Digital twins, AI persuasion in elections, Meta's AI pivot, China AI chip race...

Gizmodo spotlights Robosen's new Soundwave, a fully transformable robot that doubles as both a working Bluetooth speaker and a tape deck. The product exemplifies a trend where robotics intersects with consumer electronics and pop culture, expanding the potential for humanoid and transformable robots beyond traditional toy or hobbyist markets into functional, interactive smart devices. Gizmodo

Computer World provides an in-depth analysis of digital twin technology, highlighting its growing use in healthcare, workforce analysis, and customer engagement. While the technology enables dynamic virtual models for personalized medicine and large-scale research—such as MIT's digital mapping of the entire U.S. workforce to predict automation risk—public perception remains skeptical, with nearly 70% of U.S. shoppers expressing distrust if brands use digital twins for feedback instead of real people. The article also notes that major figures and companies are adopting digital twins for fan engagement and operational efficiency, but negative reactions, including backlash to Meta's AI-driven social media twins, suggest reputation risks if deployed insensitively. Computer World

IEEE Spectrum reports on computer scientist Melanie Mitchell's keynote at NeurIPS, examining how AI cognition should be assessed using experimental methods developed in developmental and comparative psychology. She argues that current AI benchmarks often fail to capture real-world intelligence and that the field could benefit from greater skepticism, replication, and nuanced approaches to measuring cognitive capabilities—especially as AI models are increasingly applied in embodied and agentic settings. IEEE Spectrum

Engadget and BBC News confirm that Meta is planning significant budget cuts—up to 30%—to its metaverse division, reflecting tepid consumer and investor response to its virtual worlds. Market Watch adds that this shift has reassured investors, fueling a rally in Meta's stock. Meta will pivot resources toward large AI models, chatbots, and AI-integrated hardware such as smart glasses, indicating a strategic focus on AI-driven products and experiences over pure virtual reality environments. Market Watch Engadget BBC News

MIT Technology Review provides a comprehensive warning about the emerging threat of AI-driven persuasion in political campaigns. New research reveals that AI chatbots can shift voter attitudes by up to 10–25 percentage points—far more than conventional ads. The piece contextualizes this risk with the proliferation of easy-to-use large language models, which can be deployed for covert, personalized influence operations at scale, and highlights the lack of binding U.S. regulation compared to the EU’s stricter AI Act. The article advocates for urgent development of technical standards and international agreements to counteract the risk of AI-powered election manipulation, especially as open-source models lower the barriers for foreign and domestic actors alike. MIT Technology Review

Tom's Hardware reports that Cambricon Technologies, a key Chinese AI chipmaker, plans to triple production in 2026 to rival both domestic giant Huawei and global leaders like Nvidia. However, production scale is constrained by limited wafer supply from Semiconductor Manufacturing International, underscoring ongoing supply chain uncertainties as China seeks to build self-reliance in AI hardware. Wall Street Journal highlights the successful IPO of Moore Threads, another Chinese AI chipmaker, whose stock soared fourfold on debut, demonstrating strong investor confidence in China’s domestic AI chip sector even as U.S. export restrictions loom. Tom's Hardware Wall Street Journal (Markets)

Tom's Hardware reveals that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is unsure whether Chinese buyers would purchase its advanced H200 AI chips even if U.S. export restrictions are lifted, as Chinese institutions increasingly favor homegrown solutions. Al Jazeera notes that U.S. senators are actively seeking to block the Biden or potential Trump administrations from loosening AI chip export controls, keeping the geopolitical tech rivalry at the forefront. Tom's Hardware Al Jazeera (english)

The Information and Financial Times report on mounting competitive pressure among leading AI companies. OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman declared a “code red” in response to Google’s advances, prompting a rapid internal mobilization. In contrast, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei asserts his company is insulated from consumer hype cycles by focusing on enterprise AI sales, projecting robust growth and a focus on business applications rather than headline-grabbing features. The Information Financial Times

CNBC confirms that Google is deepening its collaboration with AI coding platform Replit, expanding Google Cloud integration and offering more of Google’s AI models for enterprise use cases. This move underscores the growing importance of AI-driven software development tools for businesses seeking automation and productivity gains. CNBC

BBC Sport details how the English national football team leverages artificial intelligence to optimize their penalty shootout strategies. Rhys Long, head of performance insights, explains that AI analyzes player tendencies and psychological factors to inform decision-making under high pressure, illustrating the integration of AI into elite sports preparation. BBC Sport