WAXAL, a new open speech dataset, has launched to support AI development in African languages, offering over 1,250 hours of transcribed speech across 21 languages. This initiative empowers local research and technology development, benefiting education, healthcare, and agriculture for over 100 million people.

Ring's AI-powered "Search Party for Dogs" expands to the Neighbors app, allowing broader community engagement in locating lost dogs. Announced in February 2026, it features privacy protections and a Super Bowl commercial highlighting its community focus.

Williams F1 Team has signed a multi-year partnership with Anthropic to make Claude their Official Thinking Partner, enhancing strategy and operations. The collaboration, marked by Claude branding on cars and kits, highlights AI's growing role in competitive sports decision-making.

AI is revolutionizing India's recruitment landscape, with 70% of recruiters using it to manage application surges and talent shortages. Transparency remains crucial as candidates demand clarity on AI's role in hiring decisions.

Italian biathlete Rebecca Passler faces a provisional suspension for doping just before the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. This incident, marking the first doping case for the upcoming Games, highlights the ongoing global challenge of maintaining sport integrity, prompting an investigation by Italian authorities and affecting the host nation's Olympic preparations.

A former Google employee has filed an SEC whistleblower complaint alleging Google aided an Israeli military contractor in enhancing drone footage recognition, raising questions about AI policy adherence. Google contends the support was minimal and insists on the limited scope of the project's involvement, while the situation fuels ongoing debates on AI's role in military applications and the need for greater transparency and regulation.

Deanna Stellato-Dudek withdrew from Canada's Milan Cortina Olympics team due to a training injury, while remaining hopeful for the individual pairs event. Canada adjusts its lineup with Pereira and Michaud stepping in, as the team aims for a podium finish against strong favorites, the United States.

New York City faces 13 cold-related fatalities amid a historic cold snap, with hypothermia suspected as a major factor. Despite shelter availability, advocates highlight access issues for mentally ill individuals.

Smart & Safe Florida's marijuana amendment failed to qualify for the 2026 ballot, as confirmed by state records. This highlights the impact of recent legal changes and ongoing political clashes over ballot initiatives.

Snowflake debuts Cortex Code, a native AI coding agent, to streamline data pipeline and AI app development with enterprise data context. Early adopters like LendingTree and WHOOP highlight fast integration and improved governance, while rivals like Databricks and Google Cloud pursue similar innovations.