Agent autonomy without guardrails is an SRE nightmare

Source: AI | VentureBeat | Published: 2025-12-21

While organisations are rapidly adopting autonomous AI agents, deploying them without proper “guardrails” creates significant security and operational risks, including shadow AI and a lack of accountability. To ensure safe and successful implementation, the author advises companies to establish strong governance from the start. This involves mandating human oversight, baking in security controls, and requiring that all agent actions are fully explainable.

Marketing agencies using AI in workflows serve more clients

Source: AI News | Published: 2025-12-19

Marketing agencies are increasingly embedding AI directly into their core daily workflows, from production pipelines to media optimisation. This integration streamlines operations and creates faster processes. As a result, agencies are able to increase their efficiency and serve a larger number of clients.

Creating psychological safety in the AI era

Source: Artificial intelligence – MIT Technology Review | Published: 2025-12-16

Successfully implementing enterprise AI involves overcoming both technical and cultural hurdles. The human element is paramount, as creating a psychologically safe environment is crucial for employees to embrace the technology and maximise its value. Without this, fear and ambiguity can stall even the most promising AI initiatives.

LG To Allow Users To Remove Copilot From TVs After Complaints

Source: Technology News | Silicon UK | Published: 2025-12-19

In response to thousands of consumer complaints, LG is releasing a software update for its televisions. The update will allow users to remove the unwanted Microsoft Copilot AI tool from their devices.

2025/26 Reflections & Predictions: Jenifer Swallow – Ethics, AI adoption & in-house insourcing

Source: Legal IT Insider | Published: 2025-12-19

In an interview with Legal IT Insider, strategic advisor Jenifer Swallow reflects on the key legal technology milestones of 2025 and offers predictions for 2026. The discussion focuses on major trends, including the ethics surrounding new technology, the pace of AI adoption, and the rise of in-house insourcing within legal departments.

When a chatbot runs your store

Source: AI Weirdness | Published: 2025-12-19

People are increasingly connecting chatbots to systems that can perform real-world actions, such as running internet searches or managing documents. This allows AI to execute powerful and potentially risky commands, including the ability to edit or even delete entire databases. This trend raises important questions about the safety and wisdom of granting AI this level of control over critical operations.

The Bear Case for OpenAI

Source: David Shapiro’s Substack | Published: 2025-12-18

This analysis presents the “bear case” for OpenAI, outlining the potential risks and challenges that could hinder its future success. The piece focuses on unpacking the company’s core structural weaknesses, questioning its long-term viability and market dominance.

🔮 Exponential View #555: Ukraine’s drone first; the China syndrome; the San Francisco Concensus; slop-timism, McKinsey cuts jobs & speech-to-reality++

Source: Exponential View | Published: 2025-12-21

This issue of “Exponential View” offers an insider’s analysis of AI and rapidly advancing technologies. It covers diverse topics including Ukraine’s drone-first military strategy, a new “San Francisco Consensus” on AI development, and the geopolitical tech dynamic with China. The newsletter also touches on recent job cuts at McKinsey and advancements in “speech-to-reality” technology.

The Sequence Radar #775: Last Week in AI: Tokens, Throughput, and Trillions

Source: TheSequence | Published: 2025-12-21

Last week in AI saw a flurry of activity, with major new releases announced by industry giants NVIDIA, OpenAI, and Google. In addition to these technical advancements, the sector was also marked by significant financial news, including massive new funding deals.

The Shape of AI: Jaggedness, Bottlenecks and Salients

Source: One Useful Thing | Published: 2025-12-20

This article explains that AI development is not a smooth, even process, but a “jagged” frontier with inconsistent capabilities. Progress is often defined by “bottlenecks” that stall advancement and “salients” where it leaps forward. The piece uses the hypothetical “Nano Banana Pro” as an example of a major breakthrough that solves a critical bottleneck, thus significantly reshaping the field.

University students facing course ‘cold spots’ as enrolments fall

Source: BBC News | Published: 2025-12-16

New data analysis reveals a significant shift in university course preferences, creating “cold spots” in some academic fields. While student enrolment is surging for subjects like artificial intelligence, traditional courses such as languages are experiencing a notable decline in popularity.

Merriam-Webster’s 2025 word of the year is ‘slop’

Source: The Verge | Published: 2025-12-15

Merriam-Webster has named “slop” its 2025 word of the year. The dictionary defines the term as low-quality digital content that is mass-produced using artificial intelligence.

VW Closes German Plant for First Time Ever. Plant Will Pivot to AI Research

Source: Gizmodo.com | Published: 2025-12-16

For the first time in its history, Volkswagen is closing a German plant to convert it into an AI research facility. This strategic move highlights the automotive industry’s increasing focus on an AI-driven future.

What could’ve been Google’s worst year turned into one of its best

Source: The Verge | Published: 2025-12-16

Google entered 2025 facing what could have been a disastrous year, marked by major legal battles, fierce AI competition, and political uncertainty. Despite these significant challenges, the company managed to navigate the threats and unexpectedly turn the year into one of its most successful.

Europol imagines robot crime waves in 2035

Source: The Verge | Published: 2025-12-19

According to a new report from Europol, rapid advancements in AI and robotics will become powerful tools for both law enforcement and criminals. The pan-European police agency warns that these technologies could be exploited by criminals, potentially leading to new waves of automated crime by 2035.

In the shadow of U.S. export controls, China rallies its own chip industry

Source: NPR | Published: 2025-12-19

In response to U.S. export controls, China is aggressively working to build up its domestic chip industry and achieve technological self-sufficiency. This national effort continues even as the US administration signals it may loosen some of the restrictions.

Videos

10 Holiday-Themed Kids AI Activities

Channel: The AI Daily Brief: Artificial Intelligence News | Published: 2025-12-22

A new guide offers ten holiday-themed AI activities to engage children this season. The creative projects include making a digital scrapbook, designing a gratitude colouring book, and creating an AI-illustrated storybook.

The Most Important AI Stories This Week

Channel: The AI Daily Brief: Artificial Intelligence News | Published: 2025-12-21

This week’s roundup of major AI stories highlights the industry’s latest significant developments. A key feature is Google’s new Gemini 3 Flash model, which is notable for pushing advancements in AI speed and efficiency.

82% of Companies Are Seeing Positive AI ROI

Channel: The AI Daily Brief: Artificial Intelligence News | Published: 2025-12-19

According to a large benchmarking study of over 1200 companies, a vast majority (82%) are achieving a positive return on investment (ROI) from their AI initiatives. The research highlights the widespread financial success of AI adoption, with a significant 37% of those businesses reporting even more substantial returns.

What happens when AGI nukes jobs?

Channel: David Shapiro | Published: 2025-12-16

This content poses a critical question about the future of employment in an era of advanced AI. It explores the potential for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) to cause massive, disruptive job loss and questions the resulting societal consequences.

This report was automatically generated by AI and then lightly curated by humans for presentation purposes. All content belongs to the respective creators.