Today in AI is a daily recap of the latest news and developments in the AI industry. See your story and want to be featured in an upcoming episode? Reach out at tonyphoang.com

DeepSeek V3, developed by the Chinese AI firm DeepSeek, is a highly advanced open AI model designed for a variety of text-based tasks. It surpasses major competitors in coding and reasoning benchmarks. Released under a permissive license, it allows developers to modify and use it for numerous applications, potentially revolutionizing the AI industry by reducing entry barriers and encouraging innovation, despite facing regulatory and ethical challenges.

OpenAI's AI services, including Chat GPT and Sora, experienced a significant outage lasting over four hours, marking the second major disruption in December. These outages, caused by issues with upstream providers and a malfunctioning telemetry service, raise concerns about the reliability of their services. The incidents highlight the potential impact on user trust and market share, emphasizing the need for improved infrastructure and regulatory oversight.

The year 2024 saw notable advancements and challenges in AI, with significant incidents such as technical malfunctions, legal controversies, and privacy concerns. These events highlighted the complexity and unpredictability of AI technology. They prompted important discussions about the future of AI and the necessity for responsible development.

General Motors has decided to close its Cruise robotaxi business due to regulatory, technical, and financial challenges. In contrast, Alphabet's Waymo continues to expand its autonomous vehicle operations, while Tesla faces delays and market volatility in its robotaxi initiatives. These developments reflect the varying fortunes and challenges faced by companies in the autonomous vehicle sector.