Panasonic reveals AI-powered wellness assistant Umi at CES 2025
Panasonic has introduced Umi, a digital assistant designed to support family wellness, at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. Developed in partnership with AI startup Anthropic, Umi uses the Claude AI model to help families set and achieve personal goals, such as improving fitness or spending more time together. The interactive platform allows users to engage with the AI through voice chat and a mobile app, where they can create routines, manage tasks, and communicate in group chats.
The assistant is also aimed at caregivers looking after aging parents, offering a way to stay informed about their well-being even when living apart. Panasonic has collaborated with AARP to enhance Umi’s ability to support older adults. Additionally, the platform will connect users with wellness experts and integrate with partners such as Calm, Blue Apron, SleepScore Labs, and Precision Nutrition to help families build healthy habits.
Umi is expected to launch in the United States in 2025, with Panasonic positioning it as part of a broader wellness initiative. The partnership with Anthropic extends beyond consumer products, as Panasonic plans to integrate the Claude AI model into its own operations to enhance customer service, marketing, and coding efficiency.
Israeli agri-tech startup Fermata secures funding for AI-powered farming solutions
Israeli startup Fermata, founded in 2020 by bioinformatics expert Valeria Kogan, is using AI and computer vision to monitor greenhouse crops for diseases and pests. The company’s software works with standard cameras, capturing images of plants twice a day and alerting farmers to potential infestations via an app. Initially considering robotic solutions, Kogan shifted focus after consulting with farmers, realising that simpler camera-based monitoring was more effective.
Based in Israel, Fermata has gained traction by prioritising farmer needs and keeping its AI training in-house, improving model accuracy. Partnering with major agricultural firms like Bayer and Syngenta, the company has deployed over 100 cameras and continues to expand. The startup recently secured a $10 million Series A investment from Raw Ventures, its existing investor, to scale operations and work towards profitability by 2026.
Plans for growth include strengthening the sales team and expanding beyond greenhouse tomatoes into new crops. Despite AI’s previous struggles in agriculture, Fermata’s practical approach and farmer-centric model have helped it carve a niche in the industry.
Google TV introduces AI-powered news summaries with Gemini
Google has announced a major update to its TV operating system at CES 2025, integrating its Gemini AI assistant to deliver personalised news summaries. The new ‘News Brief’ feature will scrape news articles and YouTube headlines from trusted sources to generate a concise recap of daily events. Google plans to roll out the feature to both new and existing Google TV devices by late 2025.
The move marks Google’s deeper foray into AI-generated news, a space that has faced legal challenges from media companies over copyright concerns. While rival firms like OpenAI and Microsoft have been sued over unlicensed content use, Google’s News Brief does not currently display its sources, apart from related YouTube videos. AI-generated news has also faced accuracy issues, with previous AI models producing misleading or entirely false headlines.
Beyond news summaries, Google aims to make TVs more interactive, with Gemini allowing users to search for films, shows, and YouTube videos using natural language. Future Google TVs will include sensors to detect when users enter the room, enabling a more personalised experience. As the company continues expanding AI features in consumer technology, the success of News Brief may depend on how well it addresses content accuracy and transparency concerns.
AI and speed cameras to tackle dangerous Devon road
A notorious stretch of the A361 in Devon will receive £1 million in AI and speed camera technology to improve road safety. The investment, part of a £5 million grant from the Department for Transport (DfT), comes after the road was identified as ‘high risk,’ with three fatalities and 30 serious injuries recorded between 2018 and 2022. AI-powered cameras will detect offences such as drivers using mobile phones and failing to wear seatbelts, while speed cameras will be installed at key locations.
A pilot scheme last August recorded nearly 1,800 potential offences along the route, highlighting the need for stricter enforcement. The latest plans include three fixed speed cameras at Ilfracombe, Knowle, and Ashford, as well as two average speed camera systems covering longer stretches of the road. AI cameras will be rotated between different locations to monitor driver behaviour more effectively.
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for highways, expressed pride in the region’s adoption of AI for road safety improvements. The remaining £4 million from the DfT grant will be allocated to upgrading junctions and improving access for pedestrians and cyclists along the A361.
Anthropic in talks to raise $2 billion at $60 billion valuation
AI startup Anthropic is reportedly in advanced discussions to secure $2 billion in funding, potentially valuing the company at $60 billion. The funding round is being led by venture capital firm Lightspeed Venture Partners, according to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal. The company, known for its Claude chatbot, was valued at around $18 billion in 2024 following a fundraising round led by Menlo Ventures.
Investor interest in Anthropic has grown significantly, with Amazon doubling its investment in the company to $8 billion last year as part of its push into generative AI. Alphabet has also pledged up to $2 billion in backing, further reinforcing the startup’s position as a key player in the AI sector. The company was founded by former OpenAI executives Dario and Daniela Amodei, who left the firm to develop their own AI models.
Competition in the AI industry remains fierce, with OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, leading the charge after launching ChatGPT in 2022. OpenAI recently secured $6.6 billion in funding, bringing its valuation to an estimated $157 billion. The race to dominate the AI market has intensified, with major tech firms investing heavily in developing next-generation AI models.
Meta appoints three new board directors
Meta Platforms has elected three new directors to its board, including Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and a close associate of President-elect Donald Trump. Investor and former Microsoft executive Charlie Songhurst and Exor CEO John Elkann have also joined. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said their expertise would help the company navigate opportunities in artificial intelligence, wearables, and digital connectivity.
White’s appointment strengthens his ties with Zuckerberg, who has become a mixed martial arts enthusiast. The two have shared public exchanges in recent years, with Zuckerberg attending UFC events at White’s invitation. Songhurst has been involved in Meta’s AI advisory group since May, while Elkann holds leadership roles at Ferrari and Stellantis, alongside chairing the Agnelli Foundation.
Zuckerberg has been adjusting Meta’s strategy ahead of a possible second Trump presidency. The company recently promoted Republican policy expert Joel Kaplan and donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, signalling a shift in its political stance. Meta has also acknowledged past content decisions that were unpopular among conservatives as it prepares for the evolving political landscape.
Apple faces backlash over AI-generated news errors
Apple is facing mounting criticism over its AI-generated news summaries, which have produced inaccurate and misleading alerts on its latest iPhones. Media organisations, including the BBC, have raised concerns that the feature, designed to summarise breaking news notifications, has fabricated details that contradict original reports. The National Union of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders have called for the product’s removal, warning it risks spreading misinformation at a time when trust in news is already fragile.
High-profile errors have fuelled demands for urgent action. In December, an Apple AI summary falsely claimed that a murder suspect had taken his own life, while another inaccurately announced Luke Littler as the winner of the PDC World Darts Championship before the event had even begun. Apple has pledged to update the feature to make it clearer that summaries are AI-generated, but critics argue this does not address the root problem.
Journalism watchdogs and industry experts have warned that AI-driven news aggregation remains unreliable. The BBC stressed that the errors could undermine public trust, while former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger described Apple’s technology as “out of control”. Similar concerns have been raised over generative AI tools from other tech firms, with Google’s AI-powered search summaries also facing scrutiny for producing incorrect responses. Apple insists the feature remains optional and is still in beta testing, with further improvements expected in an upcoming software update.
Online sales rise as AI chatbots help shoppers during holidays
AI-powered chatbots played a key role in boosting online sales during the 2024 holiday season, with United States e-commerce revenue rising nearly 4% year-on-year to $282 billion, according to Salesforce. Consumers increasingly relied on AI-based customer service tools for purchases and returns, with chatbot usage growing by 42% compared to 2023. Retailers also leveraged targeted promotions, product recommendations, and loyalty programmes to attract bargain hunters.
Despite the sales growth, a sharp increase in product returns emerged as a significant challenge for retailers. The return rate climbed to 28%, up from 20% in the previous year, potentially affecting profit margins. Caila Schwartz, director of Consumer Insights at Salesforce, noted that AI-driven tools would be crucial in 2025 to help retailers reduce losses from returns and retain customers. Mobile shopping remained dominant, with 79% of all orders placed via smartphones, peaking on Christmas Day as last-minute buyers made their final purchases.
Social media platforms such as TikTok Shop and Instagram also played a growing role in holiday sales, driving 14% of traffic to e-commerce sites. AI-driven sales reached $229 billion globally, an increase from $199 billion in 2023. As retailers continue to invest in digital shopping tools, the balance between AI-driven efficiency and managing high return rates will be critical for sustaining profitability in the coming years.