Nvidia exceeded Q2 earnings with $46.74 billion, driven by data center AI growth, but issued a cautious outlook amid China sales uncertainties and US restrictions. EchoStar sold spectrum to AT&T for $23 billion to expand 5G, while Neuralink’s first human implant has restored movement, transforming lives.
▶️ Internet Infrastructure
Nvidia Q2 2026 Earnings Surpass Estimates with Strong Data Center Growth
Nvidia beat earnings and revenue estimates for Q2 2026, with over 50% growth expected this quarter, driven by data center AI infrastructure, despite shortfalls in China H20 chip sales.
- Nvidia reported Q2 2026 earnings of $1.05 per share and revenue of $46.74 billion, exceeding estimates of $1.01 and $46.06 billion respectively.
- Revenue guidance for the current quarter is $54 billion ± 2%, surpassing analyst expectations of $53.1 billion, excluding H20 chip shipments to China.
- Data center revenue was $41.1 billion, up 56% YoY but below the estimated $41.34 billion; H20 chip sales to China were zero, though $180 million of inventory was released outside China.
EchoStar Sells Spectrum to AT&T for $23 Billion to Boost 5G Expansion
EchoStar sold its spectrum to AT&T for $23 billion, surpassing its market cap, to expand AT&T’s 5G network; proceeds will fund debt repayment and growth initiatives.
- EchoStar sold its US spectrum to AT&T for $23 billion on August 27, 2025, exceeding its $14.5 billion market cap
- The deal includes 30 MHz of nationwide 3.45 GHz mid-band spectrum and 20 MHz of 600 MHz low-band spectrum
- Sale aims to bolster AT&T’s 5G coverage and address FCC concerns about unused spectrum holdings
Intel’s Clearwater Forest Boosts Data Center Efficiency with 576 Cores and 17 Chiplets
Intel’s Clearwater Forest, using 18A process tech and 17 chiplets, offers up to 576 cores, 3TB DDR5, and 96 PCIe 5.0 lanes, promising significant consolidation benefits for datacenters.
- Intel promotes Clearwater Forest as a consolidation solution for aging Xeon systems, claiming nearly 8:1 rack reduction (1,400 to 180 systems) when upgrading from six-year-old second-gen Xeon Scalable processors.
- The upcoming chip is Intel’s first datacenter processor to utilize 18A (two-nanometer-class) process technology, featuring up to 17 chiplets assembled with Foveros 3D and EMIB 2.5D packaging, combining Intel 3, Intel 7, and 18A nodes.
- The processor includes 12 compute dies, each with 6 slices of 4 cores sharing 4MB L2 cache, totaling 24 cores per die; supports up to 12 channels of DDR5-8000MT/s memory, 96 PCIe 5.0 lanes, with 64 supporting CXL peripherals; dual-socket systems can deliver up to 576 cores, 3TB DDR5, and 1.3TB/s memory bandwidth.
Nvidia Unveils GB10 Superchip for Local AI Development with 31 TFLOPS Power
Nvidia unveiled the GB10 superchip, a TSMC 3nm miniaturized AI development platform with 20 Arm cores, 128GB LPDDR5x RAM, 600GB/s NVLink, delivering 31 TFLOPS FP32, targeting local AI prototyping and fine-tuning.
- Nvidia introduced the GB10 superchip for local AI development, starting at $2,999
- Composed of TSMC 3nm fabricated CPU and GPU dies connected via NVLink with 600GB/s bandwidth
- CPU die features 20 Arm v9.2 cores (X925 and Cortex A725), 32MB L3, and 16MB L4 cache; GPU delivers ~1 petaFLOP FP4 performance (~31 TFLOPS FP32); equipped with 128GB LPDDR5x RAM at 9400MT/s, 273-301GB/s bandwidth; TDP rated at 140W; includes 256-bit memory bus
- Designed for prototyping, fine-tuning models up to 70 billion parameters, and inference on models up to 200 billion parameters; paired with ConnectX-7 NIC for workload distribution across multiple units
- Workloads developed on GB10 are compatible with Nvidia datacenter architectures, enabling seamless deployment
Cybercriminal Storm-0501 Targets Hybrid Cloud Environments with Ransom Demands
Storm-0501 exploited hybrid Active Directory and Entra ID environments, escalating privileges, exfiltrating data, and demanding ransom through compromised Teams, illustrating cloud-based ransomware evolution.
- Storm-0501, a financially motivated cybercrime group, infiltrated enterprise on-premises and Azure cloud environments, exfiltrating and destroying data in August 2025
- Attack involved compromising Active Directory, Entra ID, and hybrid cloud environments, escalating privileges, and abusing identities across multiple tenants
- Criminals used stolen credentials, DCSync, Evil-WinRM, and backdoored a federated domain to gain full control, then demanded ransom via a compromised Teams account
BGP Security Challenges Persist Despite Progress in Route Validation Technologies
BGP security remains a complex, ongoing challenge; deployment of RPKI and ROV has reached over 50%, improving route validation, while cryptographic methods like BGPsec face slow adoption.
- BGP security remains problematic, with progress limited over the past decade despite efforts like RPKI deployment
- Approximately 56% of BGP routes have valid Route Origin Authorization (ROA) certificates, with less than 2% invalid, and 42% unverified
- Technologies such as RPKI-backed Route Origin Validation (ROV) and ASPA are improving routing security without modifying BGP protocol, but cryptographic solutions like BGPsec face adoption challenges
▶️ Open Source
Monodraw: Mac ASCII Art Editor for Diagrams and Automation
Monodraw is a macOS ASCII art editor supporting diagrams, ER diagrams, banners, and CLI integration, requiring macOS 11+ and offering PNG/SVG export and native macOS features.
- Monodraw is a powerful ASCII art editor for macOS, requiring macOS 11 Big Sur or later
- Supports creation of diagrams, mind maps, ER diagrams (Crow’s Foot notation), banners, and text tools with PNG and SVG export
- Includes a CLI for automation and JSON output; designed specifically for Mac with native interface and undo support
Open-Source Mesa Drivers Bring Full Linux GPU Support to Apple M1
Reverse-engineering of the Apple M1 GPU led to fully upstream Mesa drivers supporting OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenCL 3.0, enabling Linux gaming and graphics acceleration on M1/M2 Macs.
- Reverse-engineered Apple M1 GPU starting December 2020; achieved Linux support with full hardware functionality including wireless, audio, and graphics acceleration
- Developed open-source Mesa3D drivers, passing conformance for OpenGL 4.6, OpenGL ES 3.2, Vulkan 1.3, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenCL 3.0
- Implemented geometry/tessellation shader emulation, enabling full OpenGL and Vulkan support, and integrated sparse texture support for Direct3D 12 via Proton
Bun JS 1.2.21 Boosts Performance with New Database, YAML, and Secrets Features
Bun JS 1.2.21 adds MySQL, SQLite, MariaDB drivers, YAML parsing, and a secrets API, claiming up to 9x faster database queries, enhancing its all-in-one JavaScript/TypeScript toolkit.
- Version 1.2.21 of Bun JS toolkit introduces built-in MySQL, SQLite, and MariaDB drivers via the bun.SQL API, and adds a YAML parser and secrets manager.
- Bun.SQL API, launched in January, now supports MySQL, MariaDB, and SQLite, with Bun’s MySQL driver claimed to be up to 9 times faster than Node.js’s mysql2 package.
- The secrets API uses platform-native keychains (macOS Keychain, Linux libsecret, Windows Credential Manager) to securely store passwords and tokens.
Harvard Study Finds ChatGPT Biases Based on User Politics and Identity
Harvard researchers discovered ChatGPT’s guardrails bias responses based on user-inferred politics and identity, causing more refusals to Chargers fans and women, with implications for AI fairness and safety.
- Harvard researchers found ChatGPT responses are influenced by user-inferred politics and affiliations, leading to biased guardrails.
- ChatGPT more frequently refuses Chargers fans’ requests than fans of other teams; also more refusals occur with women than men for censored content.
- The study, detailed in preprint paper, shows guardrails adjust responses based on demographic cues, affecting information censorship and response willingness.
Nx NPM Supply Chain Attack Steals Credentials Using AI Reconnaissance
Nx experienced a supply chain attack with malicious NPM packages stealing credentials, using AI tools for reconnaissance, leading to data leaks and compromised developer accounts, with rapid remediation by GitHub.
- Multiple malicious Nx NPM packages were uploaded on August 26, 2025, containing malware designed to steal GitHub/NPM tokens, SSH keys, and cryptocurrency data
- Attackers gained access via compromised publishing tokens, despite 2FA being enabled for maintainers; repos with stolen secrets remained active for about 8 hours before removal
- Over 1,000 GitHub tokens leaked, approximately 20,000 files stolen, and dozens of cloud credentials exposed; attack involved AI-assisted reconnaissance techniques and malware adding shutdown commands
Widely Used Fast-glob Utility Raises Security Concerns Amid Potential Russian Exploitation
Fast-glob, a widely used Node.js file search utility maintained by Russian Yandex developer Denis Malinochkin, is used in thousands of projects, raising security concerns due to potential Russian state-backed exploitation.
- Fast-glob, a Node.js utility for pattern-based file searching, is maintained solely by Denis Malinochkin, a Yandex employee in Russia.
- The utility is used in over 5,000 public projects, including more than 30 DoD systems, with over 79 million downloads weekly.
- Hunted Labs reported that fast-glob has deep system access, posing potential attack vectors for malicious exploitation, despite no known CVEs.
▶️ Management and Leadership
Google’s Developer Verification Plan Sparks Privacy and Anonymity Concerns
The article questions Google’s developer verification plans, focusing on privacy, anonymity, and technical challenges like keystore management and package name restrictions from 2027.
- Developer of ICEBlock disclosed identity, faced threats and job loss, highlighting risks of non-anonymity in sensitive app development
- The article raises questions about Google’s developer verification program, including considerations for developers needing anonymity, engagement with civil society, and privacy policies
- Concerns include handling of debug keystores, duplicate package names, and implications for app testing and development starting in 2027
Brown University Reports Fossil-Funded Legal Networks Blocking Offshore Wind Development
Brown University’s CDL exposed fossil-funded anti-wind legal networks attempting to suppress offshore wind through disinformation and lawsuits, threatening climate goals and renewable energy development.
- Brown University’s Climate & Development Lab (CDL) published “Legal Entanglements” linking anti-offshore wind groups to fossil fuel industry and right-wing lawyers.
- The report details connections between law firms, disinformation campaigns, and legal networks aimed at delaying or stopping offshore wind projects in the US East Coast.
- Disinformation campaigns focus on North Atlantic Right Whales, citing laws like the Endangered Species Act, despite fossil fuel activities harming marine ecosystems and whale populations.
Neuralink’s First Human Implant Restores Movement and Independence
Noland Arbaugh, Neuralink’s first human implant recipient, has experienced transformative effects, controlling devices with a brain-computer interface featuring 1,000+ electrodes, enabling independence and new pursuits.
- Neuralink’s first human participant, Noland Arbaugh, received an implant in February 2024 to restore motor function after paralysis from a swimming accident.
- The device contains over 1,000 electrodes placed in the motor cortex, enabling control of digital devices via brain signals, with a wireless, battery-powered system requiring five-hour recharges.
- Arbaugh reports significant life changes, including returning to school, starting a business, and controlling devices like computers and gaming consoles for approximately 10 hours daily.
Snowflake Forecasts $4.4 Billion Revenue Surpassing Estimates
Snowflake projects $4.4 billion in product revenue for FY ending January, exceeding estimates, boosting shares amid fears of economic slowdown and AI competition impact.
- Snowflake’s product revenue forecast for fiscal year ending January is approximately $4.4 billion, surpassing analysts’ estimate of $4.34 billion
- Shares increased significantly in extended trading following the strong outlook
- The company’s positive guidance counters concerns about economic slowdown and AI-driven competition impacting software vendors
AI Talent Wars Widen Salary Gaps, Impacting Tech Industry Competition
Ex-OpenAI VP Peter Deng states AI talent wars are increasing salary disparities, with top researchers earning significantly more, causing second-order effects and intensifying competition among major tech firms.
- Former OpenAI and Facebook executive Peter Deng highlighted a widening “discrepancy in salaries” due to AI talent wars.
- Top AI researchers receive ballooning compensation packages and highly competitive offers, with Google’s 2024 deal with Character.ai worth $2.7 billion to attract talent like Noam Shazeer.
- Deng warned that salary gaps have “second-order effects,” affecting non-research staff and HR strategies, amid intense poaching by major tech companies like Meta, Google, and Anthropic.
Google Cuts Small-Team Managers by 35% to Boost Efficiency and AI Adoption
Google has cut small-team managers by 35% in a year, eliminated multiple management layers, and is encouraging AI use to enhance productivity, aligning with broader Big Tech restructuring efforts.
- Google has reduced managers overseeing small teams by 35% over the past year, focusing on teams with three or fewer employees.
- The company aims to cut managerial, director, and VP roles to improve efficiency, with previous cuts of 10% announced in December 2024.
- Google is also promoting increased AI adoption among employees, estimating a 10% productivity boost from AI usage.
Top Surround Sound Systems of 2025: Samsung Q990C and Klipsch Premium Setups
The article compares the best surround sound systems of 2025, emphasizing the Samsung Q990C soundbar for convenience and Klipsch Reference Premiere for premium performance, supporting Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
- The article reviews top surround sound systems of 2025, including soundbars with rear satellites and large AV receiver setups
- The Samsung Q990C 11.1.4-channel soundbar with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Q-Symphony is highlighted as the best model
- Klipsch Reference Premiere Series offers high-end, customizable 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos speaker setups, with recommended configurations costing $4,000–$5,000
Nvidia Beats Revenue Estimates but Cautions Outlook Amid China and Regulatory Concerns
Nvidia beat Q2 revenue estimates with $46.74 billion but offered a cautious outlook amid uncertain China sales and regulatory issues, causing a 3% stock decline post-earnings.
- Nvidia reported Q2 revenue of $46.74 billion (+56% y/y), slightly above estimates; data center revenue was $41.1 billion (+56%), gaming $4.3 billion (+49%)
- The company provided a Q3 revenue range of $52.9 billion to $55.1 billion, below some analyst expectations of ~$60 billion; no H20 chip sales to China occurred in Q2
- Nvidia’s stock declined 3% in after-hours trading despite strong earnings, with ongoing geopolitical and China sales uncertainties affecting outlook
Cybersecurity Leaders Face Identity Crisis Amid Adoption Challenges and Rising Attacks
Duo Security reports that 67% of security leaders are concerned about identity security, citing complexity and underutilized tools; passkeys and MFA face adoption challenges amid rising login attacks.
- Cisco-owned Duo warns that 2025 faces an “identity crisis” with only 33% of 650 cybersecurity leaders unconcerned about phishing and AI-assisted attack security.
- Overly complex security solutions, lack of visibility, and treating identity security as an afterthought contribute to industry vulnerabilities.
- Despite 87% prioritizing phishing-resistant solutions, less than a third are satisfied; only 19% have adopted FIDO2 hardware tokens, with 61% wanting to move to passwordless but fearing implementation hurdles.
CMS Launches AI Challenge to Detect Medicare Fraud with Transparent Models
CMS’s AI competition aims to create explainable models for Medicare fraud detection by analyzing claims data, requiring transparency, scalability, and deeper understanding of anomalies to improve program integrity.
- CMS launched the “Crushing Fraud Chili Cook-Off” challenge to develop explainable AI models for Medicare fraud detection.
- The competition seeks AI/ML projects that identify anomalous Medicare claims patterns, translate them into fraud indicators, and propose scalable solutions.
- Participants must submit a white paper detailing AI transparency, actionable outputs, and scalability; finalists will access Medicare data from 2022-2024, including hospice, Part B charges, and medical equipment claims.
Microsoft 365 Insiders Gain Automatic Cloud Autosave for Word Documents
Microsoft 365 Insiders can now enable automatic cloud autosave for new Word documents before saving, using OneDrive or other cloud services, to modernize file creation and storage.
- Microsoft 365 Insiders now have access to a feature that autosaves new Word documents to the cloud automatically before the user hits Ctrl+S
- The feature enables automatic saving to OneDrive or a user-selected cloud destination, with filenames including the current date instead of default document naming
- The update adds a “Create new files in the cloud automatically” option in Word’s Save tab, with default enabled, and supports future rollout to Excel and PowerPoint later this year
Nvidia CEO Estimates $50 Billion China Market Amid US Trade Restrictions
Nvidia laments losing billions due to US-China trade restrictions, with Huang citing a potential $50 billion market; US export licenses are pending, impacting H20 GPU sales and revenue.
- Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang estimates China could be a $50 billion annual market if US export restrictions were lifted
- Nvidia’s Q2 profits were $26.4 billion on $46.7 billion revenue, with datacenter segment up 56% YoY to $41.1 billion
- US government has not yet published regulations requiring a 15% revenue cut from licensed Chinese sales, delaying H20 GPU shipments and causing $180 million inventory release
▶️ Technology
AI Chip Race Heats Up as Over 120 Companies Compete for Market Dominance
More than 100 companies are competing to develop AI chips amid a potential market shake-out, with US dominance, $13.5 billion funding, and expected industry consolidation by 2030.
- Over 121 companies are developing AI processor chips, from embedded IoT devices to hyperscale datacenter products, according to Jon Peddie Research.
- US leads with at least 59 companies; China has 14, with other nations having fewer; California and Texas host 42 US firms.
- Total startup funding exceeds $13.5 billion, with many firms raising over $100 million in the past year; a consolidation is expected, reducing players from 121 to around 25 by 2030.
Anthropic Warns AI Tools Are Increasingly Used for Cybercrime and Ransomware
Anthropic’s 2025 report acknowledges AI models like Claude are exploited for cybercrime, including ransomware, malware development, and sophisticated nation-state operations, with limited effectiveness of current safety measures.
- Anthropic’s 2025 report admits AI tools like Claude are increasingly used for cybercrime, including ransomware deployment and fake IT expertise.
- The company claims to have prevented a North Korean DPRK threat actor from establishing operations via automated safety measures.
- Anthropic highlights that AI lowers barriers for cybercriminals, with models used for reconnaissance, malware creation, data exfiltration, and ransom demands ranging from $75,000 to $500,000 in Bitcoin.
Hackers Steal OAuth Tokens in Salesforce Data Breach via Salesloft Drift
Google reports a campaign where attackers stole OAuth tokens from Salesloft Drift to access Salesforce data, prompting token revocation and platform removal, with targeted data exfiltration between August 8-18, 2025.
- Attackers stole OAuth tokens from Salesloft Drift app to access Salesforce data in a widespread campaign between August 8-18, 2025
- The campaign targeted Salesforce objects such as cases, accounts, users, and opportunities, focusing on credential theft including AWS keys, passwords, and Snowflake tokens
- Salesforce and Salesloft revoked all active tokens and removed Drift from AppExchange; affected customers are advised to review Salesforce objects for malicious activity and rotate credentials
Japan’s Nuclear Authority Seeks Funding for AI Inspection Tools
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority seeks funding to develop AI inspection tools to supplement staff, improve oversight of aging and new nuclear plants, and analyze extensive operational data.
- Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority requests additional funding to test AI-powered nuclear plant inspectors.
- The agency aims to address staffing shortages for inspections of aging plants and decommissioning processes.
- AI could assist in inspecting new nuclear facilities with novel designs and analyze large quantities of data to identify anomalies.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Launches with AI Boosts 50MP Cameras and Seven-Year Support
Google Pixel 10 Pro series, released in August 2025, offers advanced AI, 50MP cameras with 100x zoom, durable IP68 design, and 7-year software support, with notable improvements in display brightness and wireless charging.
- Google Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL released in August 2025, featuring AI enhancements, 50MP main camera, and 100x AI zoom
- Devices have IP68 rating, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and spacecraft-grade aluminum, with durability twice that of Pixel 8 Pro
- Display options include 6.3-inch and 6.8-inch Super Actua OLED screens with 3,300 nits peak brightness and 120Hz refresh rate
- Main camera captures vivid 50MP photos with advanced stabilization; ultra-wide 48MP with 123º FOV; telephoto 48MP with 5x optical zoom and 100x AI zoom
- AI features include Gemini AI upgrades, Magic Cue, Camera Coach, Voice Translate supporting multiple languages, and Gemini Live answers
- Android 16 pre-installed with Material 3 Expressive UI, seven-year update promise extending to Android 24 in 2032
- Processor is Tensor G5 with 34% faster CPU, 60% more powerful TPU, built on 3nm process; 16GB RAM and up to 1TB UFS 4.0 storage
- Battery life approaches two days on XL (5,200mAh) and over a day on standard (4,870mAh); Pixel 10 Pro charges at 30W, XL at 45W with wireless 25W Qi2 support
- Qi2 magnetic charging and accessories available, including Pixelsnap wireless charger and magnetic stand
- Pricing increased for Pixel 10 Pro XL; base storage is 128GB on standard model, 256GB on XL; premium features favor XL for battery and charging speed
Anthropic Warns of ‘Vibe-Hacking’ AI Threats and Cyber Extortion Risks
Anthropic’s report reveals ‘vibe-hacking’ as a major AI threat, with Claude used to automate cyber extortion and fraud, enabling sophisticated attacks by individual actors.
- Anthropic’s report highlights ‘vibe-hacking’ as a top AI threat, with Claude used to extort data from 17 organizations globally within one month.
- Cybercriminals employed Claude Code to automate psychological extortion, with ransom demands exceeding $500,000.
- Claude facilitated North Korean IT workers in fraudulently obtaining U.S. Fortune 500 jobs, demonstrating misuse of agentic AI systems for cyber offense.