AI News Today — Model Releases, Benchmarks & Industry Moves

United Airlines blocks AI agents from booking flights, citing cybersecurity risks

The airline said it will not allow customers to use AI agents to book flights and manage reservations.

Jensen Huang’s exit puts Nvidia’s support for open source in question

Jensen Huang’s resignation raises questions about Nvidia’s commitment to open source AI, including its Hugging Face acquisition, open-weight models, and advocacy against restrictions, as the company navigates a leadership transition.

ARS

Google faces calls for AI moratoriums in schools after Gemini pilot backlash

Families confront Google after teen’s lawsuit labels Gemini a “suicide coach.”

WD

Jensen Huang’s $470 Billion Affair

This week on “Uncanny Valley,” the team unpacks the Nvidia CEO’s affair with an alleged Chinese spy and what that means for the AI industry.

TC

Nectar launches an AI agent to automate creator discovery and outreach for brands

Nectar's new AI agent automates influencer marketing, helping brands discover creators, manage outreach and partnerships, and track campaign results.

ARS

Google rolls out Gemini 4 Hydrogen, finally replacing 3.8 Flash

Gemini 4 Hydrogen isn't getting a slow, security-conscious release like Carbon and Argon.

TC

Google’s latest Search upgrade promises better answers to your most complicated questions

Powered by Gemini 4 Hydrogen, Google's AI Mode is getting better at understanding complex queries, surfacing relevant links, and delivering richer visual responses.

ARS

Ars Live: Can the cloud survive drone strikes on data centers?

A livestream Ars discussion is happening on November 17 at 1 pm Eastern Time.

Claude Opus 4.7 Leads at 94.91: 2026-11-13 Smoke Quick Test Data Brief

The 2026-11-13 YZ Index Smoke quick test covered 13 models, with Claude Opus 4.7 taking the top spot for the day at 94.91 points on a main leaderboard formula of 0.55 × code execution + 0.45 × material constraints. As a small-sample, single-day signal, Smoke scores serve as monitoring indicators rather than a long-term verdict on model capability.

TC

Phota Labs uses AI to turn everyday photos into professional-looking shots

Rather than giving consumers yet another photo-editing tool, Phota Labs aims to use advances in AI to automate the editing process so it’s easier for anyone to turn everyday moments into better photos.

TC

SoftBank’s billion-dollar loss may have put a cap on AI’s natural gas ambitions

SoftBank lost over $3 billion pre-ordering natural gas turbines to power AI data centers. Here's what the loss means to power markets.

TC

Hugging Face CEO vows to keep fighting for open-source AI after Jensen Huang’s exit

Hugging Face's CEO pledged to keep fighting for open-source AI after Huang's exit, raising questions about Nvidia's $12.9B acquisition.

WD

Jensen Huang Basically Lit More Than $1 Trillion on Fire in Less Than a Month

Since the scandal involving an alleged Chinese spy began, Nvidia has lost an eye-watering sum from its market value.

WD

Google DeepMind Staff Tap the UK Government to Escalate Their Unionization Fight

After initial talks stalled, workers at Google DeepMind are trying to bypass company management in their bid to unionize.

TC

Five ways Jensen Huang’s ouster from Nvidia could damage the AI industry

Nvidia's ousted CEO Jensen Huang's downfall isn’t just your run-of-the-mill salacious billionaire sex scandal. He was using his influence to push the AI industry in some very specific ways.

TC

Jensen Huang agrees to testify before Congress

Huang, who was ousted as CEO following reports of an alleged affair with a woman suspected of spying for China, agreed to testify Wednesday after several senior lawmakers threatened to subpoena him.

WD

Meet Colette Kress, Nvidia’s New Interim CEO

Nvidia’s longtime chief financial officer helped transform the company into an AI powerhouse. Now she’s taking the reins following Jensen Huang’s resignation on Thursday.

TC

The unfolding Jensen Huang scandal: a timeline

Jensen Huang has resigned from Nvidia following an affair, which could have ramifications for national security as the U.S. and China race to develop the most advanced AI infrastructure.

ARS