Weekly briefing · 19 Sept – 25 Sept 2026

This week in AI

The most important AI news of the last 7 days, grouped by source type. Updated twice a day.

Latest SI Index milestone

Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6 Sol on the same day

Anthropic and OpenAI release new frontier models within hours of each other — the gap between releases is now measured in days.

From the AI labs

From tech media

MIT Technology Review

The Pentagon wants $30 million to build an AI-powered lie detector

The US government wants to spend $30.3 million over the next five years on an improved form of lie detector, according to a Department of Defense budget request. The program, called “Polygraph+” or…

TechCrunch

Lightspeed targets $250M for new India fund, focusing on early-stage AI

The venture firm is aligning its India fundraising cycle with its global funds for the first time, as it shifts to a shorter investment period.

The Verge

Gemini 3.8 Live with Live Avatar gives Google’s AI a face

Google's new Gemini 3.8 Live update lets users have conversations with the model while watching an animated AI persona respond in real time. The "Live Avatar" will lip-sync and show different facial…

TechCrunch

PrismML brings its tiny LLMs to Qualcomm-powered smart glasses

Prism's larger goal is open-weight AI that runs on devices and makes better use of the computing power they already have.

Ars Technica

New Jersey fines data center $1.1M after drone pics expose 62 gas generators

Million-dollar fines won’t end billionaires’ data center pollution, neighbors fear.

TechCrunch

Oracle sends force majeure notice on its New Mexico Stargate data center

The notice would allow Oracle to delay payments should the facility miss its 2028 target to come online.

The Verge

Jensen Huang talks about AI and climate change like a supervillain

As Jensen Huang puts it, AI can help fight climate change - but only if it inflicts "an enormous amount of pain and suffering" first. The Nvidia CEO discussed the future of energy and AI's impact on…

The Verge

Meta is going to let you build games with AI right on your phone

Meta has a new plan to get people to make games for its Horizon social platform. The company today announced two new development tools that will let you create games with AI prompts: Horizon Create,…

TechCrunch

Meta’s Muse Charm looks like a Tamagotchi, but it’s tapping into a much newer trend

Meta’s new AI gadget may look like a Tamagotchi, but its dangling form factor taps into a much broader Gen Z trend around bag charms, retro tech, and turning gadgets into fashion accessories.

From Slovenia

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