Today's Newsletter Highlights:

• Harmattan AI raises $200M Series B led by Dassault Aviation, becomes defense unicorn

• A New Jersey lawsuit shows how hard it is to fight deepfake porn

• Apple, Google strike Gemini deal for revamped Siri in major win for Alphabet

• Best AI Tools

🎇AI NEWS TODAY🎇

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Harmattan AI raises $200M Series B led by Dassault Aviation, becomes defense unicorn

Harmattan AI is a French defense tech startup that started in 2024. It raised $200 million in a Series B round, led by Dassault Aviation. This investment has given Harmattan AI unicorn status with a $1.4 billion valuation—rare for a European defense AI company.

🔥 What’s happening

Dassault Aviation's support makes Harmattan AI a key partner for future combat aviation systems. This includes the new Rafale F5 fighter and advanced unmanned combat aerial systems (UCAS).

The startup, often compared to U.S. defense AI firms, creates software for autonomous systems. They focus on AI for drones, ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance), electronic warfare, and intercepting drones.

Funding will help launch products globally, enhance manufacturing, and explore new defence areas.

🛡️ Strategic importance

Harmattan AI has contracts with both the French and British defence ministries. This shows strong government support and a real need for autonomous systems.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the deal boosts national strategic autonomy and offers a tech edge. He highlighted its significance for defense readiness and the economy.

This partnership addresses modern combat issues. Drones and autonomy are becoming crucial for NATO and allied forces.

📈 Why it matters

Unicorn status in defence: This funding makes Harmattan a unique AI-powered defence unicorn in Europe. It highlights AI's increasing importance in national security and advanced military tech.

AI in combat systems: Harmattan collaborates closely with military platforms and mission systems. This sets it apart from many civilian AI startups. This marks a shift from experimental AI to operational autonomy under human oversight.

Industrial scaling: The new capital enables mass production of autonomous systems. It also speeds up adoption in different areas, like drone swarms and electronic warfare nodes.

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A New Jersey lawsuit shows how hard it is to fight deepfake porn

A case in a federal court in New Jersey shines a light on the battle against deepfake pornography. This challenge persists even when the content is illegal and harmful. The lawsuit is about an app named ClothOff. This app makes explicit images of women without their consent. Even though it’s off major app stores and social platforms, you can still find it online and through a Telegram bot.

🧠 What the case reveals

The plaintiff is an anonymous high school student from New Jersey. When she was 14, her photo was altered into explicit imagery by ClothOff. Under U.S. law, AI-created porn that includes minors is seen as child sexual abuse material. Its creation, distribution, or storage is illegal.

Finding and serving defendants poses a challenge. The app is registered in the British Virgin Islands and is believed to be run by individuals in Belarus. This situation highlights jurisdictional issues that complicate accountability.

Law enforcement's response has been limited. Local authorities did not prosecute. They faced challenges in getting evidence from suspects’ devices. As a result, the civil suit is currently the main path for justice.

🧪 Broader legal and policy context

Laws like the U.S. Take It Down Act of 2025 demand quick removal of non-consensual intimate images. This includes AI deepfakes too. This highlights legislative efforts to tackle the broader issue. However, enforcement and platform compliance remain inconsistent.

Even with strict bans on child sexual abuse material, enforcement gaps exist. This is especially true for AI image generators designed for general use. It's tough to hold companies accountable without proof of intent or safety failures.

Globally, regulators are also addressing deepfake harms. Some countries have blocked or investigated deepfake AI tools after harmful content surfaced. However, U.S. federal action beyond the Take It Down Act remains limited.

🧠 Why it matters

This lawsuit highlights a key issue in AI regulation. Explicit deepfake content, especially with minors, is illegal. The global and decentralized nature of AI services makes it tough to enforce laws and assist victims.

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Apple, Google strike Gemini deal for revamped Siri in major win for Alphabet

Alphabet’s Google and Apple have signed a multi-year deal. Apple will use Google’s Gemini AI models for its next-generation AI features. This includes an updated Siri and other “Apple Intelligence” tools expected in 2026.

🧠 Why it matters

Major platform shift: Apple, once seen as creating its own AI, is now relying on Google’s technology. This shows strong confidence in Gemini over other options Apple considered.

Siri gets smarter: The agreement will enhance Siri, making it more context-aware and personal. It will manage complex queries and richer interactions, helping Apple compete with AI assistants from Google and Amazon.

Maintaining privacy: Apple will mainly run Apple Intelligence on-device and through its Private Cloud Compute. This ensures privacy, even with Google’s AI models powering the system.

Strategic alignment: This partnership builds on their current relationship, with Google as the default search engine on Apple devices. It also strengthens their collaboration in the competitive AI field.

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