Matthias Bastian

Mar 18, 2026

Google Deepmind has expanded the Gemini API with several new tools for developers. Built-in tools like Google Search and Google Maps can now be combined with custom functions in a single request. Previously, developers had to handle each step separately, which was slower and more cumbersome.

Results from one tool can now be automatically passed to another through what Google calls context circulation. Each tool call also gets a unique ID, making it easier to track down bugs.

Moreover, Google Maps is now available as a data source for the Gemini 3 model family, providing location data, business information, and commute times. Google recommends the new Interactions API for building these workflows.

Comment Source: Google Blog | Google Dev

Matthias Bastian

Mar 18, 2026

AI in practice

Midjourney V8 rolls out with 5x faster generation but charges 4x more for its best features

Matthias Bastian

Mar 17, 2026

AI in practice

OpenAI ships GPT-5.4 mini and nano, faster and more capable but up to 4x pricier

OpenAI has released two new compact models—GPT-5.4 mini and nano—built for coding assistants, subagents, and computer control. GPT-5.4 mini nearly matches the full model’s performance, but both new models come with a steep price hike over their predecessors.

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Matthias Bastian

Mar 17, 2026

AI in practice

Microsoft restructures AI division to chase superintelligence after Nadella once called AI models a commodity

Matthias Bastian

Mar 16, 2026

AI in practice

OpenAI's biggest problem may not be building AI but getting companies to actually use it beyond ChatGPT

OpenAI is pushing to get its AI into large companies faster through sales, partnerships, and capital. A 10-billion-dollar joint venture and a new deployment arm show where the real challenge lies: getting the technology integrated into actual company workflows.

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Matthias Bastian

Mar 16, 2026

AI in practice

Encyclopedia Britannica sues OpenAI for training on nearly 100,000 articles without permission

Matthias Bastian

Mar 16, 2026

AI in practice

GPT-4.5 fooled 73 percent of people into thinking it was human by pretending to be dumber

Matthias Bastian

Mar 16, 2026

Short News

Meta has signed a contract worth up to $27 billion with Dutch cloud provider Nebius for AI infrastructure. The deal runs for five years and includes $12 billion for dedicated capacity across multiple locations and up to $15 billion for additional available computing power, according to CNBC.

Nebius says it will operate one of the first major installations of Nvidia's latest AI chips, called Vera Rubin. Nebius founder and CEO Arkady Volozh described the deal as an expansion of the company's existing partnership with Meta, aimed at accelerating the growth of its AI cloud business. Nebius shares jumped 14 percent in pre-market trading after the announcement.

Last November, Meta announced plans to invest up to $600 billion in AI technology, infrastructure, and workforce expansion through 2028. But the high cost of AI infrastructure is reportedly pushing the company to cut back on personnel. So far, Meta hasn't seen concrete results from these investments; the AI market is currently split between Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic, with Meta and xAI falling behind after early successes.

Comment Source: CNBC

Matthias Bastian

Mar 16, 2026

Short News

China's second-largest chip manufacturer, Hua Hong Group, has developed advanced manufacturing technologies for AI chips, according to Reuters. Subsidiary Huali Microelectronics is preparing 7nm chip production at its Shanghai factory, which would make Hua Hong the second Chinese manufacturer with this capability after SMIC. Three people familiar with the matter say Chinese tech giant Huawei is collaborating with Hua Hong on the 7nm technology.

Research began last year with support from domestic suppliers, including Huawei-affiliated SiCarrier. Huali plans an initial capacity of several thousand wafers per month by year's end. Chinese chip designer Biren, on a US restricted list since 2023 and cut off from TSMC, is already using Huali's 7nm line for initial prototypes.

Beijing is urging domestic companies to buy Chinese-made technology—particularly for AI—as it pushes for technological independence. The effort is driven by US restrictions on Nvidia chip purchases and China's reliance on a core AI technology controlled by a Western rival. But the gap remains significant: Bytedance reportedly just bought around 500 Nvidia Blackwell systems.

Comment Source: Reuters

Matthias Bastian

Mar 15, 2026

AI in practice

AI consultant uses ChatGPT, AlphaFold, and Grok to find a possible treatment for his dog's cancer

An Australian AI consultant used ChatGPT, AlphaFold, and Grok to find a possible treatment for his dog Rosie’s incurable cancer. The story went viral after high-profile AI executives like OpenAI’s Greg Brockman and Deepmind’s Demis Hassabis shared it as proof of what AI can already do.

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