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The Browser Company unveils a paid plan for AI browser

The Browser Company has introduced a $20 monthly Pro subscription for Dia, its AI-powered web browser, offering unlimited access to advanced chat and skills features.

Free users will now encounter limits on AI usage, although light users engaging with AI a few times a week can still use the browser without paying. CEO Josh Miller mentioned plans to launch multiple subscription tiers, ranging from $5 to several hundred dollars, based on different feature sets.

The Pro plan was briefly available online before being removed, but it is now accessible again through Dia’s settings. It marks The Browser Company’s first paid offering following its previous success with the Arc browser.

The Browser Company has secured $128 million in funding from investors, including Pace Capital and several prominent tech leaders such as Jeff Weiner and Dylan Field.

The launch comes amid intensifying competition in the AI browser space, with rivals like Perplexity’s Comet, Opera’s upcoming Neon browser, and AI integrations from Google and Microsoft vying for user attention.

The Browser Company’s subscription model aims to capitalise on growing interest in AI-enhanced browsing experiences.

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GPT-5 launches with ‘PhD-level performance’

OpenAI has unveiled GPT-5, the latest generation of its widely used ChatGPT tool, offering what CEO Sam Altman described as a ‘huge improvement’ in capability.

Now free to all users, the model builds on previous versions but stops short of the human-like reasoning associated with accurate artificial general intelligence.

Altman compared the leap in performance to ‘talking to a PhD-level expert’ instead of a student.

While GPT-5 does not learn continuously from new experiences, it is designed to excel in coding, writing, healthcare and other specialist areas.

Industry observers say the release underscores the rapid acceleration in AI, with rivals such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Elon Musk’s xAI investing heavily in the race. Chinese startup DeepSeek has also drawn attention for producing powerful models using less costly chips.

OpenAI has emphasised GPT-5’s safety features, with its research team training the system to avoid deception and prevent harmful outputs.

Alongside the flagship release, the company launched two open-weight models that can be freely downloaded and modified, a move seen as both a nod to its nonprofit origins and a challenge to competitors’ open-source offerings.

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Scientists use AI to teach drones to program themselves

A computer scientist has shown that robots can now write the brains of other robots, thanks to generative AI.

Professor Peter Burke from the University of California, Irvine, has demonstrated a drone capable of creating and hosting its own control system using AI-written code, significantly reducing the time usually needed to build such infrastructure.

The project used several AI models and coding tools to prompt the creation of a real-time, web-based command centre hosted on the drone itself. The final system, which runs on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, allows the drone to operate independently while remaining accessible over the internet.

Unlike traditional systems, where ground control is handled externally, the drone manages its own mission planning and navigation through a built-in AI-generated website.

Burke’s team used tools such as Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT, Cursor, and Windsurf to build the system across several sprints. Despite context limitations in each model, the final version was completed in just over 100 hours, around twenty times faster than a previous project of similar complexity.

The final codebase consisted of 10,000 lines and included everything from flight commands to map-based interaction and GPS tracking.

Although the technology shows promising potential in fields like aerial imagery and spatial AI, experts have raised safety concerns.

While a manual override system was included in the experiment, the ability for robots to self-generate control logic introduces new ethical and operational challenges, especially as such systems evolve to operate in unpredictable environments.

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Hubballi emerges as Infosys’ tech hub with Center for AI, cybersecurity, space

Infosys’ decision to launch a Centre for Advanced AI, Cybersecurity & Space Technology in Hubballi deepens its commitment to transforming North Karnataka into a thriving tech hub. The centre, forming part of the company’s global Living Labs network, signals strategic investment in emerging technologies grounded in regional development.

Over 1,000 employees are now based at Hubballi, where the new Living Lab delivers services across sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and space technology. Strategic ties with local academic institutions like IIIT Dharwad are intended to nurture future-ready talent close to operations.

Local leaders framed the centre as a corrective to past underutilisation concerns and a driver of industry-academia collaboration. By encouraging expansion to other districts, they set the tone for inclusive growth and long-term innovation across North Karnataka.

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Endex brings AI to Excel with OpenAI Startup Fund support

Endex.ai has secured $14 million in funding to bring AI directly into Microsoft Excel. The funding round was led by the OpenAI Startup Fund, marking a significant moment for traditional tools in the business world.

Founded in 2022 by Tarun Amasa and Kevin Yang, the startup has spent the past year collaborating quietly with financial institutions to refine its product.

Now available to the public through limited invites, the tool embeds itself within Excel and helps users manage tasks like financial modelling, data cleanup, and detailed analysis (without switching applications).

Unlike broader AI tools, Endex has been designed specifically for finance professionals. It understands financial terminology, adapts to user habits, and references trusted data sources such as SEC filings, CapIQ, and earnings reports.

The company describes its product as Excel-native, aiming to enhance rather than replace a tool already deeply integrated into finance work.

With the new funding, Endex plans to expand development and scale its reach. The AI agent already works on both Mac and Windows, and its frictionless interface is proving attractive in a field where saving time and improving accuracy can make a substantial difference.

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NVIDIA pushes back against chip backdoor demands

NVIDIA has publicly rejected calls to embed kill switches or backdoors in its AI chips amid growing political pressure. The statement follows proposals from US lawmakers and accusations by Chinese authorities.

Chief Security Officer David Reber Jr. said any such backdoor would endanger global digital infrastructure and open doors for hackers. He reaffirmed NVIDIA’s commitment to fixing vulnerabilities, not creating them.

The controversy arises as the chipmaker navigates strict US export controls while maintaining its foothold in China with the H20 chip. A Chinese agency recently claimed these chips already contain hidden controls.

Reber distinguished transparent, user-controlled tools like remote wipe from covert backdoors, arguing they serve customers without risking the system integrity of the chips.

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Trump Media trials new AI search engine with help from Perplexity

Trump Media and Technology Group has begun testing a new AI-powered search engine called Truth Search AI on its Truth Social platform.

Developed in partnership with AI company Perplexity, the feature is intended to enhance access to information for users of the platform.

Devin Nunes, CEO and Chairman of Trump Media, said the tool will strengthen Truth Social’s position in the so-called ‘Patriot Economy’.

Perplexity’s Chief Business Officer, Dmitry Shevelenko, added that the collaboration brings powerful AI to users who are seeking answers to significant questions.

The search engine is already live on the platform and has responded to politically sensitive queries with measured language.

When asked whether Donald Trump was a liar, the tool noted that the label often depends on context, but acknowledged that fact-checkers have documented many misleading claims.

A similar question about Nancy Pelosi prompted the response that such a claim was partisan rather than factual.

Trump Media plans to expand the feature to its iOS and Android apps shortly. The launch is part of a wider strategy to broaden the company’s digital offerings, which also include ventures in cryptocurrency and finance, such as a proposed Bitcoin ETF in partnership with Crypto.com and Yorkville America Digital.

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OpenAI expands reach with models now accessible on AWS platforms

Amazon Web Services (AWS) now offers access to OpenAI’s gpt‑oss‑120b and gpt‑oss‑20b models through both Amazon Bedrock and SageMaker JumpStart. Bedford’s unified API lets developers experiment and switch models without rewriting code, while SageMaker offers fine‑tuning, deployment pipelines, and robust enterprise controls.

AWS CEO Matt Garman celebrated the partnership as a ‘powerhouse combination’, noting that the models outperform comparable options, claiming they are three times more price-efficient than Gemini and five times more than DeepSeek‑R1, when deployed via Bedrock.

Rich functionality comes with these models: wide context capacity, chain-of-thought transparency, adjustable reasoning levels, and compatibility with agentic workflows. Bedrock offers secure deployment with Guardrails support, while SageMaker enables experimentation across AWS regions.

Financial markets took notice. AWS stock rose after the announcement, as analysts viewed the pairing with OpenAI’s open models as a meaningful step toward boosting its AI offerings amid fierce cloud rivalry.

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AI-assisted multi-disease CT scans launched in Beijing hospital

Beijing United Family Hospital and Alibaba DAMO Academy have launched a joint effort to bring advanced AI screening into clinical use.

Their flagship project uses a plain CT scan combined with DAMO Academy’s multi-condition detection AI to facilitate early identification of gastrointestinal cancers and chronic diseases.

The technology has already internationally earned the FDA’s ‘Breakthrough Device’ designation. Collaborators stress that combining AI with established international standards supports more accurate, patient-centred care.

The system streamlines diagnosis, reducing delays and improving reliability, especially for cancers that traditional screening often misses. Hospital leadership argues that the partnership shifts screening from reactive to proactive models.

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Travel industry in UAE shifts toward hybrid AI‑human experience

The use of AI for travel planning has surged in the UAE, with six in ten travellers reporting they use AI to manage flights, hotels, itineraries, and dining. Tourism Economics and ATM data show that the UAE’s adoption rate significantly exceeds the global average.

Tools like Sabre’s SynXis Concierge and Miral’s Majd Al are now integrated into hotel and attraction services to speed up queries and offer personalised suggestions.

Despite the technological appeal, travel professionals stress the importance of human contact. Automated agents may optimise logistics, but UAE customers continue to value emotionally intelligent service, especially for complex or premium experiences.

As Al Rais Travel puts it, a hybrid approach, where AI performs background analysis and humans provide real connection, is ideal.

Industry dialogue at ATM 2025 underscored trust as key: AI can generate draft itineraries and administrative support, but travellers still rely on agents to uncover hidden gems, accommodate cultural preferences, and fine-tune experiences.

Experts such as Naomi Ekberg argue that in the UAE’s cosmopolitan market, AI should free up staff to deliver memorable human moments rather than replace them.

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