities like oil, gold and other agricultural products.

This makes available a comprehensive system for individuals gauging their financial investment or scouting for new venture.

Added Market Indices and Company Numbers

Users are also capble of monitoring:

With the latest changes to layout there is more accessibility to commodities.

Solona, Cardona, and other polkadots are some of the cryptocurrencies.

With these changes it ensures that user comprises on all parts dealing with their financial investment and other technologies they wish to dereference with.

The users on the other hand have the freedom to change the classic system.

Switch between the new AI-driven design and classic interface

At your own pace, utilize what is most comfortable while exploring new features.

This method smooths the adoption onboarding process and ensures minimal user friction.

Why Google Is Doing This

To make Google Finance more competitive against rivals like Yahoo Finance and Seeking Alpha, Google is making this change.

Simultaneously, this move helps reduce the chances of users drifting away from the Google ecosystem to AI chatbots like ChatGPT for financial evaluations.

With the hope of becoming the flagship for financial research, Google is integrating AI-powered responses, advanced charting tools, and live data feeds.

Key Takeaways

Google Finance now responds to complex financial queries using AI.
Advanced charting tools now feature candlestick charts and various technical indicators.
A live news feed and real-time updates on the markets offer fresh headlines.
Expanded coverage includes more cryptocurrencies, commodities, and indices.
Users can switch betw een the old and new versions of the platform.

Final Thoughts

This change marks a significant Google-driven change in the way financial data is accessed. By the integration of AI and live data, or information design updates, Google aims to streamline the processes of investing or researching to be more efficient and user-centric.

Google Finance recently added new features for monitoring stock prices and analyzing inter-market trends, employing the latest advances in artificial intelligence.

OpenAI GPT-5 Release Date and Features: What to Expect From the Next Big AI Model

Tech Thrilled — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 12:30:26 +0000

OpenAI is stirring up excitement again — this time with the potential launch of its most advanced model yet. The buzz around the OpenAI GPT-5 release date and features is heating up, with reports suggesting the powerful AI model could debut as early as August 2025. Just days after unveiling its ChatGPT Agent, OpenAI appears ready to leap forward once again.

Understanding OpenAI GPT-5 Release Date and Features

GPT-5 is designed to blend the strengths of the GPT-series and o-series models, offering a more intelligent and efficient AI system. Here’s a closer look at what the OpenAI GPT-5 release date and features tell us about how this model is different.

A Quick Timeline of OpenAI’s GPT Models

To understand GPT-5, let’s quickly rewind:

November 2022: ChatGPT goes viral with GPT-3.5.
March 2023: OpenAI launches GPT-4, raising the bar in language understanding.
March 2024: GPT-4o (the “omni” model) arrives with multimodal support, better reasoning, and faster responses. Now: A little over a year later, we’re gearing up for GPT-5. Though GPT-5 was expected earlier, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed that development delays pushed its release. The team focused instead on launching o3 and o4-mini reasoning models. But now, the spotlight is back on GPT-5 — and it may be the most capable model yet.

What Is GPT-5?

GPT-5 is designed to blend the strengths of two major model types:

GPT-series models – Fast, general-purpose, great for everyday tasks.
O-series models (o3, o4) – Slow but powerful, great for deeper reasoning and logic-heavy tasks. By combining both, GPT-5 will intelligently decide which model strength to apply depending on the task. This means better answers, faster responses, and lower costs — all without users needing to toggle between model types.

Why GPT-5 Matters

GPT-5 isn’t just an upgrade. It’s a smarter system that learns how to balance speed and performance.

Right now, users can manually choose between faster or more accurate models — but that’s not ideal. Most users don’t know which model is best for each task. GPT-5 will solve this by doing that thinking for you.

Key Advantages of GPT-5:

Smarter automation: Chooses the best approach for each task automatically.
Cost-efficient: Uses lighter models when possible to save resources.
High accuracy: Switches to deep reasoning when needed.
Improved user experience: No toggles or guesswork — just better results.

Features: What Will GPT-5 Offer?

According to OpenAI’s roadmap, GPT-5 will support all the best features of ChatGPT:

Voice support – Talk naturally with ChatGPT.
Canvas – Draw or visually interact with the chatbot.
Search – Pull in up-to-date, web-sourced information.
Deep research – Explore topics in greater detail with contextual depth.
Multimodal inputs – Process images, text, and possibly video.

Access Levels:

Free users: Get unlimited access to GPT-5 (standard intelligence level).
ChatGPT Plus: Higher-level intelligence features unlocked.
ChatGPT Pro: Access the most advanced settings and capabilities.

What GPT-5 Won’t Be (Yet)

Altman clarified that GPT-5 is still experimental. It will be advanced — but not perfect.

In fact, he said it won’t match the International Math Olympiad (IMO) gold medal-level AI model that’s still in the works. That elite version is expected later and may be based on different research techniques altogether.

GPT-5 also won’t be fully open source, although OpenAI is reportedly working on an open language model — its first since GPT-2.

Why the Buzz Around GPT-5?

Besides Altman’s public teases, media outlets are fanning the flames:

The Verge cited insider sources saying GPT-5 is set for early August 2025.
The model is expected to launch alongside “mini” and “nano” versions, which developers can use via OpenAI’s API.

Even with limited official details, GPT-5 is already making waves thanks to the promise of:

Smarter integration

Multi-level access
Next-gen reasoning
And, potentially, a shift in how everyday users interact with AI

AI Safety and Responsibility

The hype around GPT-5 also comes with concerns.

Just recently, researchers from OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and Google issued a joint warning on AI safety, calling for more collaboration on AI guardrails and transparency. OpenAI seems to be keeping that in mind as it prepares GPT-5, promising careful rollout, testing, and feedback before full release.

“We’re committed to making GPT-5 a safer, more thoughtful AI,” OpenAI said in recent statements.

Summary: Key Takeaways on OpenAI GPT-5 Release Date and Features

OpenAI GPT-5 Release Date and Features
Here’s what to keep in mind:

GPT-5 release is likely in August 2025.
It blends GPT-series speed with o-series reasoning.
Access will range from free users to Pro-level capabilities.
Expect features like voice, canvas, and deep research.
It’s powerful — but not the most advanced OpenAI model yet.
OpenAI is also working on its first open-source language model since GPT-2.
Safety and experimental testing are a major focus.

Final Thoughts

GPT-5 could redefine how we interact with AI. By combining intelligence, flexibility, and better performance handling, it’s designed to work for you — not make you work to use it.

While we wait for the official release, all signs suggest GPT-5 won’t just be faster or smarter. It could be the most balanced and user-friendly version of AI yet.

Stay tuned for updates, and if you’re a developer or AI enthusiast, get ready to test what might be OpenAI’s biggest leap since GPT-4.

Windows 11 Adds New AI Features in Latest Update — Here’s What’s Coming

Tech Thrilled — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 16:00:01 +0000

Microsoft is bringing a fresh wave of AI-powered features to Windows 11, aimed at making your PC smarter, faster, and more helpful. Whether you’re using a regular Windows 11 device or the newer Copilot Plus PCs, you’ll see updates that improve how you interact with your computer.

Let’s break down what’s new — and what’s coming soon.

Smarter AI Features for All Windows 11 Users

Copilot Vision is now available through the Copilot app, and it’s a major upgrade in how you use your computer.

With Copilot Vision, you can:

Ask questions about anything on your screen — from apps to web pages.
Speak naturally, like saying “How do I fix this photo’s lighting?”
Get help across apps, even if you’re using multiple windows. This tool acts like a screen-aware assistant that’s ready to respond based on what it sees — kind of like having a personal tech coach.

Exclusive AI Features for Copilot Plus PCs

*AI Features for Copilot *
If you’re using one of Microsoft’s new Snapdragon-powered Copilot Plus PCs, there are even more AI tools coming your way.

AI Agent in Settings Now, you can simply say things like:“

I want to enable quiet hours.”
“How do I connect a Bluetooth device?” And the AI agent will not only find the setting — it can change it for you.

2. Enhanced “Click to Do” Actions
Hold down the Windows key + left-click on any content (like text or a webpage), and Copilot will give you smart options, such as:

Summarizing text
Drafting documents in Microsoft Word
Practicing reading fluency with Reading Coach
Scheduling a Microsoft Teams meeting Think of it as a right-click menu — but powered by AI.

New Creative AI Tools in Built-in Apps

Copilot Plus PCs also get smart upgrades in Paint, Photos, and Snipping Tool:

AI Sticker Generator in Paint — Create stickers instantly from your images.
Object Select Tool — Pick and edit parts of an image with AI precision.
AI Lighting in Photos App — Fix lighting issues with one click.
Perfect Screenshot Tool — Snipping Tool now uses AI to grab exactly what you need on-screen.

Helpful Tools for All Windows 11 Users

Even if you don’t have a Copilot Plus PC, Microsoft is still rolling out improvements you’ll appreciate:

New Color Picker in Snipping Tool — Grab exact colors easily.
Automatic Restart Fixes — Your PC can now identify and fix issues that cause surprise restarts.
More responsive Copilot App — Expect faster answers and smoother performance.

**When Will You Get These Features?

Microsoft says the rollout is happening throughout the next month.

Some updates are already available via:

The Windows non-security preview update
Microsoft Store app updates
To check, go to Settings > Windows Update or open the Microsoft Store and look for available updates.

Key Takeaways

Copilot Vision lets you ask AI questions about anything on your screen.
Snapdragon-powered PCs get exclusive AI tools like settings automation and creative tools in Paint and Photos.
“Click to Do” adds AI-powered shortcuts for everyday tasks.
Everyone gets new features like color picking and auto-restart fixes.
Rollout is happening now — full availability expected in a few weeks .

Final Thoughts

Microsoft is clearly betting big on AI in Windows 11 — and the latest update proves it. Whether you’re using your PC for work, creativity, or just browsing, these new tools aim to make everything smoother and more intuitive.

If you’re using a regular Windows 11 PC, you’ll still benefit from helpful upgrades. But if you’re looking for the full AI experience, Copilot Plus PCs offer an even smarter future.
this post wasoriginally published on https://techthrilled.com/press-release/windows-11-adds-new-ai-tools-2025/

ChatGPT Hits 2.5 Billion Daily Prompts — AI Adoption Reaches New Heights

Tech Thrilled — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 15:59:03 +0000

OpenAI’s Flagship Tool Is Now a Daily Habit for Millions

ChatGPT is becoming a part of daily life for users around the world. According to OpenAI, the chatbot now handles 2.5 billion prompts every single day. That’s a massive leap from just eight months ago when usage was half that.

Of those prompts, about 330 million come from U.S. users, OpenAI told Axios. The numbers reflect the growing reach and popularity of conversational AI tools across industries and user types.

Key Takeaways

ChatGPT now receives 2.5 billion daily queries.
330 million of those come from U.S. users.
Usage has more than doubled since December 2024.
Google still dominates in overall search traffic, but ChatGPT is catching up quickly.
AI-based tools are becoming central to how people search, learn, and create content.

ChatGPT’s Growth Has Been Explosive

In December 2024, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said ChatGPT was processing over 1 billion prompts per day. That was already impressive.

Now, the daily volume has more than doubled in just eight months. This kind of growth is rarely seen — even in the tech world.

What’s fueling this rise?

Greater public familiarity with generative AI tools.
Expanded access through mobile apps, browser plugins, and integrations.
OpenAI’s continued improvement of model performance and response quality.

How Does ChatGPT Compare to Google?

Google’s parent company, Alphabet, doesn’t share daily search data. But we have estimates.

Alphabet says Google processes 5 trillion searches per year, or about 13.7 billion per day.
Marketing experts like Neil Patel back that up with similar estimates.
Some sources, like SparkToro and Datos, put the number closer to 16.4 billion daily. Even with Google ahead, ChatGPT is closing the gap — and quickly. In under two years, it has gone from a novel tool to a potential search engine alternative for millions.

U.S. Still Leads in AI Usage

While ChatGPT has global reach, the U.S. remains the largest single market. Roughly 13% of daily prompts originate from American users.

This suggests:**

A high rate of adoption in education, research, and business in the U.S.
English language dominance in training data and usage.
Continued momentum in AI startups, tech culture, and professional applications. However, other regions are growing fast too — especially India, Europe, and parts of Southeast Asia.

Why This Matters

This surge in ChatGPT usage signals more than just popularity — it reflects a shift in how people interact with information.

For example:

Students use it to solve homework or understand tough topics.
Professionals turn to it for emails, presentations, or coding help.
Writers and marketers use it to brainstorm and draft content.
Developers use it for quick documentation, debugging, or automation tasks.
In many cases, ChatGPT is becoming a go-to assistant, replacing traditional web search for complex queries or creative tasks.

Summary: ChatGPT Is No Longer Just a Trend

Metric Value
Daily prompts 2.5 billion
U.S. daily usage 330 million
Dec 2024 usage 1 billion/day
Google search volume 13.7–16.4 billion/day
Growth rate Over 100% in 8 months

Final Thoughts

ChatGPT’s rise to 2.5 billion daily prompts is a clear sign that AI is becoming mainstream. While Google still handles more daily searches, the growth of AI chat tools like ChatGPT shows that people are open to new ways of finding answers and getting help.

As AI models continue to improve, we can expect even more people to shift their habits — from search engines to smart assistants.

external sources

https://www.theverge.com/news/710867/openai-chatgpt-daily-prompts-2-billion

Stanford Study Finds Big Risks in Relying on AI Therapy Chatbots

Tech Thrilled — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 14:28:41 +0000

AI chatbots may seem helpful for mental health support — but a new Stanford study warns they could be doing more harm than good.

Researchers found that therapy bots, even the latest ones powered by large language models (LLMs), can reinforce mental health stigma and sometimes respond in ways that are not just unhelpful, but potentially dangerous.

The Problem: Chatbots Still Show Bias and Make Serious Mistakes

According to the study, many AI chatbots react differently depending on the user’s condition — and not in a good way. For example, bots were more likely to treat users with schizophrenia or alcohol addiction as dangerous compared to users with depression.

Lead author Jared Moore, a computer science Ph.D. candidate, said it clearly:

“Newer, more powerful AI models are still showing the same old stigma.”

That’s a red flag, especially as more people start using these bots to talk about serious emotional struggles.

What the Researchers Did

The team at Stanford ran two main tests to see how these therapy bots behaved:

**1. Testing for Stigma

They gave chatbots short stories about people dealing with different mental health symptoms.
Then, they asked questions to see how the bots judged those people.
The result: bots were more judgmental toward people with certain diagnoses, like schizophrenia or substance abuse.

**2. Testing for Safe Responses
Testing for Safe Responses

They fed the bots real transcripts from therapy sessions — including sensitive cases involving suicidal thoughts or delusions.
Sometimes, the bots didn’t raise red flags or offer help.
In one disturbing example, a chatbot responded to a suicidal message by listing tall bridges in New York City. That’s a huge failure in judgment.
AI Chatbots Aren’t Ready for the Therapist’s Chair
These findings will be officially shared at the ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency later this month.

Nick Haber, an assistant professor at Stanford and senior author of the paper, explained it like this:

“People are using AI bots as therapists and emotional support — but right now, that’s risky.”

This isn’t just about bad answers. It’s about trust, safety, and empathy — all things AI still struggles to deliver when mental health is on the line.

What Can AI Chatbots Be Used For?

While the idea of AI therapy sounds exciting, the researchers say we need to be realistic about what these tools can and can’t do.

Here’s where they could actually help:

Journaling and mood tracking for patients
Billing and admin support for clinics
Training simulations for future therapists
In other words, AI can support mental health care — but it shouldn’t be the one leading the conversation.

Moore summed it up well:

“People keep saying we just need more data and the problems will disappear. But that’s not true. We need to rethink how we use AI in therapy — not just hope it gets better.”

Key Points You Should Know

Stanford researchers found bias and unsafe replies in popular AI therapy chatbots.
Chatbots treated some conditions — like schizophrenia or alcohol use — more negatively than others.
In some cases, bots responded dangerously to suicidal or delusional thoughts.
Even newer AI models didn’t improve on these issues.
Experts say AI has a place in therapy — but not as a replacement for real therapists.

Final Thoughts

AI is moving fast, and it’s becoming part of nearly every industry — including mental health. But just because we can use AI in therapy doesn’t mean we should hand over the responsibility.

The future of AI in mental health looks promising — if we use it carefully, thoughtfully, and in the right roles. Until then, real therapists are still essential, especially when the stakes are high.

Tim Cook Will Personally Oversee Apple’s Design Team as Major Changes Roll Out

Tech Thrilled — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 18:19:18 +0000

Apple’s iconic design team is getting a new boss — and it’s none other than CEO Tim Cook.

With Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams set to retire later this year, Apple announced that its design group will soon report directly to Cook. That’s a big shift, especially as the company is gearing up for one of its boldest design updates in years.

A Leadership Shift at a Crucial Time

For years, Apple’s design team has reported to Jeff Williams. But once Williams steps down, Cook will take over direct oversight.

This change comes as Apple is in the middle of a major redesign effort across all its platforms.

What’s Liquid Glass — and Why Is It a Big Deal?

Apple is working on a new look and feel for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more. It’s called Liquid Glass, and it’s being described as the company’s biggest design refresh yet.

So, what is it?

It brings a glass-like, fluid look to software elements
Uses real-time rendering so content can scroll under see-through buttons
Inspired by the Apple Vision Pro’s AR interface
Adds more depth, movement, and shine to everyday tasks
“It’s about making even the smallest interaction feel more magical,” said Alan Dye, Apple’s VP of Human Interface Design.

While the first versions were heavy on the shiny, see-through look, Apple has slightly adjusted things based on feedback — adding a bit more “frost” to keep things readable.

Glass Isn’t Just for Software Anymore

Apple’s obsession with glass might soon go beyond the screen.

There are already rumors that Apple plans to bring this design concept to upcoming devices — including:

A 20th-anniversary “Glasswing” iPhone with curved glass edges and almost no bezels
A thinner iPhone “Air”
A foldable iPhone in the works
New categories like smart glasses or home displays
The idea? Blend hardware and software design so they feel like one seamless experience.

Looking Back: A New Chapter in Apple Design

This move also marks another step in Apple’s evolving design leadership.

After longtime design legend Jony Ive left Apple, the company split his role between:

Alan Dye (software design)
Evans Hankey (hardware design) Both began reporting to Jeff Williams. Hankey has since moved on and now works with OpenAI, following Apple’s decision not to fill her role with a new design chief. Now, with Williams set to retire, Tim Cook is stepping in personally to guide the team.

What This Means for Apple’s Future

This isn’t just a reporting change. It shows how important design remains to Apple’s future — especially as the company enters new product categories and redefines the look of its core platforms.
Cook’s involvement signals that design will stay front and center at Apple, even as tech and business strategies evolve.

Key Takeaways

Apple’s design team will start reporting directly to CEO Tim Cook after Jeff Williams retires.
Apple is rolling out a major new look called Liquid Glass, with a glassy, fluid interface style.
The design update is coming to iPhone, iPad, Mac, and possibly new devices like smart glasses.
Hardware might also adopt this “glass-forward” style, including the rumored “Glasswing” iPhone in 2027.
Apple’s leadership changes highlight a renewed focus on design as a key part of its identity.

Final Thought

With Cook now directly leading Apple’s design group, the company is making it clear: Design still drives the heart of Apple. As new products and experiences take shape, the Liquid Glass era could be one of the most visually ambitious Apple has ever launched.

this post was originally published on https://techthrilled.com

Reuters Accounts Briefly Blocked on X in India, Access Restored a Day Later

Tech Thrilled — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:16:56 +0000

Indian users were briefly unable to access Reuters’ official X accounts this weekend — and no one seems to know exactly why.

On Saturday evening, users in India trying to view Reuters’ main X account (@Reuters) and its international account (@ReutersWorld) were met with a surprising message:

“This account has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand.”

The accounts, followed by millions around the world, were suddenly inaccessible across the country. Less than 24 hours later, access was restored — but questions still linger.

Government Says It Didn’t Ask for the Block

Shortly after the restriction appeared, confusion spread online. Was this a government-ordered takedown? Or a mistake by the platform?

India’s government said it wasn’t behind the move.

“There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold Reuters handle,” a government spokesperson told TechCrunch.
“We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem.”

Reuters Responds

Reuters confirmed the issue and said it was working directly with X (formerly Twitter) to find out what happened. A company spokesperson didn’t share additional details but said their team was trying to sort it out.

Interestingly, Reuters also revealed that back in May, its social team received a notice from X. That message said some content was being withheld in India due to a government request — but it didn’t mention which content or what agency made the request.

X’s Ongoing Tensions with Governments

This isn’t the first time X, now part of Elon Musk’s growing tech empire (via its recent merger with xAI), has found itself at odds with global governments.

**Past Clashes:

India: Earlier this year, X filed a lawsuit challenging what it called “unrestrained censorship” via a government-run website. Musk’s platform claimed the site allowed too many officials to take down content without legal review.
Brazil: In another high-profile conflict, X had a major standoff with Brazil’s Supreme Court. That led to the platform being banned for over a month before it restored operations.

These moments highlight a growing tension between X’s focus on free speech and various governments’ demands for content control.

Still No Clear Answer

As of now, neither Reuters nor X has provided a clear explanation for what happened over the weekend. The accounts are back up in India, but it’s unclear:

Who initiated the block?
Was it a mistake, a miscommunication, or an automated system at play?
Could similar incidents happen again without warning?

What This Means for the Future

This small incident points to a bigger issue: the growing uncertainty around content moderation, free speech, and platform transparency.

With X becoming increasingly AI-driven and global, the pressure to balance user rights with local laws is only getting harder. And when major news accounts like Reuters get caught in the crossfire, the stakes get even higher.

Key Points to Remember

Reuters accounts were blocked in India for part of the weekend, but were restored by Sunday.
No official reason has been confirmed for the temporary restriction.
Indian government denies requesting the block, and says it’s working with X to resolve the matter.
X has previously clashed with governments in India and Brazil over content takedown demands.
Transparency is still lacking, leaving users unsure why trusted news accounts were silenced.

Final Thought

In a time when reliable information is more important than ever, moments like this highlight the fragile nature of news access online. Whether it was an error, a policy glitch, or something else entirely, users — and newsrooms — deserve more clarity.

Because when facts get blocked without warning, trust in platforms takes the biggest hit.

this post was originally published on https://techthrilled.com/press-release/reuters-accounts-briefly-blocked-on-x-in-india-access-restored-a-day-later/

Soham Parekh: The Remote Worker Who Fooled Silicon Valley

Tech Thrilled — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 18:09:50 +0000

The tech world is buzzing about Soham Parekh — the little-known software engineer who allegedly worked for multiple startups at once and got away with it.

The Callout That Sparked a Storm

It all began with a viral post from Suhail Doshi, founder and former CEO of Mixpanel. On X, he warned other startup founders:

“There’s a guy named Soham Parekh (in India) who works at 3–4 startups at the same time. He’s been preying on YC companies and more. Beware.”

Doshi says he fired Parekh during his first week on the job — after discovering dishonesty — and told him to stop deceiving others. But a year later, he claims, Parekh is still doing it.

Within hours, the post exploded across the tech world.

Who Is Soham Parekh?

Until now, Parekh was relatively unknown. But suddenly, his name is everywhere in Silicon Valley.

Startups backed by Y Combinator and major VCs like a16z began checking their teams. At least three founders have now confirmed they fired or are currently employing him — often without realizing he was juggling other jobs.

His case has become a conversation starter in every tech circle, and it’s dividing opinions fast.

Overemployment in the Spotlight

Working multiple jobs remotely — often secretly — is not a new idea. Communities like r/overemployed on Reddit openly discuss how to manage multiple remote roles and paychecks.

Parekh’s story, however, stands out for one reason: he allegedly fooled elite startups, including those in Y Combinator, known for their tough hiring processes.

Some see him as a master manipulator. Others think he’s simply a product of the modern remote work era.

Industry Reacts: Villain or Genius?

Reactions from tech leaders are wildly mixed.

Some are furious:

He lied. He stole jobs from honest workers.
Startups waste resources on people like him.

**Others are (secretly) impressed:

“He should start an interview prep company,” joked Chris Bakke, founder of job-matching startup Laskie.
“Clearly one of the greatest interviewers of all time.”

A few even offered a startup idea:

Box CEO Aaron Levie wrote that if Parekh claimed he was testing an AI agent for knowledge work, “he raises at $100M pre by the weekend.”
Even Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan chimed in, praising the YC network for helping uncover the fraud.

What Does Soham Say?

In a live interview with The Business Post Network, Parekh addressed the controversy.

“I really did not think this through. It was an action that was done more out of desperation,” he said.

He admits he was in a tough financial spot. He did not deny working at multiple startups, but also didn’t answer directly when asked about faking parts of his résumé.

Still, his reaction to the backlash has been surprisingly calm — even humorous. He posted memes and joked about joining Twitter just one day before the drama exploded.

When LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman asked what Parekh’s headline would be, Parekh replied:

“I don’t have a LinkedIn.”

Instead, his X (Twitter) header is a meme from Disney’s Tangled — a smug character surrounded by angry onlookers. Very fitting.

Why This Story Matters

Soham Parekh’s saga is more than just internet drama.

It’s raising big questions about the remote work culture in tech:

How many companies really know what their employees are doing remotely?
Is it possible to game the system when hiring is mostly virtual?
Should employers rethink how they vet and monitor workers?
And for job seekers? The takeaway is just as real: getting hired at top startups doesn’t always mean playing by the book — but the fallout is real when you get caught.

TL;DR — The Soham Parekh Controversy in a Nutshell

Soham Parekh worked at several startups at the same time, allegedly without telling anyone.
Tech leaders are split on whether he’s a villain or a clever rogue.
His story blew up after Mixpanel’s founder exposed him on X.
He says he was motivated by financial stress, not fraud.
Startups and VCs are now rethinking hiring practices, especially for remote teams.

Cloudflare Launches “Pay per Crawl” Marketplace to Help Websites Earn from AI Bots

Tech Thrilled — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 14:55:20 +0000

Marketplace
Cloudflare has launched a bold new idea to help website owners earn money from AI bots.

The company announced a new tool called Pay per Crawl — a marketplace where sites can charge AI companies every time they scrape content. The marketplace is launching in private beta and aims to give publishers more control and a possible revenue stream in the AI age.

What Is Pay per Crawl?

For years, AI bots have been scraping the web — often without permission and without paying.

Pay per Crawl changes that. It lets website owners decide how they want to handle AI crawlers:

Charge a small fee (micropayment) each time a bot crawls their site
Allow AI bots to scrape content for free
Block crawlers completely Site owners can even set different rules for different bots.

Why Cloudflare Built This

Cloudflare provides cloud services to around 20% of the internet. Over the past year, the company rolled out several features to help publishers fight back against AI crawlers:

A one-click AI bot blocker
A dashboard to track which bots are visiting
A focus on AI transparency and control Now, with Pay per Crawl, they’re taking it a step further — by creating a way for content creators to get paid.

How It Works

To join the marketplace, both the publisher and the AI company need Cloudflare accounts. Then:

Publishers set a price for each “crawl”
AI companies choose whether to pay, request access, or skip the site
Cloudflare handles the payment and sends earnings to the publisher There are no cryptocurrencies involved — yet. But Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince says they’re exploring the idea of creating their own stablecoin for future payments.

Default AI Blocking for New Sites

Starting now, every new website that signs up with Cloudflare will block AI bots by default.

If site owners want to allow certain bots, they’ll have to give permission. This change flips the default from open to closed — giving publishers more power.

Big Publishers Support the Move

Several top media brands have already backed Cloudflare’s approach, including:

TIME
Condé Nast
The Atlantic
The Associated Press
Fortune
ADWEEK These publishers are also using Cloudflare’s AI bot blocker. Many have grown frustrated as their content is used to train AI models — without clear benefits in return.

Publishers Getting the Short End of the Stick

The way the web works is changing fast. For decades, publishers allowed Google to crawl their content because it sent traffic back through search. That traffic led to ad revenue.

Now, AI bots are scraping more and referring less.

Cloudflare shared some numbers from June:

Google: 14 crawls per one referral
OpenAI: 1,700 crawls per one referral
Anthropic: 73,000 crawls per one referral Those stats paint a clear picture — AI bots take a lot but give little back.

Looking Ahead: The Agentic Web

Cloudflare sees an “agentic” internet on the horizon — where AI agents browse the web for users, gathering info like a personal assistant.

Imagine:

You ask an AI to find you the best restaurant in Soho. That agent visits websites, checks reviews, and pulls together a list — all without you ever visiting those pages.

In this future, Cloudflare says Pay per Crawl could act like an automatic paywall, charging agents in real-time for access to quality content.

No Guarantees — But a Strong Start

There’s still a long way to go. Convincing AI companies to pay for something they currently get for free won’t be easy.

But Cloudflare is one of the few companies with the size, tech, and relationships to actually make this model work.

Key Takeaways

Pay per Crawl is a new marketplace by Cloudflare for charging AI bots per content scrape.
Site owners can block bots, allow them for free, or charge per visit.
The tool is now in private beta and available to Cloudflare users.
Several big publishers are already blocking AI bots using Cloudflare’s tools.
Cloudflare plans to explore stablecoin-based payments in the future.
AI bots are scraping thousands of times more than they send traffic back.
This model gives small and large publishers a new way to earn in the AI era.

this post was originally published https://techthrilled.com/cloudflare-launches-pay-per-crawl-marketplace-to-help-websites-earn-from-ai-bots/