Looking for a better way to pinpoint the precise LEGO bricks he needed, a tech writer turned to OpenAI’s Codex for help.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Sterling Stock Picker uses AI and data-driven tools to help you find stocks, assess risk, and build a portfolio--now available for a one-time $68.99. Investing can feel like a strange mix of research, guesswork, and hoping you didn't miss something important. Sterling Stock Picker tries to simplify things and make investing in stocks less confusing . Instead of digging through endless charts and reports, the platform brings everything into one place.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Worried your AI chatbot is just yessing you? Here's a prompt that will make it challenge its own assumptions. I wish I had nickel for every time ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini told me I'd hit the nail on the head, stumbled onto a genius idea, or otherwise patted me on the back for a half-formed idea or ill-conceived plan. Flattery and premature congratulations are common foibles of generative AI chatbots, with some models more susceptible to being "yes-bots" than others.

Intel is launching'Ask Intel,' an AI virtual assistant built on Microsoft Copilot Studio to handle customer support cases and warranty checks. PCWorld reports this shift follows Intel's removal of inbound phone support in December, directing customers to online assistance instead. The AI system warns users its answers may be inaccurate, raising concerns about potential hardware damage from incorrect technical advice. If your Intel processor requires a warranty return or support, the first "person" you'll probably be dealing with at Intel will be an AI. Intel is rolling out "Ask Intel," an addition to its Intel support site, that runs on Microsoft Copilot rather than on human intervention. Ask Intel will appear as part of support.intel.com

PCWorld examines OpenClaw, an AI agent developed by Peter Steinberger that recently gained OpenAI backing through an acquisition. This autonomous tool can read, edit, delete files and build programs with system-level access, demonstrating powerful agentic AI capabilities. Despite its potential for unprecedented automation, OpenClaw poses significant security risks including data deletion and prompt injection vulnerabilities, making immediate installation inadvisable for newcomers. A month ago, practically no one had heard about Peter Steinberger's personal AI side project. Now it's taken the AI world by storm, and it just got the backing of none other than OpenAI itself. First known as Clawdbot and later as Moltbot, the now re-rebranded OpenClaw served as an "I know Kung Fu" moment for its earliest users, who were jolted by the capabilities and potential of the AI-powered tool. Put another way, OpenClaw took what had previously been an abstract concept--"agentic AI"--and made it real. It's exciting and even vertiginous stuff, and if this story marks the first time you've heard of OpenClaw, you absolutely, positively shouldn't install it.

PCWorld reports that Anthropic has significantly upgraded Claude's free tier with new Skills feature for automating recurring tasks and Connectors for integrating external services like Canva and Slack. Free users can now create and edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files directly within Claude, plus enjoy longer conversations and enhanced voice/image search capabilities. These improvements position Claude as a stronger competitor against ChatGPT, especially as OpenAI recently introduced ads to its platform. AI company Anthropic is now upgrading the free version of its Claude chatbot with several features that were previously exclusive to paying users, reports Engadget . Free users can now create and edit files like Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and PDFs directly within Claude.

Google has enhanced its'Results About You' privacy tool to help users monitor and remove personal information like government ID numbers from search results, according to PCWorld. The update includes a streamlined process for removing explicit images through a three-dot menu option and allows bulk removal requests. These privacy improvements are rolling out in the US first as part of Google's Safer Internet Day initiatives, giving users better control over their digital footprint. In celebration of Safer Internet Day, Google rolled out an update to its "Results About You" feature and launched a new, simpler tool for removing unwanted explicit images from search results. With Results About You, you can tell Google to keep track of search results where your personal information appears, and then ask Google to remove those search results. The feature has previously been able to track search results with your home address, email address, and phone number, but now the search engine will also be able to warn you about search results that include your government documents, such as passports or driver's licenses. The update to Results About You will first be rolled out in the United States over the coming days, but Google is working on adapting the feature for other regions as well.

Ring's Super Bowl ad promoting its'Search Party' feature for finding lost pets backfired, with viewers finding the neighborhood camera surveillance imagery dystopian rather than heartwarming. PCWorld reports the backlash stems from Ring's controversial history of data-sharing with law enforcement and privacy concerns over the AI-powered feature being enabled by default. Many users are actively seeking to disable'Search Party' despite Ring's claims of strong privacy protections and user consent requirements.

PCWorld reports that Valve's Steam Machine launch faces delays and increased costs due to industry-wide memory and storage shortages affecting component availability. RAM prices have surged significantly, potentially increasing PC costs by 20%, forcing Valve to consider subsidizing the device to remain competitive. The Steam Machine targets 4K/60FPS performance using AMD's FSR technology and will feature user-upgradeable SSD and RAM for flexibility. I had a feeling this was coming. While Valve has never confirmed the price of its hotly anticipated Steam Machine revival, the specs of the tiny, console-style PC indicated something cheaper than a full gaming desktop--and its exact price will be crucial to its success . But a bit of info hidden in a new FAQ page indicates that even Valve is sweating about the price as much as the rest of us are. "When we announced these products in November, we planned on being able to share specific pricing and launch dates by now," says the FAQ . "But the memory and storage shortages you've likely heard about across the industry have rapidly increased since then."

PCWorld reports that Amazon has ended free access to its advanced Alexa+ AI service, now charging non-Prime members $19.99 monthly for full features. Prime subscribers receive Alexa+ at no additional cost, while the original classic Alexa remains free for all users regardless of membership status. Alexa+ offers ChatGPT-style conversations and advanced agentic AI capabilities, officially exiting its early access phase with a limited free web-based text option available. The days of free Alexa+ for everyone just ended, with Amazon announcing today that it will start charging non-Prime members who want to use the AI-supercharged voice assistant on their Echo devices. Starting now, full Alexa+ access will cost $19.99 a month for those without Prime, while Prime members will get Alexa+ as a free benefit with their subscriptions. Amazon also announced a new free tier of Alexa+ that lets you text chat with the assistant over a web browser.