AI News Archive: July 8, 2026 — Part 13
Sourced from 500+ daily AI sources, scored by relevance.
- Two teens learn the hard way not to do toy gun drive-bys from a Waymo
The robotaxi stopped, called 911, and waited for the San Mateo Police to show up.
- Waymo Takes Revenge, Dropping Drunk Teens Directly Into Squad of Cops
Rowdy teens are evolving. So are the cops. The post Waymo Takes Revenge, Dropping Drunk Teens Directly Into Squad of Cops appeared first on Futurism .
- Police intercept tipsy teens after Waymo snitches for shooting Orbeez out of the car
Armed response and canine support called in for troublemaking duo ratted out by driverless car’s array of cameras
- Slackbot Can Now Do Anything Salesforce Can. Just Ask.
Slackbot Can Now Do Anything Salesforce Can. Just Ask.
- How to Set Up Intelligence Briefs with Tableau Next and Slackbot Skills
Learn how to transform AI-ready semantic models into automated and actionable briefings with conversational analytics in Slackbot.
- Salesforce enhances Slackbot with connectors to the entire platform ecosystem
Salesforce Inc. today announced new updates for Slackbot, the company’s personal artificial intelligence agent in Slack, giving it full access to every part of the Salesforce ecosystem. “Slackbot can now reason over your entire Salesforce platform, so anything you can do in Salesforce, you can simply now do through Slackbot, just by asking,” Slack Chief […] The post Salesforce enhances Slackbot with connectors to the entire platform ecosystem appeared first on SiliconANGLE .
- Intel-backed AI chip startup SambaNova breathes new life into aging Nvidia GPUs in latest benchmarks
Third-party testing shows heterogeneous compute platform combining H200s and SN50 RDUs churning out 763 tok/s in MiniMax M2.7
- Nvidia teams up with chip rival d-Matrix instead of fighting it
Nvidia has found a new way to handle its chip rivals: work with them. The GPU giant is combining its hardware with inference chips from the startup d-Matrix, The Information reported. The two will ship a joint system to run AI models. The AI-cloud firm Parasail will be its first customer, with the system due […] This story continues at The Next Web
- AI moderation bug in Discord bans over 8000 accounts for child porn imagery
Discord users reported that square grid images like chessboards, minecraft screens had led to account block, prompting Discord to disclose that an AI moderation bug had wrongly flagged them as Child Sexual Abuse Material. The post AI moderation bug in Discord bans over 8000 accounts for child porn imagery appeared first on MEDIANAMA .
- China wrestling with AI limits as tech gets more human-like
China wrestling with AI limits as tech gets more human-like The Straits Times
- Romantic relationships with AI evolve in a similar way to human ones
Romantic relationships with AI evolve in a similar way to human ones EurekAlert!
- XAG Unveils Farming Drones That Don’t Always Need Piloting
XAG Unveils Farming Drones That Don’t Always Need Piloting Caixin Global
- Mistral AI releases robotics model to support physical AI push
Mistral AI releases robotics model to support physical AI push The Mercury News
- Fujitsu becomes second corporate tenant at CMU's $100M robotics center
The 150,000-square-foot center opened earlier this year. Startup FieldAI was its first major corporate tenant.
- DeepFabric launches AI platform, aims to bridge operational trust gap
Dallas-based supply chain tech developer DeepFabric has launched its specialized AI agent platform. The post DeepFabric launches AI platform, aims to bridge operational trust gap appeared first on FreightWaves .
- Jittery Tech Markets; OpenAI Gets BofA Credit Line | Bloomberg Tech 7/08/2026
Bloomberg’s Ed Ludlow breaks down mixed tech markets following US-Iran jitters, which revived risk-off sentiment and sent oil higher. Plus, OpenAI gets a $520 million credit line from Bank of America, while the ChatGPT maker prepares to roll out its most advanced model on Thursday. And, Eric Hippeau from Lerer Hippeau discusses the early stage investing landscape at a time of ballooning AI valuations. (Source: Bloomberg)
- BofA Extends $520 Million Loan to OpenAI
BofA Extends $520 Million Loan to OpenAI The Information
- BofA saw OpenAI as too risky, but now the bank wants to cash in on IPO
BofA saw OpenAI as too risky, but now the bank wants to cash in on IPO The Mercury News
- AI Chip Startup Raises Funds at $11B Valuation
Bloomberg's Ryan Gould joins Dani Burger on "Bloomberg Deals." Chip startup SambaNova has raised $1 billion at an $11 billion valuation, underscoring investors’ conviction in rising demand for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence. (Source: Bloomberg)
- AI chip startup SambaNova valued at $11 billion in $1 billion funding round
AI chip startup SambaNova valued at $11 billion in $1 billion funding round Reuters
- Chipmaker SambaNova bags $1bn in Series F round at $11bn valuation
SambaNova last announced a $350m Series E raise in February. Read more: Chipmaker SambaNova bags $1bn in Series F round at $11bn valuation
- Inference chip startup SambaNova valued at $11B in $1B funding round
Chip startup SambaNova Inc. today announced that it has raised $1 billion in funding at a $11 billion valuation. General Atlantic led the Series F round with contributions from more than a dozen others. Intel Capital, Vista Equity Partners and JPMorgan Chase & Co. were among the participants. The investment follows a $350 million round […] The post Inference chip startup SambaNova valued at $11B in $1B funding round appeared first on SiliconANGLE .
- Daily Digest: Federal probe into Contra Costa County widens, AI chipmaker SambaNova rakes in $1 billion in funding
Meanwhile, a Bay Area metal fabrication company that has worked on projects ranging from hotels to bridges has filed for bankruptcy protection, reporting debts of over $2.5 million against minimal assets.
- AI chip startup Rebellions targets IPO in Korea next year, followed by potential US listing: CEO
South Korean AI chip startup Rebellions plans its initial public offering next year, said the company's chief executive Park Sunghyun. The company aims to list shares on the Korean market first, followed by a potential listing in the United States.
- Toyota-backed Chinese unicorn Momenta rises in Hong Kong bourse debut
Toyota-backed Chinese unicorn Momenta rises in Hong Kong bourse debut Nikkei Asia
- SpaceXAI, Cursor Unveil Grok AI Model for Coding, Finance Tasks
SpaceXAI has unveiled a new artificial intelligence model built in partnership with AI coding startup Cursor that’s meant to be more adept at finance, legal and coding tasks, in a bid by Elon Musk’s firm to gain ground on rivals like Anthropic PBC and OpenAI.
- SpaceXAI releases Grok 4.5, which Elon describes as an ‘Opus-class model’
Elon Musk's tech company released the newest version of Grok on Wednesday, promising a cheaper, more efficient alternative to other powerful AI models.
- SpaceXAI launches Grok 4.5 model for coding, agentic tasks
SpaceXAI launches Grok 4.5 model for coding, agentic tasks Reuters
- SpaceXAI and Cursor Launch Grok 4.5, Tout Lower Costs Than Rivals
SpaceXAI and Cursor Launch Grok 4.5, Tout Lower Costs Than Rivals The Information
- Scoop: SpaceXAI launches new model, Grok 4.5
Elon Musk's SpaceXAI is launching Grok 4.5, its smartest model yet, and its first release since going public and acquiring the AI coding startup Cursor. Why it matters: The new model is being pitched as a coding and agentic-work tool, more than a consumer-facing chatbot — one that Musk says is "maximally truth-seeking" compared to its competitors. Zoom in: The company says Grok 4.5, trained alongside Cursor, outperforms comparable models on engineering and knowledge work. "It is an Opus-class model, but faster, more token-efficient and lower cost," wrote Musk in a post on X , referencing what was until recently Anthropic's top model family. A chart accompanying the announcement says the model outperforms Opus 4.8 on several key benchmarks. Grok 4.5 is available today in Grok Build, in Cursor on all plans, and from the SpaceXAI console, though Grok 4.5 is not yet available in the EU. Between the lines: SpaceXAI claims the new Grok outperforms some OpenAI and Anthropic models on speed, price and performance, but not the largest, latest models from those competitors. Musk expects to beat and exceed those models soon. By the numbers: Grok 4.5 is a bargain for users, the company argues, priced at $2 per million input tokens and $6 per million output tokens. Claude's Opus 4.8 , by comparison, is priced at $5 per million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens. OpenAI's GPT 5.6 Luna is priced at $1 input / $6 output. The intrigue: This model was trained using the same compute capacity SpaceXAI is leasing to its competitors Anthropic and Google . As its own compute needs grow, SpaceXAI may have to choose between using capacity for its own models or leasing it to others as a revenue stream. Zoom in: It's a big day for model releases. OpenAI said it will release GPT 5.6 widely on Thursday, following the Trump administration's request for limited release. OpenAI is also releasing a new generation of voice models. The bottom line: SpaceXAI is positioning Grok as a serious contender for business use that can be cheaper than rivals, even if it currently trails the performance of its competitors' best models.
- Elon Musk says Grok 4.5 to launch on July 9, calls it 'Opus-class'
xAI is speeding up development amid the race for the fastest and cheapest model in the AI space. Grok 4.5 first surfaced in private beta at Tesla and SpaceX in June, with Musk putting its early performance close to, and potentially above, Anthropic's Claude Opus.
- SpaceXAI Releases Grok 4.5, a Cursor-Trained Model for Coding, Agentic Tasks, and Knowledge Work at $2/M Input
SpaceXAI Releases Grok 4.5, a Cursor-Trained Model for Coding, Agentic Tasks, and Knowledge Work at $2/M Input MarkTechPost
- Introducing Grok 4.5
Cursor’s most intelligent model, first built for more than software engineering.
- Elon Musk says Opus-class Grok 4.5 is about to launch
Elon Musk says SpaceXAI's chatbot Grok 4.5 will launch on Thursday, July 9.
- SpaceXAI’s newest AI model Grok 4.5 dramatically undercuts Anthropic and OpenAI on price
Elon Musk’s SpaceXAI Corp. has released a new model called Grok 4.5, in what is its first major launch since it went public a few weeks earlier. In a blog post earlier today, the company said Grok 4.5 is designed to be a workhorse that can tackle all of the usual tasks that the artificial […] The post SpaceXAI’s newest AI model Grok 4.5 dramatically undercuts Anthropic and OpenAI on price appeared first on SiliconANGLE .
- OpenAI launches GPT-Live voice models that listen and speak simultaneously
OpenAI launches GPT-Live voice models that listen and speak simultaneously Reuters
- OpenAI releases new voice models for more natural live conversations
OpenAI says its new voice mode can speak and listen at the same time, a key ability for live translation.
- OpenAI set to launch most capable GPT model after delayed rollout
OpenAI set to launch most capable GPT model after delayed rollout Reuters
- GPT-Live, OpenAI's New Voice Model, Wants You to Talk Over It
GPT-Live, OpenAI's New Voice Model, Wants You to Talk Over It Business Insider
- OpenAI To Publicly Launch GPT-5.6 Family of Models on Thursday
OpenAI To Publicly Launch GPT-5.6 Family of Models on Thursday The Information
- OpenAI to launch 'strongest model yet' after delay
OpenAI is set to release its most powerful AI model series yet. The rollout was previously postponed after the US government raised concerns over potential cybersecurity risks.
- OpenAI set for broad GPT-5.6 rollout after US govt nod: When will it be available?
The move highlights the evolving ties between the US government and leading AI companies as regulators and developers work together to determine how access to highly capable AI systems should be managed.
- OpenAI begins GPT-5.6 rollout with Sol, Terra and Luna models
OpenAI begins GPT-5.6 rollout with Sol, Terra and Luna models YourStory.com
- OpenAI gets US govt's approval for broad rollout of advanced GPT-5.6 model
OpenAI expects to release GPT 5.6 more widely this week following additional testing and meetings with US government officials, the report said
- OpenAI set to launch most capable GPT model after delayed rollout
OpenAI set to launch most capable GPT model after delayed rollout
- LemonLime
Automates your existing workflows with a single prompt.
- OpenAI's GPT-5.6 launches Thursday after a delay forced by the U.S. government
OpenAI is launching GPT-5.6 on Thursday after the U.S. government lifted its release ban following additional testing. Binding standards for future model approvals still don't exist. OpenAI says the Sol model beats Anthropic's Claude Mythos 5 on coding benchmarks at about half the cost. The article OpenAI's GPT-5.6 launches Thursday after a delay forced by the U.S. government appeared first on The Decoder .
- Introducing GPT-Live
A new generation of voice models for natural human-AI interaction, now powering ChatGPT Voice.
- ChatGPT’s ‘smartest voice model ever’ is rolling out to everyone today — and GPT-Live-1 gives you more natural conversations without interruptions
OpenAI is introducing a better voice mode for ChatGPT that sounds more natural and allows for simultaneous translation.
- OpenAI's new GPT-Live-1 voice model won't interrupt you - why that's a big deal
Our AI Model Release Tracker keeps new models in context with their peers, so you know which are worth your time.