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Feb 7, 2025

Bytes: Week in Review — Google’s AI policy pivot, OpenAI teams up with California colleges, and robotaxis arrive in Austin

Natasha Mascarenhas, reporter at The Information, joins Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes for “Tech Bytes: Week in Review.”

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Cheng Xin/Getty Images
Cheng Xin/Getty Images
Cheng Xin/Getty Images

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On this week’s Marketplace “Tech Bytes: Week in Review,” we’ll explore OpenAI’s inroads in higher education. Plus, how passengers can get on a waitlist to hail a driverless car in Austin, Texas.

But first, a look at how Google is changing its approach to artificial intelligence. In 2018, the company published its “AI principles,” guidelines for how it believed AI should be built and used.

Google originally included language that said it would not design or deploy AI to be used in weapons or surveillance. That language has now gone away.

Google didn’t respond to our request for comment, but it did say in a blog post this week that companies and governments should work together to create AI that, among other things, supports national security.

Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes spoke with Natasha Mascarenhas, reporter at The Information, about these topics for this week’s “Tech Bytes.”

More on everything we talked about

The Hill: Google removes weapons development, surveillance pledges from AI ethics policy

Washington Post: Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance

California State University: CSU Announces Landmark Initiative to Become Nation’s First and Largest AI-Empowered University System

OpenAI: OpenAI and the California State University system bring AI to 500,000 students and faculty

Axios: Nearly 500K students across California get access to ChatGPT

Bloomberg: Uber Opens Waitlist for Waymo Rides in Austin Ahead of Launch

The Verge: Uber to Austin: get ready for Waymo