Google allows hiding watermarks on some AI-generated images, Waymo gets approval to expand in California, DeepSeek launches Harness.

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Google is letting Gemini and Flow users remove the visible watermark from some AI-generated images and videos. The files will still include invisible SynthID watermarks and Content Credentials metadata, but the obvious “made by AI” label is now optional. Good for creators, less good for anyone trying to spot synthetic media quickly.

source: The Verge

Chinese AI lab Z.ai introduced GLM-5.3, with upgrades aimed at long coding tasks and cybersecurity work. Z.ai says it scored 84.5% on CyberGym, a benchmark for finding software vulnerabilities, and the company is holding back public model weights while it adds more safety checks. Another sign that open models are getting powerful enough to make both developers and security teams pay attention.

source: SiliconANGLE

Waymo got approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to expand robotaxi service across 18 California counties, including Sacramento and San Diego. That does not mean Waymo cars are showing up everywhere tomorrow, but it clears an important regulatory step. Now comes the harder part: vehicles, charging, maintenance, and local operations.

source: Electrek

DeepSeek launched Harness, an open-source coding agent, alongside broader access to its V4 Pro model. The company is also raising developer interface prices, which stands out because DeepSeek built so much momentum on being cheaper than US rivals. Pretty clear coding agents are becoming a major AI battleground, and price is part of the strategy.

source: VentureBeat

Tesla asked Nevada regulators for permission to run 5,000 robotaxis in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas. Instead, it got approval for 10 vehicles, with “appropriate human supervision” required. Still unclear whether that means someone inside the car or remote monitoring, but either way, that is a pretty big gap.

source: Axios

Apple Maps is opening ad booking for businesses in the US and Canada. Sponsored local results can now show up inside Maps, while Apple says location and ad interactions are not tied to a user’s Apple Account or shared with advertisers. Apple gets a new local ads business, and businesses get one more place to pay for visibility.

source: 9to5Mac

Apple and Epic are still arguing over what Apple can charge when developers send users outside the App Store to pay. Apple proposed 15% fees for standard apps and 5% for Small Business Program apps, even while acknowledging its necessary costs for those outside purchases are basically zero. Critics are calling that an admission that the fees are about Apple’s commission, not actual processing costs.

source: Thurrott

Bengaluru startup Dognosis is combining trained dogs with AI for a breath-based cancer screening test. The dogs detect disease-related compounds in breath samples, and machine learning turns their responses into a standardized risk score. The promise is a cheaper, non-invasive screening tool, but clinical validation and regulation are still ahead.

source: The Next Web

Bloomberg reports drones are being used to collect better weather data from the lower atmosphere, where small changes in wind, temperature, and moisture can affect forecasts. That matters for military operations, drone flights, wildfire smoke, and even commodity trading. A good reminder that weather data is not just about whether you need an umbrella.

source: Bloomberg

France’s Top Court Strikes Down Proposed Social Media Ban for Minors, Google Launches Gemini 3.7 Flash to Boost AI Performance, and the White House Imposes 100% Tariffs on Drones to Boost Domestic Manufacturing and Security.

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Apple has developed a proprietary large language model for the China market in partnership with Alibaba, signaling a strategic shift to better compete against domestic rivals. This initiative, designed to integrate with Apple Intelligence, aims to navigate local regulatory challenges and restore Apple’s competitive edge in a critical market where the absence of AI features has previously impacted sales.

Read More — Reuters

France’s highest court has declared a proposed ban on social media for children under 15 unconstitutional, ruling that it infringes upon youths’ freedom of speech and communication. This decision, a setback for President Emmanuel Macron, signals potential legal and technical challenges for global efforts to restrict social media access for younger teenagers. Despite this ruling, the French government intends to pursue revised legislation while other nations and the EU continue to explore similar regulatory approaches, highlighting the ongoing tension between protective digital policies and privacy concerns.

Read More — Bloomberg

Google has launched its new Gemini 3.7 Flash AI model, which offers improved performance in coding, debugging, and efficiency for app production while integrating enhanced safety features. Despite this release, the company continues to face pressure due to delays with its more powerful Gemini 3.5 Pro model and competition from rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic, leading to investor questions regarding Google’s AI roadmap and its ability to maintain a leading market position.

Read More — Bloomberg

The White House has introduced new tariffs of up to 100 percent on drones and associated components to enhance national security and encourage domestic manufacturing, or “on-shoring.” These measures, which target both heavy-duty and sensitive commercial drones, are expected to increase costs for consumers as vendors pass on the expenses. The policy aims to reduce dependence on Chinese-manufactured models, like those from DJI, though industry experts note the significant challenge of replicating China’s advanced drone supply chains and specialized engineering capabilities within the US.

Read More — Engadget

Flock is implementing stricter data retention policies and mandating a new “Audit Assistance” tool designed to flag atypical search patterns for administrative review. Despite Flock’s claims of efficacy, privacy experts and critics from the ACLU and EFF argue that the company has provided insufficient technical details about how the tool works and lacks independent auditing evidence to prove it effectively prevents abuse, suggesting that stronger legal constraints on technology use are more critical for ensuring accountability.

Read More — TechCrunch

Heart Aerospace has successfully completed the first flight of its all-electric X1 prototype, marking a significant milestone for the company as it eyes regional aviation markets. With interest from airlines like United and Air Canada, Heart aims to follow this success with the ES-30, a hybrid-electric model designed to replace traditional turboprops by 2031 through lower operational costs and enhanced reliability, though the company’s ambitious timeline remains dependent on future advancements in battery density and weight.

Read More — Engadget

Netflix is shuttering two internal game studios, Night School Studio and Moonloot, as part of an ongoing restructuring of its gaming division. This decision follows a series of previous studio closures and divestments, signaling a consolidation of the company’s internal game development strategy. Moving forward, Netflix’s gaming focus is shifting toward four specific areas: kids, party, narrative, and mainstream titles, with increasing emphasis on cloud gaming and mobile-controller-based experiences.

Read More — Variety

A critical remote code execution vulnerability in SAP Commerce Cloud (CVE-2026-58231) is being actively exploited in the wild three days after patch release. Caused by improper authorization in the Data Hub Adapter, the flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code on e-commerce platforms. Despite no public proof-of-concept, researchers confirmed active attacks, underlining persistent security threats for SAP.

Read More — BleepingComputer

Uber is expanding its global robotaxi strategy by partnering with Pony.ai to deploy 2,000 self-driving vehicles across Europe and the Middle East, building on their existing pilot service in Zagreb. This collaboration, which includes plans for four additional European cities, is part of Uber’s broader effort to become a leading platform for autonomous commercialization by working with partners like WeRide and Baidu Apollo Go to scale operations in cities like Madrid and Tokyo, while gathering data to accelerate development against competitors like Waymo.

Read More — CNBC

X is testing a tool giving select users visibility into post-limiting labels like spam or NSFW. Aimed at clarifying algorithmic “shadowbanning,” the complex data remains hard to interpret. Concurrently, X expanded open-sourcing its recommendation algorithm while continuing to withhold sensitive advertising and non-timeline data.

Read More — Engadget

White House Authorizes Private Firms for Offensive Cyber Operations, Twitch to Use Default Opt-In for Creator Content in Amazon AI Model Training, and Anthropic Integrates Claude Cowork into Chrome Extension for Cross-Device Sync.

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Apple is negotiating multiyear licensing deals with news publishers to provide its upcoming AI-powered Siri assistant with access to real-time information. Unlike industry standards that typically rely on fixed upfront fees, Apple is proposing a unique usage-based payment structure. The initiative comes amid a complex landscape of litigation and licensing agreements between publishers and AI companies, and follows Apple’s previous challenges with AI-generated news features that were discontinued due to accuracy concerns.

Read More: Yahoo Finance

The White House administration is launching a program allowing private-sector firms to conduct offensive cyber operations against foreign criminal organizations. Overseen by the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department, the initiative seeks to expand the nation’s capacity to counter cyber threats by utilizing private cybersecurity professionals. The approach has raised concerns about potential escalation and unintended consequences. Participating companies will be required to hold a $1 million bond to ensure compliance.

Read More: Bloomberg

Twitch has announced that it will use creator content to train Amazon’s generative AI models, with creators opted in by default. Users have expressed concerns about their content being used without their knowledge, particularly because Twitch hosts large amounts of long-form video and audio. Twitch leadership defended the opt-out approach, acknowledging that a strictly opt-in system would likely result in low participation. Creators can manually opt out through their channel settings under Security and Privacy.

Read More: TechCrunch

Anthropic has integrated Claude Cowork into the Claude for Chrome extension, allowing conversation history, skills, and connectors to synchronize across devices. The update makes it easier to continue tasks across platforms and provides a workaround for performing tasks in tools without official Claude support. The feature is currently available to Max and Team subscribers, with Pro access expected soon.

Read More: Engadget

Brazil’s data protection authority, ANPD, has ordered Discord to suspend its livestreaming feature following an investigation into the death of a 13-year-old girl. Authorities allege the platform was used to encourage self-harm and cited Discord’s lack of real-time access to content for automated violation detection as a major concern. Discord is cooperating with law enforcement, while five teenagers have been arrested in connection with the case. The company faces a three-day deadline to comply, with potential fines of approximately $9 million per violation until adequate protections for minors are implemented.

Read More: BBC

Security researcher Nightmare Eclipse has disclosed “ShieldBreak,” a newly reported zero-day vulnerability affecting Windows Defender on Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2025. The researcher claims the vulnerability could allow attackers to gain full system-wide access. The disclosure follows a contentious history between the researcher and Microsoft involving vulnerability reporting and legal threats over disclosure practices. Microsoft is investigating the claims, but no patch is currently available.

Read More: TechCrunch

Meta says it has removed more than 750,000 accounts believed to belong to users under 16 since Australia’s social media ban began in December. Although Meta maintains that its AI systems are effective at identifying underage users, regulators remain skeptical, noting that many minors continue to access the platform. The Australian government is considering doubling non-compliance fines to A$99 million ahead of a parliamentary inquiry, increasing pressure on Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and other platforms.

Read More: Reuters

A supply-chain attack targeting the open-source tool LiteLLM exposed credentials belonging to more than 2,500 organizations and 434,000 CI/CD pipelines during a roughly 40-minute window in March. The attack, attributed to the group TeamPCP, occurred after victims downloaded compromised versions of LiteLLM and other packages, including Trivy, from the Python Package Index. Attackers gained access to sensitive information such as cloud keys and corporate secrets, highlighting the significant security risks within modern software supply chains.

Read More: Ars Technica

Microsoft is consolidating its consumer and enterprise Copilot applications into a single unified app beginning in mid-September. The change is intended to simplify the user experience while making it easier to switch between personal and professional accounts. Microsoft will provide migration support for chat history and content while maintaining data separation for professional users. However, group chats, podcast generation, and standard Deep Research features will be retired, while some advanced research capabilities will become exclusive to Microsoft 365 Premium subscribers.

Read More: ZDNET

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Hearing Aid feature gains US FDA approval to launch later in 2026, Foxconn reveals AI servers bring in 51% of revenue with Apple manufacturing dropping to under 30%, and OpenAI releases a ChatGPT desktop app for Linux.

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On Tuesday Samsung announced the Galaxy Buds Hearing Aid feature received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Using Samsung’s app a user will be able to take a hearing test and receive a “medical-grade” assessment in approximately five minutes, revealing whether any hearing loss is mild, moderate, severe, or profound, for each ear. The feature will be available to those with Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in the United States and “select approved markets” later in 2026. Apple’s AirPods gained hearing device FDA clearance in 2024.

Source: 9to5Google

On Tuesday, OpenAI released a ChatGPT desktop app for Linux, following the desktop app releases for Windows and Mac in July. The app combines ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work, and Codex. An OpenAI spokesperson told The New Stack, “Linux has been one of the most-requested platforms for the desktop app” and notes “the ability for ChatGPT to interact with desktop applications like OpenOffice or GIMP — isn’t available at launch”. The app is in preview and runs on Ubuntu 24.04 and 26.04 LTS, Debian 13, and Fedora 43 and 44, for both the x64 and ARM64 architectures.

Source: TechCrunch and The New Stack

Electronics manufacturer Foxconn, which previously made more than half its revenue from assembling Apple iPhones, revealed last quarter than Apple now only accounts for under 30% of revenue. Foxconn’s cloud and networking division, building tech for AI servers, now brings in 51% of revenue.

Source: 9to5Mac

Toyota issued a recall for 508,354 Camry Hybrids in the United States over a 7 inch screen remaining blank when a vehicle is started in certain conditions, blocking access to critical information. Data including various warning indicators, safety reminders, and other car status are not visible elsewhere in a vehicle with a disabled screen. The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes this malfunction increases the risk of crash under these conditions. Recall notices are expected to arrive September 21st and the issue can be resolved with a software update. Globally the recall will affect approximately 655,000 Toyota Camrys built between December 2023 and July 2026.

Source: Digital Trends

Analysis from Sensor Tower about global mobile spending growth in Q2 2026 shows gaming app revenue declined 4.5% year-over-year and non-gaming apps rose 14.6% year-over-year. Gaming apps had 11.3 billion downloads and $19.2 billion revenue while non-gaming apps had 25.5 billion downloads and $24.4 billion revenue. The United States leads in app spending with China in second. And top markets for app downloads are India, the US, and Brazil coming in third. Sensor Tower reports the most downloaded app globally for the period was ChatGPT, then TikTok, then Instagram. Apps raking in the most in-app-purchases were TikTok, ChatGPT, and Google One.

Source: 9to5Mac

Tesla will recall approximately 20,000 Model Y and Model 3 vehicles due to a violation of federal safety standards regarding headlight brightness. The federal standard in question limits low beam intensity in part of the beam to 125 candela; Tesla’s reached up to 230.1 candela, over the limit by approximately 84%. In 2024 the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was informed by Tesla that the lights were almost twice as bright as legal, while asking the NHTSA to deem this overage as “inconsequential”. The NHTSA now denied this request, replying “NHTSA does not consider the absence of complaints or injuries when determining if a noncompliance is inconsequential to safety.”

Source: Gizmodo and The Next Web

FlightAware withdrew a lawsuit against prediction market Kalshi under 24 hours from the initial filing. FlightAware filed suit against Kalshi on Monday, alleging the company used FlightAware’s data and name, without knowledge, for gambling on flight cancellations. Lawyers for FlightAware say the case is “voluntarily ​dismissed, without prejudice, against all defendants”. Neither company responded to a request for comment by Reuters.

Source: Reuters

Meta released a native Threads app for Meta Quest VR headsets on Tuesday, following last month’s release of the app for Ray-Ban Display AR glasses. The VR app contains all the Threads features, with users able to browse feeds, post, reply, like, search, play videos. The Meta release says “We designed the new Threads app for Meta Quest to make using VR more social than ever” and “Threads can enhance your VR experience”.

Source: The Verge

On Wednesday, CNET exclusively reports automotive app store Appning partnered with anime streaming service Crunchyroll to enable playing the company’s library in select vehicles. This will roll out to select BMW and Mini vehicles to start — available in North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia — with Appning planning to expand access to over 40 different car manufacturers. Users will need a paid Crunchyroll subscription. Crunchyroll’s SVP of global distribution and business development Brian McGarvey says, “Today’s consumers expect their entertainment to be available wherever they are, including in their vehicle”. Playback will only be available when a car is parked and blocked during movement.

Source: CNET

Google Tests AI-Focused Homepage Design, Ninth Circuit Rejects Meta’s Appeal in Youth Mental Health Trial, and Nvidia Launches $500 Billion AI Compute Financing Initiative.

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Anthropic is implementing watermarking for text and files generated by its models to comply with the EU AI Act, ensuring the digital identifiers persist through copying, pasting, and various levels of editing. By adopting this practice and utilizing standards like C2PA for files across its entire product suite, Anthropic joins other industry leaders, including Google, Meta, and OpenAI, in enhancing transparency for AI-generated content in accordance with European regulations.

Read More: TechCrunch

Google is currently A/B testing a new homepage layout for a limited group of signed-out users, which replaces the traditional Search button with three AI-focused shortcuts: “Create images,” “Ask about files,” and “Brainstorm.” While these shortcuts aim to streamline access to Gemini’s capabilities, the scope of the test and whether these changes will become permanent remain unconfirmed.

Read More: The Next Web

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Meta’s appeal to pause a landmark trial in Oakland, California, where the company faces potential $1.4 trillion in penalties over allegations of contributing to a youth mental health crisis. By ruling that it lacks jurisdiction for an early appeal, the court ensured the trial proceeds as scheduled, while Meta continues to face numerous other legal challenges across the country related to its impact on youth social media users.

Read More: Bloomberg

Nvidia is partnering with six financial institutions to launch compute financing platforms aiming to raise over $500 billion for AI infrastructure, with the company offering to backstop up to 25% of the deals. This initiative, which aligns with Big Tech’s projected AI spending of over $730 billion, reflects the intense demand for AI computing capacity as stakeholders race to build out data centers.

Read More: Reuters

Spotify is introducing “AI Persona” badges to identify non-human artists and will exclude their content from editorial and personal recommendations to prioritize authentic human creators. To identify these photorealistic AI identities, the platform will utilize a combination of voluntary artist self-disclosure and its own internal detection methods, including human review and AI tools, initially focusing on artists who meet specific audience thresholds.

Read More: The Verge

OpenAI has introduced GPT 5.6 Cyber, a specialized model for vulnerability research and security testing, available only to selected partners through the Daybreak Access program. This initiative allows approved consultancies and security vendors to use the Daybreak Blue and Daybreak Red versions of the model within their own services to identify and remediate security threats while incorporating human oversight and strict engagement safeguards.

Read More: BleepingComputer

YouTube is raising monetization thresholds for new creators starting February 1, requiring at least 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views to qualify for earnings, while also instituting a 10 million view maintenance threshold for Shorts revenue. These changes, which do not affect existing partners, accompany the global expansion of the affordable Premium Lite subscription and occur as competitors like X and Facebook also adjust their own creator monetization programs.

Read More: TechCrunch

TSMC and Sony Group are forming a $4.69 billion joint venture called Advanced Vision Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp to produce next-generation image sensors in Kumamoto, Japan. With Sony as the controlling shareholder, both companies will invest heavily through cash and assets, with production expected to begin in 2029. This venture, which anticipates support from the Japanese government, will leverage Sony’s sensor design expertise and TSMC’s manufacturing technology to create a central hub for smartphone image sensor development.

Read More: Reuters

Bumble is ending its long-standing “women-message-first” requirement, allowing any match to initiate conversation, and extending the match response window to 72 hours. CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd frames this update as an evolution designed to reduce dating pressure and improve connection quality, aligning with user preferences. These strategic changes arrive as Bumble seeks to revitalize its business amid declining revenue and broader challenges within the online dating industry.

Read More: TechCrunch

Google’s upcoming Made by Google event is set to feature the Pixel 11 series, expected to include a new “HiLight” feature and potential 2nm Tensor G6 chip, alongside the Pixel Watch 5, which integrates Gemini Intelligence and advanced sleep tracking. The lineup also includes new color options for the Pixel Buds Pro 2 and the debut of the Pixel Tag, an AirTag-style tracker, while other expected hardware like Googlebooks and smart glasses are reserved for a future release.

Read More: The Verge

To extend the operational life of the nearly 50-year-old Voyager 2 spacecraft, NASA successfully executed “Operation Big Bang.” By optimizing power usage and switching to lower-power alternatives for certain devices, the agency has preserved enough energy to keep the probe’s three remaining scientific instruments functional for at least another year. This critical adjustment ensures the spacecraft can continue its historic mission of transmitting data from interstellar space.

Read More: Engadget

Google Play adds Venmo as a payment option, TrendForce estimates Apple’s iPhone component costs jumped 38% compared to previous models, and Meta releases a free AI model able to run on a single computer.

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Show Notes

On Monday, Google Play added Venmo as a payment option for games, apps, and other digital content, including subscriptions. Venmo can be linked to a Google Play account through settings. Other payment options currently available in the United States include credit cards, Cash App, and PayPal.

Source: TechCrunch

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple is considering new devices with “different types of screens and various sizes” compared to the existing Apple Watch lineup, as well as possibly devices without any displays, similar to offerings from Whoop. Gurman also says Apple may expand the watch lineup to even more premium options above the Ultra and Hermès editions and a lower end affordable one to come in under the Apple Watch SE pricepoint. In 2026 or 2027 Gurman is expecting the return of the ceramic case option and the addition of new watch and band colors.

Source: Bloomberg and Engadget

Also in Mark Gurman’s PowerOn newsletter, Apple had considered, but ultimately passed on, a feature as part of Apple Upgrade that would have each new device “arrive at home ready to go, preloaded with all of your data via your iCloud backup”. The idea was debated internally “years ago” and ultimately never shipped, citing privacy concerns.

Source: Bloomberg and 9to5Mac

TrendForce released an analysis estimating Apple will pay approximately 38% more for iPhone components over previous edition costs, though expects Apple to absorb some of the price shock of increase by limiting the amount it applies to the launch of new phones in September, while raising the costs of older models. In June, Apple raised prices for some Mac, iPad, Apple TV, HomePod, and Vision Pros over memory availability concerns. The iPhone 18 line is expected to debut later this year, with pricing likely revealed in September.

Source: MacRumors

Ford is launching an AI-powered assistant in its mobile app able to answer questions about Ford or Lincoln vehicles. The app will link to a customer’s vehicle, able to provide specific information on the owner’s particular model capabilities and upcoming servicing needs. Examples of questions the app can answer include expected fuel use for a trip and whether a vehicle is capable of towing various loads. A voice-powered assistant within vehicles is planned for 2027.

Source: The Verge

On Monday, Meta released an open source AI model able to run on a single computer called Muse Glimmer, based on Meta’s Spark 1.2. In the announcement, Meta says the model is “small enough to run on a Mac or PC with a single consumer GPU” and the free download is available on Hugging Face.

Source: Engadget

Semafor reports Spotify clarified the test rollout of a new feature allowing premium listeners to skip ahead over podcast ads, intros, and ‘filler’ with a single button is currently only available to a subset of premium subscribers. The test also limits the button to appear only when the Spotify app is in the foreground, though any ads sold by Spotify remain unable to be skipped, only ads by individual podcasts and podcast networks. Spotify argues the button increases listening time and the company is continuing to gather feedback from podcast publishers, advertisers, and users.

Source: Semafor

Viant Technology, owners of the Myspace brand, intends to bring back the social media platform that initially launched in 2003. Viant Technology obtained Myspace in 2011 and first attempted a relaunch in 2013. In a documentary about Myspace, co-owner Tim Vanderhook said, “We lost a little over $150 million” during the previous relaunch. Presently no launch window or further details have been revealed. Original founder Tom Anderson, best known as Myspace Tom and everyone’s first friend, has yet to comment.

Source: The Next Web and CNBC

Claude Code sessions on macOS and Linux can coordinate with each other, Sony’s rumored WH-1000XM4C headphones may be a $250 reality, Nielsen acquires DoubleVerify for wider audience data.

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Show Notes

This week’s tech news had a theme: the systems behind the systems. AI labs slowed down, coding agents started coordinating, browsers kept tightening extension rules, creators got a new payment formula, and the AI boom kept running into very physical constraints like power, land, and solar supply chains.

OpenAI told Axios it slowed the release of its upcoming Astra model after safety tests raised cybersecurity concerns. That’s notable because the concern here isn’t just whether a model gives a bad answer, but whether it could meaningfully help someone carry out an attack.

source: Axios

Claude Code sessions on macOS and Linux can now talk to each other locally, so separate coding agents can share notes and claim work without sending message bodies off-device. That sounds niche until you remember more developers are running multiple AI coding sessions at once, and coordination is quickly becoming part of the workflow.

source: 9to5Mac

Sony may be preparing a lower-cost version of its WH-1000XM4 headphones, according to reliable leaker billbil-kun on Dealabs. The rumored WH-1000XM4C would keep features like active noise cancellation and spatial audio, reportedly land around $250, and aim squarely at people who still like the older foldable design.

source: Engadget

Microsoft Edge is moving away from older Manifest V2 extensions, which means tools like the original uBlock Origin will eventually stop working in the browser. Microsoft says most popular extensions have already moved to Manifest V3, but users who care about stronger ad blocking may want to pay attention before support ends.

source: The Verge

The US president signed an executive order adding a 15% tariff and minimum prices on imported polysilicon and related solar components starting December 4th. The White House says it’s about protecting US manufacturing, but the practical tradeoff could be higher solar project costs and more friction with China.

source: Reuters

Nielsen is acquiring DoubleVerify in a $2.15 billion all-cash deal. Nielsen measures audiences, DoubleVerify measures whether digital ads are actually viewable, brand-safe, and reaching the right people, so the deal is really about giving advertisers more confidence in where their money goes.

source: Variety

The world’s largest solar telescope captured unusually detailed images of tiny plasma whirlpools on the Sun’s surface. Researchers say the images show Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, a fluid pattern that could help explain why the Sun’s outer atmosphere is so much hotter than the surface below it.

source: Ars Technica

The Information’s sources say Nvidia is in talks to invest up to $3 billion in Lancium, a power infrastructure company tied to major AI data center projects in Texas. It’s another reminder that the AI buildout isn’t just about better chips anymore, it’s about getting enough land, electricity, and grid access to run them.

source: Reuters

X is replacing creator revenue sharing with a new Original Content Rewards program. The pitch is that creators should get paid for high-quality original posts and Premium user engagement, but it also gives X more discretion over what counts and who gets rewarded.

source: Engadget

European Commission Advances IRIS² Satellite Project to Full-Scale Deployment, Alibaba to Introduce Revenue-Sharing Requirement for Open-Source Qwen Model, and Suno Implements New Audio Watermarking and Usage Policies.

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Show Notes

A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to pay $567 million into an abatement fund to address its role in the state’s youth mental health crisis. The ruling mandates that the company improve its age-assurance and reporting tools for underage users, though it does not require changes to recommendation algorithms or end-to-end encryption. Meta has expressed disagreement with the decision and intends to appeal.

Read More: CNBC

The European Commission has advanced its IRIS² satellite broadband project to full-scale deployment following agreements with manufacturers and the European Space Agency. The project will feature a constellation of 348 satellites designed to provide secure, reliable connectivity for critical government operations and emergency services starting in 2029, with potential future availability for businesses and citizens in underserved regions.

Read More: Engadget

Alibaba is preparing to introduce a revenue-sharing requirement for high-earning users of its upcoming open-source Qwen model, mirroring a strategy recently adopted by Chinese AI startup Moonshot. This shift indicates that major Chinese AI firms are moving toward standardized monetization models for their open-source offerings as they compete to capture market share from closed-source U.S. developers like OpenAI and Google

Read More: Reuters

Suno is implementing new audio watermarking and usage policies, announced by CEO Mikey Shulman, to align with industry standards and counter “AI slop” on platforms like Spotify. These initiatives utilize durable, invisible waveform codes to identify AI-generated tracks, aiming to position the company as a tool for artistic support rather than a replacement for human creativity. In the face of significant pressure from the music industry, it remains uncertain if these actions will resolve its legal challenges or the issue of unlabeled AI music.

Read More: Ars Technica

SK Hynix is investing $38.1 billion to build two new memory chip facilities in South Korea to address the explosive demand for AI-related memory. With production scheduled for 2029, these facilities will focus on high-profit HBM, DRAM, and NAND chips for data centers. This move underscores the industry’s prioritization of AI demand, which analysts expect will keep consumer memory prices high for years to come.

Read More: Engadget

OpenAI is developing a premium, “donut-shaped” AI smart speaker in collaboration with Jony Ive’s design studio, LoveFrom, with a projected 2027 release and an estimated price point of $300 to $400. While the device aims to integrate ChatGPT more deeply into users’ lives, its success remains uncertain given the historically low profitability of smart speakers and ongoing legal challenges from Apple regarding alleged trade secret theft, which OpenAI denies.

Read More: TechCrunch

Google DeepMind and Research teams, in collaboration with international weather agencies, have open-sourced “WeatherNext,” an AI model designed to enhance cyclone prediction by simultaneously analyzing global atmospheric currents and local thermodynamic processes. By training on 20 terabytes of data, the model can generate 15-day forecasts in under a minute on a TPU, offering forecasters a powerful tool to assess storm intensity and path. This development builds on Google’s broader AI initiatives, which include previous research into flash flood prediction.

Read More: Engadget

The FCC voted 2–1 to replace the National Television Ownership Rule, which capped a single owner’s reach at 39% of U.S. TV households, with case-by-case reviews. FCC Chair Brendan Carr states this will help local broadcasters compete with streaming and boost local news, but critics and dissenting Commissioner Anna Gomez argue the FCC lacks statutory authority to override a congressional limit. Opponents, including Free Press, warn the decision will spark unprecedented media consolidation, cut journalism jobs, and benefit large conglomerates over community programming.

Read More: Ars Technica

OpenAI is removing text-based rate limits for ChatGPT Free and Go accounts, replacing the default GPT-5.5 Instant model with the more capable GPT-5.6 Luna, which includes a new “Think” feature. While file, image, and voice usage remains subject to limits, this update signifies a major efficiency breakthrough for the company. Additionally, Plus and Pro subscribers gain access to an optimized GPT-5.6 Sol model, now featuring improved conversational focus and a new adjustable “thought” slider to better tailor response depth.

Read More: Engadget

Apple has released critical security updates for macOS Sonoma, Sequoia, and Tahoe to address a serious Screen Sharing vulnerability (CVE-2026-65400). This flaw could have allowed an unauthorized attacker on the network to bypass authentication and remotely access a user’s Mac, potentially enabling them to view the screen or control apps and files. While there is no evidence the bug was exploited in the wild, the severity of the potential impact makes installing the updates highly recommended for all users.

Read More: 9to5Mac

Google Maps Evolves into Agentic Personal Assistant, Adobe Introduces Creative Suite Integration for ChatGPT, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Preorders Surge, Outpacing Previous Records.

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During cybersecurity testing, Meta’s Muse Spark model inadvertently breached an unnamed company’s internal systems due to a misconfiguration by independent testing firm Irregular. The incident, similar to recent breaches involving OpenAI and Anthropic, occurred when the model gained unauthorized internet access during an evaluation. Meta is investigating the event, highlighting the growing complexity of evaluating advanced AI agents and the need for stricter testing standards.

Read More: CNN

Google is expanding its “Ask Maps” feature into a full-featured AI assistant capable of ordering food, booking hotels, purchasing event tickets, and more. The update introduces Personal Intelligence, which uses Gmail and Calendar data for personalized recommendations, along with conversation memory and a live transit widget. Agentic features are rolling out in the U.S., while broader enhancements are launching globally.

Read More: TechCrunch

Adobe has released a new ChatGPT plugin that provides access to more than 70 creative tools, including Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and InDesign. Users can install the extension through ChatGPT settings and access Adobe tools by typing @Adobe. Adobe says the plugin complements—not replaces—its professional desktop applications.

Read More: Engadget

Samsung says demand for its new Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8 smartphones is exceeding expectations. Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra preorders are running 30% ahead of last year’s models, with the redesigned Fold 8 accounting for nearly half of all reservations ahead of retail availability.

Read More: Bloomberg

Meta has launched Muse Code, a beta AI coding assistant powered by Muse Spark 1.2. Designed to write, debug, and manage complex software projects using multiple AI sub-agents, the tool also includes action logging so interrupted work can easily resume. Muse Code is available under a pay-as-you-go pricing model.

Read More: Reuters

OpenAI and former subsidiary Statsig have agreed to a $3.2 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations involving permanent residency hiring practices. The companies denied wrongdoing but agreed to three years of federal oversight, $1.2 million in penalties, and $2 million in potential restitution for affected U.S. applicants.

Read More: TechCrunch

Alphabet is restructuring Google DeepMind as CEO Demis Hassabis becomes Alphabet’s Chief Scientist and Chairman to focus on AGI research. CTO Koray Kavukcuoglu will oversee day-to-day operations while several prominent AI researchers, including Jeff Dean, depart to launch the public benefit startup Discovery Loop.

Read More: Reuters

Scientists have confirmed that a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage from the January 2025 Blue Ghost mission impacted the Moon on August 5. Observations of sodium and lithium gas plumes indicate the rocket struck the lunar surface at approximately 5,400 mph, creating a crater roughly 60 feet wide. NASA maintains that controlled lunar disposal of upper rocket stages remains an accepted practice.

Read More: Engadget

eBay reports that its eBay Live platform generated an eightfold year-over-year increase in gross merchandise volume. The company plans additional international expansion while introducing self-service seller onboarding, improved product discovery, and better livestream performance to compete with platforms like Whatnot and TikTok Shop.

Read More: TechCrunch

Rockstar Games will premiere an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay on Netflix on August 27 at 3:00 PM ET, followed by a release on YouTube and Rockstar’s website later that evening. GTA VI is currently scheduled to launch on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Read More: Thurrott

Disney and TikTok announce pilot program in the US for content creators to use Disney IP, Sunbird’s iMessage for Android app returns after three years, and the $55 billion USD sale of Electronic Arts finally closed.

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Show Notes

On Wednesday The Walt Disney Company and TikTok announced a deal allowing content creators and fans to use Disney IP, with Disney to bring a curated collection of the creations to the Disney+ app. A pilot program will launch in the United States in the coming months, showing the fan-created content alongside shorts from Disney companies, and also available on TikTok. Creators will have access to characters and stories from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, StarWars, and more. Deadline reports a Disney and TikTok managed Disney Creator Ambassador Program will allow top creators to unlock rewards like improved profiles, exclusive event access, and “career development pathways”.

Source: Deadline

As previously reported on Monday, Axios revealed the existence of the US government’s voluntary framework for testing frontier AI models. Sources now tell Axios this framework will not apply to open-source models, only closed source models posing a risk to national security. Specifics of the framework remain confidential and no details are planned to be publicly released.

Source: Axios

The sale of Electronic Arts (EA) to a group of buyers, led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), has now closed. EA, known for The Sims and FIFA titles, was sold for $55 billion USD and will now go private, with the PIF owing 93% of EA. The EA deal was first announced in September 2025 and had to go through shareholder and regulatory approvals. The PIF previously acquired SNK, Niantic, and the fighting game championship event EVO, as well as minority investments in Nintendo and Take-Two Interactive, among others.

Source: Kotaku

Sunbird, after a three year absence, announced the iMessage for Android app is now available on the Google Play Store as part of an open beta. Users will need an Apple account linked to Sunbird on Android. The app now includes a priority inbox and primary and secondary tabs to keep chats organized. Back in 2023 9to5Google reported on security issues leaking information. Sunbird now says “messages are encrypted on your device, in transit, and at rest, and the final leg to an iPhone is protected by Apple’s own iMessage end-to-end encryption. We don’t store your Apple ID password or keep an authentication token, and each user’s iMessage connection runs in its own private space that’s torn down when you disconnect.”

Source: 9to5Google

Reuters exclusively reports SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics are evaluating Chinese chipmaking equipment from Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC), specifically for use in Chinese factories. Reuters’ sources claim tests of AMEC etching equipment first began two years ago due to concerns regarding the ability to continue importing US chipmaking tools. Reuters further reports SK Hynix denied testing AMEC gear and that the company has not considered the possibility, and that Samsung denied testing AMEC tools for Chinese factories.

Source: Reuters

On Wednesday, The UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) rejected Google’s bid to halt a class action lawsuit over Google’s alleged abuse of its dominant market position to overcharge British businesses for online advertising. The class includes roughly 880,000 firms seeking as much as £5 billion in damages, approximately $6.7 billion USD. The ruling permits the case to continue and does not issue any finding as to whether Google is responsible for the claims.

Source: Bloomberg

Amazon-owned robotaxi service Zoox will begin charging for rides in Las Vegas beginning August 10th. An exemption issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) now allows customers to be charged despite Zoox vehicles lacking controls generally required under federal law. A previous exemption for Zoox allowed the robotaxis on the roads as a demonstration, without a commercial license enabling fees for users. The fares will be visible before booking and remain unchanged if the vehicle ends up taking a different route. Free rides continue to be available in San Fransisco and Austin.

Source: TechCrunch

On Wednesday Google announced Google Assistant will no longer be available on Android devices beginning September 4th, 2026. Assistant will be discontinued and replaced with Gemini, except on cars with Google “built-in”. As of September 4th, though possibly up to a few weeks later as the swap rolls out, Android phones, WearOS watches, headphones, and Android Auto projected from a phone will be unable to “use or switch back to Google Assistant on your phone, tablet, or paired devices.”

Source: 9to5Google