Artificial Intelligence
Ongoing coverage on Artificial Intelligence.
Latest coverage
Perplexity's Hybrid Compute splits sensitive tasks between cloud and local AI
Perplexity has introduced a new feature called Hybrid Compute, which allows users to divide tasks between cloud-based and local artificial intelligence models. This enables a more flexible approach to AI processing.
'Sonos 27' brings a refreshed UI to the app and lets AI agents control your system
Sonos is integrating artificial intelligence into its next major software update, codenamed 'Sonos 27'. This update will feature a refreshed user interface for the Sonos app and allow AI agents to control the audio system.
30 years later, I finally got to play Quake on the PS1, but that's before I found a better version that doesn't rely on "substantial AI assistance"
The author explores playing Quake on the PlayStation 1, initially finding a promising homebrew demo that unfortunately relies on AI assistance. While the demo includes other impressive PS1 projects, the author expresses a preference for the older, non-AI QuakePSX port due to its mouse support and perceived better performance, despite the overall limitations of playing Quake on the original PlayStation.
NVIDIA lanserar DLSS 5. Jag är kluven och imponerad på samma gång.
NVIDIA has announced the launch of DLSS 5, a new tool for developers aimed at enhancing photorealism in games. While the technology promises impressive visual upgrades, the author expresses mixed feelings about its potential impact on creative vision and the distinction between developer-applied features and player-accessible mods. The article highlights that DLSS 5 is intended for developers to use selectively, not as a universal player mod.
Sonos Open House: Live updates from the company's September 2026 product launch
Sonos is holding a product launch event in September 2026, with live updates expected from the company. The event is anticipated to feature new speaker hardware and advancements in artificial intelligence.
Asha Sharma gives a positive response about the rising cost of tech
Xbox Executive Vice President and CEO Asha Sharma discussed the rising cost of gaming hardware and the impact of Artificial Intelligence during an interview at Gamescom. Sharma acknowledged challenges like component shortages and the need for innovation in affordability, while the article criticizes the perceived dismissal of concerns over GPU and CPU price hikes driven by AI demand.
Dwarf Fortress' creator says the industry's in shambles over AI and layoff-happy CEOs: 'Everyone I know, their bosses are slowly getting psychosis'
Dwarf Fortress creator Tarn Adams expresses deep concern over the current state of the game industry, citing widespread layoffs and the problematic integration of generative AI. He believes these trends are unsustainable and are leading to a 'psychosis' among industry leaders, drawing parallels to past economic downturns.
Gamescom 2026: Multiplayer creature collectors Aniimo and Roco Kingdom announce release plans
During Gamescom 2026, Aniimo announced a September 16th release date for Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and PC, with mobile versions following on September 23rd. Roco Kingdom, developed by Morefun Studios, will have a global release soon and a closed beta in October. Both games are multiplayer creature collectors, with Aniimo's developer admitting to the use of AI tools, a practice not disclosed on Roco Kingdom's Steam page.
Apple adds more allegations to its trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI
Apple has added new allegations to its trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI. The company claims a former employee accessed and used proprietary files for OpenAI, suggesting a breach of trade secrets.
Evening Reading - August 31, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers reviews for Onimusha: Way of the Sword, The Blood of Dawnwalker, and Blood Dungeon, alongside news about The Wolf Among Us 2, Take-Two's subpoena regarding GTA 6 leaks, and Housemarque co-founder Ilari Kuittinen's departure. The article also touches on GameStop's financial status and mentions various internet curiosities.
Xbox CEO Reacts To The Irony Of Rising Console Prices Being An Issue That Microsoft Itself Contributed To
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma acknowledged the irony of rising console prices, partly caused by Microsoft's own AI investments. She stated that future console generations, codenamed Helix, will prioritize efficiency and affordability alongside performance, potentially as a family of devices rather than a single unit. This comes as Xbox Series S prices have increased significantly, and Sony has also raised PlayStation 5 prices.
Instagram will demote AI-generated influencers if they don't clearly label their account
Instagram will begin demoting AI-generated influencers if their accounts are not clearly labeled as artificial. This policy change specifically targets AI-generated accounts, while other forms of AI content on the platform are not addressed.
1666: Amsterdam's developer says it 'won't be using AI anymore', and the tech was only used 'in conception and pre-production'—arguably the most creative phase of the entire process
Patrice Désilets' studio Panache Digital Games has stated it will no longer use artificial intelligence in the development of 1666: Amsterdam, after initial use in conception and pre-production. The game has launched into early access with a 'Mixed' Steam rating, with players divided on its experience.
MMO Week in Review: Gamescom, Asura, and Ascension
Gamescom was the dominant event this week, bringing news for numerous MMOs including launch dates for Aion 2 and Path of Exile 2, and trailers for Dune Awakening, Sea of Remnants, and Cinder City. Star Citizen's Squadron 42 received another delay into 2027, while Guild Wars 3 revealed its Asura, and Blizzard shut down another World of Warcraft private server. Other news included updates for Throne and Liberty, Ultima Online, and The Division 2, alongside discussions on game design, AI training lawsuits, and the shutdown of the Project Ascension World of Warcraft emulator.
People Who Say GTA 6 Looks Like GTA 5 Are “Out of Their Minds”, Says Michael De Santa’s Voice Actor
Ned Luke, the voice actor for Michael De Santa in Grand Theft Auto 5, stated that Grand Theft Auto 6 looks nothing like its predecessor and that comparisons are "out of their minds." He highlighted the significant advancements in animation and technology since Grand Theft Auto 5's release, noting that every character in GTA 6 is individually simulated, placing Rockstar ahead of the industry in NPC technology.
A Star Wars Galaxies community server was allegedly hacked with AI assistance by a Reddit moderator harboring a primeval…
The Star Wars Galaxies Legends community server was allegedly hacked using AI tools by a Reddit moderator named levarrishawk. The hacker claims the action was motivated by a fourteen-year-old dispute over shared development tools. No player data was compromised, but custom game assets were reportedly decrypted and offered to other servers.
IREN’s AI Pivot Is Still Mostly a Bitcoin Business: 82% of FY2026 Revenue Came From Hashing
IREN's fiscal 2026 results show that 82% of its revenue still comes from Bitcoin mining, despite a significant pivot towards AI Cloud Services. The company wrote down $638.8 million in mining rigs to repurpose data centers for AI workloads, resulting in a $702.6 million net loss. While IREN aims for a $4 billion annualized run-rate revenue target by year-end, actual GAAP revenue is contingent on customer acceptance of deployed hardware and facilities.
xAI Sued Over Claims Grok Was Trained on Child Sexual Abuse Material
xAI is facing a new lawsuit alleging that its AI model, Grok, was trained on child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The complaint, filed by a plaintiff identified as Jane Doe, claims that CSAM depicting her as a child was used in Grok's training data, leading to the generation of new synthetic CSAM. Attorneys for the plaintiff state that xAI must be held responsible for knowingly using such material and that there is no "artificial intelligence exception" to child protection laws.
Federal Court: Pentagon’s Blacklisting of Anthropic Was Unconstitutional Retaliation
A federal judge ruled that the Pentagon's blacklisting of AI lab Anthropic was unconstitutional retaliation, violating the First Amendment. The court found the "supply chain risk" designation illegal and arbitrary, stemming from Anthropic's refusal to enable mass surveillance or build lethal autonomous weapons.
Google Now Auto-Expands AI Overviews, Pushing Web Links Further Down the Page
Google has begun automatically expanding AI Overviews on its search results page, pushing organic links further down. This change, which is inconsistently applied, aims to increase user engagement with follow-up questions rather than direct link clicks. While Google claims this makes search more helpful, critics suggest it prioritizes the company's own AI content over web links.
