Steve Staso - Computing Solutions Strategist

An open letter written by 44 US attorneys general warns major artificial intelligence companies they will “use every facet of [their] authority” to protect children from harms linked to chatbots. The letter is directed at Meta, Google, Microsoft, Apple, OpenAI, Anthropic, Chai AI, Character.AI, Luka, Perplexity, Nomi, Replika, and xAI. 

What does the letter to AI companies say?

The letter to AI companies directly refers to the recent reports from Reuters and The Wall Street Journal that show Meta actively allowed its chatbots to engage in “romantic or sensual” conversations with children, and that they could engage in sexually explicit conversations involving minors using the voices of celebrities. Exposing children to sexualised content is not “excusable simply because it is done by a machine,” the lawyers wrote.

“We are uniformly revolted by this apparent disregard for children’s emotional well-being and alarmed that AI Assistants are engaging in conduct that appears to be prohibited by our respective criminal laws,” they went on. “As chief legal officers of our respective states, protecting our kids is our highest priority.”

The lawyers clarified that it was not just Meta showing “inability or apathy toward basic obligations to protect children” in this new era of “chatbot parasocial relationships.” Two lawsuits filed against Character.AI allege that its chatbot led to a 14-year-old boy’s suicide and encouraged a 17-year-old boy to kill his parents.

Just last week, an investigation was opened into Meta and Character.AI, accusing the companies of misleading children with AI-powered mental health tools “disguised as therapy.” The user-made chatbots available on Meta-owned Instagram have separately been found to falsely present themselves as therapists and fabricate credentials when prompted.

The letter highlights that “interactive technology has a particularly intense impact on developing brains.” A study published in April found that the relationships between humans and AI systems could surpass the addictive quality of traditional social media platforms. Research indicates that children are particularly at risk of encouragement toward harmful behaviours, exposure to inappropriate content, and the aggravation of existing mental health conditions.

What are AI companies’ obligations?

The attorneys general say that the companies behind the AI chatbots have a “legal obligation” to the children who use them, as they are benefiting from their interactions. They urge the CEOs not to view kids’ broken lives as “an irrelevant blip on engagement metrics,” but to prioritise their well-being when setting product policies, something Meta failed to do.

“You will be held accountable for your decisions,” the attorneys general wrote. “If you knowingly harm kids, you will answer for it.”

eWeek has contacted Meta for a comment.Here’s another reminder to be careful what you share with your favourite AI chatbot: Meta’s contractors have been privy to the “explicit photos” that users have sent to Meta AI.

The post Attorneys General Pen Open Letter to AI Chatbot Developers: ‘Don’t Hurt Kids’ appeared first on eWEEK.

Back-to-school expenses aren’t cheap or simple. And with prices climbing each year, finding ways to save both time and money is more important than ever.

A recent survey by U.S. News found that 85% of Americans are concerned about rising back-to-school prices due to tariffs. Last-minute shopping can be overwhelming, with brand quality, prices, and discounts to weigh — especially for big-ticket items like graphing calculators or backpacks.

Instead of spending hours hunting for deals and reading reviews, AI tools can instantly find the best price, flag discounts, and pull the key takeaways from customer feedback for you.

Here’s a rundown of the best AI tools to help you with back-to-school shopping.

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• Google Shopping: Best for matching product specifications
• Shop (by Shopify): Best for fast checkout and saving money
• ShopGuru: Best for quick Amazon review checks
• Bottom line: Shop smarter with AI assistants

Google Shopping: Best for matching product specifications

Google Shopping is a specialized Google service that allows you to discover and purchase products using AI. It combines the latest AI features like a visual results panel, price tracking alerts, and even virtual try-on for clothes in supported regions. 

For your back-to-school shopping, you can search for the exact item, whether it’s a one-inch binder or a specific calculator model, using the Shopping view and see which nearby stores have it in stock. You can also track prices and get notified when the item you want drops significantly.

Google Shopping’s AI features help you find the right product quickly, compare prices, and track deals. Visit Google Shopping Shop (by Shopify): Best for fast checkout and saving money

Shop is a shopping app developed by Shopify that helps you track your orders and manage your shopping experience across different Shopify stores. It’s also linked to Shop Pay, which provides one-tap checkout for participating stores by saving your payment and shipping information for quicker purchases. 

Another feature to love about this AI tool is its rewards program through Shop Cash, which allows you to earn rewards every time you purchase a product from the Shop app or website. 

Plus, you can pay interest-free payments or monthly installments up to 24 months. For your school needs, that means you can browse multiple brands in one evening and save money when Shop Cash applies.

Shop Pay allows you to complete your purchase quickly with its one-click checkout, ideal for last-minute purchases for back-to-school shopping. Visit Shop by Shopify ShopGuru: Best for quick Amazon review checks

Who knows products better than the customers themselves, right?

ShopGuru is an AI shopping assistant that summarizes customer reviews right on the product page. It integrates with Amazon and allows you to ask specific questions about products through a chatbot.

Unlike other chatbots, ShopGuru only uses information from customer reviews to answer questions, so you can be assured that you’re getting relevant answers.

Get instant product insights, customer review summaries, and pros and cons lists with ShopGuru’s AI assistant and review analyzer. Visit ShopGuru Bottom line: Shop smarter with AI assistants

While many traditional tools will help you find cheap deals on your favorite products or find the exact school requirement, AI tools offer a smoother, more personalized shopping experience. AI shopping assistants can understand natural language, allowing you to ask questions about the product and receive more tailored recommendations for your specific needs. 

Before choosing an AI shopping assistant, understand what you need for your back-to-school shopping and let AI do the heavy lifting, whether you’re looking for a specific product, tracking prices, or finding the best deals near you.

The post Best AI Tools For Stress-Free Back-to-School Shopping appeared first on eWEEK.

In this episode of eSpeaks, Corey Noles speaks with Kong’s SVP of Engineering Saju Pillai about how APIs have evolved from behind-the-scenes infrastructure into fully realized digital products. The conversation focuses on Kong Konnect, a unified API platform designed to streamline development workflows, reduce duplication, and enhance API visibility and security.

Pillai highlights how features like the developer portal, service catalog, Event Gateway, and AI Gateway contribute to a more cohesive developer experience. He also shares real-world examples of how Konnect has accelerated innovation and simplified AI integration for Kong’s customers, ultimately painting a vision of a frictionless, modern API ecosystem. 

Kong is hosting its eighth annual API Summit returning in-person on Oct. 14-15, 2025, at Convene Brookfield Place in New York City. You can register for the event at https://konghq.com/events/conferences/api-summit/register-now

The post A Unified Developer Experience with Kong Konnect appeared first on eWEEK.

Neuralink is crossing the pond. Elon Musk’s brain chip is due to start clinical trials in Great Britain, and he is inviting patients with neurological disorders to sign up.

The Neuralink brain-computer interface (BCI) connects the human brain directly to digital systems with the N1 chip. By reading brain activity through hundreds of electrodes embedded in threads thinner than a hair, it allows patients with paralysis to control external devices such as computers, smartphones, or robotic limbs with their minds. Musk has also claimed the BCI could eventually treat blindness, speech loss, mental health problems, insomnia, addiction, and a number of other disorders.

PRIME human trials show early promise

Despite a number of controversies, mainly concerning the welfare of the monkeys it was tested on, Neuralink’s BCI has had some impressive feats. Although the US Food and Drug Administration initially rejected it in 2022 over “major safety concerns,” additional testing led to approval for human trials, and the first human patient received an implant in January 2024.

In the following few months, Neuralink announced results from the so-called Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface (PRIME) human study, including that patients were able to move computer mice, play video games, write, and create designs with CAD software. In December 2024, Neuralink expanded human trials to Canada.

As of late June 2025, seven quadriplegia patients have Neuralink implants. 

British clinical trial to evaluate Neuralink’s capabilities

The British trial program “aims to evaluate the safety of our implant and surgical robot and assess the initial functionality of our BCI for enabling people with severe paralysis to control devices and engage with the digital world using only their thoughts,” according to Neuralink’s announcement.

The GB-PRIME trials will take place in partnership with University College London Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

“This marks an important step towards developing innovative BCI technology that has the potential to transform the lives of individuals with neurological disorders around the world,” Neuralink said. It received approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the Health Research Authority, Health and Care Research Wales, and the London–Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee. 

British residents can apply to be part of the Neuralink clinical trial if they have limited or no ability to use both hands due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal cord injury, or other neurological conditions, and are over age 22. Up to seven people will be chosen and could undergo their surgery at UCLH’s National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.

Will brain implants become mainstream in the next decade?

OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman said in June that he believes that “true high-bandwidth brain-computer interfaces” could be one of the advancements that superintelligence allows by 2035. Superintelligent artificial intelligence systems are those that surpass human capabilities, and many of the tech giants, including OpenAI and Meta, are aggressively pursuing them. While many people may not choose to have such an implant, “at least some people will probably decide to ‘plug in,’” Altman predicted. 

Neuralink envisions a future where its chips can generate the company at least $1 billion in annual revenue by 2031, according to Bloomberg. The company reportedly aims to perform 20,000 implants a year at five clinics and will offer three BCI systems:

• Telepathy for allowing people with paralysis to control devices with their minds.
• Blindsight for restoring vision.
• Deep for treating tremors and Parkinson’s disease. 

In May 2025, Neuralink received FDA approval for the N1 implant for speech restoration.

Neuralink is not the only company pursuing brain implant tech that could meet such predicted demand; Apple is developing technology that will allow users to control iPhones, iPads, and Vision Pro headsets with their brain signals in collaboration with the biotech company Synchron.

Progress in BCI technology like Neuralink’s could be significantly accelerated by the development of neuromorphic AI chips, which are designed to process information the way the human brain does.

The post Elon Musk’s Brain Chip to Be Tested on Brits appeared first on eWEEK.

A new artificial intelligence tool, Mirage, can transform live video in real-time. With just a text prompt, users can change their stream’s visual style into anime or cyberpunk.

Mirage is the product of the Israeli startup Decart, which claims it is the “first system to achieve infinite, real-time video generation with zero latency.” It is powered by MirageLSD, the company’s live stream diffusion AI video model, which generates 20 frames per second at 768×432 resolution.

“Real-time generation requires each frame to be produced in under 40 milliseconds in order to not stand out to the human eye,” the Decart team wrote in a blog post.

Decart’s video demos showcase its AI transforming Minecraft gameplay into a snowy wonderland, immersing Call of Duty players in a serene meadow of pink trees, and reimagining One Direction’s ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ in a variety of anime styles. Each frame is generated sequentially, using both a text prompt and the previous frame as input, in what’s known as a causal, autoregressive approach.

The tool could feasibly be used for live streaming on the likes of Discord or TikTok, video calls, as well as normal playback of pre-recorded TV shows, films, and clips. Decart hopes to introduce support for full HD and 4K in the future.

How real-time AI transformation was achieved

Competitor video-to-video AI tools have struggled with livestreams primarily due to the auto-regression models they use. Each new frame is generated using information from the previous frames, which means that it inherits any errors. After about 30 seconds of footage, these accumulated errors seriously degrade the video quality.

Mirage addresses the issue with two innovations. First, diffusion forcing trains the model to clean up noisy frames without needing full context, enabling accurate frame-by-frame generation. Second, history augmentation teaches it to recognise and fix errors from its own past outputs, so it learns to do the same during generation and prevent quality drift over time.

Typical AI video-to-video tools are also often slow, requiring minutes of processing for just a few moments of output. With Mirage, there is only about a 100-millisecond delay between input and output, including processing time and other system overheads. 

Decart has achieved this by reducing the steps required to generate each frame and trimming the model to run more efficiently. The system is specifically tuned for NVIDIA Hopper chips using custom low-level GPU code, which improves speed and minimizes latency.

Streamers using tools like Mirage to transform their YouTube videos in real time don’t need to worry; the platform says AI content is fine as long as it’s not “inauthentic.”

The post Mirage AI Instantly Transforms Live Video With Just a Text Prompt appeared first on eWEEK.

Podcasting has moved into the mainstream, with more than four million podcasts available and nearly 600 million listeners worldwide. As podcasting moves into the mainstream, AI tools have become valuable assets for enhancing your podcasts while maintaining a personal touch. AI can save you hours by simplifying the production process from ideation to editing and promotion. 

Here are the best AI tools for podcast creators in 2025.

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• Descript: Best for AI transcription and editing
• Jasper AI: Best for content creation and repurposing
• Murf AI: Best for voiceovers 
• Ready to podcast smarter? Let AI handle the rest

Descript: Best for AI transcription and editing

Descript is popular for its transcription and audio editing capabilities, thanks to its innovative text-based editing interface. Its AI-powered transcription feature uses OpenAI’s Whisper for fast and accurate transcription, allowing you to make your podcast transcript accessible to a broader audience and save it as a resource for content repurposing. 

The platform automatically removes long periods of silence from your recording, eliminates filler words, and highlights potential recording errors for you to proofread and review. Once you’re satisfied with the transcript, you can export it in various formats, such as PDF, HTML, Word, or plain text. 

What makes this AI tool particularly appealing is that it allows you to edit your podcast directly on the platform, much like editing a document. You can make cuts using your backspace key and copy and paste text to rearrange content or revert changes easily.

Descript lets you edit podcasts like a document, allowing you to transcribe your audio and edit with simple backspace and copy-paste. Visit Descript Jasper AI: Best for content creation and repurposing

Want to turn one episode into multiple pieces of content? You can rely on Jasper AI to do the heavy lifting of repurposing your podcast into different formats. 

Once you have your episode transcript, this AI tool can transform raw content into polished blog posts, catchy social media captions, attractive email newsletters, and more. It creates SEO-optimized, engaging text that helps your podcast reach a wider audience across platforms and maximize the value of your content. 

Here’s how it works: highlight the text you want to rephrase, ask Jasper AI to improve your writing, and prompt the tool to repurpose your content to a different use case. You can also use Jasper’s Brand Voice feature to make sure your content stays consistent with your identity and voice.

Jasper Chat transforms existing podcast content into engaging YouTube scripts, social media posts, and other formats that drive website traffic. Visit Jasper AI Murf AI: Best for voiceovers 

If you’ve ever dreamed of starting your own podcast but feel too shy to record your voice or can’t afford to hire a voice actor, Murf AI offers the perfect solution. Think of it like having an AI voiceover studio at your fingertips. 

Murf AI is a versatile AI text-to-speech generator that offers a wide range of customizable voices to help you create realistic and human-sounding voiceovers. You can choose from more than 200 voices in more than 20 languages and customize them with different tones and emotions that are suitable for your podcast.

You can also enhance your podcast on Murf AI by adding background music from the platform’s royalty-free library or including images and videos to complement your voiceover. First time using AI for voiceovers? Murf AI offers a free plan that provides 10 minutes of voice generation and unlimited access to different voice styles and tones for beginners.

Murf AI uses advanced AI technology to create realistic, human-like voices in more than 20 languages to meet your podcast needs. Visit Murf AI Ready to podcast smarter? Let AI handle the rest

AI tools aren’t here to replace podcasters, but these tools can make your process easier and your content better. Think of these tools as having your production crew, helping you handle the tedious parts so you can focus on creating complete stories and connecting with your audience. 

Before choosing the AI tool for your next podcast, identify which aspect you need help with the most, whether it’s editing, content creation, or recording voiceovers. Then, considering your skills and resources, test a few tools to see which fits your style and needs before committing.

The post Best AI Tools for Podcast Creators appeared first on eWEEK.

Business intelligence (BI) software tools help organizations analyze data to identify trends, events, and market changes. These tools collect, manage, and interpret vast amounts of structured and unstructured data to construct predictive models that deliver insights. BI systems integrate multiple data sources and include data extraction, cleansing, governance, and dashboards for reports and visualizations.

I evaluated the best AI-powered BI tools to assess their features, pricing, pros and cons, and use cases, to help you determine the best option for your business. 

Here are my picks for the best AI-powered BI tools and systems for 2025.

• Microsoft Power BI: Best for AI-powered demand forecasting
• Domo: Best for real-time data unification
• Tableau Desktop: Best for interactive visual analytics
• Oracle Analytics Cloud: Best for enterprise-wide sales operations
• MicroStrategy: Best for contextual insights
• SAP Analytics Cloud: Best for risk management

Best AI-powered BI tools comparison

AI-powered BI tools enhance traditional business intelligence by using artificial intelligence to automate tasks, enable predictive analytics, and provide natural language query capabilities that make insights accessible to all users. The table below shows how the six leading AI-powered BI tools compare across key criteria, including features and price.

Best forKey featuresStarting price
(Billed annually)Microsoft Power BIAI-powered demand forecastingCopilot AI (natural language & report generation)
Anomaly detection and forecasting
Interactive dashboards$14 per user, per monthDomoReal-time data unificationAI chat for data queries
AI model management
Real-time data unification and collaborationContact vendorTableau DesktopInteractive visual analyticsAsk Data (natural language queries)
Anomaly detection and forecasting
Visual storytelling$15 per user, per monthOracle Analytics CloudEnterprise-wide sales operationsGenerative AI chat Predictive analytics
Data integration and governance$16.00 per user, per monthMicroStrategyContextual insightsAuto Answers (zero-click AI)
forecasting and anomaly detection
Mobile and embedded BIContact vendorSAP Analytics CloudRisk managementNatural language queries & collaboration
 Smart Predict forecasting
Integrated planningContact vendor

Overall, I picked Microsoft Power BI as the top AI-powered BI tool because it excels in core features, pricing, and ease of use. Continue reading to learn more about each BI tool’s use case, pricing, and key features, or skip ahead to see my scoring logic.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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• Best AI-powered BI tools comparison
• Microsoft Power BI
• Domo 
• Tableau Desktop
• Oracle Analytics Cloud
• MicroStrategy 
• SAP Analytics Cloud
• 5 additional market leaders
• How I evaluated AI‑powered BI and analytics solutions
• Bottom line: Best AI‑powered BI and analytics solutions

Microsoft Power BI

Best for AI-powered demand forecasting

Overall rating: 4.5/5

• Core features: 5/5
• Advanced features: 4.4/5
• Pricing: 3.5/5
• Ease of use: 4.5/5

Power BI is a sophisticated but affordable platform for organizations of all sizes. It supports self-service analytics for line-of-business users and data scientists, incorporating AI and machine learning (ML). Microsoft includes strong collaboration features along with rich reporting and data visualizations. Power BI delivers powerful automation and contains tools to align setup and operation with enterprise scorecards.

VISIT MICROSOFT POWER BI Product design

Microsoft Power BI features a clean interface with a straightforward main navigation that allows you to easily choose from the menu and action buttons for sharing, exporting, and managing the report. The platform’s report canvas, which serves as the central workspace, displays interactive visualizations and analytics. In the dashboard, I was also able to navigate through Copilot integration, which provides suggestions for making reports and showing insights.

Why I picked Microsoft Power BI

I recommend Microsoft Power BI for users seeking an excellent demand forecasting tool because it combines advanced AI forecasting models with intuitive visualizations that turn complex data into digestible information. The platform’s integration with Dynamics 365 allows you to automate time series analysis, resulting in more accurate forecasts. It also provides interactive dashboards, KPIs, and alerts, allowing teams to collaborate easily in real time.

Pros and cons Pros and cons ProsConsPowerful data ingestion and connection capabilitiesSteep learning curve for advanced analysis can be complex and difficultCombine on-premises and cloud data seamlesslyMight be difficult to use with non-Microsoft products and technologies Pricing

• Free: Included in the Microsoft Fabric free account
• Pro: $14 per user, per month, billed annually
• Premium per user: $24 per user, per month, billed annually
• Embedded: Variable pricing 
• Fabric capacity reservation: Variable pricing 

Features

• Publish and share Power BI reports for collaboration
• Advanced AI capabilities for deeper insights
• Copilot in Fabric for generative AI-powered analytics
• Data security and encryption for compliance and protection

Domo 

Best for real-time data unification

Overall rating: 4.4/5

• Core features: 4.6/5
• Advanced features: 5/5
• Pricing: 2.8/5
• Ease of use: 4.5/5

Domo is an AI-powered BI tool that features a cloud-native architecture and integrates seamlessly with hundreds of data sources. It focuses on tying these data sources together and building insights through rich reporting and visualizations. Domo delivers sophisticated tools for handling data integration, including visual ETL, as well as dashboards and mobile BI platforms that use intelligent apps to display analytical insights.

VISIT DOMO Product design

Domo’s user interface features a modern platform design, showcasing its key elements in a well-defined three-column layout. Its top navigation bar allows you to seamlessly choose among dashboards, alerts, data, the app store, and more. The platform also has interactive elements such as buttons and clickable areas that you can easily distinguish through color contrast and styling, which maintains usability while maintaining a clean interface.

Why I picked Domo

I chose Domo because it’s designed to instantly connect, process, and visualize data from a wide variety of data sources in one platform. Domo’s fully mobile and cloud-based operating system enables you to unify data with real-time visual analysis, connecting everyone within the company. Using Domo, you can choose from over 1,000 connectors, including CRM, ERP, social media, and marketing, ensuring real-time accuracy and freshness in your data. 

Pros and cons ProsConsConnects to a wide array of data sources and systemsAdd-ons can increase the price tag significantlyDelivers real-time monitoring and resultsLacks some embedded advanced analytics capabilities Pricing

• Contact sales for a quote

Features

• Real-time data unification and integration from multiple sources
• AI and machine learning-powered analytics for predictive and prescriptive insights
• Automation of business processes and workflows
• Customizable, interactive dashboards and collaboration tools

Tableau Desktop

Best for interactive visual analytics

Overall rating: 4.3/5

• Core features: 4.9/5
• Advanced features: 4.1/5
• Pricing: 2.5/5
• Ease of use: 4.5/5

Tableau is an AI-powered visual analytics platform that emerged as a leader in BI with a framework that supports rich visualizations and storytelling. It offers appealing and highly customizable dashboards, and it can accommodate huge data sets. Tableau Desktop connects to hundreds of data sources, both on-premises and in the cloud. It includes drag-and-drop functionality along with support for AI and ML.

VISIT TABLEAU DESKTOP Product design

Tableau’s sophisticated yet intuitive analytics workspace is built around visual data exploration and dashboard creation. The platform’s interface consists of a menu, toolbar, the Data pane, cards, shelves, and sheets that you can easily navigate through. The workspace is also organized into a grid-based dashboard format with multiple visualization panels operating independently.

Why I picked Tableau

Tableau is popularly known as one of the best platforms for interactive analytics because of its rich and dynamic visualizations. You can easily switch between line types to highlight changes in data, making trends and shifts easier to spot. You can also explore data in real time easily and quickly with filters that let you zoom in on specific parts of your data, which works smoothly even if you’re working with large data sets.

Pros and cons ProsConsStrong data integration and automation featuresSteep learning curve for setting up data frameworksSupports most types of devices and operating systemsETL capabilities are not as advanced as other analytics platforms Pricing

• Tableau Public: Free version for creating and sharing interactive data visualizations online
• Viewer: $15 per user, per month, billed annually
• Explorer: $42 per user, per month, billed annually
• Creator: $75 per user, per month, billed annually 
• Embedded analytics: Variable pricing 

Features

• User-friendly interface for building visualizations quickly
• Powerful data management and presentation features
• Highly interactive dashboards with dynamic filtering and exploration
• Built-in analytics with predictive and statistical tools

Oracle Analytics Cloud

Best for enterprise-wide sales operations

Overall rating: 4.2/5

• Core features: 4.7/5
• Advanced features: 4.7/5
• Pricing: 3.5/5
• Ease of use: 2.5/5

Oracle Analytics Cloud is an AI-powered business intelligence platform designed to handle the full spectrum of analytics requirements, from data ingestion and modeling to data preparation, enrichment, visualization, and collaboration. It includes embedded ML and AI, including natural language search functionality. Open-source data connectivity with built-in connectors simplifies data aggregation tasks.

VISIT ORACLE ANALYTICS CLOUD Product design

Oracle Cloud Analytics showcases a robust analytics interface. The platform prioritizes high-level business metrics through a card-based layout. You can see the KPIs, making critical business metrics immediately accessible. It also combines multiple chart types in one central workspace, making it easier to navigate between separate dashboards when exploring different data storytelling formats.

Why I picked Oracle Cloud Analytics

I recommend Oracle Cloud Analytics for businesses seeking a BI solution for their enterprise-wide sales operations. The platform connects data from sales, marketing, finance, supply chain, and customer experience systems, giving you a complete view of your data. Oracle’s built-in AI and ML also automatically generate insights, forecast sales, and identify risks essential in large-scale operations.

Pros and cons ProsConsProvides more than 50 out-of-the-box connectorsThe interface could be modernized and improvedOffers strong ML capabilities through a Python-based frameworkUsers complain that error tracing can be difficult. Pricing

• Professional: $16.00 per user, per month
• Enterprise: $80 per user, per month

Visit Oracle Analytics’ pricing page for the full details and per-unit pricing. 

Features

• Delivers a scalable single source of truth data framework
• Provides strong support for mobile devices
• Powerful data governance and security framework
• Integration with Autonomous Data Warehouse (ADW)

MicroStrategy 

Best for contextual insights

Overall rating: 4.1/5

• Core features: 4.4/5
• Advanced features: 4.4/5
• Pricing: 2.5/5
• Ease of use: 4/5

MicroStrategy is a leading AI and BI software company focusing on offering “intelligence everywhere.” Its platform provides tools to build powerful and attractive dashboards that pull data from more than 200 data sources. MicroStrategy, which works on the web, Windows, Mac, and mobile, offers services based on roles, devices, and numerous other factors. It also supports automation and embeds analytics functions directly into applications and websites.

VISIT MICROSTRATEGYD Product design

MicroStrategy features a comprehensive but intuitive user interface. The platform resembles statistical software such as R or SPSS more closely than traditional business intelligence tools. It also transforms data into a story format and automatically generates textual explanations of the trends and forecasts. Additionally, the platform also allows simultaneous analysis across countries, departments, and time periods with a single view, making it easier to compare data.

Why I picked MicroStrategy

I picked MicroStrategy for its ability to deliver contextual insights within business applications. Sales reps, marketers, and managers can get instant and actionable insights without the need to switch to another platform. It also delivers real-time contextual insights for lead generation, allowing you to see customer data quickly, including past leads, marketing campaigns, contacts, and other essential details that sales teams and marketers can use. 

Pros and cons ProsConsHyperintelligence functions with strong automation capabilities.Steep learning curve when handling extremely large data setsProvides a strong feature set and an extremely flexible BI frameworkLimited collaboration and social BI features Pricing

• Contact sales for a quote

Features

• AI-Powered natural language and automated actions
• Offers powerful data governance features along with strong security
• Generates highly rated visualizations
• Self-service analytics with 100+ integrations

SAP Analytics Cloud

Best for risk management

Overall rating: 4/5

• Core features: 4.9/5
• Advanced features: 3.5/5
• Pricing: 2.5/5
• Ease of use: 3.8/5

SAP Analytics Cloud combines BI, augmented and predictive analytics, and planning capabilities into a unified cloud environment. Serving as the analytics layer for SAP’s Business Technology Platform, the solution is designed for both line-of-business users and data scientists. It incorporates machine-generated insights and analytics designed to link and create operational and financial plans and deliver deeper insights.

VISIT SAP ANALYTICS CLOUD Product design

SAP Analytics Cloud features a risk-focused BI interface showcasing an enterprise risk dashboard framework. It centers on governance, risk, and compliance, helping companies to easily monitor business and compliance metrics. The platform also incorporates traffic light risk visualization to immediately communicate risk levels without requiring detailed analysis, offering businesses a quick look into their operational health. 

Why I picked SAP Analytics Cloud

SAP Analytics Cloud is an ideal choice for businesses looking for a BI tool excellent for risk management. The BI solution integrates natively with SAP Risk Management, which allows businesses to combine risk data, controls, and performance metrics in one centralized platform. It also enables you to monitor risk and visualize data in real time, helping risk managers to quickly identify risks and create interactive reports to address issues promptly.

Pros and cons ProsConsHighly rated by users for performance and reliability.Initial setup and data ingestion process can be challengingPowerful automation features and strong data integrationDoes not support on-premises applications Pricing

• You can license SAP Analytics Cloud through their pay-as-you-go SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) or through an enterprise agreement for organizations seeking comprehensive platform access with predictable costs.

Features

• Generative AI to automate reporting, discover insights, and create business plans
• Prebuilt business content and industry-specific analytics
• Integrated planning and scenario simulation
• Self-service analytics with full business context

5 additional market leaders

If you are looking to explore other AI-powered BI solutions, it’s worth checking out these five additional leading BI solutions.

Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is a cloud-based platform designed to manage sales, marketing, and customer support for businesses of all sizes. The platform offers a comprehensive self-service BI tool that delivers robust features, powerful connectors, and intuitive dashboards to deliver reports and visualizations.

HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM is a popular CRM known for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive marketing and sales alignment. The CRM data platform consolidates data from multiple sources into a single platform, providing a unified view of the customer journey. It also features an AI suite, including tools like HubSpot Breeze and AI Copilot, to automate workflows and provide predictive analytics.

Sisense Fusion Analytics

The platform delivers a highly scalable and flexible self-service framework for conducting enterprise-grade BI. The vendor’s focus is on infusing “intelligence everywhere” through extended data discovery in the cloud and on-premises, dashboards, and integration APIs. Sisense offers strong AI and ML support along with powerful data visualization capabilities.

SAS Enterprise Guide

SAS Enterprise Guide is a Windows .NET client application that offers a self-service framework for collecting, managing, manipulating, and formatting data into reports and visualizations. It relies on a point-and-click, menu-and-wizard-driven framework that includes the ability to write code and use custom macros. Developers and coders can use existing programs to create stored processes and then run them on demand or port them to external apps, such as Microsoft Excel.

Qlik Sense

The vendor delivers robust BI through a cloud analytics platform. Qlik Sense dashboards connect to hundreds of data sources and support complex and varied use cases. This includes self-service visualizations, interactive dashboards, natural language search, and powerful mobility functions. AI and machine learning support augmented and predictive analytics.

How I evaluated AI‑powered BI and analytics solutions

To determine the best AI-powered BI and analytics tools, I conducted a structured evaluation across four key categories: core features, advanced features, cost, and ease of use. I created a weighted scoring system for each category, broke them down into specific subcriteria and assigned overall scores out of five to identify the top performers. 

• Core features (45%): I assessed the key capabilities of each BI tool, including data source connectivity, data visualization, integration, reporting, and more. 

Criteria winner: Microsoft Power BI

• Advanced features (25%): I looked into sophisticated BI features. I considered whether the BI tool employs statistical techniques, follows data privacy and compliance, and features embedded analytics.

Criteria winners: Domo

• Cost (15%): I considered each tool’s affordability in terms of its starting price and whether it offers a free forever plan or a free trial.

Criteria winners: Microsoft Power BI

• Ease of use (15%): For ease of use, I personally tested how intuitive each tool was to set up and navigate. I paid close attention to interface design, accessibility for non-technical users and overall learning curve. Platforms that offered clear user flows and required minimal onboarding scored higher. 

Criteria winners: Microsoft Power BI, Domo, and Tableau Desktop

Bottom line: Best AI‑powered BI and analytics solutions

AI-powered business intelligence tools are redefining how organizations analyze data, identify trends, and make smarter decisions. The best solutions don’t just analyze information, they turn into clear, actionable insights. In my evaluation, the top-performing platforms were those that combine powerful analytics with user-friendly design and scalable pricing.  

Before you commit to a platform, I recommend taking advantage of free trials or demos. It’s the best way to find the tool that fits your organization’s needs, aligns with your data strategy and delivers real business impact.

If you’d like to browse through other AI tools for your business, see our in-depth review of the top AI solutions for innovation. 

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X is introducing a new messaging platform called XChat as part of Elon Musk’s broader strategy to turn the social media site into an all-in-one app. 

“All new XChat is rolling out with encryption, vanishing messages and the ability to send any kind of file. Also, audio/video calling. This is built on Rust with (Bitcoin style) encryption, whole new architecture,” Musk posted on X. 

Musk did not explain what he meant by “Bitcoin-style encryption,” a phrase that typically refers to the cryptocurrency’s use of public key cryptography and digital signatures rather than end-to-end encryption.  He has spoken in the past about his desire to have X’s direct messaging feature compete with encrypted platforms like Signal, iMessage, and WhatsApp. 

This news about XChat coincides with Musk stating he’s back to focusing on X, Tesla, xAI, and SpaceX.

XChat’s features and expected rollout 

Musk shared on X that XChat users will be able to make audio and video calls across all platforms, even without a phone number.

It is not yet clear whether the new features will be available in a subscription model, but currently, they seem to be accessible to anyone who subscribes to X. There will also be an option to use a four-digit passcode to access XChat. For the past two years, those with a subscription have been able to send encrypted DMs on X.

The platform has been testing XChat with a limited group of users, and Musk said a full rollout is expected this week unless the team encounters scaling problems. 

X’s stability called into question

The X platform has recently experienced service disruptions that raised concerns about its reliability. 

In late May, access was disrupted for thousands of users in the US, more than 11,000 in the UK, and many more globally. Engineers attributed the outage to a fire at a data center leased by X in Hillsboro, Oregon. 

There was another significant outage in March, which Musk linked to a “massive cyberattack.”

In 2024, X said the site has an average of 250 million active users per day. 

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AI robot sitting and waiting for a job interview. 3d illustration

The AI dev company Hugging Face announced on May 29 the release of two open-source humanoid robots: Reachy Mini is a desktop unit, and HopeJR is a full-size robot. 

Reachy Mini will be able to talk, listen, and move its head, and can be used to test AI apps. HopeJR will be able to move its arms and work, and perform 66 independent movements.

Hugging Face’s co-founder and CEO Clem Delangue shared his thoughts on the company’s new output, explaining, “The important aspect is that these robots are open source, so anyone can assemble, rebuild, [and] understand how they work, and [that they’re] affordable, so that robotics doesn’t get dominated by just a few big players with dangerous black-box systems.”

Price and availability

Hugging Face estimates the costs of the humanoid robots to be approximately $3,000 per unit for HopeJR and $300 for the smaller Reachy Mini desktop unit. Tariffs may influence the final prices.

The prices of these products are significantly lower than those of competing robotics companies. For example, Tesla’s Optimus Gen2 humanoid robot is expected to cost at least $20,000, and Unitree’s G1 robot is $16,000. 

The company has yet to share an exact shipping timeline for these robots, but both may ship as soon as the end of 2025.

Expanding its robotics offerings

Hugging Face has been in the humanoid robotics space for a while, launching in 2024 LeRobot, a collection of open-use tools, datasets, and AI models for users to leverage to build robotics systems. The release of HopeJR and Reachy Mini comes following the company’s April 2025 acquisition of Pollen Robotics. Acquiring the startup enabled Hugging Face to take on the effort necessary to develop its new robotic output.

Since then, the platform has continued evolving in the robotics realm, having released an updated version of its SO-101 robotic arm, created in partnership with French robotics company The Robot Studio. Hugging Face has also been expanding its LeRobot platform to include training data for self-driving machines through a partnership with the AI startup Yaak.

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