DeFi investors pulled $14B following North Korea-linked hacks on Aave and Drift. Global CO2 levels hit a record 431 ppm, fueled by rising AI data center demand. In tech, AWS is previewing AI agents for virtual desktops despite high token costs, while Telus faces backlash for using AI to mask call-center accents. Meanwhile, India’s regulator issued a cybersecurity alert regarding AI-driven threats.
🤖 AI & Automation
AWS lets agents drive its virtual cloudy desktops - which could cost 500,00 tokens per click
AWS is previewing a new service that allows AI agents to access and operate Amazon WorkSpaces virtual desktops using managed endpoints and unique identities. While this enables automated software interaction in isolated environments, research suggests that vision-based agentic actions can be significantly more expensive and less efficient than using APIs.
- AWS lets agents drive its virtual cloudy desktops - which could cost 500,00 tokens per click — go.theregister.com
FFmpeg developer calls out OxideAV for AI license laundering of his code
An FFmpeg developer has accused OxideAV of “AI license laundering” involving their code. The developer is calling out the company for allegedly misappropriating their work in violation of licensing terms.
Telus Uses AI to Alter Call-Agent Accents
Telus is using AI technology from Tomato.ai to alter the accents of offshore call-center agents in real time to reduce “accent-related friction.” The practice has sparked significant backlash from labor groups and the public, with critics calling for mandatory disclosure to customers.
- Telus Uses AI to Alter Call-Agent Accents — letsdatascience.com
Medical student reverse-engineers AI tools to probe application filtering, raising hiring concerns
A medical student, Chad Markey, reverse-engineered AI tools used by medical colleges to investigate whether automated screening was filtering his residency applications. His investigation highlights growing concerns regarding the potential for AI-driven algorithms to unfairly penalize applicants based on specific language in their records.
- Medical student reverse-engineers AI tools to probe application filtering, raising hiring concerns — wired.com
Security camera companies use AI for detailed but often wildly wrong footage descriptions.
Security camera companies are increasingly using AI to provide detailed descriptions of surveillance footage beyond simple motion alerts. While these descriptions can be helpful, the technology is prone to significant errors, such as misidentifying brake lights as house fires or humans as bears.
- Security camera companies use AI for detailed but often wildly wrong footage descriptions. — wsj.com
🔐 Security & Privacy
India orders infosec red alert in case Mythos sparks crime spree
India’s Securities and Exchange Board has issued an advisory to equity market participants to strengthen cybersecurity defenses against potential attacks enabled by AI-driven vulnerability tools like Anthropic’s Mythos. The regulator has established a taskforce to monitor these emerging risks and recommended that companies implement measures such as zero-trust networking and regular vulnerability audits.
- India orders infosec red alert in case Mythos sparks crime spree — go.theregister.com
⚙️ Hardware & Computing
245TB Micron 6600 ION Data Center SSD Now Shipping
Micron’s 245TB 6600 ION Data Center SSD is now available for shipment. This high-capacity solid-state drive is designed to meet the storage demands of data center environments.
- 245TB Micron 6600 ION Data Center SSD Now Shipping — investors.micron.com
After a 40-year wait, technology enables three-sided zipper design
New technological advancements have enabled the creation of a three-sided zipper design after a 40-year wait. This breakthrough represents a significant development in manufacturing capabilities for fastening mechanisms.
- After a 40-year wait, technology enables three-sided zipper design — techxplore.com
📈 Business & Finance
DefiLlama: $14B pulled from DeFi after North Korea-linked hacks hit Aave and Drift
Investors have withdrawn approximately $14 billion from the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector following several major security breaches. These include North Korea-linked hacks that resulted in the theft of $290 million from Aave and $280 million from Drift.
China’s Big Fund seeks to lead DeepSeek fundraising at ~$45B valuation
DeepSeek is reportedly in discussions to raise new funding at a valuation of approximately $45 billion. China’s state-backed “Big Fund” is seeking to lead the investment, with interest also noted from major investors such as Tencent.
Delayed €19B Visma IPO is a major setback for PE giant Hg amid SaaSpocalypse fears
The IPO for the €19 billion accounting software company Visma has been delayed, representing a significant setback for its private equity parent, Hg. The postponement comes amid growing concerns regarding a potential downturn in the software-as-a-service market.
Blue Origin outlines new stock plan to quell staff unrest and rival SpaceX
Jeff Bezos is restructuring staff incentives at Blue Origin by introducing a new employee stock plan. This move aims to quell staff unrest and make the company’s compensation more competitive with SpaceX.
eleQtron raises €57M Series A for trapped-ion quantum processors, led by Schwarz Digits
German deeptech company eleQtron has raised €57 million in a Series A funding round led by Schwarz Digits. The capital will be used to scale its proprietary trapped-ion quantum computing technology and expand production capacity for industrial deployment.
📱 Mobile & Consumer Tech
iPhone dumbphone
Using Apple Configurator, a business-oriented tool, the author has transformed their iPhone into a “dumb phone” by restricting access to distracting apps and websites. This setup retains essential utility apps while creating enough friction to prevent easy changes, effectively reducing daily screen time by approximately two hours.
- iPhone dumbphone — stopa.io
🌍 Society & Environment
Ombudsman column: The Pentagon is trying to silence me
The Stars and Stripes ombudsman has been fired by the Pentagon, an action the author claims is retaliation for defending the newspaper’s editorial independence. The author alleges that Pentagon leadership is attempting to exert control over the publication’s content by undermining legal protections against interference.
- Ombudsman column: The Pentagon is trying to silence me — stripes.com
Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere just hit a ‘depressing’ new record
Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels reached a record high of approximately 431 parts per million in April, according to data from NOAA’s Mauna Loa Observatory. This increase follows a long-term upward trend and comes as rising electricity demand from artificial intelligence data centers has begun to reverse recent declines in U.S. emissions.
- Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere just hit a ‘depressing’ new record — scientificamerican.com
Why is southern Italy poorer than northern Italy?
This article explores the economic divergence between Northern and Southern Italy, examining whether the disparity stems from differing civic traditions or deeper environmental factors. While historical differences in social capital and institutions provide a proximate explanation, the author suggests that geography and malaria-related disease stress may be the ultimate causes.
- Why is southern Italy poorer than northern Italy? — statsandsociety.substack.com
US school cellphone bans boost student well-being but don’t raise test scores.
A new large-scale study shows that strict cellphone bans in US schools have successfully reduced device usage but have not yet led to improved academic test scores. However, the research found that students in these schools reported a greater sense of well-being and teachers experienced fewer classroom distractions.