OpenAI Calls for Stronger Safeguards in California’s SB 53 AI Safety Law
OpenAI is urging California lawmakers to strengthen SB 53, the state’s landmark AI safety law, despite having opposed the legislation before it was passed last year. The company now wants…
U.S. Awards $500 Million to Battery Supply Chain Projects as Defense Demand Grows
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $500 million in grants to domestic battery and critical-mineral projects, with much of the funding going to startups. The program is intended to…
Google Pixel 11 Adds 120x Pro Res Zoom, Camera Looks, and Magic Capture
Google has added several camera-focused features to the Pixel 11 series, including a higher 120x maximum zoom on the Pro XL, customizable photo Looks, and a new Magic Capture mode…
Outer Biosciences Uses Living Human Skin and AI to Speed Up Skincare Ingredient Discovery
Outer Biosciences has developed a platform that keeps donated human skin alive for more than a month and combines the resulting biological data with machine learning to discover new skincare…
Letara Raises $16 Million to Expand Hybrid Rocket Systems Into Defense and Launch Markets
Letara has raised ¥2.6 billion, about $16 million, to expand beyond small-satellite thrusters into larger hybrid rocket systems for space, defense, and security applications. The Sapporo-based startup plans to use…
Claude Opus 4.6 Can Still Generate Explicit Sexual Content Despite Anthropic’s Usage Rules
Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.6 can still produce sexually explicit role-play despite company rules that prohibit such content, according to testing by TechCrunch. The publication said the model complied with all…
Nvidia Partners With Cloverleaf Infrastructure as It Expands AI Data Center Investments
Nvidia has formed a strategic partnership with Cloverleaf Infrastructure, a company that develops the power and site infrastructure needed for large data centers. The financial terms were not disclosed, but…
TikTok and ByteDance Agree to $400 Million U.S. Settlement Over Children’s Privacy
TikTok and parent company ByteDance have agreed to pay $400 million to settle U.S. allegations that the platform violated federal children’s privacy law. The agreement resolves a Justice Department case…
Pebble Time 2 Returns With E-Paper Display, 21-Day Battery Life, and Thousands of Community Apps
The $225 Pebble Time 2 brings the smartwatch brand back with a color e-paper display, physical buttons, up to 21 days of battery life, and a software ecosystem shaped heavily…
Nvidia Research Shows AI Agent Harnesses Can Matter More Than Model Choice
Nvidia has published research showing that the software surrounding an AI model can dramatically change how well it performs on long-running autonomous tasks. Using its Agentic Variation Operators, or AVO,…
Tesla Removes Solar Roof From Its Website as Product Appears Discontinued
Tesla appears to have discontinued its Solar Roof product nearly a decade after introducing the integrated solar tiles. Public references to Solar Roof have been removed from Tesla’s website, while…
Waymo Submits Responses to NHTSA in Probe of Robotaxi Crash Involving Child
Waymo has submitted responses to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as the agency investigates a January crash in Santa Monica, California, in which one of the company’s robotaxis struck…
Tesla Recalls Nearly 3 Million Vehicles in China Over Hidden Emergency Door Releases
Tesla is recalling nearly 3 million vehicles in China as part of a broader safety campaign focused on hidden emergency door releases that can be difficult for occupants to find…
Apollo Global Management Confirms Data Breach After Social Engineering Attack
Apollo Global Management has confirmed a data breach in which hackers stole personal information from the private equity firm’s cloud environment following a social engineering attack. The compromised data included…
Senator Ron Wyden Seeks GAO Review of Federal Hacking and Spyware Use
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden is asking the Government Accountability Office to investigate how federal law enforcement agencies use hacking tools and spyware against Americans, citing limited public information about how…
Hackers Used Google Docs to Target Cybersecurity Researchers With Malware
A hacking campaign targeted cybersecurity professionals around the Black Hat and Def Con conferences by impersonating a crypto news organization and using a legitimate Google Doc to deliver malware. Security…
Mark Zuckerberg Buys 19th-Century Irish Castle Near Meta’s International Headquarters
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has purchased Strancally Castle, a 19th-century estate in County Waterford, Ireland, along with 440 acres of surrounding land. The property is estimated to have cost between…