Author HubMatthias Bastian

Matthias is the co-founder and publisher of THE DECODER, exploring how AI is fundamentally changing the relationship between humans and computers.
AI research
Update

So-called reasoning models are more efficient but not more capable than regular LLMs, study finds

AI in practice

Google leans on token metrics, not revenue, adding to bubble talk about AI growth

AI and society

The long-predicted deepfake dystopia has arrived with Sora 2

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AI in practice
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Anthropic has released Claude Code Web in beta, a browser-based coding tool that runs tasks without needing a terminal. All tasks run in sandboxed cloud environments with strict limits on network and file system access. Claude Code Web connects to approved GitHub repositories through a proxy, creates pull requests, and writes documentation.

Anthropic says it is useful for bug fixes, routine tasks, and backend development with tests. An iOS version is included in the preview. The service is available to Claude Pro and Max users.

AI in practice
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Wikipedia is seeing fewer visitors: The Wikimedia Foundation says page views have dropped by about eight percent compared to last year. The foundation points to generative AI tools and social networks that display Wikipedia content without sending users to the site. Bots that increasingly resemble real users are also putting more strain on Wikipedia's infrastructure.

Image: Wikimedia

Wikipedia remains a core source for training AI models, the foundation notes, but direct visits to the site are falling. If this trend continues, the project could face long-term risks. To respond, Wikimedia is working on new formats for younger audiences, better mobile editing, and clearer guidelines for how others can use Wikipedia content.

25 years since its creation, Wikipedia’s human knowledge is more valuable to the world than ever before.

Wikimedia Foundation

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AI and society
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Italy's main publishers' group, FIEG (Federazione Italiana Editori Giornali), has filed a complaint with Italy's communications regulator, Agcom, targeting Google's AI Overviews. FIEG argues that these AI summaries appear directly in Google Search results, pushing journalistic content further down the page. The group says this setup violates key rules in the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), limiting the visibility of editorial content and causing revenue losses for publishers.

The European Publishers Association (ENPA) is backing similar complaints elsewhere in Europe. Publishers are pushing for EU-wide action against Google.

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AI in practice
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Spending on ChatGPT has leveled off in Europe, according to a new report from Deutsche Bank. The number of paying users hasn't grown since May 2025, even though the service reports 800 million weekly users worldwide. Free alternatives like Google AI Mode and Perplexity may be slowing down the growth of paid subscriptions. OpenAI is already exploring ways to monetize free users, possibly through advertising or commission-based sales links.

Image: dbDataInsights, Deutsche Bank Research

Similarweb data shows that ChatGPT's largest European markets are the United Kingdom (4.2 percent), France, and Germany (3.2 percent each). ChatGPT has now overtaken Disney Plus in Europe and brings in nearly half as much revenue as Spotify. If the pace holds, ChatGPT could surpass Spotify in 2027 and Netflix in 2028.

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IBAN: DE88 2507 0070 0053 0014 00
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Account holder: Deep Content GmbH
Purpose: Support THE DECODER
AI and society

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AI research

The ARC benchmark's fall marks another casualty of relentless AI optimization

AI in practice

DeepseekMath-V2 is Deepseek's latest attempt to pop the US AI bubble

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