Tag: tech news 2025

Perplexity’s Big Shift: How Publishers Finally Get Paid for Their Content in AI Search

by educatekaroin News, AI, Business, TechLeave a Comment on Perplexity’s Big Shift: How Publishers Finally Get Paid for Their Content in AI Search

Perplexity has launched a new, transparent revenue share program for publishers, aiming to compensate media outlets when their content is used or referenced in AI-powered search results and tasks.

How Perplexity’s Revenue Share Works

Perplexity’s initiative introduces a subscription tier called Comet Plus, priced at $5 per month, that enables publishers to earn money through three channels:

  • Users will now be directed straight to publisher websites via the Comet browser.
  • When publisher content is cited in search answers.
  • When the AI agent uses content to fulfill user tasks.
    Unlike traditional ad-supported models, this program pools subscription revenues and distributes 80% directly to publishers, with Perplexity keeping 20% for operational costs.

Funding and Payouts

The program starts with an initial $42.5 million revenue pool dedicated to publisher compensation, with plans to grow this fund as subscriptions increase. Payments will be calculated based on how frequently a publisher’s content is used in AI search results, cited in answers, or utilized by AI agents.

Industry Impact and Reception

This model is one of the first by an AI startup to transparently share revenues based on actual content usage, representing a shift from the multimillion-dollar exclusive licensing deals common with AI giants like OpenAI and Google. This move comes as a response to criticism that AI tools exploit journalism without fair return and is intended to set a more balanced compensation model in the age of AI.

Publisher Participation

Perplexity is actively seeking major publishing partners and has previously worked with outlets like TIME, Fortune, the LA Times, Blavity, and Der Spiegel. While specific new partners for Comet Plus haven’t been disclosed, the company emphasizes that the program is open to collaboration and feedback from the media industry.

The Fresh Take

With the launch of Comet Plus and this revenue-share model, Perplexity is attempting to set a precedent for sustainable media monetization in the AI-driven web. It emphasizes transparency, direct payouts based on actual usage, and an open invitation to publishers to help refine the system—moving beyond ad clicks and traffic, toward a business model designed for the modern search experience.

Read more: Bloomberg, ET

Meta Teams Up with Midjourney to Bring Stunning Visuals to AI

by educatekaroin News, AI, Apps, Business, TechLeave a Comment on Meta Teams Up with Midjourney to Bring Stunning Visuals to AI

Meta just dropped an exciting update for AI enthusiasts—it’s partnering with Midjourney to integrate their cutting-edge aesthetic technology into Meta’s future AI products. The goal? To make AI not just smart, but visually beautiful.

According to Meta, this collaboration is more than just a licensing deal. It’s a technical partnership where both research teams will work closely to push the boundaries of AI creativity. And honestly, it makes sense. Midjourney has already set the bar high in the world of AI-generated art, so combining that with Meta’s scale could be game-changing.

Meta is going all-in to deliver top-notch products—bringing together world-class talent, huge computing resources, and strategic partnerships with leading industry players. With Midjourney’s visual flair and Meta’s ambitious roadmap, this could reshape how we experience AI-generated content across social media and beyond.

The companies are keeping details under wraps for now, but they promise more updates soon. If this is just the beginning, the future of AI visuals might be a whole lot more beautiful.

xAI Open-Sources Grok 2.5: A Bold Move in AI World

by educatekaroin News, AI, TechLeave a Comment on xAI Open-Sources Grok 2.5: A Bold Move in AI World

Elon Musk is back in the spotlight, and this time it’s not about rockets or EVs. His AI company, xAI, just made a big announcement – Grok 2.5 is now open source. Yep, the same advanced language model that’s been grabbing attention is now free for developers and researchers to play with.

So Why Does This Matter?

Well, Grok 2.5 isn’t just another chatbot brain. It’s built to compete with the big guns like GPT and Google’s Gemini. By opening it up, xAI is giving everyone – from indie coders to tech giants – the chance to experiment, tweak, and build on top of a powerful model without paying hefty licensing fees.

What Makes This Different?

Here’s the interesting part: most AI companies keep their models under lock and key. But Musk is taking a different route, betting on transparency and community-driven progress. This move not only levels the playing field but also speeds up innovation in areas like chatbots, enterprise tools, and AI-driven apps.

Why Would Musk Do This?

Probably to challenge the growing dominance of closed AI ecosystems. Plus, let’s be honest, open-source projects often grow faster because thousands of brains work on them instead of just one company’s team.

What Does It Mean for Developers and Businesses?

For developers, this is honestly a big deal. Imagine building apps with serious AI power without burning through your budget – that’s what this unlocks. Businesses can finally tinker with custom AI tools without being stuck paying crazy fees to big vendors.

The Bigger Picture

And for the AI world? It feels like a push toward making this stuff way more accessible to everyone, not just big tech. It’s not just xAI making bold moves. OpenAI has also opened parts of ChatGPT to the public. Two new open-weight models—gpt-oss-20B and gpt-oss-120B—are now available under the Apache 2.0 license. The smaller one runs on laptops, while the bigger model works on desktops or cloud GPUs. This marks a clear trend: even AI giants are embracing openness, and xAI’s Grok 2.5 release shows the competition is heating up.

The Takeaway

Grok 2.5 going open source isn’t just another update in the news feed – it’s a bold move that could seriously shake up the whole AI race.

The Untold Story Behind Igor Babuschkin’s Exit from xAI

by educatekaroin News, AI, People, TechLeave a Comment on The Untold Story Behind Igor Babuschkin’s Exit from xAI

From designing complex algorithms to steering teams at the forefront of AI innovation, Igor Babuschkin has been a quiet but powerful force in the tech world. His career reads like a roadmap for anyone hoping to jump from academia to industry leadership. Initially a particle physics researcher at CERN, Igor took a different turn—trading particle collisions for neural networks, and eventually landing at DeepMind, OpenAI, and later co-founding xAI with Elon Musk in 2023.

The Rise at xAI

Let’s be honest—few believed a brand‑new AI company could go toe-to-toe with giants like OpenAI or Google. But Babuschkin and his team proved the doubters wrong. Under his leadership, xAI built critical infrastructure like the Memphis supercluster, the brain behind Grok—an AI chatbot that sparked as much curiosity as controversy. People inside xAI recall frantic nights of coding, Musk’s relentless pace, and an undercurrent of belief that they were doing the impossible.

Why Igor Walked Away

August 2025 shocked the AI industry—Igor left xAI. In an age where people jump startups for bigger paychecks, his reason was different: purpose over profit. Increasingly unsettled by the ethical dilemmas and safety debates swirling around advanced AI, Babuschkin decided to dedicate himself fully to AI safety. His new venture, Babuschkin Ventures, aims to back researchers and startups working on technologies that expand human understanding—without jeopardizing our future.

Final Thoughts

In my view, Igor’s move is both bold and necessary. Too many chase AI’s speed; too few stop to question its direction. His decision reminds us that technological progress should run in parallel with responsibility.

Read more: Wiki

OpenAI and Sam Altman Create Merge Labs to Rival Elon Musk’s Neuralink

by educatekaroin News, People, TechLeave a Comment on OpenAI and Sam Altman Create Merge Labs to Rival Elon Musk’s Neuralink

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is co-founding Merge Labs, a new brain-computer interface startup aiming to compete directly with Elon Musk’s Neuralink. Valued at around $850 million and seeking $250 million in funding, Merge Labs focuses on less invasive brain implants enhanced with AI to improve human-machine connections beyond medical uses. The project could be funded by OpenAI’s ventures arm and involves Alex Blania, known for biometric ID innovations. The rivalry between Altman and Musk, former OpenAI co-founders turned competitors, extends from AI into brain-computer technology, marking a dramatic chapter in Silicon Valley’s tech battles.

Read more: Engadget

Hackers Expose Major North Korean Spying Operation

by educatekaroin News, Cybersecurity, TechLeave a Comment on Hackers Expose Major North Korean Spying Operation

Two hackers, known as Saber and cyb0rg, breached the computer of a North Korean government hacker affiliated with Kimsuky, a notorious state-backed espionage group. They leaked 8.9GB of data revealing internal hacking tools, phishing logs, source code of South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs email system, and evidence of cyberattacks on South Korean government networks. The leak shows Kimsuky’s collaboration with Chinese hackers and exposes their methods, including cryptocurrency theft to fund North Korea’s programs. The hackers condemned Kimsuky for hacking driven by greed and political agendas. This rare exposure offers unprecedented insight into North Korea’s clandestine cyber operations.

Read more: Yahoo

Perplexity AI’s $34.5B Moonshot Bid for Chrome

by educatekaroin News, AI, TechLeave a Comment on Perplexity AI’s $34.5B Moonshot Bid for Chrome

AI startup Perplexity shook the tech world by making a bold, unsolicited $34.5 billion cash offer to buy Google’s Chrome browser. Perplexity promises to keep Chrome’s underlying code open source and invest $3 billion to improve it, while retaining Google as the default search engine for users. Their bid comes as Google faces antitrust pressure to divest Chrome, which holds 68% of the browser market with over three billion users. Perplexity, valued at $18 billion, says outside investors will fund the deal—but Google hasn’t responded and is expected to fight any forced sale in court.

Read more: TechCrunch

Musk Warns of Legal Battle with Apple Over AI App Rankings

by educatekaroin News, AI, TechLeave a Comment on Musk Warns of Legal Battle with Apple Over AI App Rankings

Elon Musk has stated that his AI company, xAI, plans to take swift legal steps against Apple, accusing it of violating antitrust laws through biased App Store rankings. Musk argues that Apple’s promotion practices heavily favor OpenAI’s ChatGPT, preventing competitors like his AI system, Grok, from claiming the top spot despite strong user engagement. Apple, which recently integrated ChatGPT into its platforms, has not commented on the threat. However, industry observers note that other AI apps have reached the top rank this year, raising questions about Musk’s allegations. The controversy spotlights ongoing debates about App Store fairness.

Read more: Slashdot

Italy Probes Meta for AI Integration in WhatsApp Over Antitrust Concerns

by educatekaroin News, AI, TechLeave a Comment on Italy Probes Meta for AI Integration in WhatsApp Over Antitrust Concerns

Italy’s antitrust regulator, AGCM, has launched a formal investigation into Meta Platforms for allegedly abusing its dominant market position by embedding its AI assistant directly into WhatsApp without explicit user consent. Integrated since March 2025, Meta AI appears in the app’s search bar, offering virtual assistant features. The authority suspects this practice forces users into Meta’s AI ecosystem, potentially stifling fair competition and disadvantaging rival AI providers. Inspections were conducted at Meta’s Italian offices. Meta defends the integration as user-friendly and cooperative with regulators. Violations could trigger EU fines up to 10% of global turnover

Read more: CNBC18

Amazon and The New York Times Seal $20 Million AI Content Licensing Deal

by educatekaroin News, AI, Business, TechLeave a Comment on Amazon and The New York Times Seal $20 Million AI Content Licensing Deal

Amazon has agreed to pay The New York Times between $20 million and $25 million annually under a multiyear agreement that allows Amazon to use content from the Times’s news, cooking, and sports sections, including The Athletic, to train its AI models and enhance Alexa features. This deal, announced in May and recently detailed by The Wall Street Journal, represents about 1% of the Times’s expected 2024 revenue. It marks the Times’s first AI content licensing partnership with a tech giant amid its ongoing copyright litigation against OpenAI and Microsoft over unauthorized AI training

Read more: engadget