October 18, 2025

analysis  
Anthropic Claude Skills, AWS Competes with Google, Microsoft

Anthropic is enhancing its Claude AI assistant with a new feature called 'Skills,' designed to improve performance on specific work tasks. These Skills function as specialized instruction sets that users can create or utilize pre-made ones for jobs like working with spreadsheets or adhering to brand guidelines. This aims to reduce the need for repetitive prompting and boost efficiency for users across various Claude platforms, including Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise tiers. Meanwhile, the broader AI landscape is presenting both opportunities and challenges. In the cloud computing sector, Amazon Web Services (AWS) faces increasing competition from Microsoft and Google, as startups prioritize AI-specific infrastructure and GPU access over traditional cloud services, potentially impacting AWS's market dominance. Western Digital is investing in a new AI lab to accelerate the development of high-capacity storage solutions crucial for AI applications. However, critical infrastructure sectors are grappling with new cyber threats posed by AI and quantum computing, with AI systems introducing novel vulnerabilities. On a different note, a lawsuit has been filed against the developer of the AI app ClothOff, alleging it was used to create nonconsensual deepfake nudes, highlighting concerns about AI's misuse in generating explicit imagery. In Africa, Tony Elumelu is advocating for increased investment and inclusive development to harness AI for progress in key sectors like healthcare and education, emphasizing the need for public-private partnerships and digital skills training. The U.S. Army is also exploring AI for screening officer promotions, implementing measures to mitigate bias. Finally, a report indicates that AI is contributing to job displacement, and the rapid evolution of large language models is straining IT infrastructure, requiring organizations to reassess their capabilities and governance strategies. The use of AI-generated images in housing listings is also creating issues, with misleading property photos causing frustration for renters and buyers.

Key Takeaways

  • Anthropic has launched 'Skills' for its Claude AI, allowing users to customize the assistant for specific work tasks with specialized instruction sets.
  • Skills are available for Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise users of Claude and can be used across various platforms.
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS) is facing increased competition in the cloud market from Microsoft and Google due to startups prioritizing AI-specific infrastructure.
  • Western Digital has opened a new AI lab to accelerate the development of high-capacity storage solutions for AI applications.
  • Critical infrastructure organizations are concerned about new cyber threats from AI and quantum computing, with AI introducing novel vulnerabilities.
  • A lawsuit has been filed against the developer of the AI app ClothOff for allegedly creating nonconsensual deepfake nudes.
  • Tony Elumelu is urging for greater investment in Africa to leverage AI for development in healthcare, education, and agriculture.
  • The U.S. Army is using AI to assist in screening officer promotions, with measures in place to mitigate bias.
  • A report suggests that AI is contributing to job displacement across various sectors.
  • Organizations are facing IT infrastructure challenges due to the demands of large language models, requiring assessments of compute power, networking, and data flows.

Anthropic adds 'Skills' to Claude AI for better work performance

Anthropic has introduced a new feature called Skills for Claude, designed to make its AI assistant more useful for specific work tasks. Skills are like specialized folders containing instructions and resources that Claude can use to improve its performance on jobs like working with Excel or following brand guidelines. Users can create their own Skills for their specific needs, and these can be used across various Claude platforms. This feature aims to reduce the need for users to write detailed prompts every time they want Claude to perform a task. Box, Rakuten, and Canva have already tested the tool, which is available to Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise users.

Claude AI now has 'Skills' to automate your work tasks

Anthropic has launched a new feature called Skills for Claude, available to Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise users. Skills are specialized folders with instructions that help Claude perform specific tasks more efficiently, such as creating documents or ensuring output matches brand guidelines. This feature can be used across apps, Claude Code, and the Developer Platform, aiming to boost productivity and provide consistent, expert-level results. Users can update skills folders with new information, and these changes will instantly apply to their projects. Anthropic also released a new model for Claude this week.

Anthropic's Claude AI gets customizable tasks with 'Skills'

Anthropic has launched Skills for Claude, a new feature allowing users to customize the AI chatbot for specific tasks. These 'Skills' act as instruction manuals that guide Claude's behavior, and users can create their own custom Skills or use Anthropic's pre-made ones for tasks like generating Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents. The goal is to make Claude more personalized and efficient for individual users and businesses. Skills are available for Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise users and can be used across the Claude app, Claude Code, and the Claude API. Anthropic also noted safety considerations, advising users to stick to trusted sources for Skills.

Teen sues over AI app creating fake nudes

A teenager is suing the developer of the AI app ClothOff, alleging it was used by a classmate to create fake nude images of her. The lawsuit claims ClothOff and its affiliated services can generate nonconsensual intimate imagery, including child sexual abuse material, using an API that allows easy integration for mass production. The complaint states ClothOff generates around 200,000 images daily and has reached millions of visitors, profiting from users seeking fake nudes. The teen seeks to shut down ClothOff, block its domains and bots, and have her images and any stored CSAM deleted. Telegram has reportedly removed the ClothOff bot.

Teen sues AI app developer over deepfake nude

A 17-year-old girl is suing AI/Robotics Venture Strategy 3 Ltd., the developer of the app ClothOff, after a classmate allegedly used it to create a deepfake nude of her. The lawsuit, filed with assistance from Yale Law School, accuses the company of enabling the creation and distribution of nonconsensual explicit deepfakes. The complaint states an Instagram photo of the teen was turned into a realistic nude image shared among classmates. The suit demands the removal of all AI-generated nude images of minors and adults created without consent and seeks to take the software offline. ClothOff's developer denies wrongdoing but faces mounting pressure to regulate AI deepfakes.

Western Digital opens new AI lab to boost storage solutions

Western Digital Corporation has opened an expanded System Integration and Test Lab in Rochester, New York. This 25,600 square foot facility is designed to speed up the delivery of high-capacity storage products needed for artificial intelligence applications. The lab will allow Western Digital engineers and customers to collaborate throughout the product development process, aiming to drive innovation and ensure reliable performance for demanding AI and cloud workloads. This investment highlights Western Digital's commitment to leading in storage technology as AI continues to increase the need for data storage and faster access.

Critical infrastructure faces new AI and quantum cyber threats

Critical infrastructure organizations are facing growing cyber risks from AI and quantum technology, even as data breaches decline. A report by Thales indicates that 73% of professionals in sectors like telecom, utilities, and energy see the evolving AI ecosystem as their biggest security challenge. While multi-factor authentication has helped reduce data breaches, AI systems introduce new vulnerabilities, with concerns about model integrity and data source reliability. The rapid pace of AI development is seen as a major risk, making AI-powered attacks easier and more effective. Additionally, quantum computing poses a future threat by potentially breaking current encryption methods, prompting organizations to test post-quantum cryptography.

Tony Elumelu urges investment for Africa's AI growth

Tony Elumelu is calling for increased investment and inclusive development to help Africa leverage artificial intelligence for progress in healthcare, education, and agriculture. He emphasized that Africa's digital growth should prioritize people, highlighting the continent's young population and creativity as key strengths. Elumelu warned that limited capital and digital skills hinder advancement, advocating for public-private partnerships to fund digital infrastructure and training without increasing public debt. He also urged African governments to actively participate in global AI and data governance discussions to ensure equitable prosperity through technology and sustainable investment.

AI era challenges Amazon's cloud dominance

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has long led the cloud computing market, but the rise of generative AI is shifting startup investments towards AI-specific infrastructure. Internal Amazon documents suggest founders are prioritizing AI models, tools, and GPU access over traditional AWS services. This trend may explain why AWS's growth has lagged behind Microsoft and Google, which offer more AI-focused solutions for startups. While AWS remains the largest cloud provider, newer AI cloud specialists are experiencing significant growth. The shift indicates that AWS may not maintain its dominance in the evolving Cloud 2.0 era.

Report details AI's impact on job displacement

A new report examines the extent to which technology, specifically artificial intelligence, is causing job displacement. The report identifies jobs that are currently considered 'tech-proof' but also highlights the growing impact of AI on the workforce. Further details on the specific number of jobs displaced and the types of roles affected are provided in the report.

Is your IT infrastructure ready for AI demands?

The rapid evolution of large language models (LLMs) for AI presents significant infrastructure challenges for many organizations. LLMs require substantially more compute power, high-bandwidth networking, and massive data flows than traditional machine learning models. Many enterprise data centers are not equipped to handle these demands, leading to potential bottlenecks and inefficiencies. To prepare, IT leaders should assess their infrastructure, workforce skills, and establish AI governance strategies. Benchmarking against industry best practices and running pilot workloads are also recommended to ensure readiness for current and future AI demands.

US Army uses AI for officer promotions

The U.S. Army is reportedly using artificial intelligence to help screen some officers for promotions. Officials stated the goal is to identify less competitive candidates early, allowing promotion boards to focus on the most qualified individuals. The Army plans to learn from its use of AI for non-commissioned officer promotions before applying it to commissioned officer reviews. Measures are in place to mitigate bias, ensuring decisions are not based on race, ethnicity, rank, or military branch, and service members can override AI decisions. Algorithms have been used to screen candidates for the past four years.

AI-generated images worsen housing market issues

The housing market is facing new challenges due to the use of AI-generated images in property listings. One renter reported that a listing showed a pristine home, but the actual property was in poor condition, calling it 'false advertising.' Experts believe AI is making the already difficult process of finding housing more stressful and time-consuming. While AI is also used for generating listing descriptions, the subtle manipulation of photos to alter property appearance is a growing concern. This practice could lead to wasted time for potential buyers and renters, and potentially impact jobs for real estate photographers.

Sources

AI features Claude AI Anthropic Work automation Customizable AI Deepfakes AI ethics Nonconsensual imagery AI in storage Western Digital AI infrastructure Cybersecurity AI threats Quantum computing AI in Africa Digital transformation Cloud computing AWS Generative AI Job displacement AI workforce impact IT infrastructure Large Language Models AI governance AI in military US Army AI in housing market AI-generated images Real estate technology