Meta unveils Name Tag while OpenAI bids for OpenClaw

Key Takeaways

• Proofpoint acquired AI security startup Acuvity for $9 million to enhance AI-native security, governance, and protection for agentic AI systems.
• Acuvity's technology helps detect risks like prompt injection and sensitive data leaks, providing control over AI use from web browsers to local tools like OpenClaw.
• Spotify engineers are using an internal AI system, "Honk," integrated with Claude via Slack, to generate code and have shipped approximately 50 new features without writing code since December.
• Students advocate for critical AI understanding in schools, suggesting delayed AI introduction until 9th grade and controlled tools like Flint AI, while expressing concerns about AI's impact on critical thinking and trust.
• Educators observe that generative AI is challenging students' sense of reality and trust, making it difficult to differentiate real from AI-generated content.
• A university is employing an AI tool to review course syllabi for legal compliance, flagging content related to race, gender, and sexuality, which has raised faculty concerns about censorship.
• Peter Steinberger, creator of OpenClaw, is in acquisition talks with Meta and OpenAI, highlighting the intense competition for agentic AI talent.
• Meta plans to integrate "Name Tag" facial recognition into its smart glasses this year, five years after discontinuing similar features on Facebook due to privacy concerns.
• Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft are projected to spend $660 billion on AI next year, leading to investor concerns about a potential "AI bubble."
• Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warns that the "Centaur Phase" of human-AI collaboration in the workplace may be brief, with AI rapidly taking over tasks entirely.

Proofpoint buys Acuvity to boost AI security

Proofpoint, a cybersecurity company, bought AI security startup Acuvity. This move aims to fix security problems that come with businesses using agentic AI. Agentic AI systems handle sensitive data and tasks previously done by people. Ryan Kalember, Proofpoint's chief strategy officer, said Acuvity's engineers will join the company. The acquisition helps companies manage AI risks while still innovating.

Proofpoint buys Acuvity for AI security and control

Proofpoint acquired Acuvity, an AI security company, to improve its platform. This deal adds AI-native visibility, governance, and protection for AI and agent-driven tasks. It helps businesses manage the "agentic workspace" where humans and AI work together. Ryan Kalember, Proofpoint's Chief Strategy Officer, explained that AI agents access data and make decisions. Acuvity's tools offer full control over AI use, from web browsers to local AI tools like OpenClaw. Proofpoint now aims to be the first platform to secure people, data, and AI in this new work environment.

Proofpoint acquires Acuvity for AI security in workplaces

Proofpoint, a cybersecurity firm, bought Acuvity, an AI security company. This acquisition boosts Proofpoint's platform with AI-native tools for managing AI and agent-driven tasks. Generative AI creates new risks like hidden AI use and data leaks. Ryan Kalember, Proofpoint's Chief Strategy Officer, said securing this new work model means understanding human and AI actions. Acuvity offers ways to see and control all AI use, from web browsers to special AI tools like OpenClaw. Proofpoint now aims to be the first platform to protect people, data, and AI in the "agentic workspace."

Proofpoint buys Acuvity to strengthen AI protection

Proofpoint bought AI security startup Acuvity to improve its AI security. Ryan Kalember, Proofpoint's Chief Strategy Officer, explained that Acuvity helps understand the true purpose of AI prompts and responses. This includes spotting harmful actions or too much data sharing. Acuvity, founded in 2023, came out of hiding in September 2024 after raising 9 million dollars. The company's unique technology monitors AI behaviors and can deploy controls directly with AI agents. Proofpoint tested Acuvity to ensure it could detect risks like prompt injection and sensitive data leaks.

Students share insights on AI use in schools

The author met with over 200 students to discuss artificial intelligence in schools. Students believe AI should be understood critically, not just banned or fully accepted. They worry that schools give powerful AI tools like ChatGPT before students learn critical thinking. This can make students dependent on AI instead of using it to learn better. Students suggested delaying AI use until 9th grade and using special AI tools like Flint AI, where teachers control the learning. They also want more education on AI's effects on thinking, ethics, and the environment. Students aim to learn how to use AI to become better thinkers for the future.

AI makes students question reality and trust

A teacher, Stan Williams, found his 9th grade students struggled to tell real photos from AI-generated ones. He realized his main concern is not students cheating with AI, but how AI affects their trust and sense of reality. In the past, facts were generally accepted, but now students question everything. The internet already made trust harder, and generative AI has sped up this problem. Students feel uncertain about their future, careers, and even what is real. This makes school feel like a game, disconnected from their unstable world. Teachers need to address these deeper issues of truth and trust, not just focus on AI cheating.

Spotify engineers use AI to ship 50 features on commutes

Spotify engineers are using artificial intelligence to write code, greatly speeding up their work. They use an internal system called "Honk" that connects with Claude through Slack. An engineer can tell Claude what feature or fix is needed, and Claude creates the code. The engineer then gets a QR code to test the new feature on their phone. If it works, they can add it to the app, all without using a laptop. Spotify engineers have already released about 50 new features this way during their morning commutes. The company believes this is just the start of AI-driven development.

Spotify developers use AI to create new features

Spotify announced that its top developers have not written code since December, thanks to AI. The company has released over 50 new features and updates, including AI Voice Translation, using an internal system called "Honk." This system uses generative AI, specifically Claude Code, to speed up development. For example, an engineer can ask Claude via Slack on their phone to fix a bug or add a feature to the iOS app during their commute. Claude then sends a new app version to the phone for testing and merging before the engineer even arrives at the office. Spotify believes this is only the beginning of AI's impact on their development process.

AI matchmaking party helps singles find love

Singles in London are trying a new way to find love at an "AI matchmaking" party. Many attendees are tired of traditional dating apps. An organization called Matchbox, which helped host the event, says it uses AI to match people based on their shared values. This approach aims to help people connect in a more personal, "old-fashioned" way.

OpenClaw creator discusses Meta and OpenAI acquisition talks

Peter Steinberger, who created the popular AI assistant OpenClaw, is deciding between offers from Meta and OpenAI. He shared details about his unique talks with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Steinberger was impressed by Zuckerberg's hands-on approach, including coding before their call and debating AI models. While he admired OpenAI's technology and Sam Altman's thoughtfulness, he felt Zuckerberg showed more direct interest in his product. Steinberger believes both companies are great options and he is not focused on money. This competition highlights the growing importance of agentic AI, which can manage tasks and use tools on its own.

AI could quickly replace human jobs says Anthropic CEO

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warns that the "Centaur Phase," where humans supervise AI at work, might be very short. He believes AI could soon take over many tasks entirely. Amodei compared this to chess, where humans working with AI were superior for about 15 to 20 years before machines became better on their own. He thinks we are in this "centaur phase" for software now, which might temporarily increase demand for engineers. However, Amodei fears this period will end quickly, leaving little time for people to adapt or retrain for new jobs. AI coding tools like Claude Code are already showing rapid progress.

Investors worry about a possible AI stock bubble

Major tech companies like Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft plan to spend 660 billion dollars on AI next year. This huge spending makes investors nervous about a possible "AI bubble" in the stock market. Josh Roberts, a capital markets correspondent, explained that investors worry these companies might not see enough returns on their investments. He compared this situation to past technology booms, like railways or the internet, where investors became overly excited. In those times, stock prices rose too high, and investors often chose the wrong companies, even though the new technology eventually changed the world. The article discusses ways to protect investments from such a bubble.

Meta to add facial recognition to smart glasses

Meta plans to bring facial recognition technology to its smart glasses, made with Ray-Ban and Oakley. This feature, called "Name Tag," could be available this year. Five years ago, Meta's Facebook stopped using facial recognition on its social network. The company is worried about privacy and safety risks and has been discussing the launch since last year. An internal document suggested releasing it during a busy political time, hoping privacy groups would be distracted. Facial recognition technology often raises concerns about privacy and civil liberties.

Covid-19 reminds us about AI hype

This opinion piece compares the rapid spread of Covid-19 to the current excitement around artificial intelligence. The author suggests that just like things seemed normal in early March 2020 before Covid-19 quickly worsened, the current calm around AI might be misleading. The memory of how fast Covid-19 grew makes people cautious when thinking about AI's future.

University uses AI to check course syllabi

A university is using an AI tool to check course syllabi for legal compliance, according to faculty leaders. Provost Michael McPherson stated the university's IT department created the tool, which flags courses for further review. Faculty members reported that the AI searches for words related to race, gender, and sexuality. McPherson and a small committee review the flagged syllabi, but he did not share who is on the committee. This review goes beyond Senate Bill 17, a 2025 law about core curriculum and identity beliefs. Faculty are concerned about censorship and a lack of clear rules for this process.

Sources

• Proofpoint acquires Acuvity to tackle the security risks of agentic AI
• Proofpoint acquires AI security company Acuvity
• ZAWYA-PRESSR: Proofpoint acquires Acuvity to deliver AI security and governance across the agentic workspace
• Proofpoint Purchases Startup Acuvity to Bolster AI Security
• What 200 Students Taught Me About AI In Schools
• I’m Not Worried AI Helps My Students Cheat. I’m Worried How It Makes Them Feel (Opinion)
• Spotify Says That Its Coders Have Shipped 50 New Features Through Slack During Their Morning Commutes Using AI
• Spotify says its best developers haven't written a line of code since December, thanks to AI
• Finding love the old-fashioned way at an ‘AI matchmaking’ party
• OpenClaw Creator Peter Steinberger Describes His Interactions With Mark Zuckerberg And Sam Altman During Acquisition Negotiations
• The “Centaur Phase” Of Humans Supervising AI At Work Could Be Brief Until AIs Take Over: Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei
• Stock options: how to hedge an AI bubble
• Meta Plans to Add Facial Recognition Technology to Its Smart Glasses
• Opinion | The covid reality check for AI hype
• University using AI to review course syllabi for legal compliance, faculty says