The Dual-Edged Sword of AI: How Tech Giants are Simultaneously Empowering and Complicating Our Digital Lives


This week in AI, the pace of innovation remains relentless with major updates from tech giants and new warnings for users. Microsoft is making headlines with a critical reminder for users to save their passwords from the Authenticator app before a looming deadline, while also launching new AI-powered features for Windows 11 and its Edge browser. Not to be outdone, Google's Gemini is expanding its capabilities, now allowing users to generate videos from a single image and offering new privacy controls for Android users concerned about app access. The articles also highlight the rise of new AI agents from companies like Anthropic, which can now automate tasks across popular apps like Canva and Figma, and a privacy-focused chatbot from Proton. Whether you're a developer getting mixed results from AI coding tools or a student leveraging the new narrated slide feature in NotebookLM, it's clear that AI is becoming an increasingly integrated—and sometimes complicated—part of our daily digital lives.

How to clear the cache on your Windows 11 PC (and why it greatly improves performance)
Clearing out this hidden data can give it a noticeable speed boost - here's how to track it down and delete it.
Final warning: Microsoft will delete your passwords unless you act ASAP
Microsoft is killing off the password functionality in its popular Microsoft Authenticator app as the company moves toward a "password-less" future. That means your passwords will be deleted on Aug. 1 — this Friday — unless you act quickly. We've covered the ongoing Microsoft password saga in detail, but now the key deadline is approaching. The long...
Gemini can access your Android phone's other apps, unless you stop it - here's how
If you're serious about your privacy and the integrity of your data, you might want to consider taking action against Gemini; otherwise, it'll have more access to apps than you might care for.
5 ways to be great AI agent manager, according to business leaders
The agents are coming. Here's how to ensure these emerging technologies are effective workplace partners.
You can now turn your photos into AI-generated videos with Gemini. How to try it.
Gemini now lets users generate videos from a single image. On Thursday, Google announced image-to-video support with Veo 3 video generator on the Gemini app. As of today, you can upload an image to Gemini and turn it into a video with audio, using simple text prompts. Image-to-video tools like Luma and Kling have become popular ways of animating memes...
Anthropic's AI agent can now automate Canva, Asana, Figma and more - here's how it works
The chatbot can now be prompted to pull user data from a range of external apps and web services with a single click.
5 AI coding tips every pro should know to actually save time - and stay out of trouble
AI tools are revolutionizing coding and IT work, but are they making developers faster? One study says no. Here's why AI sometimes slows experts down and speeds up mistakes.
You can ask Gemini AI anything directly in Google Chrome - here's how and why you should
Here's how you can call on Gemini for help from any web page within Chrome.
Got ChatGPT Plus? You can record and summarize meetings on a Mac now - here's how
The ability to transcribe meetings was previously limited to ChatGPT Pro, Enterprise, and Edu users. Now, Plus users can use this tool.
I spoke with an AI version of myself, thanks to Hume's free tool - how to try it
EVI 3's voice cloning feature has its shortcomings. But those are significantly overshadowed by its remarkable qualities.
Is Google Gemini free? Yes, and heres everything you can do for free with Google AI.
Is Google Gemini free? Yes and no. While there are paid plans for Google AI, aka Gemini, you can access many of its most popular features for free.As one of the world’s largest tech companies, Google has an advantage over its AI rivals: the company has the money to float the tech while it figures out how to monetize it. On top of that, Google has unparalleled...
I finally gave NotebookLM my full attention - and it really is a total game changer
Google's AI tool is the secret weapon I've been missing in my daily workflow. Here's why.
Microsoft's big AI update for Windows 11 is here - what's new
Though many of the new features are designed for Copilot+ PCs, there's much here for standard Windows 11 computers.
4 things Proton's privacy-first AI chatbot Lumo can do - and how to try it
The company behind Proton VPN has released an alternative to ChatGPT that isn't trained on user data.
Googles Try it on AI shopping tool impressed and mortified me, and now you can try it too
Updated on July 24 at 9:30 a.m. ET — Mashable's Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth originally tried the beta version of the Google Shopping "Try it on" feature in May, back when it first became available for testing. And as of this writing, Google is launching the feature to all users in the United States on desktop and mobile devices. You can try this...
Microsoft gives Copilot a face - here's how to try your new Appearance chat buddy
Available now for Copilot Labs testers, Appearance can smile, nod, and even raise an eyebrow during your voice conversations.
Microsoft launches Copilot Mode in Edge for agentic AI browsing. How to try it.
Microsoft is jumping on the AI browser bandwagon with new Copilot features for Edge. On Monday, Microsoft introduced Copilot Mode for Edge, an opt-in experimental feature with agentic AI features. (If you've been nodding and smiling every time you hear the words "agentic AI," we have an explainer for you.) This includes contextual awareness across open...
I use Edge as my default browser - but its new AI mode is unreliable and annoying
Microsoft just added a bunch of new features into the AI-powered Copilot Mode in its Edge browser. But can it really compete with Google and Perplexity? I tried chatting with it to find out.
Google upgrades AI Mode with Canvas and 3 other new features - how to try them
Google is trying to make Search's AI Mode more useful, especially for people who aren't sold on it yet.
Google's NotebookLM can now turn your content into narrated slides
If you are a visual learner, Video Overviews is for you.

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