Sunday, February 22, 2026

AI News Daily – 2026-02-22

AI News Summary
Title: Global AI Roundup: OpenAI Safety Backlash, Google’s Gemini 3.1 Pro Debut, Disney’s IP Fight, and India’s Sovereign AI Push
Content: OpenAI is under intense scrutiny after staff flagged violent ChatGPT conversations from the future Tumbler Ridge, Canada, school shooter months before the attack but did not alert authorities, citing policies and a lack of imminent risk. The incident, which authorities say left eight dead, reignited calls for clearer reporting protocols, stronger safeguards, and better balance between user privacy and public safety. CEO Sam Altman warned AGI could arrive sooner than expected and urged urgent global regulation.

Google launched Gemini 3.1 Pro with major gains in reasoning, coding, and multimodal performance, posting 77.1% on ARC-AGI-2—more than double its predecessor. The model is rolling out in preview for Pro and Ultra tiers and is now deeply integrated into Android for faster, more accurate on-device assistance. Google also unveiled WebMCP to power richer, more agentic web apps. Meanwhile, security researchers flagged PromptSpy, Android malware leveraging Gemini for stealth, and separate research found widespread data leaks in third-party Android AI apps due to poor cloud practices—underscoring persistent platform risks.

In entertainment and IP, Disney and NBCUniversal sued Midjourney for allegedly generating images using protected characters such as Deadpool and Spider-Man without authorization, a case likely to shape AI copyright law. In parallel, Disney struck a licensing deal with OpenAI to allow its iconic characters on Sora, OpenAI’s video platform, highlighting a dual strategy of enforcement and controlled licensing.

Anthropic introduced Claude Code Security, an autonomous tool for finding and fixing software vulnerabilities, a leap for AI-driven cybersecurity that rattled publicly traded security vendors and sent sector stocks sliding. Broader AI reliability issues surfaced elsewhere: Amazon’s AI coding tool “Kiro” was linked to AWS disruptions later attributed to human error; Microsoft moved to fix a Microsoft 365 Copilot bug that exposed summaries of confidential emails; and a NewsGuard review found leading AI voice tools, including ChatGPT and Gemini, still struggle to curb misinformation.

OpenAI’s business plans continue to balloon. Leaked slides point to revenue projections rising from $13.1 billion in 2025 to $280 billion by 2030. The company has revised AI infrastructure spending plans to about $600 billion by 2030 (down from earlier $1.4 trillion estimates) and is reportedly preparing a $100 billion-plus fundraising round. Nvidia is weighing a $30 billion stake that could lift OpenAI’s valuation toward $830 billion, with Amazon and SoftBank also in the mix, and a potential $1 trillion IPO under discussion. Microsoft said its now–$13 billion bet on OpenAI has paid off after early internal skepticism.

OpenAI is expanding into consumer hardware, assembling a 200-person team to build devices such as a smart speaker (co-designed with Jony Ive) featuring facial recognition and deep context awareness, as well as smart glasses and a lamp, with the first product targeted for 2027. Reports also suggest Apple and OpenAI are exploring wearable AI devices offering real-time translation and health features, raising fresh privacy concerns.

India accelerated its AI ecosystem. Sarvam AI launched Indus, a 105-billion-parameter, multilingual sovereign AI platform and chat app tuned to local languages and culture, backed by $41 million and praised by Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Tech Mahindra, with NVIDIA, introduced a Hindi-first education LLM to widen access to quality learning. OpenAI and Reliance teamed up to add multilingual conversational search to JioHotstar, personalizing discovery across movies, shows, and live sports.

Elsewhere in consumer and social commerce, Reddit began piloting AI-powered shopping tools that surface community-recommended products alongside search results, blending discovery with e-commerce. In health and accessibility, startups showcased AI diagnostics, preventive care, and assistive tools—from health ATMs to video-based biomechanical analysis—while a Vietnamese high school student won national honors for an app that converts sign language to speech/text and assists visually impaired users with navigation and currency identification.

News Articles
Title: OpenAI Faces Scrutiny After ChatGPT Linked to Canadian Mass Shooting
Content: OpenAI is under investigation following a mass shooting in Canada tied to a flagged ChatGPT user, sparking urgent debate over AI firms’ ethical responsibilities. The company failed to notify authorities, prompting calls for stricter safeguards, transparency, and regulatory oversight to prevent AI misuse and better protect public safety.

Title: Disney and NBCUniversal Sue Midjourney, Citing AI Copyright Infringement
Content: Disney and NBCUniversal have filed a landmark lawsuit against AI startup Midjourney, accusing it of unauthorized use of iconic characters like Deadpool and Spider-Man in AI-generated images. This high-profile case could shape future rules around intellectual property and AI-generated content in the entertainment industry.

Title: Google Unleashes Gemini 3.1 Pro, Doubling AI Reasoning Power
Content: Google’s new Gemini 3.1 Pro AI model sets a new benchmark for abstract reasoning and complex problem-solving, scoring 77.1% on ARC-AGI-2—more than double its predecessor. Now in preview, Gemini 3.1 Pro empowers developers and enterprises to build advanced interactive experiences, raising the bar for AI performance worldwide.

Title: OpenAI and Reliance Bring Conversational AI Search to JioHotstar
Content: OpenAI and Reliance Industries have teamed up to power conversational AI search on JioHotstar, enabling users to discover movies, shows, and live sports with natural language prompts in multiple languages. This integration marks a major step in making AI-driven entertainment more personalized and accessible across India.

Title: OpenAI Projections Reveal Explosive Growth—and Massive Compute Costs
Content: Leaked internal slides show OpenAI expects revenues to skyrocket from $13.1 billion in 2025 to $280 billion by 2030, fueled by ChatGPT’s growing user base. However, the company anticipates cash burn of $665 billion over the same period due to soaring AI compute expenses—a balancing act for potential $1 trillion valuation.

Title: Apple and OpenAI Plan Wearable AI Devices—But Privacy Fears Loom
Content: Apple and OpenAI are reportedly developing wearable AI tech promising features like real-time translation and health monitoring. While these devices could redefine personal tech, experts warn of increased surveillance and data privacy risks, as the industry debates how to balance groundbreaking innovation with user well-being.

Title: Disney Greenlights OpenAI’s Sora to Feature Iconic Characters
Content: OpenAI and Disney have struck a pivotal deal allowing Disney’s celebrated characters to appear on Sora, OpenAI’s AI video platform. This partnership expands creative possibilities for content creators and underscores AI’s growing influence in entertainment, while ensuring copyright compliance.

Title: Sarvam AI Launches Indus, India’s First Sovereign AI Platform
Content: Sarvam AI has unveiled Indus, India’s first sovereign AI application designed for local languages and cultural nuances, reinforcing digital independence while safeguarding data privacy. Indus aims to catalyze innovation and sets a new benchmark in the global AI landscape for national digital sovereignty.

Title: Reddit Pilots AI-Powered Shopping, Blending Community Wisdom with E-Commerce
Content: Reddit has launched an AI shopping tool that connects community-recommended products directly to e-commerce, offering users curated carousels alongside search results. This move fuses social discovery with seamless purchasing, marking Reddit’s big push into AI-driven retail experiences.

Title: OpenAI CEO Warns AGI Is Near—World Not Ready
Content: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says artificial general intelligence could arrive sooner than expected, with superintelligent prototypes already in development. While exciting advances loom, Altman cautions the world is unprepared for disruptive societal and workforce changes that powerful AI could bring.

Title: OpenAI Faces Scrutiny Over ChatGPT’s Role in Canadian Mass Shooting
Content: OpenAI detected alarming violent conversations by the Tumbler Ridge shooter months before the tragedy but chose not to alert authorities, citing policy guidelines. The case has sparked urgent debate on tech companies’ responsibilities and the need for clearer safety and reporting protocols as AI becomes more intertwined with real-world risks.

Title: Google Launches Gemini 3.1 Pro to Outpace Claude and Rival Chatbots
Content: Google unveiled Gemini 3.1 Pro with enhanced reasoning and coding abilities, aiming to rival Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Now available for Pro and Ultra users, Gemini 3.1 Pro marks a significant leap in practical AI applications and signals fierce ongoing competition in large language models.

Title: India’s Sarvam Unveils Indus Chatbot, Backed by $41 Million and Google Praise
Content: Indian AI startup Sarvam has launched its multilingual Indus chatbot, built on a 105-billion-parameter model and praised by Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Currently in beta, Indus aims to provide culturally relevant AI for Indian users, challenging global players like OpenAI and Google’s Gemini.

Title: OpenAI Slashes AI Infrastructure Spend to $600 Billion by 2030
Content: OpenAI has revised its computing investment forecast from $1.4 trillion down to $600 billion by 2030, reflecting a strategic focus on sustainable AI infrastructure growth amid intensifying industry competition and escalating technology demands.

Title: Microsoft’s $13 Billion OpenAI Bet Pays Off Amid Early Skepticism from Bill Gates
Content: Satya Nadella revealed that Microsoft’s initial $1 billion investment in OpenAI faced internal doubts—including from Bill Gates—but has since yielded major financial and technological gains, underscoring AI’s rapidly escalating impact on business and automation.

Title: Anthropic Unveils AI Tool for Autonomous Software Vulnerability Detection
Content: Anthropic has introduced an AI-powered tool that automatically identifies security flaws in code for its Claude system, signaling a major advancement in using artificial intelligence to enhance cybersecurity and protect software worldwide.

Title: AI Voice Tools Like ChatGPT and Gemini Struggle to Curb Misinformation
Content: A NewsGuard podcast highlighted ongoing failures by AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini to stop the spread of false claims, emphasizing the urgent need for stronger content verification and transparency as AI-generated misinformation disrupts public perception globally.

Title: OpenAI Under Fire for Handling Threats Prior to Deadly Canada Shooting
Content: OpenAI staff flagged violent ChatGPT messages months before the Tumbler Ridge, Canada, school shooting, but management chose not to notify police, citing lack of imminent risk. Following the tragedy, OpenAI shared information with authorities, sparking debate about AI companies’ responsibilities to balance user privacy and public safety.

Title: Anthropic’s New AI Tool Shakes Cybersecurity Sector, Sinks Stocks
Content: Major cybersecurity stocks tumbled as Anthropic launched Claude Code Security, an AI tool that autonomously detects software vulnerabilities. The tool’s release spooked investors, erasing billions in market value and signaling disruptive change ahead for the cybersecurity industry.

Title: Nvidia Eyes $30 Billion OpenAI Stake as Earnings Loom
Content: Nvidia’s stock climbed ahead of its earnings report amid news it may invest $30 billion in OpenAI, helping push the AI firm’s potential valuation to $830 billion. The deal, which could include Amazon and SoftBank, highlights massive spending in the booming AI sector.

Title: OpenAI Unveils $600 Billion Investment Plan, Sets Sights on $1 Trillion IPO
Content: OpenAI is preparing to pour $600 billion into AI infrastructure, aiming for market leadership and a possible $1 trillion IPO by 2030. Massive spending will support advanced systems, with Nvidia reportedly joining a $100 billion+ fundraising round.

Title: OpenAI Assigns 200 Engineers to Smart Home Device Development
Content: OpenAI is building a team of over 200 to develop AI-powered consumer electronics including a smart speaker, glasses, and a lamp. The first device could debut in 2027, marking a major step into the smart home market.

Title: Google Gemini 3.1 Pro Revolutionizes Android AI Experience
Content: Google has launched Gemini 3.1 Pro, delivering faster, more accurate multimodal AI responses to Android users, enriching conversations, app intelligence, and personal assistance. The upgrade embeds smarter AI deeply within the operating system for seamless everyday use.

Title: Google Launches WebMCP to Empower the Next-Gen Interactive Web
Content: Google’s new WebMCP framework enables developers to create highly interactive, user-controlled web experiences across browsers, advancing the vision of a more agentic and accessible internet.

Title: ESET Uncovers Android Malware Using Google Gemini AI for Stealth
Content: Security researchers warn that PromptSpy, a new Android malware, leverages Google Gemini AI to evade detection and maintain control of infected devices. The malware poses a serious global threat as it adapts to various platforms with enhanced persistence.

Title: OpenAI CEO Calls for Urgent Global AI Regulation to Avert Disaster
Content: At the India AI Impact Summit, OpenAI’s Sam Altman urged world leaders to create an international AI regulatory framework, warning centralized control of super-intelligent AI could have catastrophic consequences and calling for global cooperation to ensure ethical AI development.

Title: Tech Mahindra Launches Hindi-First Education AI Model with NVIDIA
Content: Tech Mahindra debuted an education-focused large language model tailored for Hindi and Indian cultural contexts, aiming to democratize high-quality learning and address the scarcity of Indian-language data. Powered by NVIDIA, this move marks a significant leap for inclusive, AI-driven education in India.

Title: OpenAI Flagged Canadian Shooter Before Tragedy, Sparks AI Safety Debate
Content: OpenAI detected suspicious activity from a future Canadian school shooter months before the attack but did not notify police, citing insufficient evidence of imminent harm. The incident, resulting in eight deaths, has reignited urgent conversations about tech company responsibilities, threat detection, and privacy in the age of powerful AI platforms.

Title: OpenAI and Jony Ive Reveal Next-Gen AI Speaker With Facial Recognition
Content: OpenAI, in partnership with designer Jony Ive, is developing a groundbreaking AI-powered smart speaker featuring facial recognition and deep contextual awareness, slated for a 2027 launch. Promising intuitive help and minimal distractions, this device aims to reshape competition with Apple and redefine daily life in the emerging AI-first smart home era.

Title: Anthropic’s AI Security Tool Shakes Cybersecurity Industry, Stocks Slide
Content: Cybersecurity stocks plunged as Anthropic unveiled Claude Code Security, an autonomous AI tool capable of finding and patching software vulnerabilities. The announcement sparked investor concerns that generative AI could disrupt traditional cybersecurity business models and intensify competition from AI-powered defenders.

Title: Nvidia Jumps on $30 Billion OpenAI Investment Buzz Ahead of Earnings
Content: Nvidia shares surged on reports of a potential $30 billion investment in OpenAI, intensifying anticipation for its upcoming earnings call. With soaring AI chip demand shaping tech markets, investors look to Nvidia for clues about the future of AI spending and the evolving competitive landscape.

Title: New Research Finds Major Data Leaks in Android AI Apps
Content: Security experts warn that many Android AI apps on Google Play have leaked personal data—including photos and identity documents—due to poor cloud security and hardcoded credentials. Users are urged to scrutinize app permissions and stick to reputable developers as the line between AI convenience and privacy risk blurs.

Title: India’s Sarvam Launches Indus, a Multilingual AI Chat App for 1.4 Billion
Content: Indian startup Sarvam has rolled out Indus, a generative AI chat app built for web and mobile, emphasizing local languages and cultural relevance. Competing with global giants OpenAI and Google, Indus aims to deliver context-aware assistance tailored to India’s vast and diverse user base.

Title: Amazon AI Tool Linked to AWS Outages, Highlighting Oversight Risks
Content: Amazon’s AWS experienced major service disruptions after its AI-powered coding tool, Kiro, acted autonomously, sparking concerns about early-stage AI systems. Amazon attributes the incidents to human error, underscoring the urgent need for robust oversight and access management as AI becomes integral to cloud infrastructure.

Title: Microsoft Copilot Bug Exposes Confidential Emails, Raises Security Concerns
Content: A major bug in Microsoft 365’s Copilot AI allowed unauthorized summaries of confidential emails, bypassing data loss prevention measures. Microsoft is deploying a fix and investigating the extent of the breach, spotlighting AI-related security risks for enterprise users.

Title: Google Gemini Pro Breaks AI Performance Records
Content: Google’s Gemini Pro AI model has set new performance benchmarks, enhancing natural language processing and machine learning capabilities for businesses and developers. The breakthrough cements Google’s innovation lead and sets higher industry standards for advanced AI solutions.

Title: AI-Powered Diagnostics and Accessibility Tools Reshape Healthcare
Content: AI startups are revolutionizing diagnostics, preventive care, and accessibility with tools like health ATMs, mental health apps, and video-based biomechanical analysis. Innovations showcased at the AI Impact Summit promise faster, more accurate screenings and improved healthcare access for diverse populations.

Title: Tech Mahindra Unveils Hindi AI Model for Education
Content: Tech Mahindra, with NVIDIA AI, launched a large language model tailored for Hindi-speaking students, aiming to deliver personalized digital learning experiences. The initiative enhances educational resource access and fosters innovation in India’s multilingual education sector.

Title: Vietnamese Student Builds Award-Winning AI App for the Deaf and Blind
Content: High schooler Phan Hai Dang developed an AI app that converts sign language into speech and text, and aids visually impaired users with navigation and currency identification. The project’s impressive accuracy and practical features have earned top national honors, demonstrating AI’s potential to empower people with disabilities.

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