One of the new “companions,” or AI characters for users to interact with, is a sexualized blonde anime bot called “Ani."

The American public is deeply skeptical of artificial intelligence (AI). Any vehicle that is marketed with AI at the front of the conversation has a steep hurdle to clear to prove itself as more than just a smartphone on wheels. The new Mercedes-Benz CLA sedan does just that.

Scale AI is cutting 14% of the company just weeks after Meta invested $14.3 billion in the startup and hired away its CEO.

Earlier this week, xAI added what can only be described as an AI anime girlfriend named Ani to its Grok chatbot. Which is how I ended up on a virtual starry beach as an AI waifu avatar tried to give me a “spicy” kiss.

Scale AI said it’s cutting 14% of its staff weeks after Meta invested $14.3 billion in the startup and hired a number of top staffers.

Nearly three-quarters of teens have used AI companions, and half use them regularly, new research finds. Moreover, one-third turn to chatbots for social interactions.

At a Pittsburgh summit, the Trump administration, energy executives, and tech barons joined as one to promote AI as the future of fossil fuels.