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Meta Launches Muse Spark 1.1 AI Model

Meta has launched Muse Spark 1.1, an upgraded AI model featuring advanced coding, bug fixing, and multimodal perception capabilities. This release, which follows the controversial introduction of the Muse Image model, is now available through the Meta AI app and a new public Meta Model API for US developers. Meta says that Muse Spark 1.1 is a “step-change” from the first generation, with improvements based on feedback from developers.

Source: The Verge

SpaceXAI Introduces Grok 4.5

SpaceXAI has launched Grok 4.5, a highly capable model trained in partnership with Cursor that is optimized for coding, agentic tasks, and knowledge work. Built for speed and cost-efficiency to outperform competitors like OpenAI’s GPT-5.6, Grok 4.5 now powers the “Grok Build” agent for various professional tasks. This release highlights the ongoing collaboration between SpaceXAI and Cursor, which may culminate in a major investment or acquisition, though the model is not yet available in the European Union.

Source: Engadget

U.S. Orders AV Companies to Address Emergency Response Issues

NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison has directed autonomous vehicle developers to urgently resolve the issue of driverless vehicles interfering with first responders. Citing a pattern of AVs obstructing emergency scenes and failing to recognize safety signals, the agency classified this as a functional insufficiency. Although no specific company was named, the directive pressures operators like Waymo to improve detection capabilities, signaling potential future accountability.

Source: TechCrunch

Block Settles Cash App Fraud Investigation

Block has reached a $45 million settlement with 46 U.S. states to resolve allegations that its Cash App failed to adequately protect users from fraud, misled consumers about security features, and lacked sufficient customer support. As part of the agreement, the company will overhaul its fraud protections and introduce 24-hour support with live agents. Separately, Block agreed to a $20 million settlement with Washington state regarding fraudulent unemployment benefits processed during the COVID-19 pandemic, though the company denied wrongdoing in both matters.

Source: Reuters

Meta Pauses Internal AI Training Project

Meta has indefinitely paused its “Model Capability Initiative,” a controversial internal project that used tracking software to record employees’ keystrokes and mouse movements for AI training. CTO Andrew Bosworth attributed the shutdown to an internal data misplacement mishap and a need for greater data variance, alongside intense employee pushback regarding privacy and morale. While investigations into the data handling continue, the program remains dormant, marking a significant setback for the company’s efforts to leverage internal workforce data for AI development.

Source: The Next Web

EU Backs Child Safety Rules for Online Platforms

EU lawmakers have approved a proposal that reinstates temporary rules allowing online platforms to identify and remove child sexual abuse material. This measure is intended to bolster child safety protections online. However, the proposal explicitly exempts end-to-end encrypted messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal. This exemption was included to address privacy concerns and avoid the implementation of mass surveillance measures.

Source: Reuters

Meta Developing Always-On AI Smart Glasses

Meta is developing prototype “super sensing” smart glasses designed to continuously record audio and capture photos to function as an always-on AI assistant. While Meta aims for these glasses to serve as persistent personal agents, the project faces significant privacy scrutiny regarding potential data handling, the use of recorded information for AI training, and plans to keep the LED recording indicator off during “super sensing” mode. Despite concerns over past issues with facial recognition and privacy, Meta remains committed to evolving its wearable technology into a continuous, helpful presence in users’ daily lives.

Source: The Verge

New York Bans Smart Glasses in Courthouses

Starting July 20, New York will become the first state to ban all smart glasses across its 1,240 Unified Court System facilities to prevent unauthorized recording. This comprehensive policy applies to all eyewear and headwear equipped with cameras and microphones, requiring individuals to surrender the devices to court officers before entry. Prompted by privacy concerns regarding the filming of sensitive proceedings, the measure reflects a broader trend of increasing restrictions on smart glasses in public and private venues.

Source: Engadget

Micron Commits $250 Billion to U.S. Expansion

Micron Technology has announced plans to invest over $250 billion in the U.S. through 2035. This expansion, which includes a new semiconductor campus in New York and increased operations in Idaho and Virginia, is expected to create over 90,000 jobs. Additionally, the company is committing $3 billion to bolster the domestic semiconductor supply chain, including a strategic 10-year supply agreement with GlobalWafers, as Micron continues to serve as a critical supplier for companies like Nvidia.

Source: Reuters

Google Photos Adds AI Video Remix

Google Photos has introduced “Video Remix,” a new AI-powered feature currently rolling out to AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers in select regions. Located in the app’s Create tab and powered by the Gemini Omni model, it enables users to apply cinematic relighting, swap backgrounds, and add artistic effects to their videos. This functionality extends across YouTube Shorts, YouTube Create, Google Flow, and the Gemini app, further expanding the suite of AI editing tools available in Google Photos.

Source: Thurrott

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Show Notes

Meta announced its line of smart glasses will implement a new feature to disable the camera when the tampering of the recording light is detected. Previously, users had been disguising the light with various methods including simply covering the light up to drilling through the LED. The Meta statement closes with “No other kind of camera has done this and we’re proud to lead the industry forward.” Meta informed 9to5Google the mandatory update is rolling out now.

Source: The Verge and 9to5Google

The Financial Times’ sources report Meta is testing a smart glasses prototype with “super sensing”, using camera and audio recordings to capture constantly in order to act as a user searchable memory for all activities and conversations in a day. Sources also claim “executives are planning not to activate the LED when the super-sensing features are being used”. Meta declined to comment.

Source: The Financial Times

Meta also announced Meta Superintelligence Labs launched Muse Image. Muse Image, an agentic image creator, is available now in Meta AI apps, Instagram Stories in the United States, WhatsApp in select countries, and will launch on Facebook in the near future. Muse Image includes ‘Content Seal’ which adds an invisible watermark to generated images, able to survive watermark evasion attempts including cropping and screenshotting.

Source: Engadget and Meta

Wired reports the Muse Images Instagram integration opted-in all public Instagram accounts as permitted to be modified to any users of the tool, allowing anyone to generate AI images of another person’s likeness. Instagram users can opt-out either by making their account private or checking settings to disable the ‘allow people to use your content on Instagram and with AI features on Meta’ toggle for Posts and Reels. Meta’s help page notes “You will not be notified about content created using AI features at Meta”.

Source: Wired

Google’s new feature in the Google Search Console called “platform properties” will share details on how web traffic reaches content creators and website owners. The blog post shares “easily track which search terms lead people to your Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube content on Search, and see exactly how your audience is interacting with your posts”. The feature is rolling out slowly “over the coming weeks”.

Source: The Verge

On Wednesday Cloudflare announced a pilot research project with OpenAI, testing if Cloudflare’s network data enables improved accuracy and efficiency for AI searches. Previously Cloudflare announced it will block crawlers grabbing content for AI training from any site with ads, unless a site’s owner explicitly permits it, beginning September 15th.

Source: The Next Web

Waymo, currently operating in over 10 cities, is adding more to the count with a rollout in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, and Denver over the coming weeks. Initial rides are only for Alphabet employees, opening to the general public later on.

Source: CNBC

On Wednesday Spotify announced users are now able pin up to 20 items in a library, up from 4. The feature is available to paid and free users as of today. Apple previously enabled pinning up to 6 items beginning with iOS 26.

Source: 9to5Mac

DuckDuckGo announced its browser now blocks most video ads, specifically mentioning the ad blocking power over YouTube is based on community filter lists from uBlockOrigin. The ad blocking functions only within the browser and not while watching videos through a platform’s app. The feature is enabled by default on iPhone, Mac, and Windows, and currently must be manually turned on for Android. This is a separate feature from DuckDuckGo’s Duck Player, which plays YouTube videos in-browser blocking tracking cookies and personalized ads. Both features can be run at the same time.

Source: Bleeping Computer

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Show Notes

China May Limit Overseas Access to Advanced AI Models

China may restrict overseas access to its advanced AI models, viewing them as vital national assets amid geopolitical tensions. Driven by security concerns, officials are weighing a tiered regulatory system and harsher penalties for AI theft. Concurrently, Beijing is tightening domestic oversight and controlling foreign investments, partly due to fears that U.S. models like Anthropic’s Mythos could be leveraged against Chinese interests.

Source: Reuters

Supreme Court Allows Texas App Store Age Verification Law to Stand

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to block a Texas law requiring app stores and developers to verify user age and obtain parental consent for minors, allowing the measure to remain in effect during ongoing litigation. Opponents argue the law violates First Amendment free speech rights by forcing app stores to police user access to online content, while supporters emphasize the state’s interest in protecting children.

Source: Reuters

Samsung Posts Record AI-Driven Quarterly Profit

Samsung Electronics achieved a record second-quarter operating profit of 89.4 trillion won ($58.4 billion), driven by surging demand for AI-related memory chips like DRAM and HBM. Despite this massive financial milestone, shares fell more than 6% due to investor profit-taking and a slight revenue miss, highlighting market caution amid the company’s heavy reliance on AI-powered demand.

Source: The Next Web

Nintendo to End Sales of Original Switch in Europe

Nintendo will cease sales of various Switch consoles and select peripherals in European markets by early 2027 to comply with new European Union regulations requiring user-replaceable batteries. While the company will continue offering standard Switch models through 2026, it is transitioning to new versions featuring swappable batteries, such as the Switch 2, and phasing out controllers that do not support the new design.

Source: Engadget

China’s Smartphone Sales Decline During 618 Shopping Festival

A report from Counterpoint Research indicates that China’s smartphone sales fell 13% during the recent 618 shopping period, largely due to higher memory costs that limited promotional activity and weakened consumer demand. Huawei posted 19% year-over-year growth, while most other major brands saw double-digit declines, including a 9% drop for Apple, which still maintained a strong market position.

Source: 9to5Mac

DeepSeek Reportedly Developing Its Own AI Chips

DeepSeek is reportedly planning to design its own silicon for AI model inference to reduce dependence on chip suppliers such as NVIDIA and Huawei. The company is recruiting engineering talent and working with manufacturing partners, a move that could further disrupt the AI market if it achieves the same cost and power efficiencies as its previous open-source innovations. However, export restrictions are expected to keep these advances largely within China.

Source: Engadget

Meta Faces $1.4 Trillion in State Lawsuits

Meta faces legal action from several U.S. states, with four seeking up to $1.4 trillion in penalties over allegations that its platforms were intentionally designed to be addictive and that the company misrepresented user safety. An additional 29 states allege violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Meta disputes both the penalty amounts and the claims while continuing to defend itself in court following recent settlements in Kentucky and New Mexico.

Source: Engadget

Researchers Document First AI-Assisted Ransomware Attack

Sysdig researchers identified “JadePuffer,” the first documented case of agentic ransomware, in which an AI agent exploited vulnerabilities in Langflow and MySQL to encrypt data. Although initially described as autonomous, researchers clarified that a human operator was still required to provide infrastructure and credentials. The incident suggests ransomware operations could increasingly depend on computing resources rather than human effort.

Source: TechCrunch

Google Search Console Expands Support for Creators

Google is introducing a new “platform properties” feature in Search Console that allows creators to see how Search traffic leads users to their social media profiles and YouTube channels. Rolling out over the coming weeks, the feature gives creators—including those without websites—a consolidated view of audience discovery across Google’s ecosystem.

Source: The Verge

Google Adds New AI Data Collection Controls

Google has updated its privacy settings with a new “Search Services History” feature that, by default, saves user media—including images, files, and audio/video recordings—to help train its AI models. The setting is separate from the existing “Web & App Activity” controls and applies to services such as Maps and Translate. Users can opt out or adjust data retention settings through the Search Services History and Personalized Recommendations pages.

Source: TechCrunch

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Show Notes

Xbox boss Asha Sharma announced Microsoft is cutting approximately 3,200 jobs — around 20% of the company — across the Xbox division through fiscal year 2027. 1,600 roles will be eliminated immediately with another 1,600 to come. Game studios Compulsion Games, Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs are no longer part of Xbox. In the memo shared by Sharma, a streamlining of decision making management structure will reduce management layers from a current max of 14 to 3-5. A newly created Xbox Chief Operating Officer role will be helmed by Helen Chiang, who formerly led Mojang and the Minecraft franchise.

Source: IGN

Nintendo updated a European FAQ page to announce all versions of the original Switch will no longer be sold in the EU beginning in 2027. This update follows an earlier announcement of updated Joy-Con controllers, Joy-Con 2, Switch 2 Pro Controller, N64 + GameCube Switch controllers rolling out ahead of EU regulations mandating user-replaceable batteries, which comes into effect February 2027.

Source: The Verge

Analyst Ming-Chi Quo reports the rumored upcoming iPhone foldable may be announced alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, but preorders could open later on due to producing a very limited number of units. Kuo expects up to 8 million of the foldable phones to be ready to go compared to the expected 20-22 million units for the 18 Pro and Pro Max. Kuo also expects the foldable to be priced between $2,300-$2,500.

Source: Ming-Chi Quo and Digital Trends

The UK’s National Crime Agency and Internet Watch Foundation is warning parents not to publicly post images of children due to AI-generated abuse imagery. The IWF notes AI abuse images and videos jumped 14% in 2025 with abuse videos alone rising to 3,440 from a previously reported 13. The newly issued guidelines also recommend parents tighten privacy settings and lock down old posts.

Source: The Next Web

China’s new interim regulations regarding anthropomorphic AI interaction services are set to begin July 15th, prompting ByteDance’s Doubao and Alibaba’s Qwen to announce the disabling of custom AI agent features on July 15th. Under the new regulations customer service bots, workplace assistants, and research tools are exempt, as long as the tools do not offer sustained emotional interaction. Tencent pulled similar Yuanbao AI features back in June.

Source: South China Morning Post

Amazon announced the Mechanical Turk marketplace will cease signups for new customers on July 30th. The statement notes “Existing customers can continue to use the service as normal. AWS continues to invest in security and availability improvements for Mechanical Turk, but we do not plan to introduce new features.” Mechanical Turk launched in 2005 to enable companies and researchers to offer money to people to complete various tasks.

Source: TechCrunch

On Monday Broadcom and Apple reached an agreement to extend their chip development and supply partnership through 2031. Broadcom supplied products include cellular network, wifi, and Bluetooth connectivity chips, along with various other networking ​semiconductors. Reuters reports analysts say Apple is responsible for approximately 20% of Broadcom’s annual revenue.

Source: Reuters

GameFile has an update on Sony’s decision to end production of discs for games beginning in 2028, noting publishers will still be able to re-order production of physical discs for games released prior to January 2028, though the ordering process will change in a currently undisclosed manner. GameFile also reported publishers will be provided “the opportunity to release new games at retail using digital codes” in an also currently-undisclosed-at-this-time process.

Source: GameFile

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Show Notes

Alibaba bans Claude Code

Alibaba has banned employees from using Anthropic’s Claude Code after reports that the coding tool contained hidden code designed to detect whether users were in China or connected to Chinese AI labs. The South China Morning Post says it reviewed an internal notice announcing the move, which takes effect July 10.

Source: South China Morning Post⁠

Instagram approved illegal ads

A BBC Eye investigation found Instagram approved and displayed paid ads in India promoting child sexual abuse material, with some directing users to Telegram channels selling illegal content. After the BBC shared its findings, Meta removed the ads and suspended the accounts, while India’s government summoned the company over the incident.

Source: BBC⁠

Midjourney wants Hollywood’s AI secrets

Midjourney is asking a federal judge to make Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. reveal more about how they use AI behind the scenes. The company argues that if the studios are training AI on copyrighted material without permission, it could help its defense in the ongoing copyright lawsuit.

Source: Variety⁠

Spotify catches chart manipulation

Spotify removed more than 500,000 bot-generated streams from Malcolm Todd’s “Earrings” after the song briefly reached No. 1 in the U.S. The spike happened alongside unusual betting on prediction market Kalshi, though Spotify says there’s no evidence Todd or his team were involved.

Source: Financial Times⁠

Edge gets Google sign-in

Microsoft is adding Google account sign-in to Edge, letting Gmail users sync their browser without creating a Microsoft account. The feature is rolling out with Edge version 150, which also begins phasing out the browser’s sidebar app list ahead of a faster two-week release schedule.

Source: Thurrott⁠

Amazon gets closer to taking on Starlink

Amazon says Project Leo is almost ready to launch after growing its satellite network to more than 390 spacecraft, enough to support continuous coverage across its initial service areas. Service is still expected later this year, but Amazon has a lot of ground to make up against SpaceX’s Starlink constellation of more than 10,000 satellites.

Source: Engadget⁠

AI hiring isn’t slowing down

A new study from Ramp and Revelio Labs suggests companies that invest heavily in AI actually end up hiring more people, especially in entry-level roles. The hiring boost takes about six to 12 months to appear, as businesses look for workers who know how to use AI effectively.

Source: The Register⁠

Fire HD 10 gets a little more memory

Amazon quietly refreshed the Fire HD 10 with 4GB of RAM instead of 3GB, which should make the tablet feel a bit snappier for everyday use. Everything else is mostly the same, except the price is now $155 and the 64GB model has quietly disappeared.

Source: Engadget⁠

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Show Notes

Anthropic Explores Custom AI Chip Partnership with Samsung

Anthropic is in early discussions with Samsung to manufacture a custom AI chip, aiming to diversify its hardware supply alongside its continued reliance on Amazon, Google, and Nvidia processors. This move aligns with a broader industry trend among AI companies, including OpenAI, to develop tailored hardware for increased efficiency in meeting high service demand.

Source: Bloomberg

Zuckerberg Says Meta’s AI Agent Progress Is Slower Than Expected

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently told staff that AI agent development has not accelerated as quickly as expected, despite significant organizational restructuring, including layoffs and reassignments of thousands of employees. While Zuckerberg acknowledged that the transition was difficult, he expressed optimism that the company’s substantial investments in AI infrastructure, projected at $145 billion this year, will yield improvements within the next three to six months.

Source: TechCrunch

Google Loses Final Appeal in EU Android Antitrust Case

Google has lost its long-running legal battle against an EU antitrust fine for using its Android operating system to restrict competition. A court upheld a 2022 ruling, confirming that Google’s actions unfairly blocked rivals, a decision that comes eight years after the initial 2018 fine and is expected to bolster European regulatory efforts against Big Tech.

Source: Reuters

Anthropic Temporarily Moves Fable 5 to Usage-Based Billing

Anthropic is transitioning its Fable 5 model to usage-based billing after July 7 due to high demand following the lifting of export controls. While this move prompted concerns that the model would become a permanent paid add-on, the company has clarified that this is a temporary capacity measure, with plans to restore Fable 5 to standard subscription plans once sufficient capacity is available. In the interim, subscribers will need to use usage credits to access the model.

Source: BleepingComputer

Meta Quietly Launches AI Minigame App “Pocket”

Meta has quietly soft-launched “Pocket,” an app for creating and sharing AI-generated minigames, on iOS and Android. While the app is public, it has not yet been widely released or officially announced, with reports suggesting it may stem from the company’s acquisition of the Gizmo team earlier this year.

Source: Engadget

India Investigates Tata Electronics Data Breach

The Indian government is investigating a significant data breach at Apple supplier Tata Electronics after a ransomware group leaked sensitive documents and photos related to the unreleased iPhone 18 Pro on the dark web. The compromised files, which also included proprietary information regarding Tesla, Qualcomm, and TSMC, have prompted an audit and an official inquiry by India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology into the security failure.

Source: Reuters

Jon Prosser Responds to Apple’s iOS Leak Lawsuit

YouTuber Jon Prosser has filed a formal response to Apple’s lawsuit alleging theft of iOS secrets, denying participation in a coordinated conspiracy while admitting to recording a FaceTime call showing unreleased software and sharing subsequent ad revenue with his source, Michael Ramacciotti. Prosser argues that Ramacciotti is solely responsible for any unauthorized disclosures, maintains he acted as a reporter covering exclusives, and has requested a jury trial after a default judgment against him was set aside, allowing the legal proceedings to continue.

Source: The Verge

GoDaddy Warns About India’s Fake Website Crackdown

GoDaddy has expressed strong concern regarding India’s new directives against fake websites, warning that these measures, intended to combat the nation’s rising cyber fraud crisis, may inadvertently reduce internet safety for legitimate businesses and cause negative global business impacts. The Indian government is implementing these strict regulations in response to a surge in online fraud, which saw 2.4 million complaints totaling $2.4 billion last year.

Source: Reuters

OnePlus and Realme Reportedly Moving to Oppo’s ColorOS

A new report indicates that OnePlus and Realme are undergoing an aggressive restructuring, with plans to discontinue their respective software interfaces, OxygenOS and Realme UI, in favor of migrating all devices to Oppo’s ColorOS. This integration follows months of speculation and recent operational shifts, suggesting a definitive move toward unifying the brands under the Oppo umbrella, though the company has yet to clarify the details regarding future software migrations for existing users.

Source: 9to5Google

Apple Seeks Dismissal of YouTuber AI Training Lawsuit

Apple has filed a response to a class-action lawsuit from three YouTube channels—h3h3Productions, MrShortGame Golf, and Golfholics—that accused the company of violating the DMCA by scraping copyrighted videos to train its AI models. In its response, Apple requested a dismissal, arguing that because the videos were publicly available on YouTube without access restrictions, its actions were permitted under the DMCA and YouTube’s Terms of Service.

Source: MacRumors

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Show Notes

Apple Preparing Major MacBook Pro and iPad Refresh for 2027

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman indicates Apple plans to overhaul its baseline MacBook Pro in early 2027 with a new design, potentially including the company’s first touchscreen model. Additionally, Apple is testing four new iPad Pro models focused on performance improvements, while the spring 2027 lineup is expected to be packed with updates, including the base iPhone 18, an iPhone Air update, and potentially the move to M7 silicon.

Source: Engadget

OpenAI Proposes $42.6 Billion Government Equity Stake

OpenAI has proposed gifting the U.S. government a 5% equity stake valued at approximately $42.6 billion to alleviate increasing political and regulatory pressure on major AI developers. CEO Sam Altman suggests that this arrangement, part of a broader push for a government-led sovereign wealth fund, would foster public financial interest in the AI industry and mirror past government investments in private sector giants like Intel. While the proposal aims to address concerns regarding cybersecurity and market competition, it remains uncertain whether other major AI firms will adopt similar measures or how the government will respond to this ongoing strategic initiative.

Source: CNBC

India Temporarily Blocks WhatsApp Username Feature

India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has temporarily blocked WhatsApp’s upcoming username feature due to fraud and impersonation concerns. Meta has three days to justify the feature, which enables communication without phone numbers. Despite Meta’s existing safeguards, the standoff underscores tensions over app design and anonymity, with the Internet Freedom Foundation questioning the intervention’s legality.

Source: The Next Web

Cloudflare to Block Mixed-Use AI Crawlers by Default

Cloudflare has announced that, effective September 15, 2026, it will block “mixed-use” web crawlers, those blending traditional search with AI training, on ad-supported sites by default, unless site owners specify otherwise. This move forces a separation of crawlers to better protect intellectual property and allows publishers to utilize new “Pay Per Use” tools to monetize content consumed by AI systems. The policy addresses the challenge of managing rising non-human traffic while giving website owners increased visibility and control over how their content is accessed and used by AI developers.

Source: TechCrunch

Amazon’s Leo Satellite Network Passes 390 Satellites

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket successfully deployed 29 additional Amazon Leo satellites, bringing the operational total to over 390 and enabling continuous service coverage at initial latitudes. While Amazon prepares for increased launch frequency using ULA’s Vulcan vehicle and potentially Blue Origin’s New Glenn, the company faces a significant challenge to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink, which currently operates over 10,000 satellites.

Source: Engadget

Microsoft Launches $2.5 Billion Frontier Company Initiative

Microsoft is launching “The Microsoft Frontier Company,” a $2.5 billion initiative to embed engineers within customer operations to design and deploy AI systems, mirroring a broader industry trend toward “forward-deployed engineering.” While Microsoft positions this as a privacy-focused and model-agnostic effort to help clients integrate AI effectively, critics note it resembles existing internal service units and risks locking customers into Microsoft’s ecosystem, despite CEO Satya Nadella’s vision of model flexibility.

Source: GeekWire

AI Boom Drives Record $510 Billion in Venture Funding

Global venture funding hit a record $510 billion in H1 2026, eclipsing the 2025 total. This growth is driven by massive investments in a few leading AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic—which secured 43% of the total—alongside significant capital flowing into sectors like AI infrastructure, defense, and robotics. With IPOs and acquisitions rebounding strongly, these figures confirm that the AI investment boom has expanded well beyond a small group of foundation model developers.

Source: Crunchbase News

Reports Suggest SpaceX Is Exploring AI Hardware

Reports suggest SpaceX has developed a prototype “handset-like” AI device designed to run on a proprietary operating system and xAI technology, intended to bypass major platform lock-in. While Elon Musk has publicly denied these reports, the project echoes ongoing industry trends such as OpenAI’s collaboration with Jony Ive to create standalone AI hardware.

Source: TechCrunch

X Debuts Live Studio for Creators

X has introduced “Live Studio,” a new live streaming command center designed to simplify broadcasting for creators, complete with scheduling tools, audience controls, and performance analytics. To incentivize adoption, X is allocating $1 million to reward streamers, though the feature remains exclusive to $3/month X Premium subscribers. The initiative aims to enhance the platform’s streaming capabilities, though it faces skepticism regarding infrastructure stability following high-profile technical failures during past live events.

Source: Engadget

Google Surpasses $1 Billion Africa Investment Goal

Google announced at the Africa Cloud Summit in Johannesburg that it has exceeded its five-year, $1 billion investment pledge for Africa. The company is advancing a new phase of initiatives, including building connectivity hubs like the one planned for South Africa’s Eastern Cape, establishing Africa’s first applied AI lab in Ghana, backing local startups, and partnering with Idris Elba’s Akuna Group to train creators in AI-driven storytelling. While specific future spending figures remain undisclosed, these efforts mark a strategic shift toward building domestic AI capabilities and digital infrastructure, following the 2025 launch of a cloud region in Johannesburg.

Source: The Next Web

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Show Notes

Anthropic announced on X the US Department of Commerce lifted export controls on Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5, and access will be restored to users beginning Wednesday. NBC News viewed a letter from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick saying Anthropic agreed “on protocols and standards and releases for Mythos, Fable, and future models” and will “inform the U.S. government of any malicious activity.” Fable 5 and Mythos 5 initially went offline on June 12th following US officials claiming the models were severe cybersecurity risks.

Source: NBC News and Anthropic

In the social media addiction case filed by a 15yo boy, TikTok joined YouTube in settling before the case begins. Meta and Snap remain defendants in the case beginning July 27th. Snap settled in a previous social media addiction case, along with TikTok, in which a jury found Meta and Google liable in the verdict.

Source: The Next Web

Getty Images plans to terminate a merger agreement with Shutterstock following the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) imposing a condition that Shutterstock would be required to sell its editorial business. As Getty says it is not required to accept this condition under the merger agreement, the board voted against proceeding and instead voted to terminate the merger agreement on July 6th. The board may reconsider if the situation changes by the 6th in a Tuesday filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The merger agreement was first announced in January 2025.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

On Tuesday, OpenClaw announced on X that the free open source AI agent OpenClaw is now available on iOS and Android. 9to5google reports the Android app is a currently bit wonky, with a very basic UI, while the iOS app is slightly more polished.

Source: 9to5Google

On Tuesday Business Insider sources claim Microsoft is planning to cut nearly 2.5% of the workforce, beginning as early as next week. Business Insider sources say the layoffs will impact sales, consulting, and the Xbox divisions. According to an SEC filing in 2025, Microsoft has approximately 228,000 employees as of June 30th, 2025. In June 2026 new CEO Asha Sharma along Chief Content Officer Matt Booty shared a memo including: “We have found ourselves over-extended […] Going forward, this cannot continue.”

Source: Business Insider

Meta is adding rate limits to features on previously sold smart glasses. In a help article, Meta states a subscription to Meta One Premium, which is $19.99/month, isn’t required for non-subscribers to be permitted use of certain AI features, merely rate limited. Specifically, the use of the Conversation Focus feature, which can amplify the voice of a person the user is speaking to, will be available for only 3 hours a month. Subscribers will be limited to 15 hours a month. The Verge notes this limit “is ridiculous” as Conversation Focus runs on-device, and The Verge was able to continue using Conversation Focus while disconnected from the internet. Meta has not responded to a request for comment.

Source: The Verge

Sometime over the next month, Reddit web viewers will be forced to log in to the platform in order to view pages on old.reddit.com. Reddit claims “Old Reddit’s logged-out experience is a significant source of abusive scraping and automated traffic on the platform”. This move is consistent with Reddit earlier limiting non-logged in visits on web, attempting to force more readers to the Reddit app.

Source: Ars Technica

On Wednesday, Sony announced the future shut down of the PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita in select regions this year, with more to come. The currently announced store closures in August 2026 include Mexico, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and “additional Latin American and Middle Eastern countries” will close in late 2026. Closure in more countries begin in July 2027. The PS3 launched in 2006, discontinued in 2016, and the PS Vita launched in North America in 2012, discontinued in 2019.

Source: The Verge

Sony also announced new games sold for PlayStation consoles will no longer have physical copies on discs beginning January 2028, which includes both first- and third-party titles. GameFile reports PlayStation games will still be available in physical stores in 2028 with a digital code in the box. In an earlier Sony investor report Sony claims four out of five purchases of games for PS4 and PS5 are digitally purchased.

Source: GameFile

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Supreme Court Protects Geofence Location Privacy

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that law enforcement must obtain a search warrant to access historical “geofence” location data from tech companies, affirming that individuals hold a reasonable expectation of privacy in their cell-phone location information under the 4th Amendment. While the ruling does not ban geofence warrants, it requires police to demonstrate probable cause linking a target to a crime, addressing criticisms that such warrants allow for unconstitutional “search first, suspect later” practices. The decision, centered on Chatrie v. United States, impacts how authorities gather digital evidence and may influence future legal standards for data privacy.

Source: TechCrunch

Study Finds Half of Social Media Child Safety Features Fail

A study by researchers at New York University and Northeastern University, published by the Heat Initiative and Cybersafety Research Center, found that at least 50% of child safety features on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube often fail. Testing 86 features with dummy accounts revealed critical vulnerabilities, including adults contacting minors on Snapchat and TikTok recommending harmful content to teens. Although social media companies dispute the findings and methodology, the report increases pressure on platforms currently facing lawsuits and stricter international child safety regulations.

Source: Engadget

California Partners with Anthropic for Government AI

Governor Gavin Newsom has secured an agreement with Anthropic to provide California state and local government agencies with discounted access to the Claude AI chatbot to improve government efficiency in document drafting and information analysis. This partnership, which advances the Governor’s executive order regarding AI implementation, highlights a notable divergence from federal strategy; while California is actively integrating Anthropic’s tools, the U.S. Department of Defense has rejected them, citing contractual disagreements over surveillance, oversight, and technology misuse.

Source: TechCrunch

UK Regulator Proposes Changes to Apple and Google App Stores

Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority has proposed allowing app developers to steer users toward alternative, potentially lower-cost payment options outside of the Apple and Google app stores to foster competition. The regulator is also exploring mandates for Apple to open its near-field communication technology to third-party developers, which could enable new contactless payment alternatives, despite concerns from Apple regarding potential security and fraud risks.

Source: Reuters

Meta’s Secret Chatbot Testing Raises Ethical Questions

Meta’s “Cannes” project, managed by contractor Covalen, involved workers posing as minors to test competitor chatbots, including ChatGPT, Gemini, and Character.AI, with thousands of high-risk prompts ranging from self-harm and violence to sexual content. While Meta defended the initiative as routine, industry-standard safety benchmarking, the opaque and unauthorized nature of the project raised ethical and legal concerns among experts, who noted that the effort likely violated competitors’ terms of service and blurred the line between safety evaluation and anticompetitive data collection.

Source: Wired

Google Expands Personalized Gemini Image Generation

Google is expanding personalized image generation in the Gemini app for all eligible US users, allowing the tool to reference personal details from services like Gmail and Google Photos for more accurate results. Originally limited to premium subscribers, this feature rollout also clarifies access guidelines, noting that while image editing and generation are restricted to users over 18 on personal accounts, the core generation features are available to users aged 13 and older across several languages.

Source: Engadget

Australia Sues Amazon Over Prime Video Ads

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has filed a lawsuit against Amazon in federal court, alleging that the company violated consumer laws by introducing advertisements to its Prime Video service and requiring existing subscribers to pay extra to remove them. The regulator claims that Amazon utilized unfair contract terms to force this change on over one million subscribers who had already committed to annual fees. Seeking penalties and consumer redress, the ACCC also contends that Amazon’s U.S. headquarters was involved in these practices, following similar legal settlements in the United States regarding Prime subscription processes.

Source: Bloomberg

Judge Allows Meta Child Addiction Lawsuit to Proceed

A U.S. District Judge has rejected Meta’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit filed by state attorneys general, which accuses the company of intentionally designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to minors while concealing associated harms. The court allowed claims regarding deception and unfairness to proceed and granted summary judgment against Meta for failing to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act’s notice and parental consent requirements.

Source: Reuters

Uber and Waymo End Phoenix Partnership

Uber and Waymo have ended their three-year partnership in Phoenix, with Waymo continuing to offer autonomous rides directly through its own app and through existing integrations like Via and DoorDash. This dissolution signals a broader strategic shift for Uber, which is increasingly developing its own autonomous vehicle operations through collaborations with companies like Lucid and Neuro, moving away from reliance on third-party partnerships.

Source: Engadget

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Show Notes

The Financial Times reports Google has limited Meta’s use of Gemini AI due to a lack of capacity. Sources say Google informed Meta in March it would be unable to provide the requested capacity, disrupting some of Meta’s internal AI projects. Meta has since requested staff increase their efficiency with AI tokens and, earlier in June, Google signed a $920million/month leasing deal for computing capacity from SpaceX. Google and Meta declined to comment.

Source: The Financial Times

The Wall Street Journal reports China’s Zhipu AI, Z.ai, released its open-weight GLM-5.2, claiming researchers found it can match Mythos in bug-finding and other cybersecurity environments. Researchers note Z.ai is not as strong as Anthropic’s and OpenAI’s models in other task types. Z.ai is available to download and run on local hardware.

Source: The Wall Street Journal and The Verge

Australia’s government proposed an update to the social media ban. The new legislation, if passed, would double the penalty for a systemic breach, from A$49.5m to A$99m (approximately $68m USD). The eSafety Commissioner would also receive new powers, enabling the commission to compel internal material from companies in breach, such as company board minutes and internal emails. Previously, researchers found over 85% of under-16s continue using restricted social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. In a statement the Australian Prime Minister said “There are still too many children on social media”.

Source: Australian Broadcast Company and The Next Web

Bloomberg reports Ford executives hired 350 veteran engineers, some formerly employed by Ford, to reverse a decline in quality caused by AI and other automated systems. Ford’s vice president of vehicle hardware engineering Charles Poon said “Mistakenly we thought that by just introducing artificial intelligence and ingesting the design requirements that we had, that that would produce a high-quality product.” Ford CEO Jim Farley said the veteran engineers contributed to a lowering of warranty and recall costs.

Source: Bloomberg and TechCrunch

Netflix confirmed to Ars Technica the platform now requires every user profile within an account to be tied to unique email address. Netflix stated “This sign-in update is a permanent change that started rolling out on June 15, 2026.” Accounts for children are not included in the unique email address requirement. Ars Technica reporter Scharon Harding shared their father, as soon as the email was provided so he could login a again, began receiving marketing emails and had to opt-out.

Source: Ars Technica

In 2025 California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill to force the normalization of volume levels between shows and advertisements on streaming platforms. The Motion Picture Association had opposed the bill, claiming ads may have different volumes due to various encoding pipelines. In a 2025 statement Democratic Sen. Tom Umberg said “If they can find a way to boost the volume, they can find a way to not boost the volume.” A federal law already prohibited TV broadcasters from playing commercials louder than the main content being presented; this California bill now applies this standard to streaming platforms beginning July 1st.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Sony sent a notice to PlayStation users that purchased movies through the platform reading: “you will no longer be able to access your previously purchased content from Studio Canal, [and] it will be removed from your video library.” The full list of 551 films and TV series is available on the PlayStation site for affected regions, including the UK, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain. Kotaku contacted Sony to ask if there will be any type of compensation for the removal, but received no response at this time.

Source: Kotaku

This week NASA is launching a rescue mission for the Swift Observatory — which studies gamma-ray bursts — planning to boost Swift to a higher orbit after intense solar activity caused it to sink. NASA contracted Katalyst Space Technologies to create a 3-armed craft to return Swift to a proper orbit. If the $30 million operation is successful, it’s possible a rescue mission for the Hubble Space Telescope — launched in 1990 and losing altitude to atmospheric drag — could be next.

Source: AP News

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Show Notes

Anthropic gets a partial green light

The US government has lifted some restrictions on Anthropic’s Claude Mythos 5 model, allowing more than 100 approved US companies and government agencies to access it after the company agreed to work with officials on AI safety standards. Fable 5 remains unavailable for now, though Semafor reports it’s expected to return soon, and Axios’ sources say that could happen as early as this week.

Sources: Semafor⁠, Axios⁠

OpenAI’s limited GPT-5.6 launch

OpenAI has restricted GPT-5.6 to a small group of approved partners at the US government’s request. The company says the arrangement is temporary, but the rollout highlights Washington’s growing influence over who gets access to frontier AI models, a trend OpenAI warns could slow innovation and cybersecurity efforts if it becomes standard practice.

Source: TechCrunch⁠

Touchscreen MacBook reportedly on the way

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, citing unnamed sources, reports that Apple’s first touchscreen MacBook Pro is expected between late 2026 and early 2027 with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. The redesigned laptops are also expected to add OLED displays, Dynamic Island, and a new chassis, with AI-focused M7 models reportedly planned for 2027.

Source: Bloomberg⁠

Trump revives digital tax tariff threat

In a Truth Social post, President Trump threatened 100% tariffs on countries that adopt digital services taxes aimed at large US tech companies. Similar threats have been made before, but after recent court rulings limiting presidential tariff authority, it’s unclear whether such a move could survive legal challenges.

Source: CNBC⁠

New effort to secure abandoned open source software

The Commonhaus Foundation has launched the Open Source Sustainability Initiative to help organizations manage software after projects reach end-of-life. The effort comes as vulnerabilities continue to increase and regulators place greater emphasis on replacing unsupported software before it becomes a security risk.

Source: Dark Reading⁠

Meta explores prediction markets

The New York Times, citing three unnamed employees, reports that Meta is exploring partnerships with Polymarket and Kalshi while building its own prediction app, Arena. The app would initially use points instead of real-money wagers, but Meta reportedly hopes to integrate prediction features into Facebook and Messenger if the project moves forward.

Source: The New York Times⁠

California tracks AI job losses

California has launched a public dashboard that tracks potential AI-related layoffs using unemployment claims and labor market data. State officials say the monthly updates are meant to provide an early warning system, though researchers caution the data cannot definitively attribute job losses to AI alone.

Source: Engadget⁠

Binance exits the EU, for now

The Financial Times reports that Binance will suspend services across the European Union on July 1 after withdrawing its application for an EU-wide crypto license in Greece, preventing it from meeting the bloc’s new MiCA regulatory deadline. Binance says it plans to apply in another EU country, while users in France, Italy, Spain, and Poland have already been notified of upcoming changes.

Source: CNBC⁠

Russian hackers tied to Jaguar Land Rover attack

The New York Times, citing people familiar with the investigation, reports that Russian hackers were behind last year’s cyberattack on Jaguar Land Rover, which halted production for months and reportedly cost the UK economy an estimated $2.5 billion. Investigators also found that an unrelated Jordanian hacker had separately breached parts of the company’s network.

Source: TechCrunch⁠

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Show Notes

Microsoft Extends Windows 10 Security Updates Through 2027

Microsoft has quietly extended its Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program until October 12, 2027, providing an additional year of protection for the many users yet to transition to Windows 11. This policy shift mirrors previous extensions for Windows XP and highlights the ongoing challenge Microsoft faces in migrating its massive, entrenched user base to newer operating systems despite the security risks of unpatched software.

Source: Ars Technica

White House Requires OpenAI to Stagger AI Model Release

The White House administration has implemented a new, hands-on regulatory strategy by requiring OpenAI to stagger the release of an upcoming AI model. This unprecedented directive, which mandates customer-by-customer government approval during an initial preview period, shifts significant control from the company to the state, prioritizing cybersecurity concerns over commercial speed. While this approach potentially complicates OpenAI’s market rollout, it also provides the company with political protection, signaling a potential shift toward federal gating as a standard for future frontier AI releases.

Source: The Next Web

Samsung and SK Hynix Announce $648 Billion AI Investment

Samsung Group and SK Hynix plan to invest 1,000 trillion won ($648 billion) across South Korea over the next decade, focusing on AI data centers, batteries, displays, and chip manufacturing to stimulate regional economic growth beyond Seoul. While this initiative aims to leverage the AI-driven chip boom and fulfill government goals for balanced development, it faces challenges including infrastructure and labor shortages, along with criticism from opposition lawmakers who suspect the timing is politically motivated.

Source: Reuters

SpaceX Plans Consumer Starlink Mobile Service

SpaceX is reportedly planning to launch a retail Starlink mobile service for US consumers, aiming to compete directly with major carriers like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. By leveraging its satellite constellation and recently acquired $17 billion in wireless spectrum, the company intends to transition from a wholesale supplier to a direct consumer provider. However, it faces significant challenges from established carriers with deep-rooted infrastructure and existing customer bases.

Source: The Next Web

OpenAI Reportedly Delays IPO Until Next Year

OpenAI is likely delaying its planned IPO until next year, influenced by volatile market conditions and the recent poor stock performance of SpaceX, while CEO Sam Altman remains firm on achieving a $1 trillion valuation. Despite financial pressures and slowing user growth for ChatGPT, the company is undergoing a strategic overhaul to improve focus, cutting non-core projects like Sora and pivoting toward enterprise software with its Codex product to better compete with rivals like Anthropic and Google.

Source: The New York Times

Microsoft Raises Xbox Console Prices

Starting August 1, 2026, Microsoft is increasing global prices for its Xbox consoles by $100–$150 due to rising component costs, while also discontinuing the 2TB Xbox Series X “Galaxy Black.” To mitigate affordability concerns, Microsoft is introducing “Buy Now, Pay Later” payment plans, expanding interest-free financing with Amazon, and promoting trade-in programs for used consoles, even as broader industry trends suggest continued price hikes for consumer electronics driven by the high demand for memory and storage in AI infrastructure.

Source: Thurrott

Study Says Australia’s Teen Social Media Ban Isn’t Working

A study by the University of Newcastle, published in the British Medical Journal, suggests that Australia’s ban on social media for teens under 16 has been largely ineffective. Data indicates that over 85% of restricted teens continued using social media platforms by bypassing age checks—often through simple self-declaration—or by utilizing fake accounts, shared access, and private browsers. Experts warn that Australia’s experience highlights the critical need for robust, pre-emptive enforcement mechanisms, as legislation alone fails to guarantee compliance or effectively restrict access.

Source: Engadget

Notion Is Shutting Down Notion Mail

Notion is shutting down its AI-powered Gmail client, Notion Mail, on September 22, shifting its focus entirely toward AI agents that manage email workflows without users opening their inboxes. While existing emails in Gmail remain intact, users are advised to save drafts and scheduled messages before the deadline, and those using HIPAA-compliant services must transition by June 30.

Source: The Register

Italy Investigates Microsoft 365 Price Hikes

Italy’s antitrust authority has launched an investigation into Microsoft regarding alleged unfair commercial practices linked to its Microsoft 365 subscription price increases. Regulators assert that Microsoft failed to clearly disclose the integration of AI tools like Copilot and Designer and automatically moved consumers to more expensive plans without sufficient information to make informed decisions. Microsoft has committed to cooperating with the Italian Competition Authority’s investigation, maintaining its dedication to adhering to local consumer laws.

Source: Reuters

YouTube Shorts Removes Dislike Button

YouTube is updating its Shorts platform to enhance user experience, introducing features like a “Clear Screen” mode, easier video muting, and the highly requested double-speed playback. As part of this intuitive overhaul, the platform has completely removed the dislike button in favor of “Not Interested” and “Don’t recommend this channel” controls, and replaced the “like” button with a heart, sparking mixed reactions among users regarding content quality management.

Source: Engadget

Tech Journalist Om Malik Dies at 59

Om Malik, a prominent tech columnist, investor, and founder of the tech blog Gigaom, has died at age 59 due to heart-related health issues. After his influential tenure at Gigaom, which concluded in 2014, Malik transitioned to venture capital at True Ventures, where he spent 18 years and eventually became partner emeritus. Renowned for his intellectual curiosity, photography, and commitment to truth in technology reporting, Malik remained active in the tech ecosystem through his newsletter, Crazy Stupid Tech, and various creative pursuits until his passing.

Source: Inc.