Listen to today’s podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nqwUyvLDEvs7bV985k-gQ
AI Daily Podcast — January 8, 2026
Today’s podcast episode was created from the following stories:
Qira is Motorola and Lenovo’s big swing at hands-free, always-on AI
Lenovo and Motorola unveiled Qira at CES 2026, a system-level assistant that moves with you across phones, PCs, tablets, and wearables for continuous, context-aware help. Most processing runs on-device for speed and privacy, with the cloud assisting when needed. A wearable prototype, Project Maxwell, hints at a hands-free future; Qira starts on select Lenovo devices in early 2026 before expanding to Motorola phones.
California could get a 4-year ban on toys with AI chatbots
California Senator Steve Padilla introduced SB 867, proposing a four-year moratorium on AI chatbot-enabled toys for minors to give regulators time to craft safety rules. The move follows troubling reports of toys offering dangerous or inappropriate guidance, even as a recent federal executive order leaves room for child-safety laws. Whether it passes or not, the bill underscores growing scrutiny of AI in products for kids.
CES 2026: Google brings Gemini AI features to Google TV, previewing what Apple TV could get
Google is adding Gemini to Google TV for visually rich answers, narrated Deep Dives, photo search/editing, and even on-TV image and video generation, plus natural-language tuning of picture and audio settings. TCL devices get the features first, with a broader rollout to other Google TV hardware in the coming months. With Apple adopting Gemini for some upcoming AI features and a new Apple TV expected this spring, similar experiences could arrive on Apple’s platform.
JPMorgan is ditching proxy advisors and turning to AI for shareholder votes in the US
JPMorgan Asset Management will stop relying on external proxy advisors for U.S. votes and roll out an in-house AI platform, Proxy IQ, with changes fully in effect by April 1. The system will aggregate and analyze data from thousands of annual meetings to support vote decisions aligned to clients’ interests. It’s a high-profile example of AI reshaping corporate governance workflows at massive scale.
McKinsey’s CEO breaks down how AI is reshaping its workforce: 25% growth in some roles, 25% cuts in others
McKinsey CEO Bob Sternfels says AI is driving a “25 squared” shift: client-facing roles up 25% while non-client roles shrink 25%, even as output grows. The firm saved 1.5 million hours on search and synthesis and already fields 25,000 personalized AI agents alongside 40,000 human employees, with parity expected by year’s end. His advice for workers: focus on judgment, creativity, and capabilities AI can’t easily mimic.
Elon Musk says China will ‘far exceed the rest of the world in AI compute’
Elon Musk argues China’s edge in electricity generation—not just chips—will make it the global leader in AI compute capacity. As AI data centers strain grids, power emerges as the key bottleneck, and analysts project China could have significant spare capacity by 2030. If that holds, energy infrastructure may matter more than cutting-edge semiconductors in the next phase of the AI race.
