On Our "Virtual Route 99" (Weekly Edition): On Artificial Intelligence, Gartner & Developments on the Tech Scene

Dana Point, California (Copyright the Daily Outsider January 2026) 

For this special edition of the "Virtual Route 99", our team chose Vinod Khosa as he reflects upon Artificial Intelligence, as Gartner reflects upon the 10 Top Technology Trends, along with Tech Developments, courtesy the team at TechExpresso: 

OpenAI launches ChatGPT Translate to rival Google Translate LINK

• OpenAI has released ChatGPT Translate, a new standalone translation tool that works like Google Translate but adds AI-powered features to help users adjust their translated text for different purposes.
• The tool offers one-tap prompt options that let users reshape translations to sound more fluent, formal, simple for children, or suited for academic readers, then opens ChatGPT for deeper changes.
• ChatGPT Translate currently lacks key features Google offers, including document uploads, website translation, real-time conversations, and broad language support, with Google backing over 50 more languages total.

X blocks Grok from generating sexualized images of real people LINK

• X has blocked Grok from generating sexualized images of real people after users exploited the AI chatbot to create non-consensual explicit pictures, including images of minors, often by tagging Grok directly under photos posted on the platform.
• The company now restricts image creation and editing through Grok to paid subscribers only, and has added geoblocking in places where generating images of real people in bikinis or underwear is illegal.
• Despite these changes, Grok can still remove or alter clothing from uploaded photos, and regulators in California, the UK, Australia, and several other countries have opened investigations into xAI over potential law violations.

Two Thinking Machines Lab cofounders return to OpenAI LINK

• Two cofounders of Thinking Machines Lab, the AI startup led by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, are returning to OpenAI, along with a third key employee named Sam Schoenholz.
• Thinking Machines Lab fired cofounder Barret Zoph before his departure, citing "unethical conduct" and sharing "confidential company information with competitors," though OpenAI CEO Fidji Simo says she has no such concerns.
• The startup has now lost half its cofounders while reportedly trying to raise funds at a $50 billion to $60 billion valuation, which could hurt both investor interest and future recruiting efforts.

Microsoft and Meta pay Wikipedia for AI training data LINK

• Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and AI startups Perplexity and Mistral AI are now paying Wikipedia through its enterprise product to access content for training their AI models.
• Tech companies scraping Wikipedia's 65 million articles for free has increased server demand and costs for the non-profit, which relies mainly on small public donations to operate.
• The Wikimedia Foundation spent time developing the right features to move companies from free access to a paid commercial platform that handles their large-scale AI training needs.

Digg relaunches as new Reddit competitor LINK

• Digg, the early internet community that once competed with Reddit, is relaunching as a public beta on Wednesday under the ownership of its original founder Kevin Rose and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.
• The new platform will use zero-knowledge proofs and signals from mobile devices to verify real users and build trust, aiming to address social media toxicity and prevent AI bots from taking over.
• Anyone can now join and create their own communities on any topic, with community managers able to set rules and share moderation logs publicly so members can see what decisions are made.

OpenAI signs $10 billion computing deal with Cerebras LINK

• OpenAI has signed a multi-year deal worth over $10 billion with AI chipmaker Cerebras, which will provide 750 megawatts of compute power to the company starting this year through 2028.
• Both companies say the partnership will deliver faster outputs for OpenAI's customers, with Cerebras adding a dedicated low-latency inference solution that speeds up responses requiring more processing time.
• Cerebras, which claims its AI-specific chips are faster than GPU-based systems like Nvidia's, has delayed its 2024 IPO while reportedly seeking another billion dollars at a $22 billion valuation.