AI LABELLING
Anthropic’s fight against the Department of Defense raises a big question: Who controls AI in war?
A federal judge has blocked the Pentagon's designation of Anthropic as a security risk. This ruling came after the AI company refused military use restrictions on its chatbot. The Pentagon sought to dictate AI technology usage by private companies. The judge found the government's action illegal and baseless, rejecting national security claims. This case tests AI company control over technology when the government is a customer.
US judge blocks Pentagon's Anthropic blacklisting
Anthropic's lawsuit in California federal court alleges that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth overstepped his authority when he designated Anthropic a national security supply-chain risk, a label the government can apply to companies that expose military systems to potential infiltration or sabotage by adversaries.
These large-, mid- and small-cap stocks can give more than 20% return in 1 year, according to analysts
Even if the ongoing conflict in the Gulf settles anytime soon (and we certainly hope it does), don’t be surprised if the Nifty and Sensex remain volatile for quite some time. In fact, the chances are that the volatility quotient of the market will remain high for several months after. That does not, however, mean that you should not think of buying stocks. You can, but be aware of the big picture.
From 100,000 calls a month to 5 million a day: Inside Vobiz’s AI telephony bet
Founded by Suman Gandham and Vikash Srivastava, Vobiz is betting that the rise of AI voice agents will require a telecom layer built for machine-led conversations rather than traditional call centres.
AI-generated music barred from Australian charts after Madonna cover controversy
In a significant shift, Australia's music charts will no longer recognize AI-generated tracks. This decision followed an uproar regarding a DJ's AI-supported cover hitting number one on local charts. Tracks composed entirely by AI are excluded from the ARIA Charts, while those using AI as an aid but primarily created by humans remain eligible.
Quote of the day by Drake: 'Reviews condition people. At the end of the day, a lot of human minds are...' - inspiring quote by Grammy-winning rapper of God's Plan and Hotline Bling teaches life lessons on influence, power of words and how other people can control what we think
Quote of the day by Drake: Canadian rapper Drake's quote highlights how reviews influence human minds. He suggests opinions can be easily shaped by strong and confident words. This observation serves as a reminder to think independently about heard opinions. Drake, born Aubrey Graham, gained fame on Degrassi before his music career.
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697 days, no record high: Sensex hits worst two-year return stretch since 2012. Will this end soon?
The Sensex has gone 697 days without a new record high, marking its longest stretch of weakness in years. In 2026, 37% of trading days have delivered negative two-year returns, the highest share since 2012. However, easing FII selling, resilient domestic flows and potential foreign inflows could support a recovery.

Junk food, screens, paper leaks: Rajasthan HC takes Gen Z, Gen Alpha issues to court
Rajasthan High Court took suo motu notice of issues affecting young generations. The court banned junk food sales near schools and mandated nutrition committees. It also stressed preserving fundamental learning skills alongside digital education. Authorities must address rural school infrastructure and prevent paper leaks. Plans are required to tackle the education-employment gap and gig worker security.

Beyond Chatbots: Dview bets on AI that can reason
Dview founder and CEO Kauts Shukla says the next wave of enterprise AI will move beyond chatbots and dashboards to systems that can reason across fragmented enterprise data.

Govt eases loan licence requirement for 'outsourced' sterilisation of medical gear
Medical device makers now avoid loan licenses for outsourced sterilization services. This change simplifies business while industry leaders express concerns about new labeling rules. Printing sterilizer license numbers on device labels may hinder export flexibility and cause shipment delays. Manufacturers worry about losing the ability to choose the fastest available sterilization facility. The government also recognized the European Union for clinical investigation waivers.

Sector-focussed funds look to ride deeptech wave, expand horizons
Sector-focussed venture capital funds are widening their investment horizons as more founders build in deeptech areas such as robotics, spacetech, advanced manufacturing and semiconductors. Investors say the shift reflects stronger deal flow and greater confidence in deeptech’s defensibility and exit potential. Government-backed capital is also adding momentum to the sector.

I spent two months with Apple’s new Siri AI and it’s finally worth talking to
Siri has spent years playing catch-up in the AI race. The new Siri AI on iOS 27 finally feels like a real assistant, with personal context and onscreen awareness. But Apple still has some catching up to do.

AI can never take over human relationships, craft: Sabyasachi Mukherjee
Fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee opened his new flagship store in New Delhi. He believes craftsmanship will outlast artificial intelligence, which should only support creativity. Mukherjee also celebrated his multi-year collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This partnership will draw inspiration from the museum's vast collection for new designs.

The Economic Times Startup Awards 2026: Nominees for Woman Ahead and Social Enterprise
Happy Thursday! The ETtech team has been preparing for the past few months to bring you the 12th edition of The Economic Times Startup Awards (ETSA). Today, we are unveiling the nominees for two more categories: Woman Ahead and Social Enterprise.

Oil Price Today (August 19): Crude oil nears $92/barrel as Trump claims US in no talks with Iran. What lies ahead?
Crude oil prices edged closer to $92 a barrel on August 19 as escalating Middle East tensions and diplomatic stalemates between the US and Iran stoked global supply worries. Analysts at Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan warn Brent could spike past $110 if Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions persist.

'We will correct delusions of this deluded man': Iran hits back at Trump's assertion over Hormuz as 'NEW U.S. Territory'
Iran has warned Donald Trump that his claims over the Strait of Hormuz will be corrected. Iranian officials dismissed Trump's assertions as delusions and stated their resolve. Trump had shared an AI-generated image claiming the waterway as new US territory. Iran insists the strait will remain closed until US commitments are met. Tensions remain high over the critical global energy route.

Meta more cautious on CSAM after unequivocal govt message; action visible: IT Ministry sources
Sources said the government's intent is not censorship or restricting coverage in any way, but ensuring Indian laws and norms are followed and that social media harms are mitigated. Meta explained how its algorithms and systems work, the ministry sources said, noting that discussions are on and such matters involve "judgment calls" and "tweaks".

43-year old CEO in America lost tens of millions of dollars after backing Donald Trump. Now he's risking millions to run for Congress
Anthony Constantino secured the Republican nomination for New York's 21st Congressional District. He is self-funding his multimillion-dollar campaign to maintain independence and focus on manufacturing. Constantino's company faced significant revenue losses after endorsing Donald Trump. He previously spent five million dollars of his own money on the campaign. Constantino will now face Democrat Blake Gendebien in the general election.

‘Message has gone home’: Govt presses Meta on CSAM, WhatsApp username row
Government's firm stance on child sexual abuse material prompts Meta's increased action. Discussions focus on algorithm adjustments and ensuring Indian laws are followed. The WhatsApp username row is under examination, affecting multiple messaging applications. Nations like Australia, the UK, and France share concerns over social media harms. Synthetically generated content must be labeled, with platforms holding responsibility.

How Trump and his family are profiteering from Chinese AI which his administration labels as dangerous for the US
Amid increasing scrutiny, the Trump family's business dealings with Chinese AI companies come into the spotlight. The partnership between World Liberty Financial and WorldClaw, which facilitates access to Chinese artificial intelligence resources, ignites debates over national security. Although White House officials deny any conflicts of interest, analysts assert that this collaboration undermines the administration's position on China-related technology policies.

When the cloud gets thirsty: Should India make AI pay back its water debt?
India's AI sector is poised to face a substantial challenge due to its increasing water demands for infrastructure, particularly as data centers are expected to significantly intensify water consumption in the near future. Implementing an innovative water credit system can help mitigate these environmental concerns, placing a strong emphasis on local water replenishment and ensuring community advantages.

Cami Clark: Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s wife is a Silicon Valley power player. But Claude barely knows her
Cami Clark, wife of Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, has remained largely unknown outside Silicon Valley’s elite despite her proximity to some of the technology world’s most powerful figures. Her unconventional career includes a women-focused pornography startup, a pitch for investment to Jeffrey Epstein, ties to Eric Schmidt and a proposed role in Anthropic’s early funding.

Infra.Market’s backdoor listing; Honasa posts record profit
Infra.Market is set to enter the public markets through a reverse merger with Shalimar Paints. This and more in today's ETtech Top 5.

India must make AI labels durable and verifiable
In a landmark move, California and India have implemented legislation aimed at enhancing transparency in AI-generated content. These laws require the incorporation of nearly invisible watermarks alongside visible identifiers for synthetic media to combat confusion between genuine and artificial creations. The regulations from India set forth clear definitions and compliance demands for synthetic information. However, a critical hurdle remains: ensuring the longevity and effectiveness of AI label authentication.

Explained: Sarvam AI's Indic benchmark to test voice AI across 22 Indian languages
This launch addresses a major gap felt in the Indian AI ecosystem, especially voice models. AI voice tools have made rapid advancements in Western languages, but diverse, multi-speaker conversations in India, with multiple dialects and languages, have barely any useful data to benchmark models.

10 jobs hardest for AI to replace, 2nd on list pays you over $200,000
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming many workplaces and daily tasks. However, certain jobs demand physical strength and quick reactions, making them hard for AI. Emergency services and construction roles require human judgment and adaptability in unpredictable situations. These careers often involve physical exertion and immediate danger recognition. Uniquely human skills like adaptability and critical thinking will remain valuable.

Instagram, YouTube music use could be costing India’s music industry Rs 350 crore a year
Indian music labels face over Rs 350 crore annual sync revenue loss. Unlicensed music use on social media platforms causes this significant financial impact. ContentLens offers an AI-powered solution to detect and recover this lost revenue. Their new managed Enforcement Service handles the entire process for music labels.

Explained: Anthropic’s plan to watermark all Claude-generated content, and how it works
Invisible watermarks will be woven directly into text generated by Claude models. It will not alter the meaning, quality, or readability of a response and can travel with the text when copied elsewhere, potentially persisting through some editing.

Play that funky AI-generated music
The music industry is currently confronting a significant challenge due to the rise of AI-generated music, which is increasingly infiltrating global music charts. This innovative technology empowers record labels to streamline their production processes. However, lawmakers and nations must tackle the pressing issues of copyright and labeling concerning AI music. It's crucial for the industry to devise strategies that ensure the protection of human creativity and income streams.
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