AI This Week

Google has launched a major update for its Gemini AI. A new beta feature, ‘Personal Intelligence,’ connects the chatbot to a user’s private data across Google’s services, including Gmail, Photos, and Search history. Now, users can ask Gemini to find specific vacation details buried in old emails or retrieve information from past online activity. The upgrade aims to make the AI a more capable personal assistant, giving it a distinct advantage over competitors by using Google’s extensive ecosystem of user information. This opt-in functionality is currently rolling out to select AI plan subscribers in the United States before a wider release.

Nvidia and Microsoft have thrown their weight behind a new AI drive to advance gene therapies. The effort applies large models to genetic design and analysis, with the goal of speeding discovery and cutting costly missteps. Tech teams plan to supply compute and tools, while biotech partners contribute data and lab validation. Supporters say this could sharpen target selection and improve predictions before trials. Skeptics warn about data bias, safety, and oversight. The move adds fuel to a race among cloud and chip providers to win global biopharma workloads as demand for training and inference surges. Researchers and drugmakers see tighter ties with Big Tech as development cycles compress.

Apple has struck a multi-year deal to use Google’s Gemini AI and cloud tech to build a more personalized Siri arriving this year. The companies say Gemini will support Apple Foundation Models and future Apple Intelligence features while core processing stays on devices and Private Cloud Compute. Apple has spent a year rebuilding Siri to take actions and understand personal context, but Apple delayed the rollout last March. It also tested a custom Gemini for “World Knowledge Answers” that searches the web and produces AI summaries. Google launched Gemini 3 in November, and it tops key benchmarks. Apple reshuffled leadership, with Vision Pro chief Mike Rockwell replacing John Giannandrea after his departure. Apple continues talks with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity for integrations.

Meta announced a far-reaching plan to secure nuclear power for its data centers, aiming to meet the surging electricity demand from AI training and inference. The company intends to pursue long-term power deals and partnerships with nuclear operators, targeting firm, carbon-free supply that can scale. The plan seeks round-the-clock power for new and existing sites. It also spotlights the escalating energy race among tech giants and the strain AI could put on grids. The plan faces hurdles, including regulatory approvals, project timelines, and high upfront costs. If it proceeds, it could reshape how digital infrastructure draws power.

MiniMax Group, the second of China’s “AI tigers” to go public, has seen its shares skyrocket. The stock doubled in value during its first day of trading in Hong Kong. Investors enthusiastically pursued the startup, which develops popular consumer AI applications like the video tool Hailuo AI and the character interaction app Talkie. The company raised $620 million in its initial public offering to fund further research and development. MiniMax’s successful debut outshined that of Zhipu AI, the first AI tiger to list. The high investor demand highlights a strong appetite for consumer-facing AI technology. Analysts suggest MiniMax’s consumer focus presents higher growth opportunities compared to Zhipu’s enterprise-oriented model.