Large Language Models

Today's Stories

1. 1

   Disney patents AI memory tech for robot characters

   Disney and ETH Zürich were granted patent US 12,718,481 B2 on August 25, 2026, for AI virtual characters with a working memory. The system pulls from stored memories before generating responses to reduce hallucinations. Current chatbot-style characters can say things that don't match their personality or backstory. This patent describes a memory bank that ranks memories by relevance, recency, and importance, plus a formula for forgetting—characters could hold onto conversation details instead of resetting each time.

   The patent covers chatbots, virtual world characters, and interactive robots in real-world settings like theme parks, stores, and homes. Disney has already introduced interactive walk-around Olaf at Disneyland Paris and Star Wars BDX droids at several parks, suggesting where this tech could be applied next.

2. 2

   S&P Global embeds data in Microsoft 365 Copilot, stock up 6.1%

   In August 2026, S&P Global expanded its collaboration with Microsoft to integrate its AI-ready data, insights, and analytics into Microsoft 365 Copilot, including Excel connectors and agentic plugins via the Kensho AI Data Portal. The stock rose 6.1% following the announcement. This move embeds S&P's proprietary intelligence into everyday productivity tools, potentially making its data more essential to customers' research and financial analysis. However, higher AI and product spending could pressure margins if customer uptake or pricing does not keep pace, a risk investors should weigh.

   S&P's July 2026 launch of Adaptive Retrieval through the AI Data Portal complements the Deterministic Retrieval used in this integration. The company projects $17.2 billion revenue and $6.0 billion earnings by 2029, implying 2.9% yearly revenue growth and a $1.2 billion earnings increase from $4.8 billion today.

3. 3

   Lowe's AI Agent Drives 3x Online Conversion

   Lowe's reported that customers using its Mylow AI agent convert at three times the rate of other online shoppers. The agent has handled more than 25 million questions since its introduction. This gives Lowe's a direct link between AI use and purchasing behavior, showing AI is moving from customer assistance into sales. It also applies to areas where distributors traditionally compete, like product expertise and quoting.

   Lowe's is also using AI for professional contractors with its Material Lists tool, which turns handwritten notes and files into product lists for quotes. The company's online sales increased 15.7% in the second quarter.

4. 4

   Honeywell agentic AI webinar in one week

   Honeywell is holding an agentic AI webinar in one week, as announced by Oil & Gas Middle East. This webinar is likely to discuss the application of agentic AI in the oil and gas industry, which could impact operational efficiency and decision-making for businesses in that sector.

   The webinar may reveal new Honeywell AI capabilities or strategies, but specifics have not been disclosed yet.

5. 5

   Coinbase's New GC Builds AI-Powered Legal Team

   Molly Abraham, Coinbase's new general counsel, is hiring a forward-deployed founding engineer for her legal department to integrate AI into legal workflows. She's funding the role with outside counsel savings, and the salary range is listed at $218,000 to $256,500 a year, excluding equity and bonus. Abraham believes lawyers aren't well-equipped to evaluate technical solutions, so an embedded engineer will help select the best legal tech and AI products. She aims to automate tasks like contract review and equity grants, potentially reducing the legal team's reliance on outside firms and shifting its image from a cost center to a value driver.

   Abraham has already built an AI agent named "Better Call Paul" after her predecessor, which she expects to consult more after Oct. 31, when his transition services agreement ends. She also uses LibreChat, an open-source AI product, for tasks like memo writing.

6. 6

   Apple unveils Mac mini and Mac Studio for local AI work

   Apple refreshed its Mac mini and Mac Studio desktop computers, both featuring the N1 chip and designed for local AI development. Preorders start today, with shipping on September 22. These machines let developers run open-weight models like Qwen and DeepSeek locally, avoiding the steep cost of cloud AI models. They offer more memory and speed than typical consumer hardware, making local AI more practical.

   Pricing starts at $899 for the Mac mini with M6, $1,699 for M5 Pro, $2,499 for Mac Studio M5 Max, and $5,499 for M5 Ultra. The 512GB memory Studio config ships late October.