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The weekend has arrived, team, but not without crazy tech news. From a Chinese company developing humanoid “pregnancy robots” (are surrogates at risk?) to AI’s soaring power demands reshaping global politics and safety rules, it’s been a wild week. And if you’re using a free AI chatbot, you might actually be paying with your data. We’ll explain why. On the brighter side, Anthropic is rolling out safeguards to keep AI safer for everyone. Let’s dive in — and stay curious.

• Taiwan reconsiders nuclear power as AI drives global energy demand

• AI Tools - Synthesia Tutorial – Create a Full AI Video From Scratch

• AI giants race for real-world data through partnerships and freebies

• Anthropic builds nuclear safeguards for AI with U.S. DOE

📰 AI News and Trends

• Google expands AI Mode worldwide with new agentic and personalized capabilities. You can now book restaurant reservations, local services, and event tickets directly in Search through real-time integrations

• The MIT research found that, of more than 300 organizations analyzed, 95% saw zero financial returns for their AI efforts, and even those that were actively using the technology had not seen major changes.

• Google has released data on how much energy an AI prompt uses

• Anthropic Seeks to Raise $10 Billion Amid Strong Investor Interest

• Google scores six-year Meta cloud deal worth over $10 billion

• China Tech CEO Reveals Plans for Humanoid 'Pregnancy Robot'

🌐 Other Tech news

• SpaceX has built an impressive production site in Texas to build the machine that will build the biggest rockets

• WhatsApp is working on a voicemail-like feature

• Russia orders state-backed MAX messenger app, a WhatsApp rival, pre-installed on phones and tablets

• EU speeds up plans for digital euro after US stablecoin law

• Abu Dhabi’s Space42 Plans Fundraising to Take on Starlink in Africa

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Taiwan reconsiders nuclear power as AI drives global energy demand

Taiwan will vote this weekend on restarting its 40-year-old Maanshan nuclear reactor, just months after shutting down its last plant. The referendum comes as soaring electricity demand from AI computing , led by TSMC, which already consumes 12% of Taiwan’s power, collides with fears of a Chinese blockade and reliance on imported fossil fuels (95% of supply).

Nuclear once produced over 50% of Taiwan’s electricity, but the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) pushed for a “nuclear-free homeland” after Fukushima and shut the final reactor in May. Now, rolling blackouts, higher power prices, and a lagging renewables rollout (just 13% of supply vs. 20% target) have shifted public opinion: 66% of Taiwanese support nuclear for net-zero goals, up from 58% in 2024.

The AI boom is reshaping energy policy worldwide. In the U.S., the Trump administration has set a goal to quadruple nuclear capacity within 25 years; Germany is debating reversing its nuclear exit; and Japan is reopening reactors 14 years after Fukushima. Governments are under pressure to secure stable, low-carbon energy as AI data centers become some of the fastest-growing sources of electricity demand globally.

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🧰 AI Tool

🎬 Synthesia Tutorial – Create a Full AI Video From Scratch

1. Set Up and Log In

• Go to synthesia.io and log in. - You’ll land on your dashboard, where you can start a new video project.

2. Start a New Video

• Click “Create a New Video”.

• Choose from:

  • Blank canvas (full control).

  • Pre-made template (useful for training, marketing, explainers, etc.).

3. Add Your Script

• In Synthesia, your text script is the backbone.

• Paste or type your text into the script box (on the left panel).

• The AI will automatically generate:

  • Voiceover narration.

  • Lip-synced avatar animation.

Tip: Write short, clear sentences. 12–15 words per line is ideal for pacing.

4. Choose Your AI Avatar

• Browse avatars and select one that fits your audience (formal, casual, diverse).

• Options include:

  • Professional presenters (corporate style).

  • Casual/young avatars (friendly, marketing style).

  • Custom avatars (if you upload a trained avatar of yourself or your brand).

Tip: For business content, choose a neutral professional avatar. For social media, try more casual ones.

5. Select a Voice

• Each avatar supports multiple voices and accents.

• Choose language, accent, tone (e.g., U.S. English – warm, British – professional, Spanish – neutral).

• You can adjust speed and pauses for natural delivery.

Stat: Synthesia supports 120+ languages & accents, so you can scale videos globally without extra recording costs.

6. Design Your Video

• Use the editor (like PowerPoint + video combined):

  • Add text overlays (titles, captions).

  • Insert images, logos, and backgrounds.

  • Upload screen recordings or slides for tutorials.

  • Use stock assets (Synthesia includes free media).

• Arrange content into scenes (like slides). Each scene usually covers 1–3 sentences.

Rule of thumb: 1 scene ≈ 1 key idea. Keep videos snappy.

7. Add Branding

• Upload your brand colors, logo, and fonts.

• Save as a template for future videos.

• This ensures every video looks on-brand.

8. Fine-Tune

• Adjust avatar position (center, corner, or side).

• Add background music from Synthesia’s library.

• Use subtitles (auto-generated, toggle on/off).

• Preview each scene before finalizing.

9. Generate the Video

• Click Generate.

• Processing time: usually 5–10 minutes, depending on length.

• Once ready, you’ll get:

  • MP4 video file.

  • Shareable link (like YouTube unlisted).

  • Option to embed video on your website.

10. Distribute

• Download and publish to your desired channel.

Example Workflow

Imagine you’re making a 3-minute marketing explainer:

1. Script: “What is our product, why it matters, how it works.”

2. Avatar: Professional presenter.

3. Voice: Neutral English, confident tone.

4. Scenes: 5–6, each with supporting graphics and short text.

5. Branding: Company colors, logo intro.

6. Add music + subtitles.

7. Generate → Publish to LinkedIn & internal site.

AI giants race for real-world data through partnerships and freebies

OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity are striking global deals to secure real-world data sets that can’t be scraped from the internet — from e-commerce to telecom. OpenAI has partnered with Shopee and Shopify, while Google and Perplexity are offering free access to AI tools in India to capture structured consumer queries and transactional behavior.

The payoff is big: Perplexity’s downloads in India jumped from 790k in June to 6.7M in July after a deal with Bharti Airtel. Experts say these partnerships fuel hyper-personalized AI in sectors like fintech and healthcare, but warn of risks around privacy, bias, and data sovereignty, especially in emerging markets.

China already showcases the advantage: AI drug discovery firms there leverage data from 600M+ patients in the national health insurance system, enabling multibillion-dollar pharma deals with AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Sanofi. Meanwhile, countries like Nigeria, India, and Vietnam are demanding local data storage to curb Big Tech’s global dominance.

The scramble underscores how real-world data is becoming the new oil of the AI race, and how emerging markets risk becoming data suppliers without fair returns.

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Anthropic builds nuclear safeguards for AI with U.S. DOE

Anthropic and the U.S. Department of Energy’s NNSA have developed a classifier with 96% accuracy to detect sensitive nuclear-related content in AI conversations. Already deployed on Claude, the system is part of efforts to prevent AI misuse in national security contexts. Anthropic will share its approach with the Frontier Model Forum as a blueprint for industry-wide safeguards.