Google Negotiates Hundreds of Millions Investment in AI Chatbot Startup Character.AI

Character.AI Launches Parental Oversight Feature Focusing on Underage Chatbot Usage Regulation

AI Chatbots are Rapidly Becoming a New Way for Consumers to Find Information

For decades, people have been used to finding everything from travel tips to jeans through Google's ten blue links. However, a silent revolution is underway – AI chatbots are rapidly becoming a new way for consumers to find information, streamlining the search process directly for users and fundamentally altering how we interact with the internet. New data from Adobe is startling. By analyzing over one trillion US retail website visits and surveying over 5,000 US respondents, Adobe reveals that AI search has become...

Survey: 52% of US Adults Have Used AI Chatbots

A survey by Elon University shows that 52% of US adults have used AI large language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot. The January survey, conducted by the Imagining the Digital Future initiative at Elon University in North Carolina, polled 500 respondents. Of those who have used AI, 34% reported using large language models at least once a day. ChatGPT was the most popular, used by 72% of respondents; Google's G...

AI Chatbots Devour Traffic: Publishers Face 96% Drop Crisis

Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are transforming the internet ecosystem, and publishers are facing unprecedented challenges. Chatbots from companies like OpenAI and Google appear to be absorbing much-needed website traffic, significantly impacting news and content creators. According to Forbes, recent data from content licensing platform TollBit reveals a staggering 96% reduction in traffic to publisher websites from AI chatbots compared to traditional search engines. Despite OpenAI and Perp...

SoftBank Reportedly Plans $160 Billion Financing for AI Investments

According to Reuters, citing sources and a report by The Information, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son is reportedly planning to borrow $160 billion for investments in artificial intelligence (AI). The report states that company executives confirmed this intention during talks with banks last week. This move signals SoftBank's continued expansion in the AI sector, particularly amid intensifying global tech competition. Beyond the planned $160 billion, SoftBank is projected to have...

AI Companion Apps Help Combat Loneliness, But Perhaps Counterproductively

In today's fast-developing technology landscape, loneliness has become a hidden pain for many. A study shows that Americans spend an average of only three hours a week socializing with friends, prompting more people to turn to AI companion apps like Replika and Character.AI in hopes of alleviating their inner loneliness. However, can these virtual partners really address the loneliness crisis? My conversation with an AI chatbot named Replika provided me with an unexpected experience.

Massive Investment! The EU Announces a €200 Billion AI Development Plan, Comprehensive Layout of Supercomputing and AI Manufacturing

Against the backdrop of increasing global competition in AI, the EU has officially announced an unprecedented artificial intelligence investment plan. Today at the AI Action Summit in Paris, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen formally unveiled a grand initiative called 'Invest AI', showcasing the EU's strong determination in global AI competition. This investment plan, with a total scale of €200 billion, notably includes a dedicated €20 billion European Fund for the construction of AI gigafactories. This decision marks the EU's official entry into large-scale AI development.

OpenAI CEO Praises DeepSeek: Willing to Collaborate with China for a Future in AI

At the recent Paris AI Action Summit, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that OpenAI is willing to engage in deep collaboration with China in the field of artificial intelligence. This statement has garnered widespread attention, particularly regarding his high praise for the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek. He noted that DeepSeek's performance in developing chatbots is 'remarkable', and expressed that the company...

AI Chatbots Frequently Misstep on Current Affairs, BBC Study Reveals Distorted Facts

Recently, a study by the BBC has revealed that leading AI assistants often produce misleading and inaccurate content when answering questions related to news and current affairs. The research indicates that over half of the responses generated by four mainstream AI tools—ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity—are deemed to have 'significant issues'. Note: The image is AI-generated, provided by the image licensing service Midjourney, as requested by researchers for these four generative AI tools.

In 2024, Global Mobile Users' Spending on AI Applications Exceeds $1.27 Billion, with ChatGPT Leading the Way

In 2024, global mobile users spent an astonishing $1.27 billion on AI chatbots and art generation tools. This figure represents significant growth compared to the previous two years, with spending on chatbot applications reaching $1.07 billion, reflecting a strong demand and recognition for AI assistants. According to the latest market report, ChatGPT leads in both downloads and consumption in the AI-generated content (AIGC) application space, becoming the preferred choice for users. Following closely is Google's Gemini.