Starting this week in the US, you’ll be able to ask linked apps like Instacart, Canva, or YouTube Music to help you out right from AI Mode, Google says. Another step on Google’s path of becoming a search box that does everything.
Jay Peters

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“I realize that some people really dislike AI, but this is an area where I’m willing to absolutely put my foot down as the top-level maintainer,” Torvalds said this week in a message, as reported by The Register. If someone has issues with Linux not being anti-AI, “they can do the open-source thing and fork it.”
[The Register]
379 positions were cut in the state, according to a WARN notice obtained by Game Developer’s Chris Kerr. The cuts include major layoffs in Rockville, where the Bethesda Game Studios HQ is located.
Game File reported on the changes as well, including senior leadership departures at Zenimax Online Studios.
Update: Added Game File’s report.
Earlier this week, WinFuture reported it, and today, Bloomberg is reporting it too, saying that the move “will happen as early as this week.” The change is apparently happening as part of a broader shifts at Oppo, OnePlus’ parent company.
Applications open on July 22nd at 10AM ET, and you’ll need to have a Switch 2 and an active Nintendo Switch Online membership to participate. Applications will be accepted in “the order that they are received,” so if you want a chance to try it, be ready on this page that day.
Selections will be announced on August 7th at 9AM ET. The test will run at specific times from August 21st through August 23rd.
[The Duskbloods]
AI data center projects are continuing to pop up across the US, with frequent opposition from locals concerned about their impact. Here are a few recent articles about the projects:
- Atlanta Community Press Collective: Marietta City Council tables approval of new data center
- KATU 2: Massive $5.1B data center proposed for Salem draws praise and pushback
- The Texas Tribune: A data center proposed at a quiet corner of East Texas leaves a community bracing for a boom
- WWSB: Sarasota County blocks hyperscale data centers for at least one year
OpenAI, on its status website, confirmed that there were “elevated errors” affecting ChatGPT. During the outage, when I tried to access ChatGPT on the web, all that loaded was an error message. The company confirmed impacted services had recovered at 8:39PM ET.
Update: OpenAI says the issues are resolved.
[OpenAI Status]
Apple’s lawsuit said that OpenAI “never responded” to outreach in February. But NBC News reports OpenAI did respond, though communication stopped after one of Apple’s lawyers apparently mixed up OpenAI staffers with the last names Wang and Chang.



