Listen to today’s podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nqwUyvLDEvs7bV985k-gQ
AI Daily Podcast — December 18, 2025
Today’s podcast episode was created from the following stories:
Build interactive mini apps with Opal in the Gemini app
By: Unknown | Published: Not specified
Google is bringing Opal—its tool for building AI-powered mini apps—directly into the Gemini web app so users can create experimental, reusable Gems. A new steps view helps translate prompts into editable workflows, while power users can jump to the Advanced Editor at opal.google for deeper control. The experiment is live now within Gemini.
Nadella’s message to Microsoft execs: Get on board with the AI grind or get out
By: Ashley Stewart | Published: December 17, 2025
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is reshaping the company around AI with an urgent, bottoms-up operating model—weekly AI accelerator sessions, faster iteration, and leaders working like hands-on ICs. Leadership shifts, including Judson Althoff’s expanded role, free Nadella and engineering to focus on data centers, systems architecture, and AI science. The message: move fast on AI or step aside as Microsoft rethinks how software is built and funded.
Trump reportedly pausing $40 billion AI and quantum deal with UK
By: Ece Yildirim | Published: December 17, 2025
The U.S. has reportedly suspended the $41 billion “Tech Prosperity Deal” with the UK—backed by Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia—amid tensions over Britain’s food standards, the Online Safety Act, and its Digital Services Tax. The move signals a tougher U.S. stance on EU-style digital regulation and hints at possible retaliatory measures. It raises uncertainty for cross-border AI and quantum investments that depend on predictable policy alignment.
OpenAI hires former UK chancellor to lead its global Stargate project
By: Tom Carter | Published: December 17, 2025
George Osborne, former UK chancellor, will lead OpenAI for Countries, the global arm of the company’s $500 billion Stargate infrastructure push. His remit: partner with nations to site data centers and scale OpenAI’s footprint beyond the U.S., reflecting Big Tech’s growing reliance on government partnerships. The hire underscores the premium on political acumen as AI infrastructure projects collide with policy, energy, and national strategy.
Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis says some AI startups are wildly overpriced — and a correction is coming
By: Lee Chong Ming | Published: December 17, 2025
Demis Hassabis warns that early-stage AI startups raising at sky-high valuations are likely in bubble territory, even as Big Tech’s AI investments sit on firmer business foundations. He expects a market correction as enthusiasm overshoots reality—common in major tech shifts. Long term, he remains bullish on AI’s impact, but urges more grounded expectations in the near term.
Meta’s new smart glasses update enhances your holiday listening experience
By: Nandika Ravi | Published: December 17, 2025
Meta’s v21 update introduces “Conversation focus” to amplify the person you’re speaking with in noisy environments—rolling out first to early access users of Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta HSTN in the U.S. and Canada. A new multimodal Spotify integration lets Meta AI suggest music based on what you’re seeing and your vibe, with availability expanding across multiple countries. It’s a practical step toward context-aware, wearable AI experiences.
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By: Unknown | Published: Not specified
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Untitled
By: Unknown | Published: Not specified
No article details were provided in the feed. Follow the source link for the latest updates.
Taken together, these stories chart the AI landscape from boardrooms to devices: tech giants racing to restructure for speed, governments shaping the playing field, startups testing valuation limits, and everyday products getting smarter and more contextual. As infrastructure and policy converge, the winners will blend technical excellence with execution, trust, and real-world utility. We’ll keep watching how today’s strategic bets translate into tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
