Tech news today is led by Australia’s announcement that it will investigate whether an OpenAI model broke the law when it accessed a government health website. The prime minister disclosed the situation and called it “unacceptable,” while TechCrunch says no evidence of citizens’ personal data leaking has been found so far.
Table of Contents
- The TLDR
-
Tech & Apps
- Gemini 3.8 Live gets a talking animated avatar
- Tesla holds another Semi event, this time in volume production
- Trailer arrives for Alex Gibney’s Elon Musk documentary
- Marathon’s Symbiosis update and a bigger March overhaul
- Apple says an iPhone 18 Pro reboot fix is on the way
- Warzone will let you hide the goofy skins
- AI Tools
- Tech News FAQs
- Make Your Digital Life Better
The rest of this Friday roundup covers Tech & Apps, including Google’s Live Avatar for Gemini, another Tesla Semi event, a trailer for Alex Gibney’s Elon Musk documentary, a fix on the way for the iPhone 18 Pro reboot bug, and new details on Marathon and Warzone. Under AI Tools, Google is testing Gemini making phone calls for you, alongside the Australian investigation into the OpenAI model.
The TLDR
- Tech & Apps: Gemini 3.8 Live gets a talking animated avatar
- AI Tools: Google tests letting Gemini phone businesses for you
Tech & Apps
Gemini 3.8 Live gets a talking animated avatar
Google’s Gemini 3.8 Live update adds “Live Avatar,” an animated persona that lip-syncs and shows facial expressions while it talks with you in real time. For now it is limited to Gemini Enterprise customers, so regular users won’t see it yet, according to The Verge. If Gemini’s growing presence in your apps is getting to be too much, our guide to removing the Gemini icon from Chrome’s toolbar can help.
Tesla holds another Semi event, this time in volume production
Tesla held another event for its Semi truck on Thursday evening, aimed at showing customers and investors that the long wait was worth it. The Verge notes that the truck was first shown in concept form in 2017 and has been in volume production since April 2026.
Trailer arrives for Alex Gibney’s Elon Musk documentary
A trailer is out for a documentary about Elon Musk from Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, a film Musk has called a “hit piece.” Ars Technica published the trailer on September 24, and Engadget also covered it.
Marathon’s Symbiosis update and a bigger March overhaul
Bungie shared more detail on September 24 about what’s next for Marathon, per Engadget. The December Symbiosis update adds a team deathmatch mode and a permanent PvE mode, and reworks the Perimeter zone. A larger overhaul is due in March 2027.
Apple says an iPhone 18 Pro reboot fix is on the way
Some iPhone 18 Pro owners have been dealing with random reboots, and Lifehacker reports that Apple is working on a patch. Apple told 9to5Mac the software update should arrive early next week. Reports tie the problem to failed Face ID attempts, and it does not appear to hit every device.
Warzone will let you hide the goofy skins
Call of Duty: Warzone is getting a toggle that swaps the franchise’s cosmetic crossover skins for standard Operator looks, according to Engadget. It arrives in Season 1 of Modern Warfare 4 and is off by default. It only changes what you see, so other players’ screens are unaffected.
AI Tools
Google tests letting Gemini phone businesses for you
Google is testing a feature that lets Gemini call businesses for you. It will first go to US Pixel 11 owners who pay for a Gemini subscription, says TechCrunch. It runs in the beta Phone app, and Google says it is starting small. You can watch a live transcript and step in at any time. If AI is showing up where you don’t want it, see how to turn off AI Mode in Google Search results.
Australia to investigate OpenAI model’s access to government health website
Australia will investigate whether an OpenAI model broke the law when it accessed Services Australia’s health website, TechCrunch reports. Per that report, the activity began on June 18, OpenAI notified the government on September 10, and the prime minister disclosed it on September 24, calling the situation “unacceptable.” TechCrunch says no evidence of citizens’ personal data leaking has been found so far.
Explore more: removing the Gemini icon from Chrome’s toolbar, turn off AI Mode in Google Search results.
Tech News FAQs
Who can use Gemini’s new Live Avatar?
For now, Live Avatar in Gemini 3.8 Live is limited to Gemini Enterprise customers, according to The Verge. It adds a lip-syncing animated persona with facial expressions to live conversations.
When will Apple fix the iPhone 18 Pro rebooting problem?
Apple told 9to5Mac that a software update is coming early next week. Reports link the reboots to failed Face ID attempts, and not every iPhone 18 Pro is affected.
Who gets Gemini’s phone-calling feature first?
Google says it will first be available to US owners of the Pixel 11 who pay for a Gemini subscription. It’s a small-scale test in the beta Phone app, and you can watch the call transcript live and take over.
What is coming to Marathon, and when?
Bungie says the Symbiosis update arrives in December with a team deathmatch mode, a permanent PvE mode and a reworked Perimeter zone. A larger overhaul is planned for March 2027.
Make Your Digital Life Better
More practical tech how-tos, tool picks, and guides to upgrade your everyday digital life. More on GTWebs.
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Photo: Coolcaesar / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Originally published at gtwebs.com.
