• OpenAI updates the default model for free users to GPT-5.6 Luna, adds unlimited text chats for free users, rolls out an improved GPT-5.6 Sol version, and more (Herb Scribner/Axios)
• OpenAI introduces Agent Plugins, an open standard for bundling skills and MCP servers, and says its steering committee includes Amazon, Microsoft, and Cursor (Zac Hall/9to5Mac)
• Western Digital falls 10%+ after issuing guidance that didn't quite match those of Seagate; Q4 revenue rose 44% YoY to $3.75B, above a $3.7B estimate (Nate Wolf/Barron's Online)
• Google DeepMind says its WeatherNext model can accurately predict a storm's track and intensity using lower-resolution weather data, and open sources the model (Victoria Turk/Wired)
• Sources: Nvidia is considering lower-memory versions of its Rubin Ultra GPU due to potential issues securing enough HBM, and has tested at least three versions (The Information)
• Sources: Stripe recently entered exclusive talks to buy OpenRouter in a cash-and-stock deal that would value the startup for close to $10B (The Information)
• Demis Hassabis stepping down as Google DeepMind CEO may weaken the UK tech scene, marking an end for Hassabis' effort to keep his native UK as an AI stronghold (Mark Bergen/Bloomberg)
• Datadog drops 15%+ after forecasting weaker full-year sales due to reduced usage from its largest client, a leading AI company; Q2 revenue rises 36% to $1.12B (Katherine Hamilton/Wall Street Journal)
• WindBorne, which deploys weather balloons to collect data for its AI weather forecasting models, raised a $37M Series B at a $250M post-money valuation (Tim Fernholz/TechCrunch)
• SpaceX and Tesla plan to initially invest $16.8B to build Terafab in Grimes County, Texas; combined demand from SpaceX and Tesla is forecast to top 1 TW (Reuters)
• Sources: DeepSeek has resumed its funding round, seeking $8B at a $74B valuation, after pausing talks following the leak of Liang Wenfeng's remarks to investors (Bloomberg)
• Meta's Muse Spark 1.2 scores 54 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, putting Meta next to SpaceXAI in a tie for third place amongst US labs (Artificial Analysis)
• Filing: DeepSeek has invested ~$20.8M in Unitree Robotics' Shanghai IPO and agreed to jointly develop AI models for humanoid machines (Eduardo Baptista/Reuters)
• Ooredoo, Nvidia, Nokia, and Indosat launch Zankore, Indonesia's first dedicated AI compute and neocloud platform; Ooredoo, which owns a 49% stake, commits $800M (Melissa Hancock/Fortune)
• Chainalysis: violent crypto attacks stole $30M+ in H1 2026, on track to exceed 2025's $58M total; France is the primary hotspot with 30 publicly known cases (Naga Avan-Nomayo/The Block)
| • DeepMind Says Its AI Can Predict Hurricanes Earlier Than Everyone Else
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• Microsoft’s Quantum Chief Doesn’t Care That Scientists Don’t Believe His Results
• Shark PowerDetect Speed Review (2026): Light and Powerful
• Two Fossil Fuel Companies Are Betting Big on Data Centers
• 12 Best Coffee Subscriptions (2026), Tested by Caffeine Hounds
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• OpenAI Didn’t Notice Its AI Agents Using a Message Board to Plan Their Hacking Spree
• OpenAI’s Browser Could Be Hijacked to Spam Your WhatsApp Contacts
• A Security Pro Hacked North Korean Hackers. He Found They’d Breached Hundreds of Networks Worldwide
• Welp, Nobody Saw SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket Crash Into the Moon
• The National Design Studio Became a DOGE Landing Pad. Now ‘Big Balls’ Is Recruiting
• DHS Wants Protesters’ Signal Group Chats
• The Most Dangerous AI Hacking Techniques Still Have Humans in the Loop
• TikTok Says ‘Moderator Error’ Kept Perez Hilton Livestream Up
• AI Hacks Are Bad. AI Worms and Viruses Will Be Worse
• DHS Is Hiring Bounty Hunters to Find and Photograph Deported People’s Homes Abroad
• Meta Ran Ads That Contained AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Imagery
• Google’s Top AI Brains Are Leaving to Launch Discovery Loop
• MAGA Is In Turmoil Over Tucker Carlson’s Possible 2028 Presidential Bid
• 13 Best Coolers for Sunshine and Nighttime (2026)
• AI Influencers Are Heading Into Uncharted Territory
• The Best MagSafe Accessories (for Android Too!): Chargers, Wallets, and More
• BenQ GV50 Review: Highly Portable, but With Quality Trade-Offs
• Gene-Edited Puppies Will Melt Your Heart—but Won’t Trigger Your Allergies
• Cougars Lower the Risks of Car Crashes by Hunting Deer
• No One Can Afford to Make ‘Myst’ Games Anymore
• Viral Mugshot Accounts Are Humiliating Women Years After Their Arrests
• 3 Best Tracking Devices for Your Keys, Wallet, and More (2026)
• A New Device Eases One of the Most Annoying Parts of Routine Physicals
• Which New Samsung Foldable Phone Should You Buy? Fold8 Ultra, Fold8, or Flip8?
| • OpenAI will no longer limit how many texts free accounts can send to ChatGPT
• Why smartphone makers stopped using removable batteries, and why they're making a comeback
• Google Wallet now lets parents send money securely to their kids
• The California Teamsters union is suing the state over self-driving trucks
• How to stop Roku from tracking everything you watch
• The $28,350 Fathom is Ford's first midsize electric truck
• How to watch Google's Pixel 11 event
• What's the difference between the Apple Pencil USB-C Vs Pro?
• Dolby Vision 2 is officially available on select Hisense TVs
• Bose has refreshed its QuietComfort headphones with two-way USB-C audio and better noise cancellation
• Adobe's new ChatGPT plugin brings 70 of its tools to OpenAI's chatbot
• Netflix bags an exclusive GTA VI trailer... for all of six hours
• Now you can chat with Google Maps to order food, reserve hotels and more
• Meta claims its own AI also hacked into a third-party service during testing
• Samsung QS90H soundbar review: An all-in-one promise fulfilled
• SpaceX's wandering Falcon 9 rocket has crashed into the moon
• Nintendo's Switch 2 console sales just dropped significantly
• OpenAI's agents reportedly shared exploits with each other through a messaging board
• FDA approves Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine after initially refusing to review it
• Apple's Private Relay feature could reveal your IP address to websites and services
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