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McDonald’s Ditches IBM’s AI

McDonald’s removes IBM’s AI tech from drive-thrus, seeking better solutions and impacting Asia’s AI landscape.

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Drive-thru AI

TL;DR:

  • McDonald’s ends partnership with IBM, removing AI tech from 100+ drive-thrus
  • Drive-thru AI has potential but needs improvement, as shown by customer feedback
  • McDonald’s seeks new partnerships for better AI solutions in drive-thrus

Imagine ordering your favourite McDonald’s meal without speaking to a human. In 2021, this became a reality when McDonald’s teamed up with IBM to introduce AI ordering systems at over 100 drive-thrus. However, the fast food giant recently announced it would remove IBM’s AI technology from these locations by July 26. What led to this decision, and what does it mean for the future of AI in drive-thrus, especially in Asia?

McDonald’s and IBM: A Partnership No More

McDonald’s, with over 27,000 drive-thru locations worldwide, has been a pioneer in fast food drive-thru systems. To stay ahead, they partnered with IBM three years ago to test automated order-taking technology at select drive-thrus. The results have been educational, to say the least.

Initially, the AI system faced criticism due to inaccurate orders, as shown in numerous TikTok videos. Nevertheless, the technology succeeded in upselling items and appealed more to younger, tech-savvy customers. Despite being in the development phase, the potential for AI to speed up operations and simplify workloads became evident.

The End of IBM’s AI at McDonald’s Drive-Thrus

McDonald’s has decided to remove IBM’s AI order-taking technology from more than 100 drive-thrus. This decision does not mark the end of AI in drive-thrus, as McDonald’s plans to explore other options for implementing this technology. In an email to franchisees, Mason Smoot, Chief Restaurant Officer for McDonald’s USA, expressed gratitude towards IBM and the restaurant teams involved in the testing phase.

A New Lane for Drive-Thru AI

As McDonald’s moves forward, they aim to find a more scalable and long-term voice-ordering solution for their drive-thrus by the end of the year. One potential partner is Presto Automation, a restaurant tech company making significant progress in drive-thru AI development.

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Moreover, McDonald’s “Accelerating the Arches” expansion plan, which aims to increase its current 41,822 restaurants to 50,000 by 2027, suggests a broader incorporation of AI technology in the future. This focus on digital personalisation and drive-thru efficiency could pave the way for more AI-driven innovations.

The Impact on Asia’s AI and AGI Landscape

Asia, being a significant market for McDonald’s, will likely witness these AI-driven changes in its drive-thrus. This shift could create opportunities for Asian AI and AGI companies to collaborate with McDonald’s and contribute to the advancement of drive-thru technology.

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What do you think about McDonald’s decision to remove IBM’s AI technology from their drive-thrus? How do you see AI and AGI shaping the future of fast food services in Asia? Share your thoughts below and don’t forget to subscribe for updates on AI and AGI developments.

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OpenAI’s New ChatGPT Image Policy: Is AI Moderation Becoming Too Lax?

ChatGPT now generates previously banned images of public figures and symbols. Is this freedom overdue or dangerously permissive?

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OpenAI moderation policy

TL;DR – What You Need to Know in 30 Seconds

  • ChatGPT can now generate images of public figures, previously disallowed.
  • Requests related to physical and racial traits are now accepted.
  • Controversial symbols are permitted in strictly educational contexts.
  • OpenAI argues for nuanced moderation rather than blanket censorship.
  • Move aligns with industry trends towards relaxed content moderation policies.

Is AI Moderation Becoming Too Lax?

ChatGPT just got a visual upgrade—generating whimsical Studio Ghibli-style images that quickly became an internet sensation. But look beyond these charming animations, and you’ll see something far more controversial: OpenAI has significantly eased its moderation policies, allowing users to generate images previously considered taboo. So, is this a timely move towards creative freedom or a risky step into a moderation minefield?

ChatGPT’s new visual prowess

OpenAI’s latest model, GPT-4o, introduces impressive image-generation capabilities directly inside ChatGPT. With advanced photo editing, sharper text rendering, and improved spatial representation, ChatGPT now rivals specialised image AI tools.

But the buzz isn’t just about cartoonish visuals; it’s about OpenAI’s major shift on sensitive content moderation.

Moving beyond blanket bans

Previously, if you asked ChatGPT to generate an image featuring public figures—say Donald Trump or Elon Musk—it would simply refuse. Similarly, requests for hateful symbols or modifications highlighting racial characteristics (like “make this person’s eyes look more Asian”) were strictly off-limits.

No longer. Joanne Jang, OpenAI’s model behaviour lead, explained the shift clearly:

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“We’re shifting from blanket refusals in sensitive areas to a more precise approach focused on preventing real-world harm. The goal is to embrace humility—recognising how much we don’t know, and positioning ourselves to adapt as we learn.”

In short, fewer instant rejections, more nuanced responses.

Exactly what’s allowed now?

With this update, ChatGPT can now depict public figures upon request, moving away from selectively policing celebrity imagery. OpenAI will allow individuals to opt-out if they don’t want AI-generated images of themselves—shifting control back to users.

Controversially, ChatGPT also now accepts previously prohibited requests related to sensitive physical traits, like ethnicity or body shape adjustments, sparking fresh debate around ethical AI usage.

Handling the hottest topics

OpenAI is cautiously permitting requests involving controversial symbols—like swastikas—but only in neutral or educational contexts, never endorsing harmful ideologies. GPT-4o also continues to enforce stringent protections, especially around images involving children, setting even tighter standards than its predecessor, DALL-E 3.

Yet, loosening moderation around sensitive imagery has inevitably reignited fierce debates over censorship, freedom of speech, and AI’s ethical responsibilities.

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A strategic shift or political move?

OpenAI maintains these changes are non-political, emphasising instead their longstanding commitment to user autonomy. But the timing is provocative, coinciding with increasing regulatory pressure and scrutiny from politicians like Republican Congressman Jim Jordan, who recently challenged tech companies about perceived biases in AI moderation.

This relaxation of restrictions echoes similar moves by other tech giants—Meta and X have also dialled back content moderation after facing similar criticisms. AI image moderation, however, poses unique risks due to its potential for widespread misinformation and cultural distortion, as Google’s recent controversy over historically inaccurate Gemini images has demonstrated.

What’s next for AI moderation?

ChatGPT’s new creative freedom has delighted users, but the wider implications remain uncertain. While memes featuring beloved animation styles flood social media, this same freedom could enable the rapid spread of less harmless imagery. OpenAI’s balancing act could quickly draw regulatory attention—particularly under the Trump administration’s more critical stance towards tech censorship.

The big question now: Where exactly do we draw the line between creative freedom and responsible moderation?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Tencent Joins China’s AI Race with New T1 Reasoning Model Launch

Tencent launches its powerful new T1 reasoning model amid growing AI competition in China, while startup Manus gains major regulatory and media support.

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Tencent T1 reasoning model

TL;DR – What You Need to Know in 30 Seconds

  • Tencent has launched its upgraded T1 reasoning model
  • Competition heats up in China’s AI market
  • Beijing spotlights Manus
  • Manus partners with Alibaba’s Qwen AI team

The Tencent T1 Reasoning Model Has Launched

Tencent has officially launched the upgraded version of its T1 reasoning model, intensifying competition within China’s already bustling artificial intelligence sector. Announced on Friday (21 March), the T1 reasoning model promises significant enhancements over its preview edition, including faster responses and improved processing of lengthy texts.

In a WeChat announcement, Tencent highlighted T1’s strengths, noting it “keeps the content logic clear and the text neat,” while maintaining an “extremely low hallucination rate,” referring to the AI’s tendency to generate accurate, reliable outputs without inventing false information.

The Turbo S Advantage

The T1 model is built on Tencent’s own Turbo S foundational language technology, introduced last month. According to Tencent, Turbo S notably outpaces competitor DeepSeek’s R1 model when processing queries, a claim backed up by benchmarks Tencent shared in its announcement. These tests showed T1 leading in several key knowledge and reasoning categories.

Tencent’s latest launch comes amid heightened rivalry sparked largely by DeepSeek, a Chinese startup whose powerful yet affordable AI models recently stunned global tech markets. DeepSeek’s success has spurred local companies like Tencent into accelerating their own AI investments.

Beijing Spotlights Rising AI Star Manus

The race isn’t limited to tech giants. Manus, a homegrown AI startup, also received a major boost from Chinese authorities this week. On Thursday, state broadcaster CCTV featured Manus for the first time, comparing its advanced AI agent technology favourably against more traditional chatbot models.

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Manus became a sensation globally after unveiling what it claims to be the world’s first truly general-purpose AI agent, capable of independently making decisions and executing tasks with minimal prompting. This autonomy differentiates it sharply from existing chatbots such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek.

Crucially, Manus has now cleared significant regulatory hurdles. Beijing’s municipal authorities confirmed that a China-specific version of Manus’ AI assistant, Monica, is fully registered and compliant with the country’s strict generative AI guidelines, a necessary step before public release.

Further strengthening its domestic foothold, Manus recently announced a strategic partnership with Alibaba’s Qwen AI team, a collaboration likely to accelerate the rollout of Manus’ agent technology across China. Currently, Manus’ agent is accessible only via invite codes, with an eager waiting list already surpassing two million.

The Race Has Only Just Begun

With Tencent’s T1 now officially in play and Manus gaining momentum, China’s AI competition is clearly heating up, promising exciting innovations ahead. As tech giants and ambitious startups alike push boundaries, China’s AI landscape is becoming increasingly dynamic—leaving tech enthusiasts and investors eagerly watching to see who’ll take the lead next.

What do YOU think?

Could China’s AI startups like Manus soon disrupt Silicon Valley’s dominance, or will giants like Tencent keep the competition at bay?

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Tencent Takes on DeepSeek: Meet the Lightning-Fast Hunyuan Turbo S

DeepSeek in Singapore: AI Miracle or Security Minefield?

Alibaba’s AI Ambitions: Fueling Cloud Growth and Expanding in Asia

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Google’s Gemini AI is Coming to Your Chrome Browser — Here’s the Inside Scoop

Google is integrating Gemini AI into Chrome browser through a new experimental feature called Gemini Live in Chrome (GLIC). Here’s everything you need to know.

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Gemini AI Chrome

TL;DR – What You Need to Know in 30 Seconds

  • Google is integrating Gemini AI into its Chrome browser via an experimental feature called Gemini Live in Chrome (GLIC).
  • GLIC adds a clickable Gemini icon next to Chrome’s window controls, opening a floating AI assistant modal.
  • Currently being tested in Chrome Canary, the feature aims to streamline AI interactions without leaving the browser.

Welcoming Google’s Gemini AI to Your Chrome Browser

If there’s one thing tech giants love more than AI right now, it’s finding new ways to shove that AI into everything we use. And Google—never one to be left behind—is apparently stepping up their game by sliding their Gemini AI directly into your beloved Chrome browser. Yep, that’s the buzz on the digital street!

This latest AI adventure popped up thanks to eagle-eyed folks at Windows Latest, who spotted intriguing code snippets hidden in Google’s Chrome Canary version. Canary, if you haven’t played with it before, is Google’s playground version of Chrome. It’s the spot where they test all their wild and wonderful experimental features, and it looks like Gemini’s next up on stage.

Say Hello to GLIC: Gemini Live in Chrome

They’re calling this new integration “GLIC,” which stands for “Gemini Live in Chrome.” (Yes, tech companies never resist a snappy acronym, do they?) According to the early glimpses from Canary, GLIC isn’t quite ready for primetime yet—no shock there—but the outlines are pretty clear.

Once activated, GLIC introduces a nifty Gemini icon neatly tucked up beside your usual minimise, maximise, and close window buttons. Click it, and a floating Gemini assistant modal pops open, ready and waiting for your prompts, questions, or random curiosities.

Prefer a less conspicuous spot? Google’s thought of that too—GLIC can also nestle comfortably in your system tray, offering quick access to Gemini without cluttering your browser interface.

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Why Gemini in Chrome Actually Makes Sense

Having Gemini hanging out front and centre in Chrome feels like a smart move—especially when you’re knee-deep in tabs and need quick answers or creative inspiration on the fly. No more toggling between browser tabs or separate apps; your AI assistant is literally at your fingertips.

But let’s keep expectations realistic here—this is still Canary we’re talking about. Features here often need plenty of polish and tweaking before making it to the stable Chrome we all rely on. But the potential? Definitely exciting.

What’s Next?

For now, we’ll keep a close eye on GLIC’s developments. Will Gemini revolutionise how we interact with Chrome, or will it end up another quirky experiment? Either way, Google’s bet on AI is clearly ramping up, and we’re here for it. Don’t forget to sign up to our occasional newsletter to stay informed about this and other happenings around AI in Asia and beyond.

Stay tuned—we’ll share updates as soon as Google lifts the curtains a bit further.

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