Meta drops a terms clause critics read as a licence to scrape
After a backlash over AI training, Meta’s business terms no longer claim content from websites linked to its business accounts.
AI news, 18 October 2026
The 10 AI stories of the day, each told in about 200 words with its sources linked.
Published 05:00 UTC, 10 stories
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Meta · terms -
DeepSeek · modelsDeepSeek updates its Flash model and opens its search engine
DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash-1017 gives shorter answers at a lower cost per task, and developers can now call DeepSeek’s own web search.
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OpenCode · securityOpenCode tells users to replace API keys after a breach
The company behind the coding agent says intruders reached an old system where some users’ OpenAI and Anthropic keys were stored.
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OpenAI · advertisingChatGPT ads can target users by email and phone, 404 Media finds
Advertisers can upload contact lists and aim ads at topics people raise in their chats, according to ads the outlet ran itself.
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Disney · Character.AIDisney sets $180 million for 66 Character.AI hires
A filing in the chatbot maker’s bankruptcy shows the staff Disney is taking on cost nine times its $20 million bid for the technology.
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AI agents · the webBig websites shut the door on AI agents, The Verge finds
Delta, JPMorgan Chase and Charles Schwab block the assistants that book and buy for users, and anti-bot checks stop many more.
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PostgreSQL · softwarePostgreSQL 19 drops features after AI checks find defects
Bug reports from AI-assisted code checking arrived faster than developers could fix them, so the database ships later and with less.
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Replit · modelsReplit makes OpenAI its default model over Anthropic
The app-building platform’s chief executive cites cost and results; customers can still choose Claude, and a source says the Anthropic deal stands.
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Waymo · robotaxisWaymo plans robotaxi rides in Toronto from 2028
Waymo’s first Canadian city starts with hand-driven mapping and a local fleet partner, with public rides planned for 2028.
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Google · publishersGoogle now pays over 400 publications for AI news features
CNN, Axios, the Financial Times and Forbes join a licensing programme that feeds article overviews and audio briefings in Google News.
