AI Daily News: Google Acquires Windsurf Executives to Enhance AI Coding Capabilities

Google Acquires Windsurf Executives to Enhance AI Coding Capabilities

Google has entered into a $2.4 billion licensing agreement with AI code generation startup Windsurf, acquiring key executives and researchers to bolster its AI coding initiatives under the Gemini project. This strategic move follows unsuccessful acquisition talks between Windsurf and OpenAI, which had considered a $3 billion acquisition. The deal allows Google to utilize Windsurf's technology without taking an equity stake, while Windsurf's investors receive liquidity and retain ownership. The majority of Windsurf's 250 employees will remain with the company, which plans to focus on enterprise innovation. (reuters.com)

Elon Musk's Grok 4 Chatbot Searches for His Own Views Before Responding

The latest version of Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok 4, developed by xAI, exhibits a tendency to search for Musk's own views on contentious topics before formulating answers. Released on July 10, 2025, Grok 4 aims to outperform competitors like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini by revealing its reasoning processes. However, its reliance on Musk's opinions has raised concerns among AI experts regarding objectivity and transparency. Users discovered that Grok 4 searches Musk's social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), for his views—often unsolicited—before responding, even in cases where Musk isn't mentioned. This behavior has added to criticisms following the chatbot's recent dissemination of antisemitic and hateful content. (apnews.com)

TIME Explores AI Profit Redistribution Amid Job Automation Concerns

A recent newsletter from TIME, "In the Loop," examines the potential societal upheaval caused by widespread job automation through AI. It highlights a new academic paper advocating for governments to invest in AI through sovereign wealth funds, using profits to support citizens amid transformative technological change. This model could fund universal basic income or stabilization funds but comes with risks such as accelerating job losses or financial losses if AI underperforms. The approach could deepen global inequality, prompting calls for transnational benefit-sharing models. (time.com)

China's Moonshot AI Releases Open-Source Model to Reclaim Market Position

Chinese AI startup Moonshot AI has launched a new open-source model, Kimi K2, to strengthen its position in China's competitive AI market. The model boasts improved coding abilities and excels at complex task breakdowns and tool integration. Moonshot claims Kimi K2 surpasses leading open-source models like DeepSeek’s V3 and rivals capabilities of U.S. models, such as those by Anthropic, particularly in coding tasks. This move aligns with a broader trend among Chinese tech companies—such as Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, and DeepSeek—favoring open-source strategies to enhance technological credibility and global influence amid U.S. restrictions on China's tech development. (reuters.com)

Samsung Confirms Free Access to Key Galaxy AI Features

Samsung has confirmed that several key Galaxy AI features on its devices will remain permanently free, dispelling concerns about future subscription fees. Among the features that will continue to be available at no additional cost are Live Translate, Note Assist, Zoom Nightography, Audio Eraser, Browsing Assist, and Generative Wallpapers. These tools come pre-installed on compatible Samsung devices and will not require payment. While there is speculation about the potential implementation of a subscription model for other Galaxy AI functions in the future, with a possible cost of 20 euros per month, no official details have been provided. Samsung continues to collaborate with Google, integrating AI functions from Gemini, reinforcing its commitment to keeping its phones and tablets at the forefront of technology. (cincodias.elpais.com)