🫙 Label the Jars: What This Week's AI News Means for the Valley
Or: A New Law Puts “Made With AI” on Ads, Google Tests an AI Helper for Shop Listings, and TVA Opens the Door for Your Comments
By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Sunday, October 25, 2026
Anybody who’s put up green beans knows the rule: label the jar. Write what’s in it and the date on the lid, so nobody opens pickled okra expecting peaches next March.
That’s the thread in this week’s AI news. Again and again, the good news was about knowing what you’ve got: what was made by AI, what the AI is doing, and what the fine print says before you trust it.
Here’s the roundup: Pennsylvania passed a law that makes advertisers label ads made with AI, Google is testing an AI helper that puts a small business’s Google listing, reviews and ads in one place, a bill-paying company for small businesses built AI that flags bills that look wrong, and owners keep the on/off switch, TVA is asking for public comments through Nov. 19 on how it reviews new power-line work, Tennessee students, homeschoolers included, can enter a free statewide AI challenge, and a new computer voice laughs and pauses like a real person. Not one of these calls for worry. Most just call for a quick look at the label.
⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds
- See ads? More may soon say “made with AI.” That’s a label, not a warning.
- Run a shop? Check your Google listing’s hours and phone number this week.
- Pay business bills? If a bill looks different, call the vendor at a number you already have.
- Curious about TVA’s plans? Comments are open through Thu., Nov. 19.
- Got a student or homeschooler? A free AI challenge is due Tue., Nov. 24.
- Get a call that sounds just like someone? Hang up and call back on the number you know.
- Want to learn more? A plain-talk AI hour is in Chattanooga Tue., Oct. 27, 9 a.m. Central.
🏷️ A New Law Says AI-Made Ads Have to Wear a Label
On Thursday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a law requiring labels on ads that were made or heavily changed by AI. It covers pictures, videos, audio and written ads, from big TV commercials to, as The Verge put it, a restaurant’s crowded flyer about its wing specials. The label has to appear in the same form as the ad itself. The law takes effect in 60 days, and the penalties fall on companies, not on regular people. Political ads are left out, and The Verge notes some fuzzy spots, like what counts as “significantly” changed.
It’s like the “homemade” card on a bake-sale pie: it doesn’t say whether the pie is good, it just tells you where it came from.
What it means for you: Tennessee doesn’t have a law like this, but big companies that advertise in Pennsylvania may add labels everywhere, so you may start seeing “made with AI” on ads here. If you run a business and use AI for flyers or Facebook posts, being upfront about it is a good habit that builds trust.
🗺️ Google Tests an AI Helper for Your Shop’s Google Listing
Google is testing something called Business Home, a single screen where a small business can manage its Google listing, reviews, photos, ads and YouTube, with help from Google’s AI, called Gemini. Google says it can help write posts, update hours, answer reviews, suggest next steps and even help answer customer messages. Right now it’s a test by invitation only, for certain kinds of businesses with fewer than 10 locations, so most shops won’t see it for a while.
It’s like a new sign on the highway that can change its own wording. Handy, as long as somebody makes sure it says the right thing.
What it means for you: For lots of Valley shops, the Google listing is the first thing customers see, before any website. Whether or not you get the invitation, take ten minutes to check that your hours, phone number and address are right on Google. If AI is going to repeat them, they’d better be correct.
🧾 AI That Spots a Bill That Doesn’t Look Quite Right
BILL, a company many small businesses use to pay their bills, rolled out new AI tools that flag invoices and payments that don’t match the usual pattern for your business or that vendor. Owners can turn the AI tools on or off, watch what they do, and review every payment before it goes out. The final yes comes from the owner, not the AI. BILL says its system has caught an average of about $138,000 in mistakes or unusual payments per customer since last August. (That’s BILL’s own figure.)
It’s like the feed-store clerk who says, “That’s twice what you usually order. You sure?”
What it means for you: Fake bills and “we changed our bank account” letters are a common trick on small businesses. Whether or not you use a tool like this, the habit is the same: if a bill looks different, call the vendor at a number you already have before you pay. And with any AI tool, look for the off switch.
👉 Read more (Small Business Currents)
⚡ TVA Wants to Hear From You, Through Nov. 19
TVA, which makes the power our local co-op delivers, is taking public comments through Nov. 19 on a draft plan for how it reviews the environmental side of new power-line work when new power plants hook into its system. TVA says demand for electricity is rising because of population growth, factories and the fast growth of computers that run AI, and it lists more than $13 billion in planned investments through 2029. (Those are TVA’s figures.) The draft is posted at tva.com/nepa.
It’s like the county posting a notice before it paves a road: you don’t have to say a thing, but the door is open if you want to.
What it means for you: There’s no data center proposed in our counties. But AI’s appetite for electricity reaches us through TVA, and this is the calm, official way to read the plan and ask questions. Questions about your own bill are still best asked of Sequachee Valley Electric.
👉 Read more (Quad Cities Daily)
🎒 Valley Students Can Enter a Free Statewide AI Challenge
AI Tennessee, based at UT Knoxville, along with the Tennessee Department of Education, Tennessee Tech and other schools, launched the AI Tennessee Challenge for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, including homeschoolers. Students pick a real problem in their school or community and explore how AI could help, from an idea on paper to a working project. Kids can enter alone or as a team, and every project needs an adult sponsor, like a teacher, parent, librarian or community leader. Projects are due Tue., Nov. 24, by 10:59 p.m. Central, and winners will be recognized Dec. 11. Our students would compete in the East Tennessee region.
It’s like a science fair project about the thing you pass every morning on the bus.
What it means for you: If you’ve got a curious kid or grandkid, this is a free, low-pressure way to learn real skills and maybe get noticed statewide. A good problem might be right in front of us: school pickup lines, farm chores, flood alerts or finding local events.
📞 A New Computer Voice Laughs and Pauses Like a Person
Block, the company behind Square card readers and Cash App, showed off Dessa, a computer voice that it says learned to talk by listening only to real human conversations. It can talk and listen at the same time, and in the samples it laughs, pauses and even sounds tired. It isn’t available to the public yet; Block is letting a small group of safety researchers test it first. (Those details are Block’s.)
It’s like hearing someone on the phone who sounds just like your cousin. Nice to hear, but you still know your cousin’s number.
What it means for you: Friendly computer voices will show up more for things like ordering food or calling a business, which helps folks who’d rather talk than type. It’s also a good time to pick a family “safe word”, and if a call asks for money, hang up and call back on the number you already have. That’s not worry, just good sense.
✅ Your Front-Porch AI Checklist
- ✅ See “made with AI” on an ad? It’s a label, not a warning. Judge the deal like any other.
- ✅ Run a shop? Check your Google listing’s hours, phone and address this week.
- ✅ Bill looks different than usual? Call the vendor at a number you already have before paying.
- ✅ Trying a new AI tool? Find the off switch first.
- ✅ Want your say with TVA? Comments close Thu., Nov. 19.
- ✅ Curious student at home? AI Tennessee Challenge is due Tue., Nov. 24.
- ✅ Pick a family safe word this week, and call back on a known number if a call asks for money.
- ✅ Mark your calendar: AI Beyond the Hype at The Enterprise Center in Chattanooga, Tue., Oct. 27, 9 a.m. Central.
Practical rule: Before you trust it, read the label: who made it, what it can do, and how to switch it off.
— Dunlap.Today
📚 Plain-English AI Glossary
- AI label (disclosure): A note on an ad or post saying AI was used to make it.
- Google Business Profile: The box on Google Search and Maps showing a business’s hours, phone, photos and reviews.
- Gemini: Google’s AI, the “brain” behind several of its new tools.
- Beta (test version): An early version a company tries out with a small group before releasing it to everyone.
- Invoice: A bill a business gets from a vendor or supplier.
- Public comment period: A set window when anyone can read a government plan and send in thoughts or questions.
- Transmission lines: The big, high-voltage power lines that carry electricity long distances.
- Voice AI: A computer program that listens and talks out loud, like a person on the phone.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is a data center coming to Sequatchie County?
As of the evening of Oct. 24, 2026, we found no verified data-center proposal in Sequatchie, Bledsoe or Marion counties.
Does Tennessee have a law about labeling AI ads?
Not like Pennsylvania’s. The new Pennsylvania law takes effect about 60 days after it was signed on Oct. 22, but ads made for the whole country may carry labels here too.
Do I need to sign up for Google’s Business Home?
No. It’s an invitation-only test right now. Your regular Google listing still works the same, so just make sure its hours and phone number are correct.
How do I send TVA a comment, and do I have to?
You don’t have to. If you want to, the draft and comment details are posted at tva.com/nepa, and comments are open through Thursday, Nov. 19.
Who can enter the AI Tennessee Challenge?
Tennessee students in kindergarten through 12th grade, including homeschoolers, alone or in teams, with an adult sponsor. Projects are due Tuesday, Nov. 24, by 10:59 p.m. Central (11:59 p.m. Eastern).
Can I talk to the new Dessa voice?
Not yet. Block is only letting a small group of safety researchers test it for now.
Does Dunlap.Today use AI?
Yes, to help gather information and draft. A person reviews what’s published and is responsible for every story. If you spot a mistake, tell us and we’ll fix it.
What time is the upcoming AI learning event?
“AI Beyond the Hype” is Tuesday, Oct. 27, 9–10 a.m. Central (10–11 Eastern) at The Enterprise Center, 1010 Georgia Ave., Chattanooga; check Eventbrite for any cost.
🔗 Other Resources
- The Verge: Pennsylvania will require labels on AI-generated ads
- CBS Pittsburgh: Pennsylvania requires disclosures on AI-generated ads
- KDKA Radio: New Pennsylvania law requiring AI disclosures
- Google: About the Business Home beta
- GEroundtable: Google unveils Business Home beta
- Small Business Currents: BILL puts small businesses in control
- Quad Cities Daily: TVA seeks public comment (through Nov. 19)
- TVA: Environmental reviews (NEPA) and comment details
- AI Tennessee: Statewide K-12 AI Challenge
- TechCrunch: Block’s new voice model sounds eerily human
- The Verge: Block’s Dessa AI voice model
- Eventbrite: Tech a Look: AI Beyond the Hype (Oct. 27)
🌄 Keep Learning — and Keep Reading the Labels
Nothing in this week’s news calls for worry. Ads are getting labels. Google is building tools to help small shops, with the owner still in charge. A bill-paying tool now taps you on the shoulder when something looks off. TVA opened its door for comments. Our kids have a free chance to shine. And a new computer voice reminds us to keep using the good sense we already have.
Pick one thing to do this week, maybe checking your shop’s Google listing or choosing a family safe word over Sunday dinner, and save the rest for another evening. The more you learn, the easier it is to use the new tools on your own terms. We’ll keep watching what matters for the Sequatchie Valley so you don’t have to. Read Dunlap.Today and sign up for our newsletter for plain-English news from right here at home.
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