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Google’s Gemini tops App Store + AI minister in Albania

PLUS: Skin-thin haptic patch brings touch to VR and AR

Author

Barsee
15 Sep

Together with

Howdy, it’s Barsee again.

Happy Monday, AI family, and welcome back to AI Valley.

Today’s climb through the Valley reveals:

  • Google’s Gemini becomes top free iPhone app

  • Merriam-Webster publisher sues Perplexity over content use

  • Albania appoints AI as government minister

  • Skin-thin haptic patch brings touch to VR and AR

  • Rolling Stone’s parent company sues Google over AI Overviews

  • Plus trending AI tools, posts, and resources

Let’s dive into the Valley of AI…

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Image Credit: OutSkill

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THROUGH THE VALLEY

Google Gemini is now the #1 free app on the US App Store, passing ChatGPT and Meta’s Threads. The boost came from its viral “Nano Banana” image editing model, which keeps character likeness, supports style transfers, and allows conversational edits. Free users can generate or edit up to 100 images daily, while subscribers at $19.99/month can create up to 1,000. Between August 26 and September 9, Gemini gained 23 million new users, while Nano Banana powered over 500 million edits.

Image from: US App Store

Why does it matter?

Gemini’s growth shows how viral features can turn an app into a breakout hit, just like ChatGPT’s Ghibli-style images boosted its own adoption. By putting AI editing directly on mobile, Google has created a consumer success that is now outpacing ChatGPT in app rankings and global search interest.

Global search interest

Penske Media, which owns Rolling Stone and The Hollywood Reporter, is the first major U.S. publisher to sue Google over its AI-generated summaries. The company says AI Overviews reduce clicks to original sites, cutting into traffic and illegally exploiting its reporting. Penske claims affiliate revenue is already down more than one-third this year due to the feature.

Image Credit: Rolling Stone magazine

Google argues AI Overviews make search more useful, but publishers say few people actually click the links provided. Penske says it faces a choice: block Google’s crawlers and risk losing all visibility, or keep feeding a system that undercuts its business.

Why does it matter?

The case shows the growing fight between AI platforms and the publishers whose work they use. With lawsuits already filed by The New York Times, Britannica, and others, Penske’s case adds more pressure on regulators to decide how AI summaries affect traffic, revenue, and the online publishing business model.

Albania has appointed an AI system called “Diella” to manage all government procurement contracts, making it the first country to give a cabinet role to an AI minister. Prime Minister Edi Rama announced it this week, describing Diella as a minister created virtually by artificial intelligence.

Image of Diella

The AI will evaluate and award tenders while also serving citizens through Albania’s online portal, where it handles requests by voice commands. Rama says it will eliminate bribes and threats from decisions, though officials have not explained what checks or oversight will exist.

Why does it matter?

Governments are already using AI for administration, but letting a system control contracts carries big risks. Without clear safeguards, Diella could be manipulated just like human officials, turning an anti-corruption tool into a new security problem.

Just days after raising $200M at a $20B valuation, Perplexity faces fresh legal trouble. Encyclopaedia Britannica has sued in New York, accusing the AI answer engine of copying its verified content word for word and using its brand without permission.

Image Credit: Perplexity

Britannica, with a 250-year history and more than 1B sessions in 2024, says Perplexity is “free riding” by providing answers directly instead of sending readers to publishers, which hurts subscriptions and ad revenue. CEO Jorge Cauz said the company will take every step to protect its data and intellectual property.

Why does it matter?

Perplexity’s rise comes with growing legal pressure, showing the deep conflict between AI answer engines and traditional publishers. With multiple lawsuits pending, courts could soon decide whether these systems count as fair innovation or as copyright violations, shaping the future of online information.

Researchers created a skin-thin “haptic patch” that can press and vibrate on the skin to match what you see in VR and AR. It uses tiny cone-shaped actuators that pop up and down with voltage, creating precise touch sensations across many frequencies.

In tests, people identified fingertip patterns with over 98% accuracy, distinguished vibration speeds perfectly, and recognized textures with ~98% accuracy. A built-in sensor grid also sends touch wirelessly from one patch to another. It is safe to wear, though it still requires high voltage and consistency improvements.

Why does it matter?

VR and AR already cover sight and sound, but touch has been missing. This thin, flexible patch makes realistic touch possible, opening new opportunities for training, gaming, communication, assistive tech, and remote control once the tech is refined further.

TRENDING TOOLS

  • AgentSea - An open-source platform for creating, deploying, and sharing AI agents

  • Open Lovable - Open-source AI tool that turns any website URL into an editable working clone you can build on instantly

  • Shortcut - The first superhuman excel agent

  • Replit Agent 3 - An autonomous coding agent built for production-ready apps

  • AI Bank Statement Analyzer - Transform PDF bank statements into queryable financial insights

  • Trace - Automates busy work by routing tasks to the right agent, human or AI

  • Macaron AI - A personal assistant designed to make everyday life easier

THINK PIECES / BRAIN BOOST

THE VALLEY GEMS

What’s trending on social today:

THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY

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