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Gemini control model, Canada’s data sovereignty debate, Meta’s big hire, and Sora’s record downloads

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October 13, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

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  • Gemini 2.5 Computer Use is a specialized model that directly controls apps and websites, performing clicks, scrolls, and text inputs.

  • It beats other top models in accuracy and latency on benchmarks for both web and mobile interface tasks.

  • Google built in guardrails like action-level safety checks and user confirmations to avoid risky or unintended actions.

  • Canada is debating how to handle global AI companies like OpenAI while protecting its digital sovereignty.

  • Concerns include whether sensitive Canadian data should be processed in domestic data centres or abroad.

  • The issue highlights tension between fostering AI innovation and ensuring national data governance.

  • Andrew Tulloch, co-founder of Thinking Machines Lab, has moved to Meta after rejecting acquisition overtures.

  • Meta reportedly offered a major compensation package to bring him back, reflecting the race for AI talent.

  • Tulloch previously worked at both OpenAI and Meta, making his return a strategic hire in the AI arms race.

  • In its first week on iOS, Sora logged around 627,000 downloads, surpassing ChatGPT’s roughly 606,000 downloads during its first week.

  • Within five days, Sora crossed 1 million downloads, even while being invite-only and available only in the U.S. and Canada.

  • Sora’s rapid growth was especially notable given its limited launch (invite-only, iOS only), yet it still managed to top the U.S. App Store charts quickly.

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