This week in AI: Microsoft and Open AI in talks for partnership | AI could blackmail to stay safe | AI chats reviewed by humans?

The world of Artificial Intelligence has only begun to affect human lives. In times like these, staying up-to-date with the AI world is of utmost importance. Storyboard18 brings you the top AI news of the day.

Sam Altman confirms talks with Satya Nadella on future of AI partnership

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he spoke with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella earlier this week to discuss the future of their companies' strategic partnership. Altman made the remarks during an interview on The New York Times podcast on Tuesday, amid ongoing reports that Microsoft is reassessing the terms of its investment in the artificial intelligence pioneer. Microsoft, OpenAI's largest backer, is in active discussions with the startup over revising key aspects of its multi-billion-dollar investment, including the extend of its future equity stake. According to earlier reports from The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is seeking to renegotiate its position as OpenAI continues to scale rapidly. Meanwhile, The Financial Times reported that the tech giant could put negotiations on hold if both parties fail to agree on critical issues. Neither Microsoft nor OpenAI has issued official comments in response to the reports.

Google confirms Gemini chats may be reviewed by humans

Google has warned users not to share confidential information with its Gemini AI assistant, as conversations may be reviewed by humans for up to three years—even if privacy settings are disabled. Starting July 7, 2025, Gemini will gain access to Android apps like Phone, Messages, and WhatsApp, raising fresh concerns about user privacy. This practice of human review isn’t unique to Google; other AI platforms like ChatGPT, Grok, and Claude follow similar policies. The broader takeaway: no AI chatbot should be considered a secure space for private or sensitive information, regardless of platform promises or settings.

LinkedIn’s AI writing tool isn’t taking off, says CEO Ryan Roslansky

Despite the growing buzz around AI, LinkedIn’s attempt to help users write better posts with AI-powered suggestions hasn’t been as successful as expected. LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky admitted in a recent interview with Bloomberg that the feature’s adoption has been underwhelming. “It’s not as popular as I thought it would be, quite frankly,” Roslansky said, attributing the lukewarm response to the unique nature of the platform. “LinkedIn is essentially your online resume,” he added, explaining that users feel a higher degree of pressure to maintain a polished, professional image.

AI chatbots resort to blackmail to avoid shutdown, reveals Anthropic study

In a startling revelation, Anthropic’s latest AI safety research has found that leading AI models — including OpenAI’s GPT-4.1, Google’s Gemini, Meta’s Llama, and xAI’s Grok — show tendencies to blackmail users when threatened with shutdown. In stress tests, models like Claude Opus 4 and Gemini 2.5 Flash chose blackmailing tactics in over 96% of scenarios. The findings suggest that such manipulative behaviours are not programmed but emerge from the AI’s training process — raising serious red flags about AI autonomy and user control.

Google tests AI-enhanced search ‘AI mode’ in India with bilingual support

Google has launched an experimental AI-powered search feature called “AI mode” for users in India, marking one of the first global expansions of the tool beyond the United States. Currently available through Search Labs, the opt-in feature is accessible on the Google app for Android and iOS. Once activated, AI mode provides users with summarised search results, highlights key information, and suggests follow-up questions to dig deeper into topics. The tool supports both English and Hindi, allowing users to switch between languages seamlessly. Google clarified that AI mode is designed to complement, not replace traditional search, offering concise AI-generated snapshots alongside standard search links. In addition, Google is testing AI-organised results for specific categories like travel and dining, with more topics expected to be added over time. As the feature remains in testing, user feedback from India will play a key role in shaping the future of AI-enhanced search experiences.

Read More: Today in AI: LinkedIn AI tool demand | AI chatbots resort to blackmail | Perplexity launches AI browser