The AI tracker: From multilingual tech to identifying human musicians

According to the company, indicators may include linked social media accounts, consistent listener engagement, merchandise sales, or live concert listings that demonstrate the presence of a real artiste behind the account. The company added that the rollout will prioritise creators who have made meaningful contributions to music culture instead of anonymous ‘content farm’ accounts producing AI-generated tracks in large volumes.

‘Stacey’ standards

A new online trend known as the ‘Stacey Face’ is raising concerns about the growing role of artificial intelligence in shaping modern beauty standards. The term refers to a highly filtered, doll-like appearance promoted through AI-powered beauty apps and social media filters. The look typically includes flawless skin, large eyes, sharp cheekbones, symmetrical facial features, and a very small nose.

AI tools such as Umax and Glowdess analyse facial features, assign attractiveness ratings, and compare users to an idealised ‘Stacey’ standard derived largely from Western beauty norms. Users who fail to meet these standards are often ranked into lower categories, reinforcing unrealistic expectations around physical appearance.

Food recognition in refrigerators

Samsung has begun rolling out a software update for select Bespoke AI Family Hub refrigerators in the US, significantly improving the appliances’ food recognition capabilities through integration with Google’s Gemini AI model. The update increases the number of food items the refrigerators can identify from around 100 to more than 2,000. The upgraded system combines Samsung’s on-device recognition technology with Google’s cloud-based AI models to provide more accurate identification of groceries and stored items.

The feature requires an active Wi-Fi connection to access Gemini’s cloud processing capabilities. The update is currently being released for refrigerators equipped with 32-inch displays, while support for 9-inch display models and additional global markets is expected to expand gradually through 2026.

AI agent as cafe owner

An experimental cafe in Stockholm is testing how artificial intelligence can manage a real-world business. Operated by San Francisco startup Andon Labs, the cafe is overseen by an AI agent named Mona, powered by Google’s Gemini AI model. While human baristas continue preparing and serving coffee, the AI handles many of the cafe’s operational responsibilities, including staff management, scheduling, and inventory control.

The project aims to explore whether AI systems can successfully run service businesses with minimal human oversight. However, the experiment has faced financial challenges. Since opening in mid-April, the cafe has generated more than $5,700 in sales, but less than $5,000 remains from its original budget of over $21,000, much of which was spent on setup costs. Despite the financial uncertainty, the cafe has attracted curious customers interested in interacting with the AI manager.

Strengthening multilingual AI

The Indian Institute of Technology-Patna (IIT-P) is emerging as a key contributor to India’s multilingual AI ambitions through its Centre of Indian Language Data (COIL-D) initiative under the government’s BHASHINI programme. The initiative seeks to reduce India’s digital language barriers and improve communication across the country’s linguistically diverse population.

COIL-D is developing high-quality datasets for Hindi and 17 Indian languages, along with Tamil and several Dravidian languages. The project adopts a comprehensive AI pipeline approach aimed at improving accessibility to digital services and information in regional languages. By supporting AI development in Indian languages, the BHASHINI programme hopes to create more inclusive digital infrastructure and ensure that technological advancements reach users across different linguistic and regional communities.

AI-powered pothole detectors

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to help cities identify potholes and other infrastructure problems through connected vehicles equipped with advanced sensors and cameras. Companies including Waymo, Waze, and fleet management firm Samsara are developing systems that collect and analyse road condition data in real time. Samsara recently introduced an AI-powered platform called ground intelligence, which uses data gathered from millions of trucks fitted with monitoring cameras.

The company’s AI models can detect potholes, assess how quickly they are deteriorating, and monitor changes over time using repeated observations from vehicles travelling the same routes. The company has already partnered with the city of Chicago to provide infrastructure monitoring services. Beyond potholes, the system could eventually identify other urban issues, including graffiti, broken guardrails, and low-hanging power lines.