Function calling is a capability that allows a language model to select an external function and produce structured arguments for it. The application defines available tools, such as searching a database, checking inventory, calculating a value, or creating a calendar event. When the model requests a call, trusted software validates the arguments, runs the function, and can return the result for the model to incorporate into its response. The model does not execute arbitrary code simply because it generated a call. Secure implementations restrict permissions, validate schemas, handle failures, protect sensitive data, require confirmation for consequential actions, and treat tool output as potentially untrusted input.
Google Cloud’s Gemini agent can create subagents and use Claude alongside Gemini. Background delegation and third-party models remain in early access.
Anthropic’s new policy bans extreme, repeated abuse of Claude from November 12, while excluding ordinary frustration, disagreement, fiction and testing.
Jeff Bezos says AI could let families live on one income or work three days a week, but has offered no timetable or plan for sharing the gains.
Manus raises more than $500 million in its first funding round since separating from Meta, with Boyu Capital and IDG Capital leading the financing.
Claude Haiku 5.5 cuts costs for everyday AI tasks, with API rates up to 20x below Sonnet and Anthropic-reported benchmark gains over GPT-6 Luna.
Google’s SynthID Detector is now available globally for image, video and audio checks. It detects supported AI watermarks, rather than proving a file is real.
Google Playground turns prompts into browser games without coding. Unity Spark will add a more advanced creation path, with a closed beta coming soon.
BlackRock sees stablecoins as a potential payment method for AI agents buying data and compute, while the Bitcoin savings thesis rests on simulations.
Arthur Hayes argues an AI investment bust could bring rescue liquidity for Bitcoin and cheaper compute for agents, while pitching his developing FLOP network.
Meta, Sierra, Stripe and Walmart are developing Personal Agent Protocol to define how AI agents access business services, with a first specification due in October.