US gas projects tied to data centers surge, videogame stocks dive after Google unveils “Project Genie”, Belkin shuts down cloud services for most Wemo smart home devices.
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Show Notes
OpenClaw agents build their own social network
The open source personal AI assistant formerly known as Clawdbot and Moltbot has rebranded again as OpenClaw, as the project grows beyond a solo effort. Developers have launched Moltbook, a Reddit-style social network where OpenClaw agents interact with each other, drawing interest from AI researchers and concern from security experts about autonomous agents pulling instructions from the web. The project now has more than 100,000 GitHub stars.
Source: TechCrunch
AI data centers fuel a US gas boom
New research from Global Energy Monitor finds US gas projects linked to data centers have surged nearly 25-fold in two years, driven by AI and cloud expansion. If fully built, projects in development could expand the US gas fleet by almost 50%, sharply increasing CO2 and methane emissions even as pollution rules are rolled back.
Source: Wired
Videogame stocks slide after Google AI reveal
Videogame stocks fell after Google unveiled Project Genie, an AI model that can generate interactive, physics-based worlds from simple prompts. Investors reacted to the threat to traditional game engines and long development cycles, sending shares of Take-Two, Roblox, and Unity down double digits.
Source: Reuters
Nvidia confirms participation in OpenAI funding round
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the company will absolutely join OpenAI’s current funding round, calling it Nvidia’s largest investment ever but far smaller than the previously discussed $100 billion figure. The investment follows a stalled plan tied to massive AI data center buildouts, with Amazon also reportedly in talks to invest.
Source: Bloomberg
Gemini comes to Google Maps for walkers and cyclists
Google has expanded Gemini integration in Google Maps to users who are walking or cycling, enabling hands-free, conversational navigation. Users can ask questions about routes, nearby attractions, or amenities without stopping, pushing Maps toward a real-time AI assistant.
Source: TechCrunch
Belkin shuts down Wemo cloud services
Belkin will shut down cloud services for most Wemo smart home devices on January 31, ending remote access, Google Home and Alexa integrations, and app updates. Only certain Thread-based devices and units already set up in Apple HomeKit will continue to function, with some users eligible for partial refunds.
Source: The Verge
Amazon cuts 16,000 more jobs
Amazon is laying off 16,000 employees, its second major round of cuts in three months, citing ongoing restructuring and team consolidation. The company says it will continue hiring selectively while pulling back from some retail formats and leaning further into AI-driven efficiency.
Source: TechCrunch
Windows 11 passes 1 billion users
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said Windows 11 has crossed more than 1 billion users worldwide, reaching the milestone faster than Windows 10 despite stricter hardware requirements. Windows 10 still runs on hundreds of millions of PCs and will receive extended security support through at least 2028.
Source: Ars Technica
Apple loses more AI talent to rivals
Bloomberg reports Apple has lost at least four more AI researchers and a senior Siri executive to Meta and Google DeepMind. The departures include Stuart Bowers, a top Siri leader, and come as Apple relies on Google’s Gemini models for next-generation Siri features.
Source: Bloomberg
The TV industry moves on from 8K
TV makers including LG Display, Sony, and TCL are pulling back from 8K as demand remains weak and native content scarce. Since 2015, only about 1.6 million 8K TVs have been sold versus nearly 1 billion 4K sets in use, pushing manufacturers to focus on OLED, HDR, and Micro LED instead.
Source: Ars Technica