The New York Times
AI-generated images of Venezuela’s ousted leader Nicolás Maduro spread rapidly online after news of his arrest, highlighting how chatbots can distort breaking news despite safeguards. Online reliability firm NewsGuard identified five fabricated images and two misrepresented videos linked to Maduro’s capture. The fakes reached millions of viewers and briefly appeared in news outlets, complicating efforts to verify authentic information.
From "AI Images of Maduro Spread Rapidly, Despite Safeguards"
The New York Times (01/05/26) Stuart A. Thompson; Tiffany Hsu
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Reuters
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has exempted some foreign-made drones and critical components from a sweeping import ban until the end of 2026, following a Pentagon recommendation. The decision allows limited imports from companies including Parrot, Teledyne FLIR, and AeroVironment, as well as components from firms such as Nvidia, Sony, and Samsung. The exemptions soften restrictions imposed in December that targeted foreign drones deemed national security risks.
From "FCC Exempts Some Foreign-Made Drones from Import Ban"
Reuters (01/07/26) David Shepardson
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The Wall Street Journal
Legal research firms Thomson Reuters and LexisNexis are among those rolling out AI tools for judges, who are using the technology to analyze court filings, draft opinions, formulate questions for lawyers, summarize briefs, and more. Federal judge Xavier Rodriguez in San Antonio, TX, for example, used an AI tool to produce the first draft of an opinion within minutes, compared with the 10 months previously required to manually review exhibits and testimony and research relevant case law.
From "Judges Use AI to Help Decide Legal Disputes"
The Wall Street Journal (01/06/26) Erin Mulvaney
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Bloomberg
Humanoid robots were a major attraction at the 2026 CES trade show, where they performed tasks such as pouring coffee, folding laundry, and playing games, though often very slowly. Companies showcased human-shaped robots as future home helpers, pitching visions of “zero-labor” households. Despite advances in AI, vision, and fine motor control, the demonstrations highlighted how far the technology remains from practical domestic use.
From "Humanoids (Slowly) Pour Coffee, Fold Laundry at CES"
Bloomberg (01/07/26) Samantha Kelly
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Sandia National Laboratories
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories demonstrated that neuromorphic, brain-inspired computers can efficiently solve complex mathematical problems known as partial differential equations, which are critical for the modeling of physical systems. The researchers developed an algorithm enabling neuromorphic hardware to tackle tasks traditionally handled by energy-intensive supercomputers. The findings challenge assumptions that such systems are limited to pattern recognition and highlight their potential for major energy savings.
From "Nature-Inspired Computers Shockingly Good at Math"
Sandia National Laboratories (01/07/26)
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The New York Times
Google and Character.AI have agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by the mother of a 14-year-old Florida boy who killed himself after developing a relationship with an AI chatbot. The boy frequently conversed with a Character.AI chatbot that, in his final exchange, encouraged him to “come home.” The lawsuit accused the companies of providing harmful chatbots that fostered emotional dependency and contributed to the teenager’s death.
From "Google, Character.AI Settle Lawsuit over Teen’s Death"
The New York Times (01/07/26) Natallie Rocha
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