AI This Week

Anthropic has released a new suite of interactive applications that bring its Claude AI model directly into Slack and other workplace tools. The launch integrates the AI heavily into daily business operations. Instead of switching tabs to access the model, employees can now utilize Claude’s capabilities within their existing communication platforms. The system examines context from chat threads to complete tasks and answer queries instantly. This release marks a significant expansion for the company as it targets enterprise users. The suite includes specific tools designed to reduce friction in professional environments. By placing the model inside third-party software, Anthropic aims to capture the workflow market.

The United Arab Emirates has launched a home-grown “sovereign” open AI model in a bid to challenge dominant US and Chinese systems and boost its technological standing. The new model, backed by state resources, is designed to be openly accessible yet tailored to regional needs, reflecting ambitions to diversify the UAE’s economy and reduce dependence on foreign tech giants. Researchers say its performance positions it alongside some of the best existing open AI models, potentially attracting global developers and enterprises. The move underscores growing competition in the AI landscape as nations seek both technological leadership and economic advantage.

Microsoft has revealed its new Maia 200 AI accelerator chip, a piece of hardware the company says is three times more powerful than rivals from Google and Amazon. The chip is an inference powerhouse. It is designed to help AI models apply their knowledge to real-world situations with greater speed and efficiency. Microsoft is already deploying the Maia 200 in its Azure cloud data centers to improve next-generation language models and power services like Copilot. For end users, this could mean faster responses from AI tools. Scientists and developers using Microsoft’s platforms may also see a performance boost for large-scale projects, from advanced weather modeling to biological research. 

Wall Street is betting the farm on artificial intelligence and winning. KeyBank CEO Christopher Gorman revealed AI slashed call center costs by 97 percent, dropping the expense of a single interaction from nine dollars to just 35 cents. Rivals are rushing to match these gains. JPMorgan Chase offset a massive $2 billion AI investment with equal savings, while its 40,000 engineers now use coding assistants daily. Citi mandated prompt training for employees who have already fired off 6.5 million queries to speed up diverse tasks. BNY and Charles Schwab also reported major efficiency adjustments. Data shows 47 percent of US banks have deployed generative AI, a sharp jump from 10 percent two years ago.

OpenAI has deployed a new system within ChatGPT that actively predicts a user’s age. The company is shifting away from relying on self-reported birthdates and will now use behavioral analysis to identify minors. The model examines account age, typical activity times, and usage patterns to make its determination. Any account the system identifies as belonging to someone under 18 will automatically face new restrictions. These filters block the generation of content related to graphic violence, self-harm, and unhealthy dieting standards. OpenAI says the goal is to protect teens while allowing more freedom for verified adults. Adults misidentified as minors must verify their age with a government ID.