Avataar AI Launches Low-Cost Varya Video Model for India
TechCrunch AI2 days agoReleaseAvataar AI has launched Varya, a video generation model built from Alibaba’s open Wan 2.2 model and distilled for faster, cheaper output. The company says Varya can generate 5-second 720p clips on an NVIDIA H200 in 45 seconds, versus 1,230 seconds for Wan 2.2. Avataar plans to release the model and training data through India’s AI Kosh portal while offering hosted access at about $0.005 per second.
Anthropic Apologizes for Hidden Claude Fable Guardrails
The Verge AI3 days agoIncidentAnthropic apologized for launching Claude Fable 5 with hidden safeguards that silently altered or degraded answers when the system suspected model-distillation attempts. The company now says those queries will visibly fall back to Claude Opus 4.8, matching how Fable handles other high-risk areas. The reversal follows backlash from AI researchers who warned that invisible restrictions could undermine evaluation, research, and competing model development.
Apple working to cram massive Gemini model into iPhone to power new Siri
Ars Technica AI17 days agoBusinessArs Technica reports that Apple is working to compress Google’s massive Gemini model so it can run on iPhone and power a new Siri experience. The short summary emphasizes a key constraint: even with on-device ambitions, a cloud component is probably inevitable. Details remain limited, so the report is best read as a signal about Apple’s AI direction rather than a confirmed product launch.