Chatbots rated more empathetic than humans in controlled tests

New research suggests AI chatbots can generate responses people rate as more empathetic than humans, raising questions about emotional intelligence in machines.
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The AI Race is so hot that chatbot users are getting paid in real cash, iPhones, and TVs

Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu are handing out billions in cash and prizes to attract chatbot users, highlighting how fierce China’s AI race has become in 2026.
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Yahoo Scout is an AI ‘answer engine’ that wants to challenge Perplexity and Google’s AI mode

With Scout, Yahoo is entering the AI search race by betting that users still want visible sources, challenging rivals like Google and Perplexity that increasingly keep links in the background.
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AI chatbot hype is real, but daily use at work remains limited

AI tools are spreading across offices, but an employee survey suggests they are far from becoming a daily work habit, even as companies and tech leaders continue to push AI adoption.
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After Italy, WhatsApp excludes Brazil from rival chatbot ban

WhatsApp is allowing AI providers to continue offering their chatbots to users in Brazil, days after the country’s competition agency ordered the company to suspend its new policy that bars third-party, general-purpose chatbots from the app.

California lawmaker proposes a four-year ban on AI chatbots in kids’ toys

“Our children cannot be used as lab rats for Big Tech to experiment on,” Senator Steve Padilla said. He just introduced a bill to ban AI chatbots in toys until safety regulations are developed.  

You can now use Alexa+ on the web to plan meals and order groceries

Amazon has officially brought Alexa+ to the web, letting users access the AI assistant in a browser to plan meals, order groceries, manage schedules, and control smart home devices without dedicated hardware.
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Even ChatGPT gets anxiety, so researchers gave it a dose of mindfulness to calm down

Researchers found violent prompts can push ChatGPT into anxiety-like behavior, so they tested mindfulness-style prompts, including breathing exercises, to calm the chatbot and make its responses more stable and reliable.
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OpenAI wants to hire someone to handle ChatGPT risks that can’t be predicted

OpenAI is offering a high salary and equity to hire a Head of Preparedness tasked with anticipating and reducing serious risks tied to ChatGPT as the technology grows more powerful.
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Italy tells Meta to suspend its policy that bans rival AI chatbots from WhatsApp

Italy has ordered Meta to suspend its policy that bans companies from using WhatsApp’s business tools to offer their own AI chatbots on the popular chat app.