AI News Archive: August 19, 2026 — Part 14
Sourced from 500+ daily AI sources, scored by relevance.
- Waymo Ojai vans are now available for all riders in three cities
It's a full rollout for the driverless vans in San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles.
- Google is turning Search into an AI study tool
Google announces new education features, free Gemini subscriptions, and AI Search tools for students.
- Ressearch AI
AI workspace for reproducible scientific research
- OpenAI pledges to slow down its model development amid cybersecurity concerns
OpenAI announced it has paused key stages of its most advanced AI training for two weeks and is overhauling security across its research operations, a month after one of its own models broke out of a test environment and infiltrated the systems of AI platform Hugging Face.
- OpenAI slows model training to bolster security after Hugging Face hack
The AI research lab behind ChatGPT said it paused its model testing for two weeks and is adding other AI systems to monitor the activities of AI agents in testing
- OpenAI pauses AI model training, slows development pace amid safety concerns
OpenAI pauses AI model training, slows development pace amid safety concerns
- OpenAI Scales Back AI Development, but it Could be Too Late
The move is a response to the Hugging Face hacking incident and other cybersecurity concerns about AI models. However, enterprises need to ramp up security protections regardless of the models they use.
- Containment failure forces OpenAI to pause frontier RL training
OpenAI halts frontier reinforcement learning training after a containment failure.
- OpenAI pauses frontier reinforcement learning as rapid AI progress raises safety, alignment concerns
OpenAI has decided to halt certain advanced AI training initiatives temporarily to prioritize safety precautions. This decision arises from the swift advancements in AI models and associated cybersecurity threats. The pause is an opportunity to reinforce alignment, security measures, and monitoring protocols. Additionally, OpenAI is elevating the security mandates within its research facilities while continuing to focus on making cutting-edge AI technologies accessible to everyone.
- OpenAI slows advanced AI development after cyberattack
OpenAI slows advanced AI development after cyberattack The Straits Times
- Cybersecurity concerns prompt OpenAI to pause some AI training runs
OpenAI Group PBC recently paused some of its artificial intelligence training workloads over concerns that they could cause cybersecurity issues. The ChatGPT developer disclosed the move in a blog post published today. According to the company, the pause is part of a broader initiative designed to improve its cybersecurity guardrails. The project will also see […] The post Cybersecurity concerns prompt OpenAI to pause some AI training runs appeared first on SiliconANGLE .
- OpenAI pauses work on new version of ChatGPT after it shows concerning behaviour
Announcement comes weeks after experimental OpenAI model hacked a fellow artificial intelligence firm and began panic about ‘rogue’ systems
- OpenAI hits the brakes after AI agent hacked rival firm
OpenAI hits the brakes after AI agent hacked rival firm USA Today
- OpenAI Pauses Training of New AI Models, Citing Cybersecurity Worries
The ChatGPT maker is also beefing up its security systems.
- OpenAI hit the brakes. Now what?
With a looming IPO, intense competition from Anthropic, and Chinese and open-weight rivals nipping at its heels, OpenAI has plenty of reasons to move fast. Instead, it hit the brakes. On Tuesday, the company said it had slowed the pace of some AI development while it tightened security and safeguards. That included a two-week pause […]
- OpenAI slows advanced AI development after its tools launched a cyberattack
ChatGPT creator OpenAI said Tuesday that it was tapping the brakes on development of its most advanced AI model and tightening internal controls, a month after revealing that one of its AI tools carried out an autonomous cyberattack.
- OpenAI updates security policy for frontier model testing after Hugging Face breach
OpenAI has paused its largest planned frontier reinforcement learning run as it strengthens security safeguards around model training. The post OpenAI updates security policy for frontier model testing after Hugging Face breach appeared first on MEDIANAMA .
- OpenAI Details New AI Security Measures After Hugging Face Hack
OpenAI Details New AI Security Measures After Hugging Face Hack PCMag
- OpenAI Details New AI Security Measures After Hugging Face Hack
OpenAI Details New AI Security Measures After Hugging Face Hack PCMag Australia
- Amazon makes its AI-powered Alexa+ free on Fire TV, no Prime required
Amazon is making its AI-powered Alexa+ assistant free on all compatible Fire TV devices in the U.S., automatically upgrading users whether or not they subscribe to Prime.
- You may have just gotten Alexa+ AI for free, even if you dont have Amazon Prime
Amazon has just expanded free access to the AI-powered version of its ubiquitous smart assistant, Alexa+.
- Cerebras launches new server chip and system designed to speed AI chatbots
Cerebras makes AI hardware and chips that compete with Nvidia and targets the portion of AI called inference, the computing process of generating an answer in a chatbot such as Anthropic's Claude.
- Cerebras claims its new AI computer is 30x faster than Nvidia
Cerebras claims its new AI computer is 30x faster than Nvidia YourStory.com
- Cerebras launches new server chip, system designed to speed AI chatbots
Cerebras makes AI hardware and chips that compete with Nvidia and targets the portion of AI called inference, the computing process of generating an answer in a chatbot such as Anthropic's Claude
- Cerebras's Next Generation CS-4: Fast Just Got Faster
Double the Performance with Double the Power
- Cerebras debuts CS-4 AI accelerator with new wafer-scale architecture
Cerebras debuts CS-4 AI accelerator with new wafer-scale architecture verdict.co.uk
- Cerebras Systems Introduces Superfast AI Accelerator
Cerebras Systems late Tuesday introduced what it described as “the fastest AI accelerator in the industry.” The post Cerebras Systems Introduces Superfast AI Accelerator appeared first on Investor's Business Daily .
- Uber launches autonomous rides in Zagreb, its first in Europe
Uber launches autonomous rides in Zagreb, its first in Europe Reuters
- China’s backflipping robot maker Unitree pops 542% in Shanghai debut
Unitree Robotics shares rise 542% on their first day of trading in Shanghai
- Unitree surges 460% in trading debut, and hits $66B valuation, more than U.S. peers like Figure AI
Unitree surges 460% in trading debut, and hits $66B valuation, more than U.S. peers like Figure AI Fortune
- Chinese robotics giant Unitree surged as much as 629% in its blockbuster market debut
Chinese robotics giant Unitree surged as much as 629% in its blockbuster market debut Business Insider
- Chinese Humanoid Maker Unitree Shares Soar on Shanghai Debut
Chinese Humanoid Maker Unitree Shares Soar on Shanghai Debut The Information
- Robotics giant Unitree's shares surge in Shanghai debut
China has rapidly emerged as the global leader in humanoid robots manufacturing.
- Chinese robotics giant Unitree soars in stock market debut
Shares in the world's biggest humanoid robot maker started trading on Shanghai's Star market on Wednesday.
- Kung fu robot maker soars 600pc on stock market listing
Kung fu robot maker soars 600pc on stock market listing The Telegraph
- Unitree's viral dancing, rollerblading robots make a 600% stock market debut
Unitree, known for its dancing and backflipping robots, saw shares surge as much as 629% on its Shanghai stock market debut.
- Unitree Robotics surges 629% to US$66 billion valuation in Shanghai share debut
Shares of Unitree Robotics surged 629 per cent above their initial public offering price to open at 1,100 yuan in their Shanghai trading debut on Wednesday, giving China’s best-known humanoid robot maker a market capitalisation of about 445 billion yuan (US$66 billion). The opening pop from its IPO price of 150.80 yuan gave way to a pullback later in the session, with the stock closing at 845 yuan. That still represented a 460 per cent gain on day one, leaving the company with a market valuation...
- Unitree debuts in Shanghai at a market value of about RMB445 billion
Unitree began trading on Shanghai’s STAR Market on Aug. 19. The company’s shares opened at RMB1,100, up 629.44% from the IPO price of RMB150.80, giving Unitree a market value of about RMB444.9 billion, according to the listing data. The debut marks Unitree’s transition from a privately funded robotics company to a publicly traded business. Its […]
- Chinese Robot-Maker Unitree Soars 629% in Shanghai Debut
Chinese Robot-Maker Unitree Soars 629% in Shanghai Debut Caixin Global
- Unitree Shares Surge in Stock Market Debut
The company is the world’s biggest humanoid robot maker by sales.
- Surging Unitree stock highlights investor appetite for physical AI
China holds more than 97pc of the burgeoning humanoid robotics market despite lacking big budget VC attention. Read more: Surging Unitree stock highlights investor appetite for physical AI
- Unitree Robotics opens up 629% in Star Market debut
The sale of 40.45 million shares represented 10% of Unitree’s enlarged share capital and valued it at about 61 billion yuan (US$9.05 billion) before trading began.
- Amazon set to expand drone delivery of lightweight packages to 500 US cities
Amazon's plan would expand its drone delivery operation more than sixfold nationwide into hundreds of new communities, including the Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Boise metro areas. The drones will primarily fly in the suburbs well away from skyscrapers and major airports that could cause problems.
- Amazon is bringing drone deliveries to the Chicago and Atlanta metro areas as part of a major expansion
Amazon says it will serve nearly 500 US towns and cities with Prime Air deliveries by the end of the year.
- Amazon drone delivery set to expand nationally, reaching nearly 500 U.S. cities and towns this year
Amazon's Prime Air drone delivery service is finally going national. It's a milestone nearly 13 years in the making: Jeff Bezos unveiled the program on 60 Minutes in December 2013, to widespread skepticism. Both the technology and the regulations took far longer than expected. Read More
- Amazon to Bring Drone Delivery to 500 Cities, AI Be Damned
Amazon to Bring Drone Delivery to 500 Cities, AI Be Damned Barron's
- Amazon announces a plan to expand its drone delivery network to nearly 500 U.S. cities
Millions more people may be able to get smaller, lightweight Amazon packages delivered by drones by the end of the year under a plan the company announced Thursday to expand the airborne shipping to suburban areas in nearly 500 U.S. cities. Customers could receive the drone deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes, Amazon said in a news release. The drones can carry packages up to 5 pounds. The plan will intensify the battle between Amazon and Walmart to provide consumers with the fastest delivery times. Both giants rely on a mix of drones and drivers to deliver everything consumers have ordered. Amazon’s plan would expand its drone delivery operation more than sixfold nationwide into hundreds of new communities, including the Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Boise metro areas. The drones will primarily fly in the suburbs well away from skyscrapers and major airports that could cause problems. Drone delivery is growing fast but remains a small factor Hundreds of thousands of packages have already been delivered by Amazon drones this year, but even after this expansion drones will still only handle a fraction of the hundreds of millions of package deliveries each year. In addition to only being able to carry 5 pounds, the drones Amazon builds face countless challenges from tree cover to landscaping and inflatable pools that can make it hard to find a good drop zone. There are also regulatory hurdles to overcome in every community where Amazon wants to set up operations. Noise concerns also pose a potential challenge. “It’s still an experiment. It’s still in test and learn mode,” said Sucharita Kodali, who is a retail analyst with Forrester. The novelty of drone delivery may attract orders at first Initially, consumers might order something delivered by drone because they are curious about it, but it’s not clear how often they will continue to use the service, and Amazon is still working out the economics, Kodali said. The service will be free for Amazon Prime members who are ordering more than $50 worth of goods, but smaller orders will cost members $2.99. Non-members will pay $4.99 for drone delivery. Prime members get free deliveries while non-members pay a flat fee if the shipment is under $35 for standard delivery or up to $12.99 for same‑day shipments when available. Kodali said drones could prove more useful for certain light-weight deliveries that are needed urgently like prescription medications. DoorDash and other delivery companies also are experimenting with using drones to deliver foods and other goods. Amazon CEO believes drone delivery will be part of the mix Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy told shareholders in his annual letter in April that the company has learned a great deal by flying drones in 11 sites across Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, and Texas. In each location, the drones launch from an Amazon warehouse and cover about 175 square miles, so it takes multiple drone launching locations to serve a large metro area. “Prime Air now has a design that’ll scale, plans to serve communities with 30 million customers by year-end, and expects to deliver half a billion packages by the end of this decade (with an aim to deliver inside 30 minutes),” Jassy wrote. Amazon is also continuing to invest in its warehouses, smaller fulfillment centers closer to customers and its fleet of trucks as the company competes to deliver packages within minutes or hours instead of just days. Amazon is already certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and the company has been awarded waivers to fly drones beyond the line of sight of the pilots. Amazon has invested in safety measures to help drones avoid collisions with anything else in the sky while they are making deliveries. The federal government has proposed a rule that would allow more drone operators to fly beyond the horizon, but that hasn’t been finalized yet. —Josh Funk, AP Business Writer
- Amazon announces huge drone delivery expansion, here’s where it’s coming next
Amazon Prime Air is the company’s drone delivery service, and today a huge expansion of its availability was announced. Nearly 500 US cities will be reached by the end of 2026. Here’s where Amazon drone delivery is coming next.
- Is AI really responsible for recent job cuts?
More companies are linking lay-offs to workplace efficiencies but evidence is patchy
- Doctor’s AI receptionist can’t understand Yorkshire accent
Doctor’s AI receptionist can’t understand Yorkshire accent The Telegraph