Technologies

Zuckerberg Thinks Meta Has an AI Advantage Because It Knows So Much About You

Meta’s personal superintelligence dream might come true with the help of all our user data.

Meta reported better-than-expected financial results during Wednesday’s 2025 fourth-quarter earnings call, but it was CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s vision for Meta AI in 2026 that truly stood out. Zuckerberg said the company will be spending big to build personal superintelligence. It has one major edge over competitors — troves of personal data about me, you and everyone we know.

«We’re starting to see the promise of AI that understands our personal context, including our history, our interests, our content, and our relationships,» said Zuckerberg. «A lot of what makes agents valuable is the unique context that they can see, and we believe that Meta will be able to provide a uniquely personal experience.»

Meta’s long-term AI goal is personal superintelligence, a kind of holy grail: an artificial intelligence that’s smarter than humans, tailored to our individual experiences in products like smart glasses. To get there, the company expects capital expenditures to increase dramatically, from last year’s $72 billion to $115 to $135 billion, attributing the increase to supporting its AI labs.

That money will be spent on research in a couple of different places. Agentic AI, which is tech that can handle tasks autonomously, is one big piece of the puzzle. The personalized component is where Meta believes it has an advantage over competitors.

The company has spent years collecting, analyzing and monetizing a wealth of information from its users on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, effectively acting as a massive data broker. Its targeted advertising business model is structured around surveilling our online activity, and it’s part of what made Meta the tech titan it is today.

Personal AI is what the industry sees as the next step: chatbots, agents and other products that are relatable and customized to our individual lives and needs. As a social media giant, Meta already knows plenty about us and what we may want to see from personal AI.

That will work in tandem with the company’s plans to «merge» LLMs with the recommendation systems that build our social media feeds. «Soon, we’ll be able to understand people’s unique personal goals, and tailor feeds to show each person content that helps them improve their lives in the ways that they want,» Zuckerberg said.

Even if Meta hadn’t been collecting all our data for decades with its social media platforms, it could still have an edge. Meta AI is everywhere on Facebook and Instagram, and the company doesn’t let you opt out of model training or turn it off. (You can mute Meta AI, though.)

YouTube and LinkedIn are almost certainly helping their parent companies, Google and Microsoft, too. Yet Meta has a first-in-class, proven track record of turning personal data into products and monetization. That’s not necessarily a win for us. Meta’s previous AI integrations in WhatsApp and its plans to use AI interactions for personalizing ads sparked backlash. The battle for data privacy amid the development of data-hungry AI models is an ongoing fight.

Meta’s AI development in 2025 was studded with epic highs and lows. It made waves over the summer when it hired a series of top AI researchers, poaching some of them from other bigwigs like OpenAI and Apple. But reports of internal strife and conflicting strategies between the new hires and Meta’s existing FAIR lab quickly followed, stalling any major public releases. Meta eventually laid off hundreds of employees from its AI units. Yann LeCun, one of the foremost pioneers in AI, left his role as chief AI scientist at the end of last year.

While Meta struggled to find its footing, competitors were busy pumping out new models and innovations. Google’s most recent model, Gemini 3, showcased industry-leading reasoning abilities. OpenAI, in a bid to catch up to Google, released GPT-5.2. And Anthropic’s Claude took a turn in the sun with its easy vibe coding abilities. Google also recently released a version of personalized intelligence in Search.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

How to Stay Safe at a Protest – Physically and Digitally

If you’re joining the thousands taking to the streets to protest ICE this weekend, here’s what you need to know to stay protected and safe.

The past decade has brought record numbers of Americans to the streets over critical issues — gun violence, racial injustice, police brutality and reproductive rights. More recently, the killing of two American citizens in Minneapolis and countless reports of harassment and unconstitutional raids by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have prompted protests from coast to coast, including many planned for this weekend.

While demonstrations are an important way to enact change, protesters face real risks from violent counterprotesters, law enforcement responses and health concerns when large groups gather.

CNET doesn’t encourage violating curfews or legal restrictions. However, if you attend a demonstration, here’s how to protect yourself based on guidance from Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union and other sources.

Getting ready

Preparation is crucial. Here’s what to consider bringing and leaving behind:

What to bring:

A body camera or GoPro
Water and snacks
Face mask (outdoor transmission risk is lower, but masks still help prevent the spread of illness)
Hand sanitizer
Charged phone with a power bank
ID and cash
Protective goggles for tear gas
Essential medications like inhalers
Small backpack
Emergency contacts written on your arm in marker
A companion or tell someone your location if going alone

What not to bring:

Anything problematic if detained — weapons, items that could be considered weapons or illegal substances
Contact lenses (wear glasses — contacts can trap tear gas)
Valuables
Makeup (can help tear gas adhere to skin)

What to wear:

Warm clothes, comfortable and without logos or patterns
Long sleeves and pants to protect from tear gas and cover identifying features like tattoos
Sturdy shoes for quick movement (hiking boots recommended)
A hat for sun protection or blending into crowds

What to do with your phone

As reported by our sister site PCMag, your phone can be a safety asset, but also a liability at protests. «Many smart devices track your location through multiple means. This is useful for getting directions and finding things nearby, but it can also allow law enforcement to extract your movements after the fact. For example, pictures you take with a smartphone frequently include their physical locations, and Google Maps maintains records of your movements in its Your Timeline section.»

With that in mind, here are four simple steps you can take to mitigate mobile tracking:

Shut off Wi-Fi.
Disable location services and Bluetooth until you absolutely need them.
If you don’t need to use your data connection, switch it off (note this may hamper your ability to use encrypted communications).
Again, if you can, leave your phone at home — if not, at least turn it off.

During a protest

Establish a plan before arriving, including how and when you plan to leave. Decide your arrival and departure times, what situations would trigger you to leave and how you’ll exit if things escalate. Share this plan with someone staying home who can help if needed.

Stay alert to your surroundings and crowd movements. If something feels wrong, leave immediately.

Law enforcement may use tear gas, rubber bullets or other crowd control measures that can cause injury. Your best protection is creating distance from these situations quickly. If that’s impossible, research how to respond to these specific threats beforehand.

Health precautions

Outdoor gatherings carry a lower COVID, flu and common cold risk than indoor ones, but risk remains, especially for immunocompromised individuals. Complete protection means not attending, but you can reduce risk by:

Wearing a mask
Using hand sanitizer frequently
Staying home if you feel sick
Skipping protests if you live with high-risk individuals

Know your rights

The First Amendment protects peaceful assembly, but you could still face detention. Before attending:

Search for «[your city] protest legal support» to find local hotlines
Save these numbers to your phone and write them on your arm
Review your rights during protests using the ACLU’s guide

Technologies

Save $30 on the Soundcore Q20i Headphones at Amazon and Enjoy Superior Sound on the Go

These offer excellent noise cancelation plus a solid battery life of up to 60 hours.

Amazon has knocked the already budget-friendly Soundcore Q20i headphones by $30, letting you pick up a pair for just $40 today. It isn’t an all-time low but it’s the best price the Q20i has dropped to in the past 30 days, proving you don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy your favorite beats to the fullest.

This deal applies to the black and white options, while the blue and pink versions are going for $45. The offer is only around for a short time, though, so it’s worth placing your orders sooner rather than later.

The pair has two internal and two external microphones that work together to detect background noise and reduce up to 90% of it in the ANC mode. It’s packed with oversized 40mm dynamic drivers that deliver deep, rich sound for all your favorite tracks, games and even podcasts. You can also use the Soundcore app to customize your listening experience by adjusting EQ with 22 presets, or fine-tune it yourself to match your preferences.

If you regularly work across multiple devices, you will appreciate that the Soundcore Q20i can connect to up to two devices at the same time. Switching between them is nearly instant, as the headphones automatically shift to the device you need to hear from.

Battery-wise, you’ll enjoy about 40 hours of continuous listening with the ANC mode and up to 60 hours with it disabled. Even better, a quick 5-minute top-up can give an additional 4 hours of playback, which comes in handy when you’re in a pinch.

HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK

Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones (Black):

$248 (save $152)
Beats Studio Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black):

$170 (save $181)
Sony WH-1000XM6 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones:

$398 (save $62)
Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Twilight Blue):

$179 (save $170)
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless ANC Over-Ear Headphones (Black):

$200 (save $250)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Good headphones that deliver solid sound, excellent noise-cancelling capabilities and a strong battery life can cost a pretty penny. This deal lets you get a top-rated option for just $40, making the upgrade quite affordable. Just note that the offer is likely to expire soon, so it’s best to act fast to grab it.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Jan. 30

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 30.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? The clues feature words like top, left, right, middle and bottom, and I thought they were pretty challenging. Read on for the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.