🔐 Microsoft’s AI Agents, Google’s Search Shift, OpenAI Talks

Newslit Daily

0:00

-1:36

🔐 Microsoft’s AI Agents, Google’s Search Shift, OpenAI Talks

Plus: China Curbs Facial Recognition, Waymo Expands to D.C.

Jose Montes de Oca

Mar 25, 2025

Transcript

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, March 25. Today we are covering:

Microsoft announces security AI agents to help overwhelmed humans
Google Is Searching for an Answer to ChatGPT
OpenAI says its AI voice assistant is now better to chat with
China bans compulsory facial recognition and its use in private spaces like hotel rooms
Waymo Robotaxis Are Heading To Washington

Let’s dive in

We're thrilled to bring you ad-free news. To keep it that way, we need your support. Your pledge helps us stay independent and deliver high-quality insights while exploring new ideas. What would you love to see next? Share your thoughts and help shape the future of Newslit Daily. Thank you for being part of this journey!

Pledge your support

Microsoft announces security AI agents to help overwhelmed humans

By Tom Warren via The Verge

Microsoft is expanding its Security Copilot platform with six new AI agents that can autonomously handle tasks like triaging phishing alerts, prioritizing incidents, and monitoring vulnerabilities—aimed at easing the load on security teams.
These agents, launching in preview next month, integrate natively with Microsoft Security tools, while partner-built agents from firms like OneTrust and Aviatrix will support tasks such as breach analysis and network failure diagnostics.
Enhanced phishing protection is also coming to Microsoft Teams, with Defender for Office 365 rolling out new safeguards against malicious URLs and attachments next month.

𝕏: Microsoft is announcing 6 new security AI agents to help overwhelmed humans. They can do things like triage and process phishing and data loss alerts, prioritize critical incidents, and monitor for vulnerabilities. - Tom Warren (@tomwarren)

Google Is Searching for an Answer to ChatGPT

By Julia Love via Bloomberg

Google is undergoing a major transformation of its core Search product, exploring a shift from traditional link-based results to direct AI-powered chatbot answers.
Internal proposals dating back to 2021 envisioned chat interfaces at the forefront of search, aligning with CEO Sundar Pichai’s long-standing push to reorient Alphabet around artificial intelligence.
With backing from top-tier labs like DeepMind and Google Brain, the company is racing to counter the disruptive rise of ChatGPT and redefine the web's future.

𝕏: NEW: Google has spent the past 2+ years trying to remake search with generative AI. The results? Mixed. Check out my @bw cover with @daveyalba on missed opportunities, Google's attempts to right the ship & the price being paid across the web. - Julia Love (@byJuliaLove)

The best way to reach new readers is through word of mouth. If you click THIS LINK in your inbox, it’ll create an easy-to-send pre-written email you can just fire off to some friends.

OpenAI says its AI voice assistant is now better to chat with

By Maxwell Zeff via TechCrunch

OpenAI has updated its Advanced Voice Mode in ChatGPT to reduce interruptions during pauses and make the assistant more personable, with improvements now available to both free and paid users.
Paying users—across Plus, Teams, Edu, Business, and Pro plans—now experience a more direct, engaging, concise, and creative voice assistant.
The enhancements come as competition intensifies in the AI voice space, with startups like Sesame gaining traction and major players like Amazon preparing LLM-powered upgrades to Alexa.

China bans compulsory facial recognition and its use in private spaces like hotel rooms

By Simon Sharwood via The Register

China has banned the use of facial recognition without consent, outlawing its deployment in private and sensitive public spaces like hotel rooms and public bathrooms, while mandating privacy impact assessments and data encryption for any approved use.
Zoho won India’s Web Browser Development Challenge with its Ulaa browser, securing ₹1 crore to ensure cross-platform compatibility, though national rollout remains unclear amid Google–Jio ties.
Cyber tensions escalate in Asia: a Volt Typhoon-adjacent group targeted Taiwan’s infrastructure; X (formerly Twitter) sued India over content takedown laws; Japan proposed a new cyber law promising privacy safeguards; and Australia’s ASPI reported harassment from Chinese trolls after publishing critical research.

Waymo Robotaxis Are Heading To Washington

By Alan Ohnsman via Forbes

Waymo will launch its paid robotaxi service in Washington, D.C. in 2026, following expansions in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, and planned rollouts in Miami (2025) and Atlanta (2026).
After the collapse of GM-backed Cruise, Waymo stands as the dominant U.S. player in autonomous ride-hailing, logging over 200,000 paid rides weekly and generating an estimated $100 million in 2024 revenue.
Despite rising competition from Tesla, Amazon’s Zoox, and May Mobility, Waymo maintains a safety record free of major incidents and is also testing overseas in Tokyo.