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Google is phasing out its legacy voice assistant on mobile devices, with many Android users reporting the feature is no longer accessible. The company is replacing it with Gemini, though user reception is mixed due to issues like hallucinations and reduced offline command support. The shutdown affects smartphones, smartwatches, Android Auto systems, and earbuds, while smart speakers and displays will continue to support the original Google Assistant. This transition marks a significant shift as Google bets on Gemini's advanced capabilities to take over the primary voice assistant role on portable devices.
Google is phasing out its legacy voice assistant on mobile devices, with many Android users reporting the feature is no longer accessible. The company is replacing it with Gemini, though user reception is mixed due to issues like hallucinations and reduced offline command support. The shutdown affects smartphones, smartwatches, Android Auto systems, and earbuds, while smart speakers and displays will continue to support the original Google Assistant. This transition marks a significant shift as Google bets on Gemini's advanced capabilities to take over the primary voice assistant role on portable devices.
On September 3, major AI platforms including ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini suffered a collective outage lasting nearly four hours. While these services were paralyzed, domestic Chinese AI models remained operational. Zhipu AI highlighted its stability with a humorous online statement, showcasing strong infrastructure resilience amidst the global disruption.
On September 3, major AI platforms including ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini suffered a collective outage lasting nearly four hours. While these services were paralyzed, domestic Chinese AI models remained operational. Zhipu AI highlighted its stability with a humorous online statement, showcasing strong infrastructure resilience amidst the global disruption.
Android Authority reported on August 17 that vivo will become the third smartphone maker after Google and Samsung to support Google’s Scam Detection feature. The feature uses on-device AI to identify scam-related phrases during calls and alert users via sound, vibration or notifications if a risk is detected. It was first tested in the US in November 2024 and is currently available only on Pixel devices and Samsung Galaxy S26 series. Vivo may launch the feature in its X500 series first, with the X300 series following, aiming to boost its privacy competitiveness overseas. The AI-based scam blocking will likely be restricted to international versions of vivo phones at launch.
Android Authority reported on August 17 that vivo will become the third smartphone maker after Google and Samsung to support Google’s Scam Detection feature. The feature uses on-device AI to identify scam-related phrases during calls and alert users via sound, vibration or notifications if a risk is detected. It was first tested in the US in November 2024 and is currently available only on Pixel devices and Samsung Galaxy S26 series. Vivo may launch the feature in its X500 series first, with the X300 series following, aiming to boost its privacy competitiveness overseas. The AI-based scam blocking will likely be restricted to international versions of vivo phones at launch.
At the 2026 Volcano Engine Force Power Conference, ByteDance CEO Liang Rubo announced a strategic pivot to focus on large model fundamentals, making Volcano Engine's PaaS its core business and committing to MaaS. Despite Douyin's model call volume reaching 180 trillion daily tokens, monetization remains difficult with high computing costs. ByteDance is shifting resources from consumer products to enterprise services, exemplified by Seedance, a video model generating $2 billion annualized revenue mostly from enterprise clients. A new 3D white model preview feature is also introduced.
At the 2026 Volcano Engine Force Power Conference, ByteDance CEO Liang Rubo announced a strategic pivot to focus on large model fundamentals, making Volcano Engine's PaaS its core business and committing to MaaS. Despite Douyin's model call volume reaching 180 trillion daily tokens, monetization remains difficult with high computing costs. ByteDance is shifting resources from consumer products to enterprise services, exemplified by Seedance, a video model generating $2 billion annualized revenue mostly from enterprise clients. A new 3D white model preview feature is also introduced.
ByteDance’s Volcano Engine debuted its video generation model Seedance 2.0 at Cannes Film Festival highlighting AI’s move into mainstream film production The worlds first 95minute AI feature film premiered produced by Higgsfield in 14 days with a team of 15 at under 500k cost Director Luc Bessons SEEN studio also announced an AI animated feature using Seedance 2.0 Industry giants like Outpost VFX WPP and Magnific are integrating the model into workflows signaling a shift from visual quality contests to industrial multimodal video applications
ByteDance’s Volcano Engine debuted its video generation model Seedance 2.0 at Cannes Film Festival highlighting AI’s move into mainstream film production The worlds first 95minute AI feature film premiered produced by Higgsfield in 14 days with a team of 15 at under 500k cost Director Luc Bessons SEEN studio also announced an AI animated feature using Seedance 2.0 Industry giants like Outpost VFX WPP and Magnific are integrating the model into workflows signaling a shift from visual quality contests to industrial multimodal video applications
AI training platform Mercor raised 350 million dollars at a 10 billion dollar valuation in a Series C round led by Felicis Ventures The company connects AI labs with domain experts to train models and plans to expand its talent network and matching systems
AI training platform Mercor raised 350 million dollars at a 10 billion dollar valuation in a Series C round led by Felicis Ventures The company connects AI labs with domain experts to train models and plans to expand its talent network and matching systems
Researchers introduce Quantum Echoes algorithm for measuring Out-of-Time-Order Correlators OTOCs in a Nature paper demonstrating quantum advantage on Willow quantum chip with 103 qubits The method enables practical applications such as Hamiltonian learning for molecular structure analysis via nuclear magnetic resonance NMR
Researchers introduce Quantum Echoes algorithm for measuring Out-of-Time-Order Correlators OTOCs in a Nature paper demonstrating quantum advantage on Willow quantum chip with 103 qubits The method enables practical applications such as Hamiltonian learning for molecular structure analysis via nuclear magnetic resonance NMR
