Listen to today’s podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nqwUyvLDEvs7bV985k-gQ
AI Daily Podcast 12/31/2025
Welcome to AI Daily. Today’s podcast episode was created from the following stories: a fast-moving week for agentic AI, dealmaking, platform rules, and new devices that bring AI into everyday workflows.
Meta se ha puesto a la cabeza de la carrera de los agentes de IA adquiriendo Manus por 2.000 millones de dólares
By Marcos Merino — December 30, 2025
Meta is buying Manus for more than $2 billion to fast‑track agentic AI that takes actions, not just chats, across its massive user base. The company says it will sever Manus’s ties to China and tighten governance to minimize geopolitical and regulatory risk. Beyond tech, Meta is acquiring hard‑won agent UX expertise to make autonomous workflows reliable at scale.
La IA agéntica era la nueva carrera de las Big Tech y Meta iba muy por detrás. Ha comprado a la empresa más capaz para remontar
By Antonio Vallejo — December 30, 2025
Manus brings fast‑growing, revenue‑generating agent tech to Meta after a year of buys in voice, audio, and chips. Meta will keep Manus independent while integrating agents into Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp; Chinese investors have been removed, and CEO Xiao Hong will report to COO Javier Oliván. It’s a bold acceleration in the agent race as Meta ramps massive AI capex with no guaranteed quick payback.
These 9 big deals defined the year in artificial intelligence
By Melia Russell and Ben Bergman — December 30, 2025
From Nvidia’s talent‑plus‑licensing pact with Groq to Disney’s $1B OpenAI deal and SoftBank’s infrastructure push, 2025 was shaped by hybrid agreements that bundle compute, IP, and people. Meta’s $2B Manus buy fits the pattern: spend to buy speed and capability while sidestepping traditional M&A when useful. The upshot is a power realignment and long‑term dependencies across Silicon Valley and public infrastructure.
China is considering a raft of new controls for training AI on chat log data. Here’s what it means.
By Lee Chong Ming — December 30, 2025
Beijing proposed rules requiring clear disclosure, user control, and explicit consent before chat logs can be used to train models, with added protections for minors. Analysts say the shift may slow RLHF‑driven improvements but aligns with national security and user‑safety priorities. It raises the global bar for transparency in how conversational data is collected, stored, and shared.
Google AI Overviews had the last laugh this year. My big ‘glue pizza’ moment is no more.
By Katie Notopoulos — December 30, 2025
After a messy 2024, Google’s AI Overviews now handle odd queries more gracefully and are becoming genuinely useful for many searches. As users accept AI summaries over clicks, publishers face further traffic pressure and search behavior continues to shift. It’s a clear sign that AI answers are reshaping discovery and distribution.
DreamWorks CEO turned VC Jeff Katzenberg says that AI is not going to be a ‘zero-sum game’
By Shubhangi Goel — December 30, 2025
Jeffrey Katzenberg argues AI won’t be winner‑take‑all; 2026 will separate teams delivering real outcomes from hype. WndrCo prioritizes founders and execution over benchmark scores, echoing broader skepticism that today’s tests reflect real‑world value. The investing lens is shifting toward durable products, customers, and unit economics.
TCL’s new paper-like tablet has a bunch of AI in it
By James Pero — December 30, 2025
TCL’s Note A1 Nxtpaper combines a 120Hz matte, paper‑like display with AI features like handwriting‑to‑text, transcription, translation, and writing assistance. A low‑latency stylus, 256GB storage, and an 8,000 mAh battery target students and professionals; it ships late February for $549. It’s another sign of AI permeating everyday productivity hardware.
Disney streaming viewership has been stagnant — but the company has plans to jump-start growth
By James Faris — December 30, 2025
Despite subscriber gains and rising profits, Disney+ and Hulu’s US viewership share is flat, prompting a 2026 super‑app that folds Hulu into Disney+ and brings ESPN into bundles. Disney is also betting on AI‑generated character clips via OpenAI to boost engagement, especially with younger audiences. The strategy aims to turn Disney+ into an engagement engine that lifts ads, retention, and even parks and cruises.
Closing thoughts
From Meta’s agentic push and Disney’s AI‑driven engagement to China’s data rules and Google’s better AI answers, the throughline is AI moving from model demos to productized experiences — alongside the governance and infrastructure to support them. The biggest shifts in 2025 weren’t just new models, but new ways to acquire talent, data, and distribution. We’ll keep tracking how these forces shape what reaches your feed — and your devices — next.
