As a company with a global presence to the tune of at least a billion people, Google is taking both its immense tech capabilities and social responsibility role very seriously. Namely, it has pledged to provide tangible support to organizations wanting to help address societal challenges using artificial intelligence through its just announced “AI Impact Challenge”. Whether an idea needs coaching, grant funding from a pool of $25 million available, or credit and consulting from cloud services, Google will be there to help.
Towards this effort, the company has already provided an educational guide to machine learning, the primary tool it wants organizations to utilize in its problem-solving. It might seem counterintuitive for a proposer to need training on the very thing it’s proposing, but this is part of the point of Google’s support. To quote Google’s project page directly, “We want people from as many backgrounds as possible to surface problems that AI can help solve, and to be empowered to create solutions themselves…We don’t expect applicants to be AI experts.” Submissions are open until January 22, 2019, and winners will be announced in spring 2019.
Need inspiration for an idea? Or, perhaps, some examples of the kinds of problems that artificial intelligence can help solve? Google’s page dedicated to its “AI for social good” mission has featured projects that are already working towards societally beneficial goals. Here’s a breakdown of some of them:
- The “Smart Wildfire Sensor” is a device that identifies and predicts areas in a forest that are susceptible to wildfires. To do this, it uses data from tools measuring wind speed, wind direction, humidity, and temperature combined with Google’s open source machine learning tool TensorFlow for photographic analysis of biomass (accumulated fallen branches and trees).
- Protecting whales from preventable accidents such as entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with vessels is a challenge being addressed using whale songs and machine learning to locate where they’re singing from. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) uses underwater audio recordings to identify and mitigate the presence of dangers in the estimated areas where whales are present. The thousands of hours of recordings accumulated presented a data challenge well suited to Google’s existing sound classification AI to help meet NOAA’s needs with conservation efforts.
- As a top cause of infant mortality in the world, birth asphyxia is a serious threat needing all the tools available to new parents. Using machine learning trained to recognize the cries of a newborn with this condition, the company Ubenwa has developed a mobile app enabling a recording of a baby’s cry to be uploaded and diagnosed.
“With great power comes great responsibility” is a familiar motto that applies to the state of modern tech just as much as superheroes. For example, the fast-paced field of artificial intelligence brings frequent developments that challenge our security as a society, thus needing caution. However, the massive companies driving the primary innovations being used among the public on a grand scale are one of the larger demonstrations of this where this motto really applies in today’s world.
Google sharply felt the weight of its responsibility recently when its role in assisting the US Department of Defense to analyze drone footage (Project Maven) was revealed. The “Don’t be evil” part of the company’s Code of Conduct at the time appeared to be violated through the military assistance, and renewal of the contract has since been canceled. Google’s further work on its Chinese search engine with censorship in accordance with the communist government’s requirements has also drawn protest from both inside and outside the company. Given this background, a new project focused on doing “good” things for the benefit of society might be seen as possible damage control. The timing might be suspect, but it’s worth noting that, as seen in the projects described above, Google has been working to help with societal needs for quite some time already.
Overall, headlines in recent years have demonstrated just how flexible AI can be when it comes to solving challenges that face our world. While the fears brought on by future “intelligent” computers may have a foundation in reality, it may do us a great amount of good to turn our focus on the hope such technology can also bring. Whatever Google’s motivation is for launching its “AI for social good project”, if good is achieved, it may just be a win for us all.
Cybertruck
Tesla confirms date when new Cybertruck trim will go up in price
Tesla has officially revealed that this price will only be available until February 28, as the company has placed a banner atop the Design Configurator on its website reflecting this.
Tesla has confirmed the date when its newest Cybertruck trim level will increase in price, after CEO Elon Musk noted that the All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the all-electric pickup would only be priced at its near-bargain level for ten days.
Last week, Tesla launched the All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck. Priced at $59,990, the Cybertruck featured many excellent features and has seemingly brought some demand to the pickup, which has been underwhelming in terms of sales figures over the past couple of years.
Tesla launches new Cybertruck trim with more features than ever for a low price
When Tesla launched it, many fans and current owners mulled the possibility of ordering it. However, Musk came out and said just hours after launching the pickup that Tesla would only keep it at the $59,990 price level for ten days.
What it would be priced at subsequently was totally dependent on how much demand Tesla felt for the new trim level, which is labeled as a “Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive” configuration.
Tesla has officially revealed that this price will only be available until February 28, as the company has placed a banner atop the Design Configurator on its website reflecting this:
NEWS: Tesla has officially announced that the price of the new Cybertruck Dual-Motor AWD will be increasing after February 28th. pic.twitter.com/vZpA521ZwC
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) February 24, 2026
Many fans and owners have criticized Tesla’s decision to unveil a trim this way, and then price it at something, only to change that price a few days later based on how well it sells.
Awful way to treat customers – particularly when they already sent out a marketing email announcing the $59,990 truck…with zero mention of it being a limited-time offer.
— Ryan McCaffrey (@DMC_Ryan) February 24, 2026
It seems the most ideal increase in price would be somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000, but it truly depends on how many orders Tesla sees for this new trim level. The next step up in configuration is the Premium All-Wheel-Drive, which is priced at $79,990.
The difference between the Dual Motor AWD Cybertruck and the Premium AWD configuration comes down to towing, interior quality, and general features. The base package is only capable of towing up to 7,500 pounds, while the Premium can handle 11,000 pounds. Additionally, the seats in the Premium build are Vegan Leather, while the base trim gets the textile seats.
It also has only 7 speakers compared to the 15 that the Premium trim has. Additionally, the base model does not have an adjustable ride height, although it does have a coil spring with an adaptive damping suspension package.
Cybertruck
Tesla set to activate long-awaited Cybertruck feature
Tesla will officially activate the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature on Cybertruck soon, as the company has officially added the feature to its list of features by trim on its website.
Tesla is set to activate a long-awaited Cybertruck feature, and no matter when you bought your all-electric pickup, it has the hardware capable of achieving what it is designed to do.
Tesla simply has to flip the switch, and it plans to do so in the near future.
Tesla will officially activate the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature on Cybertruck soon, according to Not a Tesla App, as the company has officially added the feature to its list of features by trim on its website.
Tesla rolls out Active Road Noise Reduction for new Model S and Model X
The ANC feature suddenly appeared on the spec sheet for the Premium All-Wheel-Drive and Cyberbeast trims, which are the two configurations that have been delivered since November 2023.
However, those trims have both had the ANC disabled, and although they are found in the Model S and Model X, and are active in those vehicles, Tesla is planning to activate them.
In Tesla’s Service Toolbox, it wrote:
“ANC software is not enabled on Cybertruck even though the hardware is installed.”
Tesla has utilized an ANC system in the Model S and Model X since 2021. The system uses microphones embedded in the front seat headrests to detect low-frequency road noise entering the cabin. It then generates anti-noise through phase-inverted sound waves to cancel out or reduce that noise, creating quieter zones, particularly around the vehicle’s front occupants.
The Model S and Model X utilize six microphones to achieve this noise cancellation, while the Cybertruck has just four.
Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026
As previously mentioned, this will be activated through a software update, as the hardware is already available within Cybertruck and can simply be activated at Tesla’s leisure.
The delays in activating the system are likely due to Tesla Cybertruck’s unique design, which is unlike anything before. In the Model S and Model X, Tesla did not have to do too much, but the Cybertruck has heavier all-terrain tires and potentially issues from the aluminum castings that make up the vehicle’s chassis, which are probably presenting some challenges.
Unfortunately, this feature will not be available on the new Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive configuration, which was released last week.
News
Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
Tesla Model S and Model X customization options are beginning to thin for the first time as the closure of the two “sentimental” vehicles nears.
We are officially seeing the first options disappear as Tesla begins to work toward ending production of the two cars and the options that are available to those vehicles specifically.
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
🚨 Tesla Model S and Model X availability is thinning, as Tesla has officially shown that the Lunar Silver color option on both vehicles is officially sold out
To be fair, Frost Blue is still available so no need to freak out pic.twitter.com/YnwsDbsFOv
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 25, 2026
Tesla is making way for the Optimus humanoid robot project at the Fremont Factory, where the Model S and Model X are produced. The two cars are low-volume models and do not contribute more than a few percent to Tesla’s yearly delivery figures.
With CEO Elon Musk confirming that the Model S and Model X would officially be phased out at the end of the quarter, some of the options are being thinned out.
This is an expected move considering Tesla’s plans for the two vehicles, as it will make for an easier process of transitioning that portion of the Fremont plant to cater to Optimus manufacturing. Additionally, this is likely one of the least popular colors, and Tesla is choosing to only keep around what it is seeing routine demand for.
During the Q4 Earnings Call in January, Musk confirmed the end of the Model S and Model X:
“It is time to bring the Model S and Model X programs to an end with an honorable discharge. It is time to bring the S/X programs to an end. It’s part of our overall shift to an autonomous future.”
Fremont will now build one million Optimus units per year as production is ramped.
Tesla confirms date when new Cybertruck trim will go up in price
Tesla set to activate long-awaited Cybertruck feature
