Chinese AI lab Z.ai debuts GLM-5.3 – DTH

Google Makes AI Watermarks Easier to Hide

Google is letting Gemini and Flow users remove the visible watermark from some AI-generated images and videos. The files will still include invisible SynthID watermarks and Content Credentials metadata, but the obvious “made by AI” label is now optional. Good for creators, less good for anyone trying to spot synthetic media quickly.

source: The Verge

Open Models Get a Security Headache

Chinese AI lab Z.ai introduced GLM-5.3, with upgrades aimed at long coding tasks and cybersecurity work. Z.ai says it scored 84.5% on CyberGym, a benchmark for finding software vulnerabilities, and the company is holding back public model weights while it adds more safety checks. Another sign that open models are getting powerful enough to make both developers and security teams pay attention.

source: SiliconANGLE

Waymo Gets a Bigger Map

Waymo got approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to expand robotaxi service across 18 California counties, including Sacramento and San Diego. That does not mean Waymo cars are showing up everywhere tomorrow, but it clears an important regulatory step. Now comes the harder part: vehicles, charging, maintenance, and local operations.

source: Electrek

DeepSeek Joins the Coding Agent Fight

DeepSeek launched Harness, an open-source coding agent, alongside broader access to its V4 Pro model. The company is also raising developer interface prices, which stands out because DeepSeek built so much momentum on being cheaper than US rivals. Pretty clear coding agents are becoming a major AI battleground, and price is part of the strategy.

source: VentureBeat

Tesla Asked for 5,000 Robotaxis. Nevada Said 10.

Tesla asked Nevada regulators for permission to run 5,000 robotaxis in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas. Instead, it got approval for 10 vehicles, with “appropriate human supervision” required. Still unclear whether that means someone inside the car or remote monitoring, but either way, that is a pretty big gap.

source: Axios

Apple Maps Gets Ads

Apple Maps is opening ad booking for businesses in the US and Canada. Sponsored local results can now show up inside Maps, while Apple says location and ad interactions are not tied to a user’s Apple Account or shared with advertisers. Apple gets a new local ads business, and businesses get one more place to pay for visibility.

source: 9to5Mac

Apple and Epic Are Still Fighting About Fees

Apple and Epic are still arguing over what Apple can charge when developers send users outside the App Store to pay. Apple proposed 15% fees for standard apps and 5% for Small Business Program apps, even while acknowledging its necessary costs for those outside purchases are basically zero. Critics are calling that an admission that the fees are about Apple’s commission, not actual processing costs.

source: Thurrott

Cancer-Sniffing Dogs Meet AI

Bengaluru startup Dognosis is combining trained dogs with AI for a breath-based cancer screening test. The dogs detect disease-related compounds in breath samples, and machine learning turns their responses into a standardized risk score. The promise is a cheaper, non-invasive screening tool, but clinical validation and regulation are still ahead.

source: The Next Web

Weather Data Is Operational Intelligence Now

Bloomberg reports drones are being used to collect better weather data from the lower atmosphere, where small changes in wind, temperature, and moisture can affect forecasts. That matters for military operations, drone flights, wildfire smoke, and even commodity trading. A good reminder that weather data is not just about whether you need an umbrella.

source: Bloomberg