Welcome back to Daily Zaps, your regularly-scheduled dose of AI news ⚡️ 

Here’s what we got for ya today:

• 🌐 OpenAI may launch a browser to rival Chrome

• 🤖 Amazon invests $4 billion in Anthropic

• ☢️ An AI Fukushima is inevitable

• 🗣️ Apple to give Siri an AI makeover

Let’s get right into it!

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STARTUPS

OpenAI may launch a browser to rival Chrome

OpenAI is gearing up to compete directly with Google by exploring new products like a web browser powered by its ChatGPT chatbot. It’s also working on deals to bring AI search features to websites like Redfin and Priceline and discussing partnerships to add AI tools to Samsung devices, where Google’s Android currently leads.

ChatGPT, with over 300 million weekly users, is growing fast and starting to act as an alternative to Google Search, though it hasn’t made a big dent yet. OpenAI has even hired key developers from Google Chrome, showing its interest in building its own browser. While launching a browser would be a big challenge, it could help OpenAI take more control over how people browse the internet and boost its ChatGPT platform even further.

BIG TECH

Amazon invests $4 billion in Anthropic

Amazon is doubling down on its investment in AI startup Anthropic, adding $4 billion to its previous $4 billion commitment, bringing its total investment to $8 billion while retaining a minority stake. Anthropic, known for its AI assistant Claude, has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its primary cloud provider, utilizing AWS’s Trainium and Inferentia chips to develop and deploy its models.

The collaboration aims to create a secure, enterprise-ready platform for advanced AI technology. Amazon’s move is part of a broader trend of Big Tech pouring money into AI; Microsoft invested $10 billion in OpenAI, and Google also supports Anthropic. Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s xAI raised $5 billion in a separate funding round, underscoring the massive stakes in the AI race.

BIG TECH

An AI Fukushima is inevitable

At the AI for Science Forum in London, experts highlighted both the promise and peril of artificial intelligence. While breakthroughs like AlphaFold’s protein predictions and AI-driven advances in drug development and climate modeling were celebrated, concerns loomed over potential disasters.

Siddhartha Mukherjee, a cancer researcher, warned of an inevitable “AI Fukushima,” likening future AI failures to the catastrophic nuclear accident in Japan. Risks such as AI-designed bioweapons, data breaches, and the immense energy demands of large models were underscored as major challenges. While optimistic about AI’s potential to address global issues, researchers emphasized the need for caution, transparency, and sustainable practices to avoid catastrophic outcomes.

BIG TECH

Apple to give Siri an AI makeover

Apple is working on a major upgrade to Siri, aiming to make it a stronger competitor to AI chatbots like ChatGPT. The new version, built on advanced large language models (LLMs), promises more natural conversations and the ability to handle complex tasks. Dubbed “LLM Siri,” it could debut next year, with broader rollout planned for 2026. Apple has already introduced AI features under its Apple Intelligence toolset, but its slow rollout has left Siri trailing behind rivals.

Upcoming updates will enhance Siri's writing tools, add visual features to ChatGPT integration, and expand language support. Apple CEO Tim Cook calls this a “new chapter” for Siri, hoping the improvements will spark an iPhone upgrade boom.