Blake O'Bryan Montgomery
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Articles by Blake O'Bryan Montgomery
‘I miss old Google’: readers tell us how they search the internet in the age of AI
Google has put artificial intelligence at the front and center of its search bar. The most-visited site on the internet still shows the same list of links to users, but they have to scroll past a summarized response from an AI chatbot, a feature Google calls AI Overviews. The change to what was once the gateway to the rest of the internet has been profound, and the browsing habits of billions of people are shifting.
Your AI doomsday questions answered: 'What, if anything, can people like me do about it?'
In realistic terms how would artificial intelligence actually kill me? What is the main proxy threat? Nuclear war, death due to breakdown of society, a virus? I hear all these reports it could kill us but still unsure how that could practically happen? To be honest all sounds too wooly to really take seriously.
Conservatives split from Silicon Valley allies as datacenter backlash grows
Hello, and welcome to TechScape. I'm your host, Blake Montgomery, listening to Dolly Parton in the wake of her death. I was lucky enough to see her in concert a decade ago in California, in the same arena where Google now hosts its annual I/O conference. It's been a long time, and all my iPhone 4 photos are so blurry you can barely tell it's a musical performance, but my memory is clear enough to compensate.
Meta's settlement will compel others to bend the knee and set up teen guardrails
Meta's agreement to change how teenagers use its social networks marks a major turning point for the US tech giant, setting a precedent that could significantly reshape how other social media operates in the coming years. Meta agreed to substantial alterations to Instagram and Facebook on Wednesday as part of a settlement to end a landmark lawsuit. Dozens of US states had accused it of addicting and harming children with dangerous products.
Meta settles major US trial over teen social media addiction for up to $17bn
Meta reached an agreement to settle a landmark case brought by states across the US that accused the tech giant of addicting and harming children with dangerous products, according to a court filing released on Wednesday. The agreement will requires the company to pay up to $17bn. The company agreed to establish safeguards for teenage users, including daily usage limits and nighttime blocks nationwide in the US.
Debate over AI's future divides Silicon Valley as China gains ground
Hello, and welcome to TechScape. This week we'll be looking at a debate over the future of artificial intelligence that's dividing the tech industry, as well as how the European Union gave Google a slap on the wrist for anti-competitive behavior. And we'll also catch you up on the avalanche of lawsuits accusing social media companies of getting young people addicted to their products.
Headaches for Silicon Valley as China chips away at the US's lead in the AI race
Hello, I'm Blake Montgomery, writing to you after a double-header feature of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and the World Cup final. What a great Sunday. Today in tech, we're discussing how China is chipping away at the US's lead in the AI race and how Silicon Valley's workers are taking action to protect their jobs from AI.
Trump rails against New York’s statewide datacenter moratorium
Donald Trump railed against the New York governor, Kathy Hochul, for pausing the construction of large new datacenters, the resource-intensive facilities that power artificial intelligence. New York became the first US state to enact a moratorium on new datacenters on Tuesday, when Hochul signed an executive order mandating a one-year statewide pause on so-called "hyperscale" datacenters. "New York state has made a terrible decision," the president wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Big tech's lofty climate goals wrecked by energy-hungry AI
Hello, and welcome to TechScape. I'm your host, Blake Montgomery, the Guardian's US tech editor, writing to you after a rodeo in rural Texas, where I celebrated Independence Day. Today in tech, we're discussing how tech giants' investments in AI are hindering their pledges of climate neutrality, Meta's frantic search for new lines of business, and Americans' anger at tech's political influence.
How Sam Altman's victory over Elon Musk clears way for OpenAI's trillion-dollar ambitions
Blake Montgomery On Monday morning, a jury in Oakland, California, handed a resounding victory to Sam Altman and OpenAI in their long, bitter courtroom battle with Elon Musk. The federal jury found Altman, OpenAI and its president, Greg Brockman, not liable for Elon Musk's claims that they unjustly enriched themselves and broke a founding contract made with Musk when founding the startup.
Elon Musk and Sam Altman face off in court over OpenAI's founding mission
Blake Montgomery, Dara Kerr and Nick Robins-Early A lawsuit between two of Silicon Valley's biggest tycoons goes to trial Monday in California, the culmination of a years-long bitter feud.Elon Muskhas accusedSam Altmanof betraying the founding agreement of the non-profit they started together, OpenAI, by changing it to a for-profit enterprise. Musk accuses Altman,OpenAI, its president Greg Brockman, and its major partner Microsoft of breach of contract and unjust enrichment in the lawsuit.
AI companies make powerful tech – but they're also savvy marketers
Blake Montgomery Hello, and welcome to TechScape. I'm your host, Blake Montgomery, the Guardian's US tech editor, writing to you from my happy village inPokopia. WHERE DOES THE TRUTH ABOUT AI LIE? Artificial intelligence companies make powerful products. They also make outlandish claims. Last week, Anthropic released Claude Mythos, an AI model focused on cybersecurity, which has inspired widespread thrill and panic over how capable it is said to be. There's a catch, though: the public can't touch it.
Robotaxi outage in China’s Wuhan leaves passengers stranded in moving traffic
A driverless car by Apollo Go, Baidu's robotaxi service, drives past another parked on the side of a road, in Wuhan, China, on 19 July 2024.Photograph: Ethan Wang/Reuters (Photograph: Ethan Wang/Reuters) Some robotaxi passengers were left stranded in the middle of fast-moving traffic in a major Chinese city after their driverless vehicles stopped running, according to police and media reports on Wednesday.
OpenAI, parent firm of ChatGPT, closes $122bn funding round amid AI boom
Sam Altman, the chief executive officer of OpenAI.Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images · Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images OpenAI announced on Tuesday it had closed a fundraising round of $122bn and achieved a valuation of $852bn. The funding cements the ChatGPT maker as one of the most highly valued private companies in the world.
Trump says he fired Anthropic 'like dogs' as Pentagon formally blacklists AI startup
Donald Trump boasted about severing ties between the US military and Anthropic on Thursday, the same day multiple reports said that negotiations between the Department of Defense and the AI startup had resumed. They're among the latest developments in the twisting rift between the US government and the AI company. “Well, I fired Anthropic. Anthropic is in trouble because I fired [them] like dogs, because they shouldn't have done that,” Trump told Politico on Thursday.
Trump says he fired Anthropic 'like dogs' as negotiations with Pentagon reportedly restart
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Sam Altman admits OpenAI can't control Pentagon's use of AI
OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, told employees on Tuesday that his company does not control how the Pentagon uses their artificial intelligence products in military operations. Altman's claims on OpenAI's lack of input come amid increased scrutiny of how the military uses AI in war and ethics concerns from AI workers over how their technology will be deployed. “You do not get to make operational decisions,” Altman told employees, according to reports by Bloomberg and CNBC .
Can AI do 40% of your job? Block's Jack Dorsey thinks so
Jack Dorsey cited AI as the driving force behind cutting 40% of his company's employees, but other factors such as a weak crypto market, overstaffing and a declining stock price may also have motivated the move. Last week, the financial technology company Block announced that it would lay off 4,000 of its 10,000 workers. Dorsey, Block's CEO, said in a letter to shareholders that advances in AI “have changed what it means to build and run a company”. “We're already seeing it internally.
How the tech industrys embrace of Trump may be paying dividends
Hello, and welcome to TechScape. Im Blake Montgomery, writing to you from beneath a few inches of snow in New York City. This week in tech: an analysis of the quid pro quo of Donald Trumps executive order on AI; OpenAI goes on the defensive; and data centers attempt to launch into orbit.
Amazon vs Perplexity: the AI agent war has arrived
Hello, and welcome to TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery. The battle over AI agents hinges on shopping A tech titan and a startup are fighting over who controls the next phase of artificial intelligence. Amazon has sued Perplexity AI, a prominent artificial intelligence startup, over a shopping feature in that company’s browser that allows it to automate placing orders for users.
who really profits in today’s economy?
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The divide: who really profits in today’s economy?
Mark Zuckerberg tries on Orion AR glasses at Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, on 25 September 2024. Hello, and welcome to TechScape. I spent the weekend wondering about the insistent feeling in the United States that few but the ultra-rich, even businesses, are making enough money to afford the basics of a comfortable life.
Apple debuts thinner, $999 iPhone Air at ‘awe-dropping’ annual product event
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Elon Musk threatens Apple with lawsuit over OpenAI, sparking Sam Altman feud
Elon Musk in the Oval Office in Washington in May.Photograph: Shutterstock Elon Musk has threatened legal action against Apple on behalf of his artificial intelligence startup xAI, accusing the iPhone maker of favoring OpenAI and breaching antitrust regulations in managing the rankings in its App Store. The posts elicited snide responses from Sam Altman, the OpenAI CEO, and began a spat between the two former business partners on X.
Linda Yaccarino stepping down as CEO of Elon Musk’s X
The CEO of X, Elon Musk’s social network, announced on Wednesday she would step down after two years in the role. Linda Yaccarino wrote: “When @elonmusk and I first spoke of his vision for X, I knew it would be the opportunity of a lifetime to carry out the extraordinary mission of this company.
The US government is coming for Google and Meta – but what will happen next?
Blake Montgomery and Nick Robins-Early Tue, 22 April 2025 at 8:00 am GMT-5 6 min read In this article: Mark Zuckerberg departs after attending a Federal Trade Commission trial that could force the company to unwind its acquisitions of messaging platform WhatsApp and image-sharing app Instagram in Washington DC on 15 April 2025.Photograph: Nathan Howard/Reuters Hello, and welcome to TechScape. This week, Google and Meta take legal beatings while Microsoft faces a “tipping point” over Gaza.
Tesla sees disappointing fourth-quarter earnings amid declining car deliveries
Tesla reported earnings for the fourth quarter of 2024 on Wednesday after US stock markets closed, capping a bruising year for the company’s sales but a stellar one for its stock price. The car company reported $0.73 per share and $25.71bn in revenue, slightly below Wall Street analysts predictions of revenue coming in at $27.22bn. Tesla’s shares fell about 4% in after hours trading.
An elite Silicon Valley school tests a tech fast
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Meta’s emperor rebrands in new clothes
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Sam Bankman-Fried will appeal his 25-year sentence – live
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Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for orchestrating $8bn fraud – live
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Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for orchestrating $8bn fraud – live
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‘I am sorry’: Sam Bankman-Fried apologizes in court before sentencing – live
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Sam Bankman-Fried’s sentencing hearing under way for multibillion-dollar crypto fraud – live
Microsoft Cares About Your Privacy Microsoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.
Sam Bankman-Fried to be sentenced for multibillion-dollar crypto fraud – live
Microsoft Cares About Your Privacy Microsoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.
Oklahoma 13-year-old believed to be first person ever to beat Tetris
A 13-year-old in Oklahoma is believed to be the first person ever to beat Tetris since the game’s release more than three decades ago. Previously, only bots powered by artificial intelligence had forced the game, first released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), to its “kill screen”, where its signature blocks are falling so fast that the game itself can’t continue.
Sam Bankman-Fried trial: ex-girlfriend says he directed her to commit crimes
On the fifth day of Sam Bankman-Fried’s fraud trial, the prosecution’s star witness named the FTX founder as the ringleader of the $10bn fraud at the cryptocurrency exchange and its associated hedge fund. “While you were working at Alameda, did you commit any crimes?” a prosecutor asked Caroline Ellison. “Yes, we did,” she said.
Dashcam Footage Shows Uber Driver and Mom of 4 Begging Her Killer for Mercy: Cops
Pitcairn Police The harrowing final moments of an Uber driver and mother of four who was found murdered in the Pittsburgh area last weekend were captured on a dashcam video that helped police arrest her alleged killer this week. Calvin Crew, 22, was taken into custody and charged with homicide after the footage was discovered on Thursday, according to court documents and local media reports.
Mom’s Boyfriend Shoved Urine-Soaked Sock in 5-Year-Old’s Mouth and Beat Child Unconscious: Cops
Nick Pfosi/Reuters The mother of a 5-year-old and the mother’s boyfriend were arrested Thursday after the child died from what authorities deemed injuries sustained during prolonged and extreme physical abuse. Jose Angel Ruiz, 25, and Katrina Mendoza, 22, were each charged with one count of felony injury to a child. Mendoza brought her unresponsive daughter to Southwest General Hospital in San Antonio on Feb. 7.
Mom Said She Stabbed Her 3-Year-Old to Death on SpongeBob’s Orders, Investigator Says
Iosco County Jail A 22-year-old mother who allegedly stabbed her own 3-year-old daughter to death and stashed the body in a trash bag told a Child Protective Services investigator that SpongeBob Squarepants ordered the murder. That’s according to Ryan Eberline, the CPS investigator who interviewed Justine Johnson in jail after the latter had been arrested on charges of felony murder and first-degree child abuse.
Bodycam Footage of Police Shooting Shows Amir Locke Under Blanket
YouTube The Minneapolis Police Department released body camera footage on Thursday evening showing the fatal shooting of Amir Rahkare Locke after several officers entered his apartment. The 22-year-old was not the intended subject of the investigation that the Minnesota SWAT team was conducting when it executed the search warrant Wednesday around 7 a.m., a law enforcement official told The Daily Beast.
10-Year-Old Acted as ‘Class Nurse’ for Her Teacher. She Died of COVID 6 Days Later
Screenshot/YouTube The parents of a 10-year-old Virginia girl who died of COVID-19 after her teacher assigned her the role of “class nurse” tore into the school on Saturday for what they described as a half-hearted investigation into her death. Teresa Sperry died Sept. 27, just five days after she started experiencing a headache—and six days after her parents say she was tasked with walking sick children to the nurse’s office.
10-Year-Old Acted as ‘Class Nurse’ for Her Teacher. She Died of COVID 6 Days Later
Screenshot/YouTube The parents of a 10-year-old Virginia girl who died of COVID-19 after her teacher assigned her the role of “class nurse” tore into the school on Saturday for what they described as a half-hearted investigation into her death. Teresa Sperry died Sept. 27, just five days after she started experiencing a headache—and six days after her parents say she was tasked with walking sick children to the nurse’s office.
Man Killed in Hail of Police Bullets Fired by NINE Cops on Nashville Interstate
Twitter/WSM4 Nine police officers in Tennessee opened fire on a 37-year-old man on Thursday afternoon after a confrontation on an interstate highway in Nashville. The man, who police said had been sitting on a guardrail on the busy roadway, died. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation identified the victim late Thursday as Landon Eastep. Samantha McGill-Barge, Eastep’s sister-in-law, told The Daily Beast she was baffled that he was on the highway Thursday.
‘Dune’ Actress Explains Parents’ Shock Deaths: ‘I Had No Idea Their Heat Had Gone’
A month after her parents’ shock deaths from hypothermia, actor Alicia Witt took to Facebook Tuesday to detail how the preventable tragedy has left her reeling and struggling with what she could have done to save them. In a raw statement released Tuesday, the 1984 Dune actor and Orange Is the New Black star wrote that “i had no idea that their heat had gone out. i will never understand how or why they made the choice not to tell me this, not to let me help them with this.
8-Year-Old Chicago Girl Killed by Stray Bullet to the Head
Getty An 8-year-old girl was fatally shot in Chicago on Saturday as she walked on a sidewalk with her mother. Police say she and her mother were not the intended targets, according to local reports. The two were reportedly walking together in the Little Village neighborhood when they heard gunfire and rushed into a nearby bank for cover. It was there that the extent of the child’s injuries became clear. She was rushed to nearby Stroger Hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries.
Canadian Guests Killed After Gunfire Erupts at Ritzy Playa del Carmen Resort Original
Quintana Roo Defense Department A shooting at a ritzy resort near Cancun left two Canadians dead and one other injured Friday, Mexican authorities said. The gunman remains at large. The shooting is the latest in a spate of horrific violence in the vacation hotspot. A man wielding a gun was caught on CCTV at the five-star Xcaret Hotel, located at popular Playa del Carmen, in a gray sweatsuit by the pool.
8-Year-Old Chicago Girl Killed by Stray Bullet to the Head
Getty An 8-year-old girl was fatally shot in Chicago on Saturday as she walked on a sidewalk with her mother. Police say she and her mother were not the intended targets, according to the Chicago Tribune. The two were reportedly walking together in the Little Village neighborhood when they heard gunfire and rushed into a nearby bank for cover. It was there that the extent of the child’s injuries became clear. She was rushed to nearby Stroger Hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries.
Canadian Guests Killed After Gunfire Erupts at Ritzy Playa del Carmen Resort
Quintana Roo Defense Department A shooting at a ritzy resort near Cancun left two Canadians dead and one other injured Friday, Mexican authorities said. The gunman remains at large. The shooting is the latest in a spate of horrific violence in the vacation hotspot. A man wielding a gun was caught on CCTV at the five-star Xcaret Hotel, located at popular Playa del Carmen, in a gray sweatsuit by the pool.
NPR ‘Founding Mother’ Unloads on Public Editor Over SCOTUS Story: ‘She’s Not Clarifying Anything!’
Andrew Burton/Getty The widening controversy over an NPR story on masks in the Supreme Court turned inward as a legendary reporter there blasted the broadcaster’s public editor for critiquing her work.
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