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Tech

AI Summary

  • AI development is rapidly accelerating across the industry, driving significant startup funding, integration into enterprise and consumer applications, and ambitious long-term projects like xAI's interplanetary goals, even as major players like OpenAI undergo internal team restructuring.
  • Cybersecurity concerns remain critical, with reports of zero-day exploits targeting widely used software like Windows and Office, and a heightened focus on digital surveillance, privacy tools, and efforts to combat the spread of non-consensual explicit images online.
  • Key tech giants are navigating internal shifts and product challenges, including leadership exits and employee churn at companies like xAI, persistent delays in major product overhauls such as Apple's Siri, and increased regulatory attention on market practices and content moderation.
  • The consumer technology market continues its rapid pace of innovation and product updates, with upcoming flagship launches like Samsung's Galaxy S26 lineup and new electric vehicles, alongside a steady stream of deals on popular hardware, though supply chain issues like RAM shortages are affecting product availability.
  • Social media platforms are increasingly leveraging AI for content personalization, as seen with Threads' new algorithm features, while simultaneously implementing and refining robust safety measures like age verification for adult content and participating in external rating systems to address mental health and content moderation challenges.

TechCrunch


Hacker News


Engadget

  • Diablo II: Resurrected is adding warlock as a brand new player class 7 hours ago by Anna Washenko
    Sports & Recreation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko

    Blizzard announced today that it is introducing the Warlock as a playable character to Diablo II: Resurrected. It brings the first new class in 25 years to this remaster of the original RPG. It’s part of the Reign of the Warlock DLC, which is available today and will run you $25. It also includes some other updates to the base game, including new items and a new pinnacle boss encounter against the Colossal Ancients. For those players who don’t already own the base game, you can also pick up the Infernal Edition of D2R for $40, which includes the new

  • The great RAMaggedon of 2026 might have just claimed the Steam Deck 10 hours ago by Ian Carlos Campbell
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell

    Less than a week after Valve admitted that the current shortage (and growing prices) of RAM were affecting its hardware plans, the Steam Deck is completely sold out. The Steam Deck has gone in and out of stock in the past, but as Kotaku notes, the timing does raise the question whether Valve's RAM issues could also be impacting its Linux handheld. The 256GB Steam Deck LCD, and both the 512GB and 1TB models of the Steam Deck OLED, are completely sold out on Steam. Valve announced that it was discontinuing the LCD versions of its handheld and selling through its

  • Get up to 81 percent off ExpressVPN two-year plans 11 hours ago by Andre Revilla
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Andre Revilla

    ExpressVPN is back on sale again, and its two-year plans are up to 81 percent off right now. You can get the Advanced tier for $88 for 28 months. This is marked down from the $392 that this time frame normally costs. On a per-month basis, it works out to roughly $3.14 for the promo period. We’ve consistently liked ExpressVPN because it’s fast, easy to use and widely available across a large global server network. In fact, it's our current pick for best premium VPN. One of the biggest drawbacks has always been its high cost, and this deal temporarily solves

  • How to cancel Mullvad VPN 11 hours ago by Sam Chapman
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Sam Chapman

    This is going to be one of the shortest articles in my series on how to cancel your subscriptions to the best VPNs. Unlike most providers, Mullvad VPN does not automatically renew an expired subscription unless you tell it to. Thanks to its unique pricing approach, cancelling Mullvad is the default option. When you sign up for Mullvad, you pay for as many months upfront as you want at the constant rate of 5 Euro per month (varying with exchange rates). Each month, Mullvad takes 5 Euro out of your account until there's nothing left. If you're no longer satisfied with

  • Anthropic beefs up Claude's free tier as OpenAI prepares to stuff ads into ChatGPT's 11 hours ago by Will Shanklin
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin

    Anthropic is upgrading Claude's free tier, apparently to capitalize on OpenAI's planned integration of ads into ChatGPT. On Wednesday, Anthropic said free Claude users can now create files, connect to external services, use skills and more. Anthropic added the ability for paid users to create files in September. Starting today, free users of the chatbot can also create and edit Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, Word docs and PDFs. Claude's file creation abilities are powered by Sonnet 4.5. Free users can now create and edit Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, Word docs, and PDFs. Anthropic Meanwhile, Connectors allow free users to link Claude to third-party services.


The Verge

  • Highguard’s developer reportedly lays off ‘most’ of its staff just over two weeks after launch 7 hours ago by Jay Peters
    Entertainment, Gaming, News

    Highguard, a new multiplayer shooter from developers who worked on games like Apex Legends and Call of Duty, launched just over two weeks ago, but developer Wildlight Entertainment is already cutting jobs at the company, according to posts from affected staffers on LinkedIn. Former Wildlight level designer Alex Graner says that "most of the team at Wildlight" was laid off today, which was backed up by former lead tech artist Josh Sobel. "Today we made an incredibly difficult decision to part ways with a number of our team members while keeping a core group of developers to continue innovating on and

  • Two more xAI co-founders are among those leaving after the SpaceX merger 8 hours ago by Hayden Field
    AI, News, xAI

    Since the xAI-SpaceX merger announced last week, which combined the two companies (as well as social media platform X) for a reported $1.25 trillion valuation - the biggest merger of all time - a handful of xAI employees and two of its co-founders have abruptly exited the company, penning long departure announcements online. Some also announced that they were starting their own AI companies. Co-founder Yuhai (Tony) Wu announced his departure on X, writing that it was "time for [his] next chapter." Jimmy Ba, another co-founder, posted something similar later that day, saying it was "time to recalibrate [his] gradient on

  • iOS 26.3 makes it easier to switch to Android 8 hours ago by Stevie Bonifield
    Apple, iOS, News, Tech

    iPhone users have a new option for switching to Android on iOS 26.3. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge On Wednesday, Apple released its latest iOS 26 update, which includes a new process for switching from an iPhone to an Android phone, as previously reported by 9to5Mac. The updated transferring tool can move over data like apps, photos, messages, and even a user's phone number by sitting the two phones side by side. Previously, users typically needed to either download Apple and Google's data transfer apps on each device or manually copy all their apps and data over. iPhone

  • The Verge’s 2026 Valentine’s Day gift guide (for him) 8 hours ago
    Gadgets, Gift Guides, Tech, Verge Shopping

    Valentine's Day is often thought of as the quintessential Hallmark holiday - and why wouldn't it be? Most of the time, it's marketed to us with massive floral arrangements and heart-shaped chocolates, both of which can come off as borderline twee. But no one says you have to play by the rulebook when it comes to holidays, especially if your husband or boyfriend couldn't care less about the classics. If you're hoping to express your affection for the man in your life with something a little different this year, we have some thoughts. Quince's cashmere crewneck is quickly becoming a staple

  • Anthropic says it’ll try to keep its data centers from raising electricity costs 8 hours ago by Justine Calma
    AI, Anthropic, Energy, News, Science

    Anthropic is the latest AI company promising to limit the impact its data centers have on nearby residents' electricity bills. The company said it would pay higher monthly electricity charges in order to cover 100 percent of the upgrades needed to connect its data centers to power grids. "This includes the shares of these costs that would otherwise be passed onto consumers," the announcement says. Anthropic didn't provide details today about any agreements it has inked with energy companies in order to accomplish these goals. In November, it shared a $50 billion plan to build data centers in New York and Texas


Wired


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