Dex Unveils $250 AI Camera to Teach Kids Languages Through Object Recognition ↗
Dex is a $250 handheld camera gadget that uses image recognition and AI to teach kids aged 3–8 new languages via object identification, interactive stories and games. Backed by $4.8 M in funding, it supports eight languages and 34 dialects, features a parental progress app, safety filters and zero data retention, positioning itself as an immersive alternative to apps or tutors.
Google Taps Stephen Curry as Performance Advisor for Health, Pixel and Cloud ↗
Google has tapped NBA superstar Stephen Curry as a “performance advisor” to help shape its Health, Pixel, and Cloud products. Curry will test and provide feedback on Fitbit’s new AI-powered personal health coach, sharing his training philosophies to fine-tune workout routines and targets. He’ll also use Pixel phones, watches, earbuds, and Google Cloud’s AI Basketball Coach in his student programs. The partnership hints at branded content and potential product tweaks driven by Curry’s elite insights.
SRE.ai Raises $7.2M Seed to Automate DevOps Across AWS, GCP & Azure ↗
SRE.ai, founded by former Google Research and DeepMind engineers Edward Aryee and Raj Kadiyala, emerged from stealth with a $7.2M seed led by Salesforce Ventures and Crane Venture Partners. The startup’s natural-language AI agents automate complex DevOps workflows—think continuous integration, testing and metadata conflict resolution—across AWS, GCP, Azure and enterprise apps. After an oversubscribed round and participation in YC’s Fall ’24 cohort, SRE.ai will use the funds to hire AI engineers and Salesforce experts. Its cross-platform approach aims to free IT teams from tedious tasks and let them focus on high-impact projects.
Bill Gates-Backed Initiative Unveils $1M AI Challenge to Accelerate Dementia Research ↗
The Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative, backed by Bill Gates, is launching a $1 million AI competition to fast-track dementia research. The contest seeks agentic AI systems to analyze data, boost the efficiency of Alzheimer’s and related dementia studies, and offers a freely accessible winning solution. Applicants (due by September 12, 2025) will pitch prototypes at CTAD in San Diego (December 2025) and finalists at AD/PD in Copenhagen (March 2026).
Xcode 26 Beta Integrates Anthropic’s Claude AI, Expands Third-Party AI Support ↗
Apple’s Xcode 26 beta hints at built-in support for Anthropic’s Claude AI, joining ChatGPT and Apple’s own models in the IDE. Developers will soon be able to log into Anthropic accounts—usually cheaper than API access—to chat about code, request suggestions, and more. It’s the first clear sign Apple is opening up to third-party AI beyond OpenAI’s offerings.
Google Docs Introduces Gemini AI Read-Aloud Feature ↗
Google Docs can now read your documents aloud using Gemini AI. You can pick different voices and speeds, insert an audio button directly into a doc, or have collaborators access playback via Tools > Audio > Listen to this tab. Currently English-only and desktop-only, the feature is rolling out to Workspace business, enterprise, education, and AI Pro/Ultra subscribers.
Apple Tablet Deals: 11th-Gen iPad From $299, M3 Air & M4 Pro Discounts ↗
You don’t need to wait for Prime Day or Black Friday to score a deal on Apple’s tablets. Right now the new 11th-gen base iPad starts at $299 (128 GB), the 7th-gen iPad Mini is $474, and the M3-powered iPad Air (11″ and 13″) sees $60–$80 off. Even the M4-equipped iPad Pro (11″/13″) is discounted by up to $134. Offers fluctuate daily, and a rumored M5-chip Pro may arrive this fall, so shop now if you want the latest savings.
Meta Unveils Superintelligence Labs Under Alexandr Wang in Fourth AI Shake-Up ↗
Meta has again restructured its AI arm, unveiling the Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL). Led by new Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang, MSL splits into four teams: TBD Labs for foundation models (like LLaMA), plus dedicated research, product integration and infrastructure groups. The move—Meta’s fourth AI shake-up in six months—aims to catch up with rivals such as OpenAI, Anthropic and Google DeepMind.
Meta Unveils AI Voice-Translation for Facebook and Instagram Reels ↗
Meta has unleashed a new AI tool letting Facebook and Instagram creators translate their voice reels between English and Spanish, preserving tone and offering optional lip syncing for authenticity. Creators with 1,000+ followers on Facebook and all public Instagram accounts can enable “Translate your voice with Meta AI” during reel publishing, then track views by language. More languages are on the roadmap. This update is part of Meta’s broader AI shake-up to help talents connect across linguistic divides.
63% of Eastern Europe Crypto Outlets Lose Traffic to AI Tools ↗
Outset PR’s Q2 2025 research finds 63% of Eastern Europe’s crypto outlets lost traffic as generative AI alters how stories are discovered—even amid a market rebound. While casual clicks drop, loyal readers stick via direct visits and branded searches. Smaller sites tied to SEO and aggregators struggle, but those optimizing for AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity can thrive. Regulatory complexity and algorithm shifts add volatility, and 17 major players now command 80% of regional traffic. Moving forward, outlets must build trust through quality, structured content, interactive tools and AI-verified reporting to stay relevant.