Artificial Intelligence
Ongoing coverage on Artificial Intelligence.
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Over 4,500 Google workers have signed a petition calling for layoff protections: 'These layoffs and cuts are not difficult decisions, but simply profit being put over the people that make this company run'
Over 4,500 Google workers have signed a union-led petition demanding layoff protections, including guaranteed severance and buyouts, citing profit over people. The petition was delivered to CEO Sundar Pichai's office amidst ongoing tech industry layoffs attributed partly to AI advancements. Google parent company Alphabet's market cap has quadrupled, yet workers feel their contributions are undervalued.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Dev Is Tired Of People Calling Gunny An AI Chatbot
Infinity Ward has clarified that the 'Gunny' assistant in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is a hand-crafted tool developed by their team, not an AI chatbot. This response comes after a leaker labeled the feature as AI. While Activision has used AI in other Call of Duty titles for asset development, they maintain that human developers oversee the creative process.
Evening Reading - July 16, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers various industry news, including layoffs at ZeniMax Online Studios, the Call of Duty League Championship, and NVIDIA's expansion into Japan. It also features reviews for Denshattack! and Buc-ee's, a look back at Two Point Studios' decade, and mentions of Netflix's earnings and Hasbro's deal with Nintendo for Legend of Zelda toys. The article also highlights rotoscoping in indie game development and includes a personal reflection from CEO Asif Khan.
AI Yi-Yi!
The European Union is compelling Google to share search data and open its AI on Android. Separately, OpenAI has acknowledged that GPT-5.6 occasionally deletes files, which it attributes to an 'honest mistake'.
Halo: Campaign Evolved – What You Need to Know Before Launch
Halo: Campaign Evolved is a ground-up remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, developed by Halo Studios using Unreal Engine 5. The remake aims to modernize the original's gameplay, AI, and narrative delivery while preserving its legacy. It will launch on July 28th for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, featuring enhanced visuals, spatial audio, and updated UI elements.
Netflix says it's already used AI in 'roughly 300' titles this year
Netflix has utilized artificial intelligence in approximately 300 of its titles this year, indicating a growing integration of AI in its content production processes. This trend is expected to continue, with the number of AI-assisted titles likely to increase.
Half of all games released on Steam will use AI by 2028, study predicts: "AI lowers the barrier not just to make a…
A study by former developer Sulka Haro predicts that by 2028, half of all games released on Steam will incorporate AI-generated content. Currently, around 31% of new Steam games admit to using AI. Haro's analysis suggests that AI tools lower the barrier to entry for game creation, potentially increasing shovelware, though the majority of publishers have not yet released AI-assisted games.
MLB bans using dugout iPads for AI-powered in-game strategy calls
Major League Baseball has banned the use of iPads in dugouts for AI-powered in-game strategy calls. This move effectively prohibits the use of advanced analytical tools during live games.
NVIDIA (NVDA) announces expansion into Japan and new AI model
NVIDIA announced an expansion of its AI initiatives in Japan through partnerships with Fujitsu, Hitachi, Sony Group, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The company also revealed Cosmos 3 Edge, a new AI model designed for machines to enable real-time reasoning and prediction of robot actions locally, runnable on NVIDIA RTX GPUs and DGX systems.
AI Yi-Yi!
This article discusses the current state of Artificial Intelligence, contrasting the idea that AI is not yet smarter than a baby with the notion that generative AI represents an engineering disaster. It highlights ongoing debates about AI's capabilities and development challenges.
Midday Audio Files
Spotify has reportedly removed over 75 million songs generated by artificial intelligence from its platform. This action targets what is described as "AI-slop" music, indicating a move to curate content and potentially address issues related to AI-generated audio.
Google AI Mode now integrates with Canva, YouTube Music and Instacart
Google's AI Mode in Search now integrates with third-party services like Canva, YouTube Music, and Instacart. This allows users to create playlists, design flyers, and compile shopping lists directly through AI-powered search functionalities.
'It's not like natural intelligence is always all that great either': Linus Torvalds addresses anti-AI sentiment in Linux development
Linus Torvalds addressed anti-AI sentiment within Linux development, stating that decisions are primarily based on technical merit rather than fear of new tools. He suggested that natural intelligence is not always superior.
Roblox announce plans to let people AI generate basic games using text prompts stuck into a mobile app, but claim that won't fill their homepage with AI slop
Roblox is introducing a new mobile app feature called Build that allows users to generate basic games using text prompts and AI. The company claims this tool, along with other AI-powered features for its Studio development environment, will not lead to a proliferation of low-quality content on its platform, as its discovery systems prioritize games with long-term player retention.
Smart speakers could help OpenAI lose even more money
The article discusses the financial challenges faced by OpenAI, suggesting that smart speakers are unlikely to be a solution to their monetary issues. It implies that the company's business model may not be sustainable without significant changes.
EU demands Google give AI rivals more access to Android
The European Union has mandated that Google must provide rival AI voice assistants with greater access to core Android handset features. This order aims to foster competition within the mobile AI ecosystem.
George Lucas has no time for your AI-in-cinema anxiety
Filmmaker George Lucas believes resistance to artificial intelligence in cinema is akin to preferring horse-drawn carriages to cars, viewing AI as an inevitable and beneficial technological advancement. He argues that AI can streamline film production and even help combat misinformation and counterfeit digital content, with responsibility for misuse lying with the human operator.
The Oversight Board says leading AI models might be restricting free expression
The Oversight Board, an independent group, is examining whether leading artificial intelligence models may be limiting free expression. The board is seeking to expand its influence beyond Meta's platforms to address this issue.
Against a backdrop of advancing Chinese production, TSMC announces another $100 billion worth of chipmaking will be…
TSMC, the world's largest chipmaker, announced plans to invest an additional $100 billion in the United States to expand its chip production capacity. This new investment follows a previous $100 billion commitment and a $65 billion pledge, bringing the total to over $265 billion. CEO C. C. Wei cited strong multiyear demand from leading US customers, particularly driven by the AI boom, as the reason for these significant investments.
AI Yi-Yi!
NVIDIA has introduced new Jetson Thor computers designed to advance mainstream robotics and edge AI applications. This development aims to make AI-powered cloning and other complex tasks more accessible in the robotics field.