Tech
AI Summary
- AI continues its rapid advancement with startups like Inherent challenging established players like OpenAI and Anthropic, while companies like Michael Polansky's are exploring novel applications in biological data.
- The safety and ethical implications of advanced AI are a growing concern, with OpenAI advocating for stronger regulations and discussions around containing rogue models remaining unresolved among leading labs.
- The tech industry is seeing significant shifts in hardware and infrastructure, from Nvidia's focus on data center components to Tesla's struggles with its solar roof and the implications of Chinese technological advancements in areas like robotics and infrastructure security.
- Established tech giants are facing internal restructuring and external scrutiny, with Apple reportedly cutting jobs from its Siri and Vision Pro teams, and TikTok settling a major privacy lawsuit.
- The landscape of consumer tech is marked by both iterative upgrades and interesting niche products, as seen in reviews of the Pixel 11 Pro XL and the Pebble Time 2, alongside ongoing debates about AI's practical value and user acceptance.
Sources
TechCrunch
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Inherent, founded by DeepMind alumni, says its AI ‘teammate’ just outperformed Anthropic and OpenAI at replicating research
23 minutes ago
by Anna Heim
AI, London, google deepmindBuilt by DeepMind alumni, British AI lab Inherent released Faraday, an AI agent whose ability to replicate scientific papers could be a stepping stone for innovation.
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OpenAI says California should strengthen its AI safety bill
3 hours ago
by Anthony Ha
AI, Government & Policy, OpenAI, sb 53OpenAI is calling for California to strengthen SB 53, an AI safety bill that the company previously opposed.
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Frontier AI labs still won’t say how they’d contain a rogue model
3 hours ago
by Rebecca Bellan
AI, Security, alignment, Anthropic, Google, Hugging Face, Meta, OpenAI, xAIA new study finds leading AI labs have few publicly documented plans for containing rogue models, raising questions about preparedness as AI systems increasingly demonstrate unexpected and potentially dangerous behavior.
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US battery startups have found a lifeline in defense
4 hours ago
by Tim De Chant
Climate, Government & Policy, Exclusive, lithium ion batteries, battery materialsU.S. battery startups pulled in $500 million in grants from the Department of Energy, throwing a lifeline to an industry that was on the ropes after EV incentives were slashed.
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Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Snappier cameras can’t hide an iterative upgrade
5 hours ago
by Ivan Mehta
Hardware, Gadgets, Google, review, Google PixelGoogle’s Pixel 11 Pro XL brings snappier cameras and genuinely useful AI features like Rambler, but its iterative upgrades may not be enough to tempt recent Pixel owners.
Hacker News
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The Verge
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Doodle generative compositions in your browser with Musical Spirograph
2 hours ago
by Terrence O’Brien
Entertainment, Music, Tech, WebSo pretty. | Screenshot: Terrence O’Brien / The Verge I remember having a Spirograph as a kid and being obsessed with it. Its geometric patterns are hypnotic and gorgeous. I also love generative music composition. So bringing those two things together in a browser tab, I'm hooked. Musical Spirograph is a relatively simple concept. A set of points dash around the screen according to mathematical equations, generating hypotrochoids and epitrochoids. Those points pass through a series of concentric rings which trigger specific notes. Honestly, that alone is fun enough, but you can customize it quite a bit. There are six
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W. Kamau Bell has the most practical ‘most indispensable tool’
4 hours ago
by Terrence O’Brien
Entertainment, Interview, ReportI’m just as confused as you. | Image: Aundre Larrow W. Kamau Bell is one of those people who has always just seemed to be there. From Totally Biased , to Politically Re-Active , United Shades of America , and We Need to Talk About Cosby , his blend of comedy, social commentary, and political activism has helped him stand out. He's won a Peabody and four Emmys, been a Celebrity Jeopardy! champion, received honors from the ACLU, and been crowned the Ambassador of Fishbone by founding member Chris Dowd. Bell is, if nothing else, a busy man. So we're
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Amazon just hiked the prices for Echo, Fire TV, and Kindle products by up to 60 percent
6 hours ago
by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Amazon, Amazon Alexa, News, TechThe Echo Dot Max went from $99.99 to $119.99 overnight, while its sibling the Echo Dot jumped to $79.99 from $49.99. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Citing "significant increases in memory and storage component costs," Amazon has raised prices on Echos, Kindles, Fire TVs , and Eeros by up to 60 percent, as first reported by Fortune . The cheapest products in Amazon's lineup were hit hardest, with the Echo Dot smart speaker jumping from $49.99 to $79.99. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max also rose by over 40 percent to $84.99, and the base level
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An okay laptop with 16GB of RAM is better than a nice laptop with 8GB, and this $520 HP OmniBook proves it
6 hours ago
by Antonio G. Di Benedetto
Gadgets, HP, Laptop Reviews, Laptops, Microsoft, Reviews, Tech, WindowsThe OmniBook 3 isn’t a sweet treat, but it gets things done on the cheap. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Laptop prices are out of whack. $500 used to get you a tolerable laptop, and $900 got you a really good one. They often had similar CPU, RAM, and storage options because that stuff was comparatively cheap; the difference was often in build quality and screen rather than power. But RAMageddon has thrown everything off. Even laptops like the $950 Surface Laptop now start with 8GB of RAM, which isn't enough. And on the lower end,
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Two great new repairable gadgets
7 hours ago
by Jay Peters
Installer, TechHi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 141, your guide to the best and Verge -iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, I'm newish here too, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage .) This week, I've been getting back into the Installer groove, trying out some ergonomic Switch 2 grips I bought on Etsy , researching bike stuff because I'm about to get a Velotric e-bike, inching my way through the fourth book in The Dark Tower series, trying to figure out what feels off about Sonic in the new Fortnite
Wired
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Saily Ultra eSIM Premum Plan Review: Packed With Perks
6 hours ago
by Simon Hill
Gear, Gear / Reviews, Gear / Products / Phones, Product, ReviewFor uninterrupted service as you country-hop, the Saily Ultra eSIM works well and comes with plentiful perks. It’s pricey though.
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The 4 Best Monitor Arms to Clear Up Your Desk Space (2026)
8 hours ago
by Luke Larsen
Gear, Gear / Products, Gear / Buying Guides, Gear / Products / Home Office, Buying, GuideYour desk setup needs a monitor arm, and I’ve been testing every one I can get my hands on to find the best.
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Set Up a Separate Work Profile on Your Android Phone
8 hours ago
by David Nield
Gear, Gear / How To and Advice, Double, LifeIt is possible to achieve your desired work-life balance on your smartphone. Just set up separate accounts using this built-in Android feature.
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The Best Mattress Toppers I've Tried (2026): Supportive, Plush, Memory Foam
9 hours ago
by Nena Farrell
Gear, Gear / Buying Guides, Gear / Products / Sleep, Nap, TestedThese toppers will transform your mattress into exactly what you need, whether that’s a super-plush pillow top, memory foam, or targeted back support.
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Your Expired Visa Card Could Be ‘Zombified’ to Make Contactless Payments
9 hours ago
by Andy Greenberg, Lily Hay Newman
Security, Security / Security News, RoundupPlus: Apple sends out an “unprecedented” number of spyware warnings, Ukraine hits a Russian ecommerce giant with cyber and drone attacks, and more.