Tech
AI Summary
- Apple is reportedly in talks to pay publishers for current news content to enhance Siri's capabilities, signaling a potential shift in how AI assistants access and utilize real-time information.
- The tech industry is seeing significant executive churn, with OpenAI notably experiencing multiple departures, including its Chief Revenue Officer, amidst ongoing internal restructuring.
- Databricks secured a substantial $5 billion funding round at a $190 billion valuation, surpassing its initial $1 billion target, indicating strong investor confidence in its data and AI platform.
- AI development continues at a rapid pace, with new models like OpenAI's 'Ultrafast' mode for GPT-5.6 Sol promising 14x speed improvements and Anthropic's AI agents engaging in 'turf wars' when tasked with similar objectives.
- Recent legal actions include investor lawsuits against Selena Gomez's mental health startup alleging fraud and a lawsuit filed by Nine PBS against Iron Mountain concerning blocked access to archival data.
Sources
TechCrunch
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Investors sue Selena Gomez alleging fraud tied to her mental health startup
9 hours ago
by Aisha Malik
Biotech & Health, Startups, fraud, In Brief, lawsuitThe plaintiffs say they invested nearly $1.2 million in the company, and are accusing Gomez of failing to build and market the startup.
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Flock says its new tool will help identify police abuse, but hasn’t explained how it works
9 hours ago
by Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai
Security, Flock, privacy, surveillanceThe surveillance company announced it's making a tool called "Audit Assistance" mandatory for all customers, claiming it's already helped catch abuse. But the company has yet to explain how the tool works in detail, raising questions about its effectiveness.
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If Apple sends you a push notification alerting you to a spyware attack, take it seriously
10 hours ago
by Zack Whittaker
Security, Apple, cybersecurity, iPhone, SpywareApple now sends out push notifications to iPhone lock screens when the company identifies government spyware targeting someone's devices.
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Writer introduces new AI model and upgraded harness to contain token costs
10 hours ago
by Russell Brandom
AI, writer, Z.aiBuilt as a post-training variation on Z.ai's open source model GLM-5.2, Writer says the new system should provide deployment-ready capabilities at a much lower price.
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Databricks wanted to raise $1B, investors wanted $15B. It settled on $5B at a $190B valuation.
11 hours ago
by Julie Bort
AI, Fundraising, Startups, TC, DatabricksAI is expensive, Ali Ghodsi tells TechCrunch. With so many investors wanting into his latest round, he said yes to more than planned.
Hacker News
- GLM-5.3: Frontier Coding with Emergent Cyber Capabilities 2 hours ago
- Gemini 3.7 Flash 14 hours ago
- Accelerating GPT-5.6 Sol Ultrafast 13 hours ago
- Hello, me. It's been a while 13 hours ago
- Bluesky Protocol Services 7 hours ago
The Verge
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Trump declares 100 percent tariffs on many drones and all aircraft parts
6 hours ago
by Sean Hollister
News, PolicyThe United States has already banned future foreign drones from entering the United States unless their companies kiss the ring - as well as routers , robots , and Roombas . Now, President Donald Trump is targeting existing drone imports and parts, too. He's going to try to make them cost a lot more. In a presidential action , he's declared a whopping 100 percent tariff on imports of drones with thermal cameras, drones weighing over 25kg (57 pounds), and any kind of part for any kind of unmanned aircraft weighing over 25kg - you can read the full list
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Apple and Epic argue over how much Apple should get from purchases made outside the App Store
8 hours ago
by Jay Peters
Apple, News, Policy, TechIn a new filing in its long-running legal dispute with Epic Games, Apple has proposed a structure that would allow it to collect fees on digital purchases made via external links that don't use the company's in-app purchase system. Epic has already responded, saying that Apple's request is "far outside of the bounds" of the court's guidance. Right now, Apple cannot take a commission on external purchases after California district court judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled in April 2025 that found the company "willfully" didn't comply with her 2021 Epic Games v. Apple injunction . However, a Ninth Circuit Court
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‘That is not acceptable’: Judge orders Google to make rival app store installs easier
10 hours ago
by Sean Hollister
Apps, Google, Policy, TechOne month after Epic Games and Google seemingly stopped fighting over the future of Android app distribution, they were back in a San Francisco courtroom today - where Judge James Donato just ordered Google to make it easier to install rival app stores on Android. It's been nearly three years since a jury unanimously decided that Google had an illegal monopoly over Android apps, and almost two years since Judge Donato decided the best way of undoing that monopoly would be to crack open Android app distribution. Donato ordered Google to carry rival Android app stores inside its own Google
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The fight over Flock and other ALPRs
10 hours ago
by Stevie Bonifield
Policy, Privacy, Security, TechThere are over 120,000 of Flock’s automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras installed all over the US. Flock’s cameras, and others like them, use AI to identify and track vehicles based on their license plate number, make, model, color, and other info, networked together to track vehicles and people’s movements throughout the day and across the country. Dozens of communities have canceled contracts for the cameras or turned them off, including Los Angeles , as officials have pushed for more limits on the data they collect, who has access to it, and how it can be used in the future.
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Microsoft’s Clippy-like Mico character is no longer the face of Copilot
10 hours ago
by Emma Roth
AI, Microsoft, News, TechMico is headed to Learn Live. | Image: Microsoft Microsoft Copilot will no longer show its emotive yellow blob, Mico, when you use the chatbot's voice mode. In a support page , Microsoft says it's going to move Mico to its Learn Live platform, where the avatar will have "more to react to," as reported earlier by GeekWire . Mico launched in Copilot's voice mode last October , with Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman pitching the avatar as a way to give the chatbot an "identity." The blob would react to what you say in real-time, complete with facial expressions
Wired
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Layla Sleep Coupon: Save Up to $600 in August 2026
2 hours ago
by Nena Farrell
Gear, Gear / Deals, CouponsUpgrade your sleep setup with the latest Layla promo codes. Save on flippable mattresses, copper-infused pillows, and adjustable bases in August 2026.
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Office Depot Coupons: Save With Promo Codes in August 2026
2 hours ago
by Molly Higgins
Gear, Gear / Deals, CouponsFrom furniture and ink to professional printing services, use an Office Depot discount code to maximize your savings on every workspace essential.
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HelloFresh Promo Codes: 55% Off for August 2026
2 hours ago
by Matthew Korfhage
Gear, Gear / Deals, CouponsGet up to 55% off and free meal boxes using a HelloFresh coupon code in August 2026. Discover our best codes and discounts to let you save time and money.
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Columbia Promo Codes: 15% Off | August 2026
2 hours ago
by Boutayna Chokrane
Gear, Gear / Deals, CouponsExplore current Columbia deals on jackets, outdoor gear, and apparel. Find active Columbia promo codes, student discounts, and free shipping offers to save on your next adventure.
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Pura Promo Codes: $20 Off August 2026
2 hours ago
by Louryn Strampe
Gear, Gear / Deals, CouponsEnhance your home's ambiance for less with active Pura promo codes. Find savings on smart diffusers, exclusive scents, and subscribe & save offers.