October 16, 2025

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Meta AI Platform, Apple Lawsuit, Gemini Ads, $500M Fund

A significant philanthropic effort, Humanity AI, has launched with a $500 million commitment over five years from ten major foundations. This initiative aims to steer artificial intelligence development towards public good and human interests, countering the influence of wealthy tech developers. The group plans to fund projects that promote democracy, education, artists' rights, worker protections, and personal security, ensuring AI benefits society broadly. Meanwhile, advancements in AI continue across various sectors. A new chemistry-aware AI is accelerating drug design by integrating chemical rules for faster and more effective molecule discovery. Meta-Flux has also expanded its AI platform to speed up early drug development stages by analyzing vast datasets and predicting drug effectiveness. In the tech industry, Apple faces a lawsuit from authors alleging copyright infringement for using pirated books to train its AI systems, including the Apple Intelligence platform. Separately, Bitsight has introduced an AI tool, Bitsight Brand Intelligence, to detect and combat brand impersonation attacks across social media and the dark web. The economic impact of AI on the US GDP and job market is being questioned, with some analyses suggesting the boost may be overstated and labor market effects are mixed. DirecTV is preparing to introduce personalized AI-generated ads featuring users' faces and pets on its Gemini devices in 2026, in partnership with Glance. Federal Reserve nominee Miran suggests that substantial AI investment could lead to a higher neutral interest rate, impacting monetary policy. Best Buy CEO Corie Barry emphasizes the need for continuous learning among leaders to navigate the AI era, stressing a customer-centric approach and adaptability. Motorola Solutions is enhancing transparency in its public safety products by introducing 'AI labels' that detail the AI used, data ownership, and human controls. The convergence of AI and quantum computing is also noted, with each technology offering mutual benefits for complex problem-solving.

Key Takeaways

  • Ten philanthropic foundations have launched Humanity AI, a $500 million, five-year initiative to guide AI development for public good and human interests.
  • A new chemistry-aware AI is being used to accelerate drug design by integrating chemical rules for faster discovery of potential drug candidates.
  • Meta-Flux has enhanced its AI platform to speed up early drug development by analyzing data and predicting drug effectiveness.
  • Authors are suing Apple, alleging copyright infringement for using pirated books to train its AI systems, including Apple Intelligence.
  • Bitsight has launched an AI-powered tool, Bitsight Brand Intelligence, to detect and combat brand impersonation threats.
  • The economic impact of AI on US GDP and job growth may be overstated, with mixed evidence on its effect on employment.
  • DirecTV plans to feature personalized AI-generated ads, including users' faces, on its Gemini devices starting in 2026.
  • Federal Reserve nominee Miran suggests that significant AI investment could lead to a higher neutral interest rate.
  • Best Buy CEO Corie Barry highlights the necessity for leaders to engage in constant learning to adapt to the age of AI.
  • Motorola Solutions is introducing 'AI labels' for its public safety products to increase transparency about AI usage and data.

Philanthropies launch $500M initiative to shape AI for public good

Ten major philanthropic organizations have formed Humanity AI, a $500 million initiative over five years. Their goal is to ensure artificial intelligence benefits all people, not just a few tech billionaires. The group aims to influence AI's development and use, focusing on strengthening communities and enhancing human creativity. They plan to fund projects that protect privacy, measure AI's impact on workers, and ensure public accountability from AI developers. This effort seeks to broaden the conversation about AI's future to include diverse voices and perspectives.

Foundations commit $500M to guide AI development for human needs

Ten philanthropic foundations have launched Humanity AI, a $500 million, five-year initiative to steer artificial intelligence development towards human interests. The coalition, including the Ford Foundation and Omidyar Network, aims to counter the influence of wealthy AI developers and investors. They will fund projects focused on advancing democracy, education, artists' rights, work, and personal security. Humanity AI seeks to ensure AI benefits society broadly, rather than solely focusing on efficiency or profit, and to amplify the voices of civil society in the AI conversation.

Foundations commit $500M to guide AI development for human needs

Ten philanthropic foundations have launched Humanity AI, a $500 million, five-year initiative to steer artificial intelligence development towards human interests. The coalition, including the Ford Foundation and Omidyar Network, aims to counter the influence of wealthy AI developers and investors. They will fund projects focused on advancing democracy, education, artists' rights, work, and personal security. Humanity AI seeks to ensure AI benefits society broadly, rather than solely focusing on efficiency or profit, and to amplify the voices of civil society in the AI conversation.

New AI uses chemistry knowledge for drug design

A new study in Nature Communications introduces chemistry-aware AI that can discover new ways to design small molecules for drug development. This AI integrates chemical rules into its algorithms, making it faster and more effective at finding potential drug candidates. Unlike traditional methods, this AI can generate molecules that are not only effective but also easier to create in a lab. This advancement could speed up the process of developing new medicines by exploring new molecular structures and optimizing how they are made.

Meta-Flux AI platform speeds up drug development

Meta-Flux has expanded its AI platform to accelerate the early stages of drug development and find new treatments. The enhanced platform uses machine learning to analyze large amounts of data, predicting drug effectiveness and identifying candidates quickly. Key improvements include better target identification and prediction of side effects, helping researchers make smarter decisions sooner. Meta-Flux aims to partner with other companies, sharing its AI tools to speed up research and address unmet medical needs.

AI and quantum computing boost each other

Artificial intelligence and quantum computing are increasingly working together, each benefiting from the other's advancements. AI is helping to improve quantum computing by optimizing algorithms and correcting errors, bringing powerful quantum machines closer to reality. In return, quantum processors show potential for specific AI tasks like fraud detection and creating data for training AI models, possibly reducing energy use. While distinct technologies, their convergence offers mutual assistance for tackling complex problems.

Authors sue Apple over AI training data

Authors Susana Martinez-Conde and Stephen Macknik are suing Apple, alleging copyright infringement for using pirated books to train its AI systems. The lawsuit claims Apple used datasets like Books3, containing unauthorized copies of copyrighted works, to build its Apple Intelligence platform. Plaintiffs state Apple did not compensate creators and hid the sources of its training data. They argue this use of pirated material infringes on authors' rights and harms the market for their work.

Bitsight AI detects brand impersonation attacks

Bitsight has launched Bitsight Brand Intelligence, an AI-powered tool to help security teams find and stop brand impersonation threats. Cybercriminals are increasingly using AI to pose as trusted brands and executives online, leading to credential theft and fraud. This new module offers automated detection, analysis, and takedown workflows for threats across social media and the dark web. It aims to protect brands and executives by quickly identifying and removing fake profiles, rogue apps, and other deceptive content.

AI's impact on US economy is overstated

The idea that artificial intelligence is significantly boosting US GDP growth or causing widespread job losses may be exaggerated. While AI investment has increased, a large portion comes from imports, lessening its direct impact on US GDP. Evidence on AI's effect on the labor market is mixed, with some studies showing minimal impact on overall employment. Claims of a K-shaped economic recovery, where only high-income earners benefit, are also questioned, as current data suggests more balanced spending growth across income levels.

DirecTV to feature AI ads with your face

DirecTV plans to introduce AI-generated ads on its Gemini devices in 2026, featuring users' faces and pets. Partnering with Glance, the service will create digital avatars showcasing shoppable products, similar to virtual try-on features. These personalized screensaver ads will use AI to place users in various scenarios with products, offering QR codes to purchase items. Glance also powers lock screen ads on many Android phones and is expanding this technology to TV advertising.

Fed's Miran: AI investment may raise neutral interest rate

Federal Reserve nominee Miran suggests that significant investment in artificial intelligence could lead to a higher neutral interest rate. He notes that recent economic shifts, including immigration, have impacted the neutral rate. Miran believes current Fed policy is more restrictive than perceived due to a lower neutral rate. He expresses confidence in inflation outlooks, particularly regarding housing costs, and emphasizes the need for the Fed to remain nonpolitical while addressing economic shocks.

Best Buy CEO: AI demands constant learning for leaders

Best Buy CEO Corie Barry stated that C-suite leaders need to constantly learn to stay resilient in the age of AI. Speaking at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit, she emphasized a customer-centric approach and adapting to consumer behaviors. Barry highlighted the importance of understanding value-focused consumers and the growing income disparities. She believes embracing unlearning and relearning is crucial for CEOs, who likely did not study advanced AI in school, to effectively navigate the changing business landscape.

Motorola Solutions uses AI labels for transparency

Motorola Solutions is introducing 'AI labels' for its public safety products, similar to nutrition facts on food. These labels detail the types of AI used, data ownership, and human controls within their software and hardware. The initiative aims to increase transparency and help law enforcement agencies and communities understand how AI is applied in safety solutions. Guided by Motorola's Technology Advisory Committee, these labels ensure ethical use and clear communication about AI capabilities.

Sources

AI for public good Philanthropic initiatives AI development Humanity AI AI ethics AI and privacy AI and labor AI accountability AI in drug design Chemistry-aware AI Drug discovery Meta-Flux AI AI in drug development AI and quantum computing Quantum computing algorithms AI error correction AI for fraud detection AI training data Copyright infringement Authors suing Apple Apple Intelligence Brand impersonation AI security tools Bitsight Brand Intelligence AI and cybersecurity AI impact on economy US GDP growth AI and employment AI-generated ads Personalized advertising DirecTV AI and interest rates Neutral interest rate Federal Reserve AI and business leadership Customer-centric approach AI transparency AI labels Motorola Solutions AI in public safety