ByteDance released Seedance 2.0 less than a week ago and enraged artists everywhere with a viral clip AI-generated clip of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt fighting. Unsurprisingly, the AI video-making tool has reportedly already received multiple cease-and-desist letters around copyright infringement. Now, it appears ByteDance is going to curb the new media generator's use of prohibited content.
In a statement to the BBC, ByteDance said, "We are taking steps to strengthen current safeguards as we work to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property and likeness by users." It added that the company "respects intellectual property rights and we have heard the concerns regarding Seedance 2.0." However, when pressed for more information on exactly how they would do this, ByteDance didn't respond.
ByteDance's vague pledge follows a cease-and-desist letter from the Walt Disney Company on Friday. Disney claimed that Seedance 2.0 uses "a pirated library of Disney's copyrighted characters from Star Wars, Marvel, and other Disney franchises, as if Disney's coveted intellectual property were free public domain clip art." Disney included example videos that included its copyrighted characters, such as Spider-Man and Darth Vader.
Paramount Skydance has also reportedly issued a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance to stop Seedance 2.0 from using its materials, according to the BBC. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/bytedance-promises-to-tighten-up-its-new-ai-video-generator-after-viral-cruise-vs-pitt-clip-112941384.html?src=rss
Recently we were introduced to OpenClaw, an AI that allows users to create their own agents to control apps like email, Spotify and home controls. Now, Sam Altman has announced that OpenAI has absorbed OpenClaw by hiring developer Peter Steinberger "to drive the next generation of personal agents," he wrote on X. Steinberger confirmed the news on his own blog. "Im joining OpenAI to work on bringing agents to everyone. OpenClaw will move to a foundation and stay open and independent."
Steinberger was also in talks to join Meta, with both companies reportedly making offers in the "billions," according to Implicator.AI. The primary attractant was said to be OpenClaw's 196,000 GitHub stars and 2 million weekly visitors rather than its codebase.
OpenClaw became buzzy in the last few weeks thanks to its multifaceted ability to carry out tasks. People have used it to create agents that can write code, clear their inboxes, do online shopping and other assistant-like jobs. On its website, OpenClaw touts its ability to interact with popular apps and sites including WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, iMesage, Hue and Spotify.
Peter Steinberger is joining OpenAI to drive the next generation of personal agents. He is a genius with a lot of amazing ideas about the future of very smart agents interacting with each other to do very useful things for people. We expect this will quickly become core to our Sam Altman (@sama) February 15, 2026
OpenClaw was recently called "Clawdbot" but Anthropic forced a name change due to similarities with its "Claude" branding. OpenClaw is often compared to Claude Code by "vibe coders" seeking to automate website development and other programming chores.
In his announcement, Altman said that "the future is going to be extremely multi-agent and it's important to support open source as part of that," adding that "OpenClaw will live in a foundation as an open source project" supported by Open AI. Steinberger, meanwhile, said that "what I want is to change the world, not build a larger company and teaming up with OpenAI is the fastest way to bring this to everyone." This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-has-hired-the-developer-behind-ai-agent-openclaw-092934041.html?src=rss
In the US, T-Mobile has launched what it calls the first real-time AI platform built directly into a wireless network, starting with Live Translation.The new service enables phone call translation in over 50 languages without requiring apps, downloads or specific devices. It works on any phone connected to T-Mobile's network, from flip phones to the latest smartphones, as long as at least one caller is a T-Mobile customer. All they need to do is say "Hey T-Mobile, translate." Beta registration is open now for postpaid customers, with access rolling out this spring ahead of a commercial launch later this year.Existing translation services typically require dedicated apps, specific hardware or separate subscriptions: barriers that limit adoption, particularly among less tech-savvy users or those on older devices. By embedding AI capabilities at the network level, T-Mobile is positioning translation as infrastructure rather than a product. The carrier is betting that removing friction from cross-language calls could deepen customer loyalty in ways that coverage and network speed improvements no longer can.TREND BITET-Mobile's play reflects a deeper consumer expectation taking hold: technology should work invisibly to make life easier. The implications stretch well beyond telecom. For the 60 million Americans in multilingual households, real-time translation isn't a mere convenience it's a tool for closeness and (intergenerational) connection. For small businesses, it means no longer losing customers because of a language gap. Scale that up to healthcare, where language barriers contribute to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment, or to government services, where they block access to housing, benefits and legal aid, and the stakes become even more evident.The pattern emerging here is one brands across sectors should watch closely: consumers will increasingly expect intelligence embedded at the infrastructure level, requiring zero setup, and designed to enhance human connection rather than replace it. The organizations that deliver on that whether they're carriers, banks, hospitals or public agencies will set a new standard for what "accessible" actually means.
Hideki Sato, who led the design of Sega's beloved consoles from the '80s and '90s, died on Friday, according to the Japanese gaming site Beep21. He was 77. Sato worked with Sega from 1971 until the early 2000s, but he's best known for his involvement in the development of the Sega arcade games and home consoles that defined many late Gen X and early millennial childhoods, starting with the SG-1000 to the Genesis, Saturn and Dreamcast. https://t.co/hClrxLODFU Beep21 (@Beep2021) February 14, 2026
Sato went on to serve as Sega's president from 2001 to 2003. In the post announcing his death, Beep21, which interviewed Sato numerous times over the years, wrote (translated from Japanese), "He was truly a great figure who shaped Japanese gaming history and captivated Sega fans all around the world. The excitement and pioneering spirit of that era will remain forever in the hearts and memories of countless fans, for all eternity." Sato's passing comes just a few months after that of Sega co-founder David Rosen, who died in December at age 95. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/hideki-sato-known-as-the-father-of-sega-hardware-has-reportedly-died-230634768.html?src=rss
If you've been wondering what's next for Netflix's Terminator Zero in the time since its first season, we finally have an update, and it's a bummer. Responding to a fan on social media, showrunner Mattson Tomlin said this weekend that the show has been canceled. Despite being generally well received, Tomlin noted that "at the end of the day not nearly enough people watched it."It was cancelled. The critical and audience reception to it was tremendous, but at the end of the day not nearly enough people watched it. I wouldve loved to deliver on the Future War I had planned in seasons 2 and 3, but Im also very happy with how it feels contained as is. https://t.co/Dh7G6gkBF7 pic.twitter.com/dqCSXHIytg mattson tomlin (@mattsontomlin) February 13, 2026
Season one of Terminator Zero was released in August 2024 and focused on the events around Judgment Day August 29, 1997, as established in Terminator 2 and its aftermath, jumping forward to 2022, more than two decades into a war between humans and machines. In the post about the show's cancellation, Tomlin wrote, "I wouldve loved to deliver on the Future War I had planned in seasons 2 and 3, but Im also very happy with how it feels contained as is."Tomlin went on to praise the marketing team in additional replies for "trying to really make the show work," as well as the hundreds of people who worked on the show. Offering a bit of insight, Tomlin wrote, "Generally speaking, anime audiences skew younger. Terminator audiences skew older. Terminator Zero asked them to meet in the middle, and they didnt in the way the corporation needed to justify the spend to continue. Im extremely grateful to the people who have watched it."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/terminator-zero-showrunner-confirms-the-netflix-anime-has-been-canceled-after-one-season-211656840.html?src=rss
At a staggering starting price of $6,999, you have a better chance of buying a bicycle in Cerulean City than getting your hands on the official Pokémon pinball machine. The collaboration between The Pokémon Company International and Stern Pinball is undoubtedly nostalgic, letting you battle with a team that includes Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle and Pikachu, as well as catch up to 182 different Pokémon, mostly from the Kanto region, with more to be added.
Besides catching 'em all and tracking your growing Pokédex on Stern Pinball's dedicated app, you can do Gym Battles in four different biomes and eventually face off against Team Rocket. The pinball machine draws a lot of inspiration from the original cartoon, including a monitor that plays clips from the show, an animatronic Pikachu, and speakers that can play the iconic theme song.
Stern Pinball developed Pro, Premium and Limited Edition models, which can cost all the way up to $12,999. For the most expensive option, you'll get one of the 750 limited edition machines that include a Master Ball plunger, a numbered plaque and a signed certificate of authenticity. For Pokémon fans that can't afford to spend that much money on a pinball machine, you can soon find them at arcades and bowling alleys instead.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-official-pokemon-pinball-machine-has-an-animatronic-pikachu-and-a-master-ball-plunger-204915013.html?src=rss
The hardest choice to make for building your next MacBook might be selecting a color. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has tested colors including light yellow, light green, blue and pink for its next entry-level MacBook that's aimed at students and enterprise users.
Beyond the more vibrant colors, Gurman said that Apple has also trialed its classic silver and dark gray colorways for its cheaper laptop. Gurman added that not all of these six colors will make it to the final product, but Apple has recently shown it's not afraid to dip into flashier options. Apple refreshed the iMac in 2024 with a total of seven colors and swapped out the space gray option for sky blue for the latest MacBook Air.
Color choices aside, the latest rumors point to the upcoming MacBook having a price tag that's anywhere between $699 and $799. To achieve that lower price point, Apple is expected to port over its chips designed for iPhones, like the A18 Pro that we first saw with the iPhone 16 Pro Max. We're also anticipating Apple will compromise on specs, ports, or even the display, but Gurman reported that the company won't be skimping when it comes to the shell. According to Gurman, Apple will employ a new manufacturing process to craft aluminum shells for the affordable MacBook, instead of opting for a cheaper material like plastic to cut costs. We may not have to wait long to see the official colors of the budget MacBook, as Gurman reported that it will be announced during an event in March.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apple-may-be-adding-a-splash-of-color-to-its-upcoming-budget-friendly-macbook-192740002.html?src=rss
We're still waiting for Apple CarPlay compatibility for Tesla EVs, but it's been pushed back thanks to a slight hitch with iOS 26, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Tesla's plans to adopt CarPlay have been delayed due to app compatibility issues as well as low adoption rates for iOS 26.
It's been a long wait for Tesla drivers who want CarPlay compatibility, especially since initial rumors indicated a late 2025 rollout and Bloomberg reported that Tesla was testing CarPlay in its vehicles in November. However, Gurman's latest newsletter revealed that there were some compatibility issues between Apple Maps and Tesla's in-house navigation software, which also supports the self-driving features.
To address this, Apple released an iOS 26 update that would better synchronize the two navigation apps, especially when a driver would use Tesla's autonomous driving options. Still, Tesla is reportedly concerned enough about the low adoption rates of iOS 26 to delay delivering CarPlay to its vehicles. Gurman also noted that iOS 26 adoption rates were lower than usual, but are already going up, citing Apple's latest numbers that 74 percent of all iPhones released in the last four years are running iOS 26.
There's still no official date for when CarPlay arrives in Teslas, but including the beloved in-car feature could be a way to boost sales for the company. According to the January registration estimates in the US, Tesla saw sales slip for the fourth month in a row.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-carplay-is-coming-but-its-reportedly-being-held-back-by-low-ios-26-adoption-numbers-173812736.html?src=rss
Airbnb plans to double down on artificial intelligence to improve its user experience for both guests and hosts. During a fourth-quarter earnings call, Airbnb's CEO, Brian Chesky, said the company is building an "AI-native experience" aimed at helping guests book trips, assisting hosts with their listings, and running the company more efficiently. According to Chesky, there's an AI search tool to help guests book trips that's live for a small percentage of users right now.
In a shareholder letter posted on Airbnb's website, the company said it's conducting early testing with an AI-powered search that is "focused on giving guests a more natural way to describe what theyre looking for, and ask questions about the listing and location." The letter added that the AI search tool will become "a more comprehensive and intuitive search experience that extends through the trip," but the company didn't offer a definitive date on when it would be available to the public.
While it may feel like Airbnb is late to incorporating AI into its ecosystem, it introduced an AI chatbot that handles customer service requests last year. While the AI agent is only available to users in North America currently, Airbnb said that it already handles a third of customer requests without the need for human intervention, as reported by TechCrunch. Chesky also said during the earnings call that the AI chatbot would tackle "significantly more" customer tickets a year from now and that it would roll out to the rest of the world.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/airbnb-is-testing-out-ai-search-with-a-small-percentage-of-users-203054011.html?src=rss
