The takeaway: Despite the apparent growth of an anti-generative AI movement, more Americans are using chatbots than ever before, according to a new survey. But somewhat paradoxically, just 16% of participants believe the technology will have a positive impact on society over the next 20 years, while 40% think the impact will be negative.

The Pew Research Center found that 49% of US adults now use chatbots, up from 33% two years ago. This includes roughly one in four who use these tools on daily basis. Fifty-one percent say they don’t use chatbots at all, the majority of whom are 50 and older.

Most people use the bots to search for information, illustrating how many people are now using the likes of ChatGPT instead of visiting websites to find information, eroding the web’s business model.

Work tasks, fun or entertainment, and creating or editing images are the other most popular use cases. Using them for medical and diet/fitness advice is also popular, though even the chatbots’ makers advise users against relying on their tools for medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment recommendations.

The survey also found that about a quarter of adults use the chatbots daily, while the other quarter use them several times a week or less. And while some of its rivals are catching up, ChatGPT remains the most popular chatbot (44%). It’s followed by Gemini (24%), Copilot (17%), and Meta AI (14%).

Despite the increased usage, most Americans predict AI will be bad rather than good for society (40% vs. 16%), while one in three believes the effect will be equally positive and negative.

More people also expect it will have a negative rather than positive effect on their own lives (31% vs. 23%).

Unsurprisinglye group most concerned about AI’s impact on society and their own lives is adults ages 18 to 29. The technology continues to drive mass job losses, though some execs now argue that it is creating just as many.

Another interesting finding is that around two-thirds of Americans think AI is advancing too quickly. This has been a concern since the generative AI revolution began, and has picked up steam since Anthropic called Mythos too dangerous to release.

Participants expressed other concerns: most think AI will make their personal information less secure, 67% have little to no confidence in the government to regulate AI effectively, and about six in ten adults are not confident in companies to develop and use these tools responsibly.

Another sign that generative AI use is growing in parallel with its dislike came from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower. It reported that ChatGPT has become the fastest app ever to reach one billion monthly app users (MAUs), beating the previous record holder, Google Maps.

Genesis AI introduced Eno this month as its first general-purpose robot, and the machine immediately stands apart from nearly everything else in the crowded field. It rolls on a wheeled base rather than walking on legs. A compact tower of articulated panels rises and tilts to set the working height and reach, then folds down tight when the job ends. Two arms carry hands that match human size and proportion almost exactly. There is no head, no face, and no attempt to hide the fact that this machine was never meant to pass for a person.

The team’s design choices began with a simple question: what does this robot need to accomplish its job properly in settings where people already work? The areas it will be working, those flat factory floors, lab benches, hospital halls, and eventually even home, are all very flat, and let’s be honest, they rarely demand climbing up and down stairs or balancing on two feet. So a wheeled foundation makes sense in those circumstances since it requires less energy and is much more sturdy. However, the folding panels tell a different story. When the robot has completed a task, it can fold itself up and roll into a corner or storage area without taking up too much space or calling too much attention to itself.

Unitree R1 Humanoid Robot (White, R1)

• Three models, one lightweight platform R1 Air (20 DOF, monocular camera), R1 (26 DOF, binocular camera, head+waist joints), and R1 Edu (26 DOF…
• Easy setup – no coding required for basic use Unbox, power on, and start. Manual teaching feature: physically pose the robot, and it replays the…
• More DOF = more expressive movement 26‑DOF models (R1 / R1 Edu) add head and waist articulation for smoother dance and running. For safety reasons…

The hands receive the most attention because each has approximately twenty degrees of mobility and fingers of varied lengths that reflect the way real fingers are configured. The joints are back-drivable, so when Eno makes contact with something, they yield slightly rather than locking in place. The robot’s fingertips and palms contain miniature cameras and tactile sensors, allowing it to see and feel what it is touching. In early demos, the hands allowed Eno to accomplish things like tape up wire bundles, catch its own slides, and move liquids between containers without requiring any additional assistance or adjustments to the equipment surrounding it.

It has a payload capacity of three to five kilograms per arm, which is sufficient for most light assembly, stocking, and lab-support duties. Battery life is now between four and six hours under normal workloads, but the team is continuously working to improve it. When Eno desires, the entire upper structure can stretch up to adult height and then fold back down to a much smaller size.

All of this hardware is compatible with GENE, Genesis AI’s own foundation model created exclusively for robotics. The system treats Eno as a single, coherent unit, rather than a collection of distinct elements that require regular human interaction. It may look at a larger goal, break it down into steps, adjust when circumstances change, remember what has previously occurred, and simply carry the work through to completion on its own. This is a significant improvement over the conventional pattern of single, pre-programmed movements, allowing Eno to handle larger sequences of activity that last minutes or hours. Genesis AI created both the robot and the model simultaneously, as evidenced by how well the body and brain work together. The optional screen version has a little display on the upper panel that allows those close to see what Eno is currently thinking or intending, eliminating the need for them to guess or interpret its actions.

Customer deployments are scheduled to begin with industrial sites in manufacturing, logistics, and laboratories by the end of 2026, with service contexts like as hotels and hospitals following later, and, if all goes well, consumer settings. Eno is still in the early stages of development, with work being done on the battery, payload, and overall robustness. A legged version is still viable if there is a demand for it later on, but the company’s first focus is on the wheeled method.
[Source]

AI AND ML

Sampling patients’ breath may save lives and emergency room resources

Many people worry about what AI knows, but what about an AI Nose that can smell what disease you might have?

Ainos, an AI and biotech company that is developing smell technology, is working with National Taiwan University (NTU) to explore whether its platform can help diagnose patients by analyzing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath.

The year-long research effort, which starts in July, will examine individuals who present with dyspnea, or shortness of breath, said to be one of the most common symptoms seen in emergency departments.

Dyspnea can be a symptom of many conditions, including acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), each of which requires different treatments.

Ainos and NTU hope to develop and evaluate a system to analyze VOC-based breathprints to detect AECOPD and/or ADHF in patients.

Ainos’s Smell AI platform relies on an AI Nose module that features multiple micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensors and an integrated digital processor. Sensor resistance increases in the presence of detectable gases, and this is converted to a digital signal that is interpreted in much the way the human nose interprets scents, according to Ainos.

That interpretation is handled by by a proprietary Smell Language Model that has been developed to learn, classify, and contextualize complex scent patterns.

“AI Nose was originally developed with medical diagnostic applications in mind, where non-invasive sensing, accuracy, and real-world validation are essential,” said Ainos CEO Eddy Tsai.

“This research program brings that experience back into a high-value clinical setting and extends our Smell AI platform into digital breath intelligence.”

Not content with “digital breath intelligence,” a term we must confess to not being too familiar with, the the company frames the research as part of its broader vision of “building Smell ID data and Smell Language Model capabilities across healthcare, industrial, and physical AI environments.”

If successful, the research could help create a breathprint database for dyspnea and support future studies for emergency, outpatient, and even home-monitoring settings.

The research follows a separate program testing the AI Nose in an active emergency department at National Taiwan University Hospital. The system has been deployed to monitor respiratory infections and overcrowding in waiting areas, treatment areas, and observation zones. ®

Roblox is expanding its safety features for younger players. The platform has launched Roblox Kids and Roblox Select Accounts in India. The new system is designed for users under 16. The platform uses age checks to place users into either Roblox Kids or Roblox Select Accounts. Each account is provided with security features and restrictions regarding access to certain types of content. Over time, the user’s level of protection changes as they move into a new age group.

Roblox Kids Accounts for Ages 5 to 8

Roblox Kids Accounts are designed for children ages 5 to 8. These accounts include the platform’s highest level of default safety protections. Users can access only selected games that carry Minimal or Mild content ratings. Chat features remain disabled by default to provide a safer experience. The company also reviews and approves eligible games before making them available to these users.

Roblox Select Accounts for Ages 9 to 15

The creators of Roblox have launched a feature called Select Account aimed at older children and teenagers. These accounts allow players ages 9 to 15 to gain wider access to more games at Moderate maturity levels. Chat availability depends on the user’s age and region. Roblox also continues to enforce protections for all users under 16.

As children grow, Roblox automatically adjusts their account experience. Players move from Roblox Kids Accounts to Roblox Select Accounts when they turn 9. Once users turn 16, Roblox automatically places them in a standard account and updates their account settings accordingly. The platform gradually expands access to features while updating safety protections as users get older.

New Parental Controls Coming to Roblox

The new rollout expands Roblox’s parental control system. The parents can monitor gameplay activity and check the friends’ list from their linked account. They will have control over parameters such as screen time, spending limits, and communication restrictions. The new game-blocking options give them increased control over content. Parents can also grant permission for selected games outside the default account settings.

As part of the latest update, Roblox is adding more protections for users under 16. Facial age verification will play a larger role in accessing some chat features. Users who do not complete the process may lose access to certain communication tools. The platform also blocks links, images, and videos from being shared in chat. New restrictions will also prevent users under 16 from viewing or sharing social media links across the platform.

This year, Roblox will start using the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) rating system. By using IARC, Roblox hopes to provide better age guidelines for its experiences. The IARC age recommendations will be integrated into Roblox’s age-specific accounts.

Now bring back the Microsoft Zune, I double dare you.

Connection fatigue and a desire for more control appear to drive iPod sales

Amp.pan/Shutterstock

iPods aren’t the right choice for every music fan in 2026

Adobe is updating its Firefly AI assistant with new chops, and adding it to Premiere, Illustrator, InDesign and Frame.io.

The company has given the assistant new abilities to make brand kits, product videos, and storyboards . Plus, the Firefly app now lets users save whatever they’ve created as an element that can be used across projects.

In Premiere, users can use the AI assistant to sort assets into bins, batch-rename clips, identify interview questions and add markers. And in Illustrator, the assistant can do things like reorganize layers across a document or check for missing fonts.

Firefly is already usable with Express, Photoshop, and Acrobat, and is supported by ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot. Adobe said that it plans to add support for Google Gemini and Slack soon.

Firefly updates

Adobe is slowly transforming Firefly to increasingly resemble Canva, at least when it comes to AI features, loading up the app with AI tools that can generate images, videos and storyboards. The company is now adding a new feature called Elements that can save AI-generated characters, objects and locations for later use.

Firefly is also getting a Projects feature that can store existing assets in one place, and share context. This could be useful for teams creating a video series or brand campaigns. Both of these features are currently available in a private beta.

The company said users can now describe a brand and its style, or upload existing collateral, in Firefly to have it generate a brand kit, complete with logos, brand identity and color palettes, or even generate product videos from photos. Users can also create storyboards to create videos.

Adobe is hard at work adding AI throughout its apps, and it is also working on an AI assistant that can work across its apps. The idea is to use AI to automate some of the tool usage within its apps that took several steps previously.

Whatever happens with the new incarnation of the Commodore corporation, we’ll always remember the old one fondly. Well, we’ll remember certain of its products fondly, at any rate, if not the corporate leadership that drove them under. About that, perhaps the less said the better. That’s why we’re looking at the revived Commodore’s latest offering with equal parts interest and trepidation — is there really a market for a Linux-based, Commodore branded flip phone in 2026 and beyond?

The official reveal trailer, which you can watch below, can only be described as weaponized nostalgia for the late 90s, which tracks because the revived C-64 is more-or-less the same thing for the 8-bit era. That said, between replaceable batteries, actually having a decent camera  — a 48MP Sony module — quality Cirrus Logic DAC for audio, and running the Linux-based, Android-app-compatible Sailfish OS, the “Callback 8020” ticks all the boxes. Except for price, that is. Many will find the $499 USD launch price a little tough to swallow in this economy, so we hope they aren’t betting the farm on this one being a mass hit.

Still, compared to other premium “digital minimalist” products like the LightPhone III, the price looks reasonable — and with web browsing and social media explicitly excluded from the app store, this phone is firmly in that category. At least this one comes with some sweet Commodore branded headphones, which double as an FM antenna just like they did on your Nokia back when.

While it doesn’t come with DOOM from the factory, it does come with Snake and a selection of emulated C64 games . Ringtones are SID samples, but of course there’s no actual SID chip in the phone, any more than there’s a 6502. That said, if someone builds a phone around a 6502, please let us know.

No, it’s not a new Amiga, as so many of us were hoping for, but by putting quality modern components into the flip phone form-factor, at least they’re trying to innovate (or perhaps retrovate) and we have to respect that. Only time will tell if the market does.

Intel’s stock has risen after Trump announced that the company will make chips for Apple, but it’s not clear when chips will get delivered, how many will ship, or how much the deal is worth.

Following initial rumors that Apple was in discussion with Intel over manufacturing processors, it was revealed in May 2026 that test production had begun.

Now in a late-night posting on Truth Social, Trump announced that “Apple has agreed to work with Intel to design and build its chips in America.” Consequently, according to CNBC, Intel stock rose 8.8% in premarket trading, while Apple was up 0.6%.

The posting comes after Trump reportedly discussed the semiconductor supply chain at the G7 summit. Plans to reduce dependence on Taiwan chip production were key topics at this summit.

In a note to investors by Dan Ives at Wedbush seen by AppleInsider, the deal with Intel is a substantial multi-year one.

There were no further details, and the announcement appears to only confirm the news from May 2026.

What the deal entails

It’s believed that Apple’s deal with Intel concerns production of older or lower-end processors. Intel will not be making the chips for the forthcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max, for instance, nor the M5 or later ones for the Mac.

What’s most likely is that Intel will produce older M-series chips for devices such as the iPad Pro and MacBook Air. It may also make processors for the non-Pro versions of the iPhone.

Someone other than TSMC making processors for Apple has historical precedent. For example, Samsung used to make the A-series chips for Apple.

The most likely scenario here is tapping a capacity-limited TSMC only for the newest Apple processors, such as the latest 2 nanometer design expected in the iPhone 18 range.

Intel has only just recently entered very limited scale testing of the 18A-P process. That means that Intel will not reach full chip production for Apple until mid-2027 at the earliest.

Trump’s US manufacturing push

It is true that Apple and Intel’s deal was prompted by Trump. this follows Apple’s continued increased investment, or re-announcing of previous investments, into US manufacturing.

The deal and such announcements have already seen Intel’s stock price rise dramatically. The rise follows Trump’s administration investing in Intel in return for shares.

“They were worth around 100 Billion Dollars when we made our offer,” posted Trump. “Now they are worth over 600 BILLION DOLLARS!”

As well as responding to political pressure, Apple has reportedly been forced by the global chip shortage to consider alternatives to its main supplier, TSMC. That’s because the worldwide demand for AI processors has led to Apple losing its position as TSMC’s largest customer to Nvidia.

The shortage is believed to have led to Apple delaying the launches of both its M5 Mac Studio, and its touchscreen MacBook Pro. Apple has also discontinued various configurations of Macs as memory availability continues to be a problem.

Apple has generally managed to avoid the shortage problems better than most of its rivals, due to its size and buying power, plus its long-term deals. However, as the shortage continues, even Apple has said it is going to have to raise prices.

A recent trend in gaming accessories is the move to Hall effect and tunneling magnetoresistance technology. It started in controllers a few years ago, and it was only a matter of time before it made its way into gaming keyboards. There are now dozens of great HE and TMR keyboards to choose from. So now, as with controllers, the question becomes: Is it really worth upgrading?

There are certainly advantages to magnetic keys, but there are also some compromises. The granular levels of customization and significantly shorter response times can make a big difference in competitive games. On the other hand, the typing experience takes some getting used to, the battery life can be shorter and they’re often more expensive than their traditional mechanical cousins.

If you’re on the fence about upgrading, it can be hard to know if and when it’s worth it. For me, though, the answer is now a resounding “Yes, but.” Let me explain.

What are the benefits of magnetic switches?

The concept of magnetic switches is simple: Instead of compressing a physical spring or rubber membrane as part of a mechanism to send an electrical signal that signifies a keypress, magnetic sensors are used to detect when a key is pressed more precisely and with less friction. This leads to some noticeable benefits.

Durability

The most obvious benefit for most casual gamers is the greater durability. Without the mechanical friction caused by the rubbing of physical components, HE and TMR switches can last much longer. Most mechanical switches are rated to last anywhere between 50 and 100 million keystrokes, which averages to about 10 to 15 years (of course, this could vary wildly depending on your usage). HE and TMR switches, on the other hand, are rated for more than 100 million keystrokes, so 15 to 20 years or more. It’s likely the keyboard’s other components will give out before the switches.

Granular customization

The second benefit is technologically much more profound, but also not nearly as useful for the vast majority of gamers. Some HE and TMR switches can, according to their manufacturers, register inputs (called the actuation point) as small as 0.05 millimeters of travel. By comparison, most traditional mechanical switches have an actuation point of between 1 and 2mm. This means that a key needs to travel far less before the keyboard and computer register the movement, greatly increasing response times. That may not seem like a big difference, but in the world of competitive gaming, that shorter actuation point is significant.

What’s even more interesting is that these switches can be customized far more granularly than their mechanical counterparts. So, not only can the actuation point be set to almost nothing, but most HE and TMR keys can store up to four actuation points per keystroke. That means you can perform four separate actions with a single press of the key; two actions on the downstroke and two on the release. For example, you could use the same single keypress to go from crouch to prone, prime and then throw a grenade. Or enter a vehicle, turn on the lights and then start the engine, all in one keypress.

This advanced customization can be useful in all kinds of games, including shooters, roleplaying games, multiplayer online battle arenas and massively multiplayer online roleplaying games like Elden Ring, League of Legends and World of Warcraft. Imagine being able to use a potion, cast a shield, cast an attack buff, then attack all by pressing a single key. There’s a whole world of possibilities. Again, most gamers probably won’t need that much control, and the amount of benefit depends largely on what genre you prefer. But that level of customization can really change the way you play your favorite games.

Rapid fire

The shorter actuation levels also means response times are much shorter than with traditional mechanical switches. Again, to preface this, if you’re not a hardcore gamer or someone who plays FPS games a lot, you might not notice a difference. However, the more you do notice and practice with it, the harder it becomes to go back. Once you build the muscle memory of not having to fully press the keys to perform an action, going back to a traditional mechanical keyboard might actually start to feel like a chore.

The best pianists learn how to essentially bounce their fingers across the keys, especially when playing faster, more challenging works, and it’s similar here. Once you learn how to bounce your fingers on the keys, you’ll get faster and be able to react to what’s happening in the game. While 0.05mm versus 2mm might not seem like a big difference, in most games, simply starting your attack or trigger pull before the other guy almost always determines who wins the encounter (or how much health you lose during the fight).

That’s not all. Most magnetic keyboards have a feature that ensures all keypresses register, even if two keypresses overlap. With traditional switches, the first key has to return all the way to the top before the next keypress can register. With magnetic switches, the second keypress can register the moment the first keypress reaches the actuation point. This lets you do things like strafing and peeking around corners more quickly.

Are there downsides to magnetic switches?

With all their potential benefits, Hall effect and tunneling magnetoresistance switches have some drawbacks.

Cost

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Like most technologies that aren’t widespread yet, magnetic keyboards are generally more expensive than traditional mechanical keyboards. That’s certainly not true across the board. There are some magnetic keyboards like the Redragon FIDD K683 for as low as $30, but on average, you’ll have to pay a bit more for magnetic switches, particularly TMR ones.

Keep in mind that keyboards vary widely in their materials as well as the types of switches. Arguably, the biggest determining factor in the price of a keyboard is the materials for the rest of the keyboard (you can even get one made of concrete if you want). So, if you want to just test out magnetic switches before investing in a more premium keyboard, pick up a couple of cheaper ones to make sure you like the feel of them before upgrading to a nicer model.

Daily typing

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Ever since I started testing magnetic keyboards (about two years ago, when they became more widely available), it’s been hard to find one I can also use as my daily typing keyboard. The typing experience on almost all of them has never quite matched the feel and sound of my mechanical keyboards. They are getting better, and I know enthusiasts are shouting loud enough for me to hear that you can change the springs on the switches. Even so, there’s still a way to go.

I say “almost all” because there is one glorious exception, the Keychron Q3 HE 8K. I say this unequivocally: the Q3 HE 8K is by far the best keyboard I have ever typed on. I’ve typed on many keyboards in my lifetime, and I am well aware that there are hundreds, if not thousands, I have never tried, but the Q3 HE 8K is my absolute favorite of the ones I’ve tested.

The Q3 uses Keychron’s custom Lime Magnetic Switches, which are hot-swappable. It has a full metal body, a gasket mount design and polybutylene terephthalate, or PBT, keycaps. I don’t know why or how, but the unique combination of everything on this keyboard adds up to an absolutely superb typing experience. Plus, the gaming benefits of the magnetic switches make it one of the best gaming keyboards you can buy.

Battery life

Most magnetic keyboards have significantly shorter battery life than their mechanical brethren. That’s mostly due to how the technology works: Magnetic-switch keyboards have to continuously scan their sensors. They have to continually process the exact location of every switch, and the ones with rapid-trigger and low-latency features (most of them) use a high polling rate, typically around 8,000 Hz.

All this puts a lot of strain on the battery, which is why many magnetic keyboards, such as the Q3, are wired only. It’s also why the wireless ones suffer from short battery life. While many mechanical keyboards can last well over 1,000 hours with backlighting off, magnetic keyboards typically last between 100 and 200 hours. This will vary depending on which features you keep on or off, but it’s still a fraction of a mechanical keyboard’s battery life.

Should you buy a magnetic keyboard?

As I said at the beginning, “Yes, but…” The extreme levels of customization, rapid response time and greater durability are wonderful benefits for any gamer. However, by and large, they’re benefits that only the most competitive gamers will truly be able to appreciate. There are tons of fantastic gaming keyboards out there that don’t have magnetic switches, and any gamer can enjoy them.

If you have the money or really want to invest in improving your gaming, then a magnetic keyboard is absolutely worth it. It’s taken a few years for them to get this good, but it’s safe to say that if you’ve thought about upgrading, they’re ready for you.