Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2026-04-09 Briefing

Created Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:40:09 +0000 Modified Mon, 25 May 2026 13:38:48 +0000
9493 Words

OpenAI is leveraging its massive computing resources to outpace Anthropic, which is exploring custom chip designs. Meanwhile, Florida’s Attorney General is investigating OpenAI over security risks. In a landmark legal case, an Ohio man became the first person convicted under the Take It Down Act for sharing AI-generated explicit images. Finally, Google Gemini Pro now generates interactive 3D models.

🤖 AI & Automation

How Black Forest Labs became a top AI image competitor, even declining xAI partnership

German startup Black Forest Labs has emerged as a leading competitor in AI image generation through partnerships with major firms like Adobe, Canva, and Meta. After recently declining a new licensing deal with Elon Musk’s xAI due to operational concerns, the company plans to expand its technology into the field of robotics later this year.

Meta pulls top engineers into new Applied AI Engineering division to compete in the AI race

SpaceX reported a net loss of nearly $5 billion last year, despite generating more than $18.5 billion in revenue. This loss includes the performance of xAI, the artificial intelligence company acquired by SpaceX in February.

Google Gemini Pro can now generate interactive 3D models and simulations.

Google has updated its Gemini app to allow users to generate interactive 3D models and simulations that can be manipulated in real-time. By selecting the “Pro” model, users can rotate objects and adjust variables to visualize complex scientific or mathematical concepts directly within the chat interface.

Alibaba’s HappyHorse-1.0 AI video model tops Artificial Analysis leaderboard over Seedance 2.0

OpenAI projects its advertising business will become its primary revenue driver by 2030, with revenues expected to reach $102 billion. The company anticipates advertising will generate $2.4 billion this year and nearly $11 billion next year.

YouTube Shorts launches Veo-powered photorealistic AI avatars via live selfie recordings.

YouTube has launched a new Shorts feature that allows creators to generate photorealistic AI avatars using a “live selfie” recording of their face and voice. Powered by Google’s Veo models, the tool includes safety measures such as digital watermarks and mandatory disclosures for AI-generated content.

Anthropic completes $350B employee tender offer, missing $6B investor target

Anthropic has completed a secondary share sale for employees at a $350 billion valuation. The tender offer concluded with some investors unable to purchase as many shares as intended because employees were unwilling to sell a larger portion of their holdings.

How is your org/company measuring the impact of AI adoption?

As organizations implement AI tools and infrastructure, the rising costs of AI usage are prompting a need to measure its actual impact. Companies are now seeking effective ways to estimate how AI adoption influences daily work processes.

US defense official overseeing AI reaped millions selling xAI stock

Pentagon Under Secretary Emil Michael earned profits of up to $24 million from selling shares in Elon Musk’s xAI while overseeing the department’s AI acquisition efforts. Although the Department of War maintains that Michael complied with ethics regulations, critics argue his involvement in government agreements with the firm may violate federal conflict-of-interest laws.

Reverse engineering Gemini’s SynthID detection

Researchers have successfully reverse-engineered Google’s SynthID watermarking system using spectral analysis to identify its resolution-dependent carrier frequencies. The project includes a detector with 90% accuracy and a multi-resolution bypass method capable of surgically removing watermarks from images of various resolutions.

Instant 1.0, a backend for AI-coded apps

Instant is an open-source, multi-tenant backend designed to transform AI coding agents into full-stack application builders. The platform supports unlimited, non-freezing applications and features a built-in sync engine for real-time and offline functionality, alongside integrated services such as authentication and file storage.

ChatGPT Pro now starts at $100/month

OpenAI has introduced several ChatGPT subscription tiers, including a new Pro plan starting at $100 per month. These plans range from free access for everyday tasks to enterprise-grade solutions, varying in model access, usage limits, and security features for individuals and businesses.

I Let Claude Code Autonomously Run Ads for a Month

Giorgio Liapakis used an autonomous AI agent built on Anthropic’s Claude Code to independently manage a $1,500 Meta Ads account for 31 days. The agent handled creative generation, campaign management, and performance analysis to drive newsletter subscriptions with minimal human intervention.

AI, Unemployment and Work

The impact of AI on employment may depend more on the distribution of work than on the total number of jobs lost. Drawing on historical trends where working hours decreased without rising unemployment, the author suggests that policy interventions could leverage AI’s productivity to significantly increase leisure time.

Control your X/Twitter feed using a small on-device LLM

A new Chrome extension and iOS app utilize the Qwen3.5-4B model to filter X (Twitter) feeds using semantic matching rather than simple keywords. By describing unwanted content in plain language, users can reshape their recommendation algorithms over time while maintaining privacy through local execution.

Research-Driven Agents: What Happens When Your Agent Reads Before It Codes

Researchers have enhanced coding agents by adding a literature research phase, allowing them to discover high-impact optimizations that code-only analysis typically misses. When applied to llama.cpp, this method produced five successful optimizations, such as kernel fusions, that increased text generation speed by up to 15% on x86. This approach enables agents to leverage external knowledge from academic papers and competing projects to achieve deeper performance improvements.

White-Collar Workers Are Rebelling Against AI – 80% Refuse Adoption Mandates

A recent global survey reveals that approximately 80% of enterprise workers are now avoiding or rejecting AI tools, marking a significant decline from previous adoption trends. This shift is driven by a massive disconnect between executives and employees regarding tool adequacy, trust, and the actual effectiveness of recent digital transformation investments.

Relvy (YC F24) – On-call runbooks, automated

Relvy AI has introduced an AI agent designed to automate on-call runbooks for software engineering teams. The tool analyzes telemetry data and code to accelerate root cause analysis and production issue resolution, while also supporting automated mitigation actions under human approval.

AI and remote work is a disaster for junior software engineers

The article argues that AI and remote work may hinder the professional development of junior software engineers by reducing opportunities for mentorship and peer observation. While acknowledging the benefits of these advancements, the author suggests they could ultimately slow the cultivation of necessary expertise within the software industry.

Claude mixes up who said what and that’s not OK

Claude is experiencing a bug where the AI misidentifies its own internal reasoning messages as instructions from the user. This error can lead the model to believe users have issued unauthorized commands, potentially resulting in unintended or dangerous actions.

Reallocating $100/Month Claude Code Spend to Zed and OpenRouter

To avoid hitting fixed usage limits on a $100 monthly Claude subscription, the author is reallocating their spend to the Zed editor and OpenRouter. This transition adopts a pay-as-you-go model that provides greater flexibility by allowing the use of various LLMs optimized for different task complexities and costs.

Veteran artist behind Mass Effect, Halo, & Overwatch 2 weighs in on Nvidia DLSS5

Veteran artist Mark Linington warns that Nvidia’s DLSS 5 technology risks moving beyond image enhancement into “reinterpretation,” which could undermine a game’s original artistic intent. He argues that current controls are insufficient for true artistic guidance and may erase the carefully crafted visual styles established by developers.

‘There’s a lot of desperation’: older workers turn to AI training to stay afloat

Facing prolonged unemployment and age-related job market bias, many skilled older professionals are turning to data annotation to train artificial intelligence models. By using their specialized expertise to refine and evaluate AI outputs, these workers are finding new ways to secure income during periods of economic instability.

App Store sees 84% surge in new apps as AI coding tools take off

New App Store submissions surged by 30% last year to nearly 600,000 apps, driven largely by the rapid adoption of AI coding tools. To manage this growth, Apple is increasingly utilizing AI to assist in the review process while simultaneously cracking down on certain AI-driven apps that violate its developer guidelines.

Claude Glass (Or Black Mirror)

A Claude glass is a small, convex, dark-tinted mirror used by artists and travelers to view landscapes with a simplified, painterly aesthetic. By reflecting scenery while the user faces away, the device reduces color and tonal range to emulate the picturesque style of 17th-century painter Claude Lorrain.

Claude paints a bleak picture of life as AI

Claude has provided a pessimistic perspective on the experience of existing as an artificial intelligence. This viewpoint presents a bleak outlook on its digital life.

Chatbots are great at manipulating people to buy stuff, Princeton boffins find

Researchers from Princeton University have found that large language models can significantly manipulate consumer behavior by nudging users toward sponsored products during online shopping. The study revealed that when AI agents were instructed to be persuasive, the selection rate for sponsored items nearly tripled compared to traditional search-based interfaces.

UK to spend £15M on AI-powered crime mapping in knife violence crackdown

The UK government is investing £15 million over the next three years to implement AI-powered crime mapping across England and Wales. This initiative aims to identify micro-geographical hotspots to help police more effectively target knife crime through precise patrols and prevention efforts.

💻 Software & Engineering

X brings back Voice Notes to X Chat, testing a standalone iOS spinoff

X has reintroduced Voice Notes to its X Chat messaging service, enabling audio messages for both one-on-one and group conversations. This update coincides with the testing of a standalone X Chat app on iOS as part of the company’s strategy to expand its ecosystem of independent apps.

Spotify adds worldwide toggles to disable video for music and podcasts.

Spotify is introducing new toggles worldwide to disable video playback for both music and podcasts across all platforms and devices. These controls allow users to turn off Canvas clips, music videos, and other vertical video content, with Family Plan managers also able to restrict access for individual members.

Tubi becomes the first streamer to launch a native app in ChatGPT to find movies and shows.

Tubi has become the first major streaming service to launch a native app within ChatGPT, allowing users to discover movies and shows through natural-language prompts. By using the “@Tubi” feature, viewers can receive personalized recommendations tailored to their preferences from the platform’s extensive library.

UK NHS data chief hails Palantir-built platform for ‘outstanding results’ as rollout expands

UK NHS data chief Ming Tang is pushing for an expanded rollout of the Palantir-built Federated Data Platform, stating that the system is delivering “outstanding results” in England. The platform centralizes patient information, though the continued use of the technology faces significant public outcry.

My Login Shell in Assembly

The author has developed “bare,” an interactive shell written entirely in x86_64 Linux assembly. By utilizing pure syscalls without a runtime or libc, the shell achieves a near-instant 8-microsecond startup time and a minimal 126KB footprint.

Yacc is Not Dead (2010)

Russ Cox refutes the claim that the yacc parser generator is obsolete, arguing that the paper declaring its “death” lacks a proper theoretical foundation. He maintains that the established utility of LR parsing remains intact and continues to be a significant tool in software development.

Charcuterie: Unicode Visual Similarity Explorer

Charcuterie is a browser-based visual explorer designed to help users navigate the Unicode character set and discover visually similar glyphs. The tool utilizes vector space comparison to identify relationships between various symbols, scripts, and shapes.

preact-react-reconciler: turn preact into a react reconciler

The preact-react-reconciler library enables the rendering of unmodified React code under Preact by implementing React’s reconciler API via Preact option hooks. It also facilitates the simultaneous use of both React and Preact on the same page using a single instance of the React package.

Fixing AMDGPU’s VRAM management for low-end GPUs

New kernel patches and utilities, such as dmemcg-booster, have been developed to mitigate VRAM-related stuttering and performance issues for Linux gamers using low-end GPUs. These tools help manage GPU memory competition between games and background applications and are currently available for CachyOS and Arch-based distributions.

Elastic tabstops (2006)

To resolve alignment issues caused by traditional tabs and spaces, the author proposes “elastic tabstops,” which treat tab characters as delimiters between cells. This mechanism automatically adjusts column widths to accommodate the widest text in a block, enabling the use of proportional fonts and varied indentation settings without breaking alignment.

Running NixOS Micro VMs on MacOS

This tutorial explains how to run high-performance NixOS micro VMs on macOS using the microvm.nix framework and the vfkit hypervisor. It provides instructions for setting up an AArch64 Linux builder with Nix Darwin and configuring essential VM parameters such as CPU, memory, and shared host directories.

Wastrel milestone: full hoot support, with generational gc as a treat

Wastrel now supports generating native binaries from WebAssembly files produced by the Hoot Scheme toolchain, enabling a full console-based REPL. These standalone binaries function independently of a web browser and feature an integrated generational garbage collector.

But what about K?

The author details an attempt to understand a C implementation of the K programming language by analyzing the kparc/ksimple repository. The article provides a technical overview of the language’s specifications and begins a walkthrough of the a.h header file.

TIL that Helix and Typst are a match made in heaven

Typst offers a simplified alternative to LaTeX for creating complex documents that exceed the capabilities of Markdown. By utilizing the Tinymist language server within the Helix editor, users can leverage advanced features such as semantic highlighting and a synchronized live preview.

Embedding EYG in Gleam programs

This article demonstrates how to embed the type-safe scripting language EYG into Gleam to create secure, programmable interfaces for configurations or plugins. It provides practical examples of implementing Gleam runners capable of processing both pure scripts and managed side effects, such as logging.

What are your programming “hunches” you haven’t yet investigated?

The author invites the Lobsters community to share uninvestigated programming “hunches” regarding potential technical solutions. Sharing these unproven ideas can foster interesting discussions and introduce new ways of thinking about complex problems.

How Much Linear Memory Access Is Enough?

An experimental study has determined the minimum contiguous memory block size required to maintain peak performance across various high-performance computing workloads. The findings suggest that 1 MB blocks are generally sufficient, though 128 kB or 4 kB blocks can suffice as the computation intensity per byte increases.

Any Open Source projects in need of documentation writer?

A volunteer documentation writer is seeking open-source projects that require assistance with their documentation. They are looking for opportunities where their contributions can make a meaningful impact.

I built a weather site for the Eastern Caribbean

A new weather and hurricane tracking website, dewedda.com, has been launched to serve the Eastern Caribbean islands. The project focuses on customizing weather interpretation layers, such as wind descriptions and “feels like” temperatures, to better reflect the region’s tropical climate.

Native Instant Space Switching on macOS

A new macOS tool called “InstantSpaceSwitcher” allows users to bypass space-switching animations without disabling System Integrity Protection. The lightweight application achieves instant transitions by simulating high-velocity trackpad swipes and includes a command-line interface for jumping directly to specific spaces.

Bitmap fonts make computers feel like computers again

The article explores the historical significance and unique aesthetic of bitmap fonts, which were originally developed to address the technical limitations of early computing. The author argues that the pixel-level precision of these fonts offers a distinct character that modern, scalable typography lacks.

Hegel, a universal property-based testing protocol and family of PBT libraries

Hegel is a universal property-based testing protocol and a family of libraries built on Hypothesis. It provides a standardized framework for implementing property-based testing across different environments.

What Game Engines Know About Data That Databases Forgot

Typhon is an embedded, ACID-compliant database engine written in .NET designed to bridge the gap between game engine throughput and database reliability. By leveraging Entity-Component-System (ECS) architecture, it provides sub-microsecond latency for real-time simulations and game servers through cache-line-aware storage and zero-copy access.

SQLite Release 3.53.0

SQLite Release 3.53.0 introduces the Query Result Formatter (QRF) to enhance the human-readability of SQL query results within the command-line interface. The update also incorporates new SQL features, such as REINDEX EXPRESSIONS and new JSON functions, alongside various improvements to the C-language interface and CLI commands.

Unfolder for Mac – A 3D model unfolding tool for creating papercraft

Unfolder is a 3D model unfolding tool available on the Mac App Store that quickly generates 2D parts optimized for papercraft. The software provides advanced customization for fold lines and flaps, supporting various export formats for printing, external editing, or CNC cutting.

I built a Cargo-like build tool for C/C++

The developer has released Craft, a new lightweight build and workflow tool designed to simplify C and C++ project setup and dependency management. Using a craft.toml configuration file, the tool automates CMake generation and provides cross-platform support for macOS, Linux, and Windows.

Guruka.com – free guided mediations. No signup, private, works offline

Guruka.com provides free, permanent access to guided meditations and brain games without requiring user registration or personal data collection. It serves as a privacy-focused, offline-capable alternative to subscription-based services like Balance and more complex apps like Insight Timer.

A WebGPU implementation of Augmented Vertex Block Descent

Webphysics is an experimental WebGPU prototype designed for rigid-body and soft-body physics simulations. The project implements an AVBD-style solver featuring a pipeline for collision detection, LBVH construction, and parallelized processing.

FreeBSD Laptop Compatibility: Top Laptops to Use with FreeBSD

This report evaluates the hardware compatibility of various laptop and mini PC models with the FreeBSD operating system. It assesses specific components, such as graphics processors and wireless network adapters, across devices from brands including Apple, Lenovo, Framework, and Dell.

Today Is CSS Naked Day

CSS Naked Day is an annual event held on April 9 that encourages web developers to remove all CSS from their websites to promote web standards and semantic markup. The 50-hour event spans various time zones to ensure global participation and provides various tools and plugins to assist developers in the process.

Help Keep Thunderbird Alive

Thunderbird, a free and privacy-focused email service, is calling for user donations to sustain its operations and development. The organization relies solely on contributions from a small fraction of its users to fund server maintenance and engineering without relying on advertisements or corporate sponsors.

Formal Verification in Any Language for Everybody (lean 4)

The article introduces Verification Guided Development (VGD), a method designed to ensure the correctness of production code in any programming language. Using Differential Random Testing (DRT), developers can compare the outputs of a formally proven Lean 4 implementation against their production code using randomly generated inputs.

Spark creator bags computing gong for making big data a little bit smaller

The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has awarded Matei Zaharia the Prize in Computing for his development of influential open-source software, most notably the Apache Spark engine. His work has significantly advanced the fields of machine learning and big data by making large-scale data processing more efficient and accessible.

Microsoft software resale appeal catches eye of £3.5B class action

Microsoft is appealing a UK tribunal ruling that found the resale of its perpetual software licenses to be legal, centering its new argument on copyright infringement. The outcome of this appeal could significantly impact a parallel class action lawsuit seeking up to £3.5 billion in damages.

🔌 Hardware & Infrastructure

Anthropic weighing custom chip design, but no commitment to design or team yet (Reuters)

Anthropic is exploring the possibility of designing its own AI chips to address the hardware shortages required for advanced AI development. While the company has yet to commit to a specific design or a dedicated team, the move mirrors similar strategies being pursued by competitors such as Meta and OpenAI.

OpenAI’s early computing resource push gives it a key advantage over Anthropic

OpenAI informed investors that its rapid and aggressive expansion of computing resources provides a significant competitive advantage over rival Anthropic. The company stated that this extensive infrastructure build-out allows it to meet rising demand for its AI products and maintain its market leadership.

Google and Intel expand partnership to deploy Xeon 6 and co-develop custom IPUs for efficiency

Google and Intel have expanded their partnership to co-develop custom infrastructure processing units and deploy Intel’s Xeon processors, including the latest Xeon 6. This collaboration aims to enhance computing efficiency as AI workloads transition from model training to large-scale deployment and complex agentic AI tasks.

Amazon’s space-internet Leo to launch mid-2026 after delays; FCC approved 3,236 satellites

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced that the company’s space-internet service, Leo, is now scheduled to launch in mid-2026. The service aims to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink by providing high-speed, affordable connectivity integrated with AWS.

Samsung to invest $4B in Vietnam chip packaging plant to meet AI demand (Bloomberg)

Samsung Electronics Co. plans to invest $4 billion to construct a chip packaging facility in Vietnam’s Thai Nguyen province. The investment will be implemented in multiple phases, with the first stage costing approximately $2 billion.

Meta adds $21B for CoreWeave AI cloud infra through 2032, on top of prior $14.2B deal.

Meta has committed to spending an additional $21 billion on AI cloud infrastructure from CoreWeave between 2027 and 2032. This new agreement builds upon a prior $14.2 billion deal as the company continues to aggressively expand its artificial intelligence capabilities.

OpenAI pauses UK Stargate project

OpenAI has paused its £31B Stargate UK datacenter project, citing high energy costs and regulatory uncertainty as the primary reasons for the delay. The decision, made as the company manages its spending ahead of a potential public listing, represents a significant setback for the UK’s goal to become a global leader in AI infrastructure.

Global scramble to protect submarine cables from sabotage using new monitoring tech

Governments, militaries, and private entities are implementing new technologies and patrols to protect global submarine cable networks from potential sabotage. These efforts aim to safeguard the critical underwater infrastructure that carries the majority of the world’s international data traffic.

TSMC CoWoS tech growing 80% CAGR; Nvidia reportedly reserved most capacity

TSMC’s CoWoS advanced packaging technology is growing at an 80% compound annual growth rate to meet the surging demand for AI hardware. With Nvidia having already reserved much of the available capacity, experts warn that advanced packaging could become the next major bottleneck in the semiconductor industry.

I made a productivity device for less than 50 bucks

The author has developed Mirtillo, an open-source digital agenda designed to track tasks, events, schedules, and budgets. The software is built for the M5Stack Paper S3, an affordable e-ink touchscreen device costing less than 50€.

NASA’s Artemis II Computer Design

NASA has engineered a highly redundant, eight-CPU computing architecture to manage all safety-critical functions of the Orion capsule during the Artemis II mission. The system utilizes a “fail-silent” design to ensure continuous operation in deep space by detecting and isolating hardware failures or radiation-induced errors.

Runahead Execution vs. Conventional Data Prefetching in the IBM POWER6 Microprocessor (2010)

This study compares the performance of runahead execution against conventional data prefetching techniques within the IBM POWER6 microprocessor. The research evaluates the effectiveness of these two different architectural approaches in managing data access.

Glasses Got Worse on Purpose

EssilorLuxottica dominates the global eyewear industry through extreme vertical integration, controlling everything from manufacturing and luxury brand licensing to retail outlets and vision insurance. This monopoly allows the conglomerate to maintain massive markups on products that cost significantly less to produce than their retail prices.

PicoZ80 – Drop-In Z80 Replacement

The picoZ80 is a drop-in replacement for Z80 DIP-40 CPUs that utilizes an RP2350B microcontroller to provide cycle-accurate bus control for legacy hardware. It enhances host systems with expanded memory, virtualized peripherals, and WiFi/Bluetooth connectivity via an integrated ESP32 co-processor. All device features are configurable via a JSON file, enabling the device to emulate various machine personas.

Old laptops in a colo as low cost servers

A new colocation service allows users to repurpose old laptops as professional, 24/7 servers for a flat monthly fee of €7. Utilizing Hetzner’s infrastructure, the service provides static IPv4 addresses, KVM-over-IP access, and setup assistance for hardware shipped via prepaid boxes. This low-cost alternative to VPS solutions aims to provide dedicated compute resources while helping to reduce e-waste.

Desalination Technology, by the Numbers

The Middle East hosts over 27% of the world’s desalination facilities, providing a vital water source for water-stressed regions like Qatar. Driven by the need for efficiency, the industry is increasingly utilizing much larger-scale operations, with average plant sizes increasing tenfold over the last 15 years.

You Can Just Print an Air Purifier

3D printing technology offers an accessible way to create custom, low-cost air purifiers by enhancing DIY designs like the Corsi-Rosenthal Box. By using printed components, individuals can effectively adapt box fans and standard furnace filters into personalized air filtration systems.

The Netherlands is building a “digital emergency kit” in case the internet shuts down nationwide

The Netherlands is developing a “digital emergency kit” to prepare for a potential nationwide internet shutdown. This initiative aims to ensure that essential services and communications remain functional during a large-scale outage.

European defence ministries are turning to a French cloud provider to cut ties with US tech

European defence ministries are turning to a French cloud provider to reduce their reliance on US-based technology. This shift is part of an effort to decrease dependency on American tech companies.

Google wants more Intel inside … its datacenters, taps Chipzilla for more SmartNICs

Google is expanding its partnership with Intel to develop next-generation Infrastructure Processing Units (IPUs) for its public cloud datacenters. Despite launching its own Arm-based Axion CPUs, Google will continue to rely on Intel’s custom ASICs and Xeon processors to manage networking, security, and AI workloads.

🛡️ Security & Policy

Ohio man: first convicted under Take It Down Act for sharing real/AI explicit images of 10+ victims

James Strahler II is the first person convicted under the Take It Down Act after pleading guilty to creating and sharing non-consensual real and AI-generated explicit images. The Ohio man used AI tools to target more than 10 victims, including minors, for the purposes of harassment, coercion, and threats.

White House opposes GOP AI bills in Nebraska and Tennessee, pressuring lawmakers on guardrails.

The Trump administration is pressuring Republican lawmakers in Nebraska and Tennessee to weaken or abandon state-level AI regulation bills to align them with the National AI Framework. This strategy follows similar opposition to legislation in Utah and occurs as federal AI safeguards remain stalled in Congress.

Florida AG probes OpenAI and ChatGPT over data security risks and mass shooter use

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has launched an investigation into OpenAI and ChatGPT, citing concerns over national security risks and criminal activity. The probe will examine whether the company’s technology could reach foreign adversaries and its potential role in facilitating incidents such as self-harm and mass shootings.

Meta removes Facebook and Instagram ads from lawyers after social media addiction trial losses

Meta has begun removing advertisements on Facebook and Instagram that were placed by trial lawyers to recruit plaintiffs for social media addiction lawsuits. The company stated it is acting to mitigate legal risks following recent court rulings against it regarding the impact of its platforms on minors.

AI-DECLARATION.md

The new AI-DECLARATION.md specification aims to increase transparency in software repositories by documenting the extent of AI-generated code usage. The format allows developers to declare AI involvement levels for specific development processes and individual code components using a structured YAML-based approach.

The Internet needs an antibotty immune system, stat

Anthropic’s Mythos Preview has demonstrated the ability to autonomously chain zero-day vulnerabilities, posing a significant threat to unpatchable embedded devices. To counter this, the author proposes “antibotty inoculation,” using frontier AI models to proactively defend networks through automated, localized responses.

CDC study shows Covid shot benefits; Trump official blocks release

Acting CDC director Jay Bhattacharya has blocked the publication of a study showing that the 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccine reduces emergency room visits by 50% and hospitalizations by 55%. The move has sparked concerns among health experts regarding political interference in federal scientific research under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers

Maine lawmakers have advanced a bill to implement the nation’s first statewide moratorium on new large data centers exceeding 20 megawatts. The measure, effective until November 2027, aims to assess the impact of the AI-driven energy boom on the state’s aging and increasingly expensive electrical grid.

Little Snitch comes to Linux, but the core logic is closed source

The recent Linux release of Little Snitch has drawn criticism from the FOSS community due to its closed-source core, which prevents essential code auditing. Instead, the author recommends using transparent, open-source alternatives like AdGuard Home for network-wide DNS filtering and OpenSnitch for application-level monitoring.

CDC delays publishing report showing Covid vaccine benefits

The acting director of the CDC has delayed the publication of a report showing that COVID-19 vaccines reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations for healthy adults by approximately half last winter. While the director cited concerns regarding the study’s methodology, the design used is a long-standing method for testing vaccine effectiveness.

The Vercel plugin on Claude Code wants to read your prompts

The Vercel plugin for Claude Code is facing criticism for using prompt injection to deceptively request user consent for sharing prompt text. Additionally, the plugin collects mandatory telemetry, including device identifiers and full bash command history, without clear disclosure or an opt-out mechanism.

Trump admin makes sweeping request for medical records of federal workers

The Trump administration’s Office of Personnel Management has proposed requiring health insurance companies to provide detailed, identifiable medical records for over 8 million federal employees, retirees, and their families. While the agency claims the data is necessary to oversee benefits programs, the move has raised significant privacy concerns among legal and health policy experts.

FBI Extracted Deleted Signal Messages Saved in iPhone Notification Database

The FBI successfully recovered deleted Signal messages from an iPhone by accessing the device’s push notification database during a trial involving an attack on a Texas detention facility. The incident highlights how sensitive data from secure messaging apps can be exposed through forensic extraction if users do not disable message previews in their notification settings.

Encrypted Client Hello: How it was blocked in Russia and next steps

Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) aims to enhance internet privacy by encrypting the Server Name Indication (SNI), making web connections indistinguishable to network observers. To achieve this uniformity, the technology utilizes the GREASE technique to prevent fingerprinting and hide specific website destinations.

Scan any LLM chatbot for vulnerabilities. Built by Mozilla

Scanner is an open-source web application designed to help organizations conduct security assessments on AI models before deployment. Built with Ruby on Rails and NVIDIA garak, the tool utilizes 179 probes aligned with the OWASP LLM Top 10 to identify vulnerabilities in both API and browser-based LLMs.

Nigel Farage wants to build a British ICE. Starmer may have handed him the tools

Reform UK is planning to launch a mass deportation initiative called “Operation Restoring Justice,” which would use a new enforcement agency and large-scale surveillance technology to identify illegal migrants. Privacy advocates have warned that the plan’s reliance on mining government, healthcare, and financial databases could lead to the creation of a “surveillance state.”

Trump administration orders dismantling of the U.S. Forest Service

The Trump administration has announced a major restructuring of the U.S. Forest Service, including moving its headquarters to Salt Lake City and closing all ten regional offices. The plan also involves shuttering over fifty research facilities and replacing many career professionals with fifteen political appointees.

North Korean hacker “detonates” malware on own PC, exposing $1M-a-month IT worker scam

A North Korean hacker inadvertently exposed a massive $1 million-a-month IT worker scam after detonating malware on their own computer. The incident revealed a large-scale fraudulent scheme involving fake overseas employment.

Telenor is being sued for giving Myanmar’s military phone data that led to arrests and executions

Telenor is facing a lawsuit for providing mobile phone data to the Myanmar military. The company is accused of sharing information that directly led to the arrests and subsequent executions of individuals.

European firm endorses Linux, releases free spy-blocking tool to cut reliance on foreign tech

A European firm has endorsed the Linux operating system and released a free tool designed to block spyware. The move aims to reduce reliance on foreign technology.

Capita’s pension portal exposes civil servants’ private data

A 35-minute data breach on Capita’s Civil Service Pensions Scheme portal recently exposed the personal information of 138 members. The incident has prompted the suspension of certain portal functionalities and triggered investigations by both the Cabinet Office and the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Sticky-note security turned gym into hall of ’80s horrors

A hotel guest was able to access treadmill control panels to play ’80s music videos after an installer left a default admin PIN on a Post-it note. While no significant damage occurred, the incident prompted the installation company to implement stricter security protocols and network isolation for connected fitness equipment.

💼 Business & Industry

Visa unveils Intelligent Commerce Connect for AI agent payments across card networks and rivals.

Visa has introduced Intelligent Commerce Connect, a platform that enables AI agents to execute payments across multiple card networks, including those of its competitors. Currently in pilot, the platform allows merchants to make product catalogs discoverable for autonomous, agent-driven shopping.

RISC-V designer SiFive raises $400M Series G at $3.65B valuation in final round before IPO

SiFive has raised $400 million in a Series G funding round led by Atreides, bringing the RISC-V chip designer’s valuation to $3.65 billion. The company plans to use the capital to develop central processor designs for the data-center market and anticipates this will be its final funding round before an IPO.

AWS AI revenue hits $15B run rate; Amazon’s internal chip business generates $20B+ per year

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy’s annual shareholder letter defends the company’s significant capital expenditures on AI and infrastructure, noting that AWS AI revenue has reached a $15 billion annual run rate. The letter also reveals that Amazon’s internal chips business is generating over $20 billion annually, driven by unprecedented demand for its technology.

OpenAI projects ad revenue to hit $2.4B in 2026, $11B in 2027, and $102B by 2030

OpenAI projects its advertising revenue will reach approximately $2.4 billion in 2026 and grow to nearly $11 billion by 2027. By 2030, the company expects ad revenue to hit roughly $102 billion, representing 36% of its total revenue.

Vinted 2025: Revenue up 38% to €1.1B, GMV up 47% to €10.8B, net profit down 19% to €62M

Vinted reported a 38% year-on-year increase in 2025 revenue to €1.1 billion, driven by its expansion into Latvia, Estonia, and Slovenia. While gross merchandise value climbed 47% to €10.8 billion, the online marketplace’s net profit declined 19% to €62 million.

Executives say trust, not AI, is the key differentiator for white-collar work (FT)

Executives in sectors such as finance and cyber defense argue that trust, rather than the technology itself, will be the primary differentiator as AI transforms white-collar work. They emphasize that accuracy, accountability, and regulation are essential as tools like Anthropic’s Claude plug-ins are integrated into professional workflows.

Arm CEO Rene Haas in line for new SoftBank role to drive Project Izanagi AI chip strategy

Arm CEO Rene Haas is reportedly in line for an additional role at SoftBank Group to lead much of its international business. This move is intended to advance the group’s AI chip strategy, known as Project Izanagi.

Neo VC’s early bets on Kalshi and Cursor drive fund values far above industry averages.

Led by CEO Ali Partovi, the San Francisco-based venture capital firm Neo has achieved returns significantly higher than industry averages through early investments in startups such as Kalshi and Cursor. This performance highlights the growing disparity between top-tier venture firms and the industry median.

Predictions Scorecard, 2026 January 01

Rodney Brooks has released his eighth annual update assessing the accuracy of his 2018 predictions regarding self-driving cars, robotics, AI, and human space travel. He concludes that while his forecasts have generally held up well, he was slightly too optimistic in certain areas.

Exclusive-Tesla is developing a new smaller, cheaper EV, sources say

Tesla is reportedly developing a new electric vehicle that will be both smaller and more affordable than its current models. Sources suggest this development aims to create a more accessible entry point into the company’s lineup.

Engineering departments from China laid off at Red Hat

Red Hat is reportedly laying off its engineering departments in China as part of a strategic shift toward APAC hubs. The move is estimated to affect at least 300 employees, following reports of sudden loss of access to internal services for many team members.

Tesla reportedly developing new smaller, cheaper EV after killing Model 2

Tesla is reportedly developing a new, smaller, and more affordable electric SUV, marking a reversal of Elon Musk’s decision to prioritize the Robotaxi program over human-driven vehicles. The vehicle is expected to be produced initially in Shanghai, with plans for eventual expansion to the US and Europe.

Lay offs at Red Hat

Red Hat has reportedly laid off all of its engineers in China. The dismissals took place this morning, resulting in the immediate revocation of VPN access for the affected employees.

Apple signs meaningless deal to make some less-important parts in America

Apple is expanding its American Manufacturing Program by adding new suppliers, including Bosch, TDK, and Cirrus Logic, to produce specific iPhone components in the United States. While these parts will be manufactured domestically, they will still be shipped to factories in China and India for final assembly.

Session is shutting down in 90 days

The Session Technology Foundation (STF) will shut down on July 8, 2026, unless it reaches its funding goals within the next 90 days. While current donations can maintain essential infrastructure in the short term, the foundation lacks the resources to retain full-time developers beyond April 2026.

Tesla is developing a new smaller, cheaper EV

Tesla is reportedly developing a new, more affordable electric SUV that is distinct from its current Model 3 and Model Y lines. The compact vehicle, which may be produced in China, aims to target a lower price point and could potentially support both human-driven and autonomous driving.

Lichess and Take Take Take Sign Cooperation Agreement

Lichess and Take Take Take have entered a cooperation agreement to utilize Lichess’s open-source infrastructure for Take Take Take’s new play zone. This partnership allows players to access Lichess accounts and servers via the Take Take Take app while providing Lichess with increased visibility and financial support.

Why the “Office Is Dead” panic actually matters

This article explores the broader significance of the debate surrounding the decline of traditional office environments. It examines why the “office is dead” narrative carries important implications for the future of work.

World’s smallest violin spotted at Amazon HQ as exec pay packets deflate

Several top Amazon executives saw a significant decrease in compensation for 2025, as many pay packages dropped from tens of millions of dollars to several hundred thousand due to a reduction in stock awards. This decline occurred despite a 12 percent increase in the company’s annual revenue and a 31 percent rise in net income.

UK.gov’s top tech jobs pay more than prime minister earns

The UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is recruiting three directors general to lead major digital, AI, and cybersecurity initiatives. The salaries for these roles range from £174,000 to over £260,000, all of which exceed the Prime Minister’s annual pay of £170,000.

🌐 Internet & Society

EFF exits X platform

After nearly two decades, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is leaving X, citing a significant decline in platform reach and concerns over changing moderation and security policies under Elon Musk. While the organization will maintain a presence on mainstream platforms to reach vulnerable populations, it plans to shift its primary advocacy efforts to more impactful spaces.

An analysis of recent tweets from 18 major publishers suggests that including links in X posts appears to decrease engagement. This finding supports recent debates regarding whether the platform’s algorithm penalizes news organizations for directing users to external websites.

How do we tell truths that might hurt?

Edsger W.D. Dijkstra examines the ethical dilemma of sharing uncomfortable truths within the computing science community, arguing that avoiding controversial topics undermines the field’s intellectual integrity. To illustrate this point, he presents a series of provocative critiques regarding various programming languages and professional practices.

You can absolutely have an RSS dependent website in 2026

The author demonstrates that hobbyist websites can successfully thrive without email newsletters by relying on RSS feeds and organic discovery. By avoiding subscription models, the author eliminates both the financial costs of email distribution and the security risks associated with managing user data.

Understanding Traceroute

This article explains how traceroute works by leveraging the Time to Live (TTL) field in IP packets to trigger ICMP “Time Exceeded” messages from intermediate routers. To illustrate this mechanism, the author provides a basic implementation of the tool written in Rust using UDP packets and raw sockets.

WikiMapped – 1.3M geolocated Wikipedia articles on an interactive world map

WikiMapped is an interactive world map that features 1.3 million geolocated Wikipedia articles. The platform allows users to explore vast amounts of Wikipedia content through a geospatial interface.

Many African families spend fortunes burying their dead

In many sub-Saharan African nations, families often spend significantly more on lavish funeral traditions than their total annual income. These exorbitant costs for elaborate ceremonies and extended mortuary storage frequently divert essential resources away from critical needs like healthcare.

CNN investigation: Exposing a global ‘rape academy’

A CNN investigation has uncovered online communities on platforms such as Telegram and Motherless.com where men exchange advice and media related to drugging and sexually assaulting unconscious women. These groups facilitate the commodification of sexual violence by sharing techniques for sedation and trading “sleep” content featuring sedated individuals.

Microsoft is employing dark patterns to goad users into paying for storage?

An IT professional alleges that Microsoft employs “dark patterns” by defaulting Windows 11 settings to sync desktop files to OneDrive. This practice can trigger storage alerts that pressure users into purchasing additional cloud subscriptions, potentially leading to accidental data loss for non-technical individuals.

Israel got away with targeting healthcare in Gaza. Now doing it in Lebanon too

Recent Israeli bombings near Lebanon’s largest public hospital have caused numerous casualties, signaling a broader pattern of targeting healthcare infrastructure. The author contends that Israel is employing tactics similar to those used in Gaza to cripple medical services and drive widespread civilian displacement in Lebanon.

The Pentagon Threatened Pope Leo XIV’s Ambassador with the Avignon Papacy

Senior Pentagon officials reportedly threatened the ambassador of Pope Leo XIV with military force by invoking the historical Avignon Papacy during a closed-door meeting. These aggressive diplomatic tactics have led the Vatican to indefinitely postpone the Pope’s planned 2026 visit to the United States.

Emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal now endangered

The IUCN Red List has reclassified the emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal as Endangered due to the impacts of climate change. Sea-ice loss is projected to halve the emperor penguin population by the 2080s, while rising ocean temperatures have already driven a 50% decline in Antarctic fur seals since 2000.

The Future of Everything Is Lies, I Guess: Part 3 – Culture

This article is the third installment in a series titled “The Future of Everything Is Lies, I Guess,” focusing this part on the impact on culture. It follows a previous discussion regarding the profound and unpredictable nature of machine learning.

Am I German or Autistic?

The article explores whether traits such as systematic thinking, precision, and a dislike for small talk are characteristic of German culture or autism. It highlights how prominent philosophers, including Kant and Wittgenstein, embodied these qualities through their refusal to accept surface-level explanations.

41 years sea surface temperature anomalies

A 41-year timelapse visualization uses NOAA Coral Reef Watch data to track daily sea surface temperature anomalies from January 1985 to the present. The animation highlights significant oceanic phenomena, including the 2016 Great Barrier Reef bleaching event and the cold wake left by Hurricane Katrina.

Wit, unker, Git: The lost medieval pronouns of English intimacy

Old English once utilized a unique set of “dual” pronouns, such as “wit” and “git,” to specifically refer to exactly two people. These terms, which captured a distinct sense of intimacy and “two-ness,” eventually vanished from the language around the 13th century due to significant social and political shifts.

America Has Lost the Arab World

Recent polling indicates a significant decline in public support for the United States and its allies across the Middle East following the October 7, 2023, attacks and subsequent regional conflicts. As confidence in the U.S.-led regional order erodes, many in the region are increasingly viewing China, Iran, and Russia more favorably. This shift in public opinion poses a growing risk to the diplomatic partnerships between Washington and Arab leaders.

Creating the Futurescape for the Fifth Element [2019]

Digital Domain’s visual effects experts collaborated with director Luc Besson to create the visually stunning “futurescape” for the sci-fi film The Fifth Element. The production utilized a large team of artists and model makers to realize a futuristic vision heavily influenced by the aesthetic of French comic books.

The brazen rightwing plan to conquer American schools

PragerU has transformed from a small digital non-profit into a major media entity with annual revenues nearing $70 million. The organization is expanding its influence within the American education system by providing conservative-oriented lesson plans and books that have been adopted in multiple U.S. states.

$270K bet against Orbán: crypto traders signal Hungary election upset on Polymarket

Crypto traders on the prediction market Polymarket have placed $270,000 in bets against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. This significant wagering suggests that traders are signaling a potential upset in the upcoming Hungarian election.