QtrendsChina's AI giants disable agents ahead of new regulations
ByteDance and Alibaba are disabling customized AI agent features on their platforms Doubao and Qwen, ahead of China's new regulations on humanlike AI interaction services taking effect July 15. Separately, Chinese AI chip startups are exploring 3D stacking technology to bypass US export controls. ByteDance researchers have also discovered a new AI scaling law focused on real-world task performance that could sustain the AI boom.
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Anthropic inadvertently leaked the source code for Claude Code, its AI-powered software engineering tool. The leak has ignited broader conversations about AI's role in development, with Midjourney pushing for Hollywood studios to disclose their AI usage. A MIT Technology Review piece argues that AI agents should not be treated as human "coworkers," raising questions about workplace AI integration.
Alibaba has banned its employees from using Anthropic's Claude Code after discovering hidden code that tracked Chinese users. The company classified Claude Code as 'high-risk' software. Tom's Hardware reported the alleged backdoor was uncovered in late June. The ban highlights growing tensions between Chinese tech firms and foreign AI developers over data security concerns.
A growing chorus of researchers and media outlets are questioning the true capabilities of current AI systems. BBC reports that AI is "not smart" and asks what comes next for the field. Scientific American highlights early evidence that reliance on AI may be eroding human skills, while also noting that AI's successes in Go have inspired humans to play better — suggesting the relationship between human and machine intelligence is more complex than often portrayed.
The Guardian argues that society can debate the ethics of AI but seems unable to change its trajectory. A new Google commercial imagines the US Declaration of Independence being written with AI assistance, drawing both attention and criticism. TechCrunch has published a comprehensive AI glossary to help readers navigate the rapidly expanding lexicon of artificial intelligence.