A.I. was going to be what broke our shared reality. It turns out, it wasn't needed. Enter your email to receive alerts for this author. You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. You're already subscribed to the aa_Molly_Olmstead newsletter.

Elon Musk's Grok AI image editing limited to paid X users after deepfakes Elon Musk's platform X has limited image editing with its AI tool Grok to paying users, after it came under fire for allowing people to make sexualised deepfakes. There has been a significant backlash after the chatbot honoured requests from users to digitally alter images of other people by undressing them without their consent. But Grok is now telling people asking it to make such material that only paid subscribers would be able to do so - meaning their name and payment information must be on file. The BBC has approached X for comment. Those who do not subscribe can still use Grok to edit images on its separate app and website.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Aiper marked a new chapter in its smart yard ecosystem by officially announcing its brand positioning as the World's No. 1 Smart Robotic Pool Cleaner, which was credited by Euromonitor* for its innovative products that are smart, reliable and carefree. The company showcased a fourth-generation lineup designed to deliver smarter performance, reliable real-world operation, and the carefree ownership experience modern homeowners increasingly expect. HGTV star and outdoor living expert Chip Wade appeared at the Aiper booth at CES and headlined the brand's new product launch event. At the heart of Aiper's next-generation systems is Cognitive AI Unlike earlier AI-vision systems that simply recognized pool debris, Cognitive AI continuously learns from real-world conditions. It interprets pool size, daily and seasonal weather patterns, and historical cleaning data to optimize routes, frequency, and intensity.

Service members take part in what the Russian Defense Ministry said was the deployment of a nuclear-capable hypersonic Oreshnik missile system in Belarus, in a still image taken from a video released on Dec. 30. Russia's military says it has fired its hypersonic Oreshnik missile at a target in Ukraine in response to what it described as an attempted Ukrainian drone strike on one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's residences, something Kyiv has called a lie. It is the second time that Russia has used the intermediate-range Oreshnik, a missile that Putin has boasted is impossible to intercept because of its reported velocity of more than 10 times the speed of sound. The missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads as well as conventional ones, but there was no suggestion that the one used in the overnight attack had been fitted with anything other than a conventional warhead. The Russian Defense Ministry said the strike had targeted critical infrastructure in Ukraine. It said Russia had also used attack drones and high-precision long-range land and sea-based weapons.

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Russia has used the Oreshnik ballistic missile as part of a massive overnight strike on Ukraine. Four people were killed and 25 others injured in Kyiv on Thursday night, where loud booms could be heard for several hours, setting the sky alight with explosions. It only the second time that Moscow has used the Oreshnik, which was first deployed to hit the central city of Dnipro in November 2024. Russia's defence ministry said the strike was a response to a Ukrainian drone attack on Vladimir Putin's residence in late December, which Kyiv denies carrying out . While the ministry did not specify what had been the Oreshnik's target, shortly before midnight (22:00 GMT) videos began circulating on social media showing numerous explosions on the outskirts of the western city of Lviv.

For the eighth year in a row, the world’s oceans absorbed a record-breaking amount of heat in 2025. It was equivalent to the energy it would take to boil 2 billion Olympic swimming pools.

Fujitsu's physical AI system, which allows robots to move autonomously and in coordination with one another, is showcased at the CES tech show in Las Vegas on Wednesday. The robots are made by external manufacturers. LAS VEGAS - Fujitsu showed off a foundational technology that uses artificial intelligence to develop programs for software defined vehicles (SDV), at the CES tech show in Las Vegas on Wednesday. The Japanese company's technology helps automakers and other customers design software for SDVs, which can upgrade features by updating programs but require a lot of costs and labor to develop. Fujitsu also showcased its digital twin technology, reproducing the city of Las Vegas in virtual space and showing how traffic congestion there can be eased by analyzing data on the movements of people and vehicles.

Could Ukraine hold a presidential election right now? Will Europe use frozen Russian assets to fund war? How can Ukraine rebuild China ties? 'Ukraine is running out of men, money and time' Overnight into Friday, Russia launched a large attack on Ukraine with missiles and drones, killing at least three and injuring 16 people in the capital Kyiv, according to The Associated Press news agency. Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko reported multiple districts in Kyiv were struck, including Desnyanskyi, where a drone crashed into a building and the first two floors of a residential building were damaged.

Ofcom urged to use'banning' powers over X AI deepfakes The government has urged the regulator Ofcom to use all its powers - up to and including an effective ban - against X over concerns about unlawful AI images created on the site. Ofcom's powers include the ability to obtain a court order to prevent third parties from helping the Elon Musk-owned platform from raising money or from being accessed in the UK. This follows an ongoing backlash against the use of X's AI Grok to digitally remove clothing from images of people. The possibility there could be sexualised images of children raised very specific concerns in government. Addressing concerns over sexualised images of adults and children produced by Grok, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: This is disgraceful.