Welcome to The Compiler, a daily curation of tech news.

Google's Sundar Pichai warns employees: "The stakes are high" for 2025. Why? The AI arms race is heating up, and Google's feeling the pressure. They're planning a blitz of AI features to stay ahead of increasingly fierce competition. But here's the kicker: while Google's busy playing catch-up, they're also juggling increased regulatory scrutiny. It's like trying to win a drag race while the cops are tailing you.

Tech insight: Watch for Google to aggressively integrate AI across their product suite. Expect Gemini to show up everywhere from Search to Workspace, as they try to match (or leapfrog) OpenAI's GPT integration efforts.

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OpenAI is pivoting to a for-profit structure, admitting they need "more capital than we'd imagined." Translation: Training superintelligent AIs is expensive as hell. They're creating a public benefit corporation to oversee commercial ops, letting them function more like a high-growth startup. It's a delicate balancing act between their lofty mission and the cold, hard cash needed to achieve it.

Prediction: This move will accelerate the AI arms race even further. Expect more mega-rounds and eye-popping valuations as investors scramble to get a piece of the AGI pie.

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AI data centers are gobbling up electricity like there's no tomorrow, potentially disrupting power distribution for millions. It's the dirty secret of the AI boom – these models might be "green" in some ways, but they're energy vampires. As we rush to deploy more AI, we're creating a massive strain on aging power grids.

Tech angle: This could spark innovation in energy-efficient AI hardware and algorithms. Keep an eye on startups working on low-power AI chips and more efficient training methods.

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• LG's new microwave has a 27-inch touchscreen. Because scrolling TikTok while reheating leftovers is peak 2025. Read more
• YouTube tests AI-powered "Play something" button. Finally, an algorithm to fuel our collective procrastination. Read more
• Nvidia acquires Run:ai for $700M, plans to open-source GPU orchestration software. Making AI infrastructure management more accessible could accelerate innovation across the industry. Read more

As AI models grow exponentially larger, are we inadvertently creating digital kaiju that will devour our power grids? The quest for artificial general intelligence might just lead to very real blackouts.

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