Google DeepMind supports AI series while AMD integrates features

Key Takeaways

• Darren Aronofsky's _On This Day… 1776_ series uses AI visuals and SAG-AFTRA voice actors to reconstruct Revolutionary War events, supported by Google DeepMind and Salesforce.
• Alibaba launched Qwen3-Max-Thinking, a trillion-parameter AI model trained on 36 trillion tokens with a 260k token context window, comparable to GPT 5.2 Thinking.
• Alibaba.com introduced AI-powered trade tools at Gulfood 2026 to assist small and medium-sized businesses in global trade, connecting over 50 million buyers.
• GIGABYTE and AMD are partnering to integrate faster AI features into gaming hardware, including AI gaming laptops like the AORUS MASTER 16 and X870E X3D motherboards.
• Ainekko and Veevx merged to form Ainekko, aiming to create an open silicon platform with advanced iRAM memory and embedded AI accelerators for edge AI applications.
• OpenAI released Prism, a free AI tool for scientific writing, which has raised concerns among researchers about a potential increase in low-quality, AI-generated content.
• Elon Musk shared an AI-generated video of Sydney Sweeney on X to demonstrate Grok's improved 10-second video and audio features.
• X is under investigation by the California Attorney General's Office and the European Union regarding sexually explicit content, following the launch of Grok Imagine's "Spicy" mode in July 2025.
• A survey by The Motley Fool found that approximately 60% of American adults are not concerned about an AI stock market crash impacting their finances.
• Marquette University's Business Executive Education program is offering a free two-hour "Introduction to AI Agility" training session for professionals on February 24.

Apple buys Israeli startup Q.AI for AI devices

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Norway's $2tn fund tests climate and AI shocks

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Darren Aronofsky uses AI for Revolutionary War series

Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky created a new short series called _On This Day… 1776_ for Time Studios. This series reconstructs key moments from the Revolutionary War using AI visuals and professional SAG voice actors. Each episode will be released on the 250th anniversary of the event it covers. The first two episodes, featuring George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, launched this Thursday. Google DeepMind and Salesforce support the project, which aims to make historical dramas more accessible by using AI instead of costly physical sets.

Aronofsky's studio uses AI for war series with human voices

Darren Aronofsky's Primordial Soup studio created an animated Revolutionary War series called _On This Day… 1776_. The series uses AI tools from Google DeepMind combined with traditional filmmaking. Importantly, SAG-AFTRA union actors provide the voices for historical figures. Each episode recreates events from 1776 on their 250th anniversaries, showing the war as a "fragile experiment." Ben Bitonti from Time Studios noted that AI helps expand storytelling possibilities. Salesforce also supports this project.

Alibaba unveils Qwen3-Max-Thinking a powerful AI model

Alibaba launched its new flagship AI reasoning model, Qwen3-Max-Thinking. This trillion-parameter model is trained on 36 trillion tokens and excels at complex reasoning and coding tasks. It features a large 260k token context window, allowing it to handle extensive documents. Qwen3-Max-Thinking uses a smart scaling strategy to boost accuracy efficiently and integrates built-in tools for web search, memory, and Python code execution. This model performs comparably to other top AI models like GPT 5.2 Thinking and Claude Opus 4.5, especially leading in Chinese language evaluations. It is available through Qwen-Chat and Alibaba Cloud Model Studio.

Elon Musk shares AI video of Sydney Sweeney on X

Elon Musk posted an AI-generated video of actress Sydney Sweeney on X to highlight improvements in Grok's video feature. The video, created by user Alex Patrascu, shows an AI version of Sweeney discussing Grok's new 10-second video and improved audio. This post follows a controversial comment Musk made about Sweeney's body weeks earlier. X is currently under investigation by the California Attorney General's Office and the European Union due to concerns about sexually explicit content, especially after its Grok Imagine tool launched with a "Spicy" mode in July 2025.

Alibaba.com launches AI trade tools at Gulfood 2026

Alibaba.com introduced new AI-powered trade tools at Gulfood 2026 in the UAE. This is the company's first time at the event, aiming to help small and medium-sized businesses in the Gulf region trade globally. The platform connects over 50 million buyers in more than 200 countries. These AI tools help businesses find verified buyers, improve product listings, and handle customer questions in many languages. Alibaba.com's efforts support the UAE's goals for trade and SME growth, with new local services planned for 2026.

GIGABYTE and AMD boost AI for gaming hardware

GIGABYTE and AMD are working together to bring faster AI features to gaming and creation hardware. This partnership covers AI gaming laptops, X870E X3D series motherboards, and high-refresh OLED gaming monitors. For example, the AORUS MASTER 16 laptop uses AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D processors for smooth gaming and creative work. GIGABYTE also adds special cooling and an AI agent called GiMATE to make performance control easier. Their new motherboards and OLED monitors also include AMD technology and GIGABYTE's unique features to improve gaming experiences.

Most Americans unconcerned about AI stock crash

A survey by The Motley Fool found that about 60% of American adults are not worried about an AI stock market crash hurting their money. This includes people who own AI stocks and those who do not. However, the article points out that many investors are indirectly exposed to AI stocks due to the technology's widespread use. It warns that a major AI stock drop could negatively affect younger investors who have not experienced a bear market before. The article suggests that new investors should consider diversified options like the Global X Artificial Intelligence and Technology ETF instead of putting all their money into just a few AI stocks.

Marquette offers free AI training for professionals

Marquette University's Business Executive Education program is hosting a free two-hour AI training session. The event, called "Introduction to AI Agility," will take place on Tuesday, February 24, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Dr. E. J. And Margaret O’Brien Hall. Todd McLees, an expert from humanskills.ai, will lead the session, teaching professionals how to use AI tools effectively. Topics include working with AI, deciding which tasks AI can help with, and judging AI's quality. Those interested should register soon as space is limited.

Ainekko and Veevx merge for open AI silicon platform

Ainekko and Veevx have merged, forming a new company that will operate under the Ainekko name. This merger aims to create an open silicon platform with advanced memory and embedded AI features. Veevx brings its special iRAM memory technology and low-power AI accelerators, which are great for AI at the edge. Ainekko's CEO, Tanya Dadasheva, says this is like Linux for operating systems, but for AI hardware. The new platform will offer intelligent memory, embedded accelerators, and open-source tools for developers. Ainekko will also attend FOSDEM’26 events in Brussels, Belgium, on January 31 and February 2, 2026.

OpenAI's new tool Prism raises AI research concerns

OpenAI launched a free AI tool for scientists called Prism, which helps with writing and formatting research papers. However, many researchers worry that Prism could lead to a flood of low-quality, AI-generated content, often called "AI slop," in scientific journals. Kevin Weil, OpenAI's VP for Science, believes AI will greatly impact science in 2026. While Prism could help scientists, especially those who do not speak English fluently, critics fear it will overwhelm the human peer review system with polished but unoriginal work. OpenAI states that human scientists remain responsible for verifying research, not the tool itself.

Sources

• Apple buys Israeli start-up Q.AI as it races Meta and Google on AI devices
• Norway’s $2tn fund stress tests hits from climate shocks to AI correction
• Darren Aronofsky Has Reconstructed the Revolutionary War Using AI
• Darren Aronofsky’s AI Studio Used Artificial Intelligence Tools for Revolutionary War Animated Series — but Hired Human Actors to Voice Founding Fathers
• Alibaba Introduces Qwen3-Max-Thinking, a Test Time Scaled Reasoning Model with Native Tool Use Powering Agentic Workloads
• Elon Musk shares AI-generated Sydney Sweeney video weeks after controversial comment about actress' body
• Alibaba.com debuts AI trade tools at Gulfood 2026
• GIGABYTE, AMD Combine Forces to Bring AI Acceleration to Gaming and Creation Hardware
• Survey Shocker: Most Americans Say an AI Stock Crash Won't Hurt Their Finances
• Marquette Business Executive Education offers free AI training session
• Ainekko Merges with Veevx, Expands Open Silicon Platform with Breakthrough Memory and Embedded AI Capabilities
• New OpenAI tool renews fears that “AI slop” will overwhelm scientific research