Germany Declares AI Ubiquitous. NYU Professor Uses AI Exams. Amodei on Exponential Progress. Grok Sparks International Probes.

Show notes

The AI news for January 5th, 2026

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Here are the details of the day's selected top stories:

Missing Link: Invisible Revolution — how the federal government floods the administration with AI.
Source: https://www.heise.de/hintergrund/Missing-Link-Unsichtbare-Revolution-wie-der-Bund-die-Verwaltung-mit-KI-flutet-11127439.html?wt_mc=rss.red.ho.themen.k%C3%BCnstliche+intelligenz.beitrag.beitrag
Why did we choose this article?
A high-level look at a national-scale shift: Germany moving from pilots to broad AI rollout in public administration. Useful for listeners tracking how governments operationalize AI — implications for procurement, interoperability, transparency and citizen services.

Against AI cheating: NYU professor replaces written tests with oral AI examinations.
Source: https://the-decoder.de/gegen-ki-schummelei-nyu-professor-ersetzt-schriftliche-tests-durch-muendliche-ki-pruefungen/
Why did we choose this article?
A practical, low-cost experiment showing how educators can redesign assessment to account for AI. It’s directly applicable: oral AI-assisted exams as a tool to detect misuse, reveal learning gaps, and improve teaching — a useful model for schools and training programs.

Anthropic co-founder on AI progress: The exponential curve continues until it no longer does so.
Source: https://the-decoder.de/anthropic-mitgruenderin-ueber-ki-fortschritt-die-exponentialkurve-haelt-an-bis-sie-es-nicht-mehr-tut/
Why did we choose this article?
A strategic take from an industry founder on the pace and limits of AI progress. Frames technical gains against economic and human constraints — valuable for listeners judging long-term investment, risk, and where human skills remain decisive.

French and Malaysian authorities are investigating Grok for generating sexualized deepfakes
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/04/french-and-malaysian-authorities-are-investigating-grok-for-generating-sexualized-deepfakes/
Why did we choose this article?
A concrete example of cross-border regulatory action and safety risks: large models producing harmful sexualized deepfakes. Important for listeners following content moderation, legal liability, and why governance and model guardrails matter now.

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