News reporting focused on AI and machine learning, covering the companies behind these technologies, their real-world applications, and the ethical concerns they raise. This includes areas like generative AI (large language models, text-to-image and video), speech tech, and predictive analytics.
Meta's decision to enable AI image generation from public Instagram accounts by default sparked widespread backlash, with creators and privacy experts calling for opt-in defaults. The feature was rolled back after three days. The incident highlights growing frustration with companies automatically enrolling users in generative AI tools, and the need for stronger privacy regulations.
Meta released Muse Image, its first image generation model from the Superintelligence Labs. The model works as an agent, using external tools like web search to refine outputs. It ranks second behind OpenAI's GPT Image 2 on the Image Arena platform. A feature that lets users generate AI images of others by @-mentioning their Instagram usernames, without consent, is already drawing criticism from privacy regulators in Europe.
PrismML has released Bonsai Image 4B, a family of compact image-generation models that run on local devices like laptops and phones. The models use binary and ternary weight representations to shrink the diffusion transformer to under 1 GB, enabling on-device inference on iPhone 17 Pro Max and other Apple Silicon hardware. Two variants offer different trade-offs between footprint and quality, retaining up to 95% of the accuracy of the full-precision FLUX.2 Klein 4B base model.
Luma has launched its Uni-1.1 image generation model through a public API with pricing and quality that align with leaders like OpenAI and Google. The REST API supports text-based image creation and editing, ranking 7th or 8th on Arena leaderboards. Two pricing tiers start at $0.0404 per image, with options for reference images and high-resolution outputs.
OpenAI has updated its Codex tool with new features that allow it to run in the background on Macs, control apps, and deploy multiple agents. This move aims to compete with Anthropic's popular Claude Code. Additional updates include an in-app browser, memory function, image generation, and 111 plugin integrations.
OpenAI has updated its Codex developer tool to include a background computer use feature that lets the AI view screens, click, and type directly. The agent can now handle tasks autonomously over days or weeks and includes new plugins and image generation. This positions Codex against competitors like Anthropic's Claude Code, with rollout starting on macOS.
OpenAI has updated its Codex system to control desktop apps on macOS computers. The tool runs in the background and supports multiple agents at once. New features include image generation, plugins, web browsing, task automation, and memory for past interactions.