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AI Summary

  • AI development continues to accelerate, marked by regulatory shifts like Indonesia lifting its Grok ban, significant investment pushes from entities like India offering tax breaks, and ongoing debates around content moderation and ethical use.
  • Elon Musk's various companies are consolidating, with reports of SpaceX, xAI, and Tesla merging, alongside SpaceX's ambitious plans to launch a million solar-powered data center satellites into orbit.
  • The autonomous vehicle industry is expanding its commercial reach, with Waymo raising substantial funding and commencing airport services, though safety incidents and regulatory scrutiny remain a persistent concern.
  • Major tech players like Apple are demonstrating robust financial health with record-breaking quarters, while also strategically acquiring AI startups to bolster their future capabilities.
  • Venture capital activity remains dynamic, with new startups achieving unicorn status in Europe and key personnel changes occurring at prominent firms, reflecting continuous evolution in the funding landscape.

TechCrunch


Hacker News


Engadget

  • Indonesia is lifting its ban on Grok, but with some conditions an hour ago by Jackson Chen
    Politics & Government, Society & Culture, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen

    Grok is once again available in Indonesia, after the country lifted its ban on the AI chatbot that was seen generating millions of sexualized deepfakes, thousands of which included children. The country's Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs released a statement earlier today, which said X is allowed to resume service in Indonesia but will be subject to monitoring for any future violations. According to the Indonesian government agency, X provided a letter that detailed several implemented measures that prevent the misuse of its Grok chatbot. Alexander Sabar, the ministry’s director general of digital space supervision, said in the statement that

  • How to replace your AirTag battery 6 hours ago by Georgie Peru
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Georgie Peru

    Apple’s AirTag is designed to run quietly in the background, helping you keep track of everyday items like keys, bags and luggage. Unlike many small trackers, an AirTag doesn’t need to be charged. Instead, it uses a standard replaceable coin cell battery that typically lasts around a year, depending on usage. When the battery runs low, your iPhone will alert you. Replacing it is a simple process that takes just a few minutes and doesn’t require any tools. This guide explains how to tell when your AirTag battery needs replacing, which battery to use and how to swap it safely. HOW TO

  • NVIDIA is still planning to make a 'huge' investment in OpenAI, CEO says a day ago by Cheyenne MacDonald
    Mergers, Acquisitions & Takeovers, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Cheyenne MacDonald

    NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang told reporters that the company will "invest a great deal of money" in OpenAI's latest funding round, according to Bloomberg, after The Wall Street Journal on Friday reported that the two companies were rethinking a previous $100 billion deal that hasn't "progressed beyond the early stages" of negotiations. Speaking to reporters in Taipei this weekend, Huang reportedly said it could be "the largest investment we've ever made."  NVIDIA and OpenAI jointly announced in September that NVIDIA would be investing up to $100 billion in OpenAI to build 10 gigawatts of AI data centers. The companies said then

  • Ayaneo's Pocket S Mini has the perfect aspect ratio for revisiting classic console games a day ago by Jackson Chen
    Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen

    There may be plenty of gaming handhelds out there, but there aren't many horizontal options that let you play childhood favorites in the original 4:3 aspect ratio. To address that gap, Ayaneo launched a premium option with the Pocket S Mini. As a "true 4:3 retro handheld," the Pocket S Mini won't have those pesky vertical black bars whenever you're emulating video games from the CRT television era. Handhelds like the Anbernic RG405M and even Ayaneo's own Pocket Air Mini already offer a 4:3 aspect ratio, but the Pocket S Mini presents a more high-end build with a full metal frame

  • OnlyFans is reportedly in talks to sell a 60 percent stake to a San Francisco investment firm a day ago by Jackson Chen
    Mergers, Acquisitions & Takeovers, Investment & Company Information, Finance, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen

    OnlyFans is looking to cash out once again, but this time in a deal that would value it at several billion dollars less than a potential sale that previously fell through. As reported by TechCrunch, the online platform known for subscription-based pornographic content is in talks to sell a majority stake to Architect Capital, an investment firm based in San Francisco. According to the report, the proposed deal includes $3.5 billion in equity and $2 billion in debt, which values OnlyFans at $5.5 billion. TechCrunch also reported that Architect Capital and OnlyFans are currently in exclusive talks, where the website's owner


The Verge

  • Shedding light on Iran’s longest internet blackout 34 minutes ago by Sarah Jeong
    AI, Interview, Policy, Report, Speech

    After protests broke out in early January, the Iranian regime shut down the internet, starting the longest blackout in Iranian history. Despite this attempt to stop the protests from spreading, they did not stop. Still, the internet shutdown slowed down the spread of information both inside and outside Iran. Behind the heavily policed borders and the jammed signals, an unprecedented wave of state violence continues to add to a death toll somewhere between 3,000 and 30,000. Even at the lowest count, which has been acknowledged by the Iranian state and is likely a wild underestimate, these last few weeks have been

  • You need to listen to M83’s icy post-rock record Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts an hour ago by Terrence O’Brien
    Column, Entertainment, Music, Music Review

    New York City got hit with a hell of a snowstorm last week. And, inevitably, when I'm watching the snow fall, wandering the oddly quiet streets after dark, people hiding inside and staying warm, I put on M83's sophomore record, Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts. Before Nicolas Fromageau left the band and Anthony Gonzalez embraced traditional pop song structures, saxophone solos, and teen angst, M83 released two albums of mostly instrumental music. The self-titled debut album is kind of forgettable, but the second one finds the French duo taking inspiration from the repetitive bombast of Mogwai and Godspeed You!

  • This tiny pocket-friendly e-reader is packed with frustration and potential 3 hours ago by Andrew Liszewski
    Gadgets, Hands-on, Reviews, Tech

    I've used and reviewed dozens of e-readers over the years, but the 5-inch Kobo Mini remains my favorite for one simple reason: It was small. While it lacked useful features like screen lighting and page turn buttons, its size made it an e-reader I actually wanted to carry every day. The $69 Xteink X4 e-reader is even smaller than the Kobo Mini and E Ink smartphones like Boox Palma. It's satisfyingly pocketable but also frustratingly unintuitive and functionally limited out of the box. That could be a deal-breaker were it not for a growing community of users working to improve

  • I don’t hate the robot barista like I thought I would 4 hours ago by Allison Johnson
    Report, Robot, Tech

    It’s so embarrassing when a robot is better than you at latte art. | Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge In Seattle, the only thing we love more than coffee is our coffee shops. On a six-block walk I pass at least a half dozen, each with their own vibe: one focused on chai, another inside a yoga studio, a Starbucks that's surprisingly busy for late afternoon downtown. I passed them all up to get to one shop in particular, where a barista named Jarvis would address me by name and make me a thoroughly decent latte with rose-flavored syrup - nothing

  • Antigravity’s 360-degree A1 drone is nearly $250 off 5 hours ago by Cameron Faulkner
    Deals, Drones, Gadgets, Tech, Verge Shopping

    Antigravity’s ambitious A1 360-degree drone is 15 percent off through February 9th. The first-ever discount on this model is available across all bundles, with the most affordable option dropping from $1,599 to $1,359 at Amazon and Best Buy. Pricier bundles are also discounted and include accessories such as a carrying case, additional replaceable drone wings, and extra batteries. ANTIGRAVITY A1 DRONE WHERE TO BUY: * $1599 $1359 at Amazon (Standard) * $1599 $1359 at Best Buy (Standard) * $1899 $1609 at Amazon (Explorer) The Antigravity A1, Insta360’s first drone, really impressed us during our hands-on with a prototype in December 2025. It can


Wired


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