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4 updates · 4 appsJune 18, 2026

Gemini launches a brand new smart speaker with advanced voice features

Gemini launches a brand new smart speaker with advanced voice features.; Anthropic is working with the US government to build special AI tools that can spot…

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GeminiGemini launches a brand new smart speaker with advanced voice features.

Gemini

1 update

Expanded summary · Gemini

Google launched a new $99.99 Google Home Speaker that uses Gemini AI to make your smart home experience better.

After years of incremental updates, Google is betting that its Gemini AI can reinvent its smart speaker. On Wednesday, the company introduced its first audio device built specifically for Gemini with the $99.99 Google Home Speaker.

The new Google Home device is the first stand-alone smart speaker from the tech giant since the Nest Audio in September 2020.

This new speaker comes with 10 new voices that can have natural, two-way conversations with you, going beyond simple commands.

Original reportingGoogle bets on Gemini to reinvent the smart home speakerRead original

Claude

1 update

Expanded summary · Claude

Anthropic is working with the US government to build special AI tools that can spot if someone tries to use AI for dangerous things like nuclear weapons information.

Nuclear technology is inherently dual-use: the same physics principles that power nuclear reactors can be misused for weapons development. As AI models become more capable, we need to keep a close eye on whether they can provide users with…

Now, we’re going beyond assessing risk to build the tools needed to monitor for it.

Original reportingDeveloping nuclear safeguards for AI through public-private partnershipRead original

Perplexity

1 update

Expanded summary · Perplexity

Smart media selection : Intelligently chooses between images, videos, or both based on query type

Smart media selection: Intelligently chooses between images, videos, or both based on query type Configurable control: Enable/disable and override media types as needed New max_tokens parameter: Control the maximum tokens extracted per page in search results. This gives you finer control over response size and costs.

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Original reportingChangelogRead original

Claude Code

1 update

Expanded summary · Claude Code

Building on prior work, we introduce a framework for studying interactive agentic coding based on a privacy-preserving analysis of ~400,000 Claude Code sessions from between October 2025 and April 2026.

We evaluate the composition of task…

The more domain expertise a person has, the more often the session ends in success—though the gap between intermediate and expert users is modest.

Original reportingAgentic coding and persistent returns to expertiseRead original