Skip to main content

Experts and laypeople agree: AI will hurt elections and relationships

2 weeks 4 days ago
Latest report from Stanford's AI boffins finds unsafe usage practices, widespread anxiety about impacts, and China catching up to the USA

Artificial intelligence has achieved mass adoption faster than the personal computer or the internet, reaching 53 percent of the population in just three years. The number of harmful AI incidents has increased correspondingly. And both experts and laypeople believe the impact will be felt in two areas: Elections and relationships.…

Thomas Claburn

OpenClaw in 2026: What It Is, Who’s Using It, and Whether Your Business Should Adopt It

2 weeks 4 days ago
by George Whittaker

“probably the single most important release of software, probably ever.”

— Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA

Wow! That’s a bold statement from one of the most influential figures in modern computing.

But is it true? Some people think so. Others think it’s hype. Most are somewhere in between, aware of OpenClaw, but not entirely sure what to make of it. Are people actually using it? Yes. Who’s using it? More than you might expect. Is it experimental, or is it already changing how work gets done? That depends on how it’s being applied. Is it more relevant for businesses or consumers right now? That’s one of the most important, and most misunderstood, questions.

This article breaks that down clearly: what OpenClaw is, how it works, who is using it today, and where it actually creates value.

What makes OpenClaw different isn’t just the technology, it’s where it fits. Most of the AI tools people are familiar with still require a human to take the next step. They assist, but they don’t execute. OpenClaw changes that dynamic by connecting decision-making directly to action. Once you understand that shift, the rest of the discussion, who’s using it, how it’s being deployed, and where it creates value, starts to make a lot more sense.

Top 10 Questions About OpenClaw

What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw is an open-source AI agent framework that enables large language models like Claude, GPT, and Gemini to execute real-world tasks across software systems, including APIs, files, and workflows.

What does OpenClaw actually do?

OpenClaw functions as an execution layer that allows AI systems to take actions, such as sending emails, updating CRM records, or running scripts, instead of only generating responses.

Do you need to be a developer to use OpenClaw?

No, but technical familiarity helps. Non-developers can use prebuilt workflows, while developers can customize and scale implementations more effectively.

Is OpenClaw more suited for business or consumer use?

OpenClaw is currently more suited for business and technical use cases where structured workflows exist. Consumer use is emerging but remains secondary.

How is OpenClaw different from ChatGPT or Claude?

ChatGPT and Claude generate outputs, while OpenClaw enables those outputs to trigger actions across connected systems.

Who created OpenClaw?

Go to Full Article
George Whittaker

Google Faces Mass Arbitration By Advertisers Seeking Billions

2 weeks 4 days ago
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: Alphabet's Google is facing billions of dollars in potential damage claims as part of mass arbitration tied to the company's online search and advertising technology businesses, which courts have ruled were illegal monopolies. Advertisers are banding together to seek payouts through mass arbitration proceedings. While many companies that displayed ads purchased through Google -- including USA Today Co. and Advance Publications -- have sued for damages since the rulings in 2024, advertiser contracts with the search giant require mandatory arbitration over legal disputes. In arbitration, legal disputes are handled by a mediator, a process that tends to favor companies in individual claims. Mass arbitration -- where 25 or more claims against the same company are pooled together -- have become more common and provide a greater likelihood of settlement awards for claimants. Ashley Keller, a Chicago lawyer whose firm has handled mass arbitrations against DoorDash, Postmates and TurboTax-maker Intuit, said he's already signed up a "significant number" of advertisers to participate in claims against Google. The first of those are expected to be filed this week. "Two federal judges have already adjudicated Google to be a monopolist," Keller said in an interview with Bloomberg. "It seems sensible to seek redress." Keller, who is also representing Texas and other states in a lawsuit against Google for monopolization of advertising technology, estimates potential claims for online search and display ads could reach $218 billion or more, based on calculations from an economist his firm has hired. Similar mass arbitrations have lasted 12 to 24 months between the filing of claims and resolution, he said. "Given the nature of these matters, we cannot estimate a possible loss," Google said in a recent corporate filing. "We believe we have strong arguments against these open claims and will defend ourselves vigorously."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

BeauHD

Amazon pays $11.5B to satisfy satellite-envy while cowering in Musk's shadow

2 weeks 4 days ago
Deal only comes with 24 operational sats, but also an Apple deal, spectrum licenses, and plenty of IP

Amazon has agreed to pay more than $11.5 billion to expand its satellite constellation by about two dozen units with the acquisition of Globalstar. But it's more about the underlying technology that Amazon hopes will help it catch Elon Musk's Starlink. …

Brandon Vigliarolo