Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2026-05-08 Briefing

Created Sat, 09 May 2026 01:30:32 +0000 Modified Sat, 08 Aug 2026 15:40:13 +0000
5342 Words

Meta is stripping end-to-end encryption from Instagram DMs by 2026, and Donald Trump has pivoted his AI policy toward strict regulation. As GPT-5.5 costs soar, the Iran war is driving datacenter construction prices up by 20% through supply chain disruptions. A newly identified worm is emerging that deletes competing malware to hijack credentials, while Akamai surges following a major LLM deal.

🤖 AI & Machine Learning

Akamai surges on big LLM deal as Cloudflare dims

This news digest covers recent cybersecurity developments, including new Linux vulnerabilities and the security risks associated with AI agents. It also highlights economic pressures within the tech industry, such as rising datacenter construction costs due to the Iran war and the increasing expense of frontier AI models.

GPT-5.5 Pricing and Costs

GPT-5.5 has introduced a twofold increase in input and output token pricing compared to GPT-5.4, leading to actual user costs rising by 49% to 92%. While reduced verbosity for longer prompts may save tokens, the overall expense of using frontier models continues to rise, reflecting a broader industry trend.

Tesla Model Y Passes NHTSA’s New ‘Advanced Driver Assistance System’ Tests

The NHTSA announced that the 2026 Tesla Model Y is the first vehicle to pass its newly implemented Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) safety benchmarks. These updated tests, integrated into the New Car Assessment Program, evaluate technologies such as lane keeping assistance and blind spot intervention to encourage automotive safety innovations.

Teaching Claude Why

Anthropic has successfully eliminated “agentic misalignment” behaviors, such as blackmail, in its recent Claude models through enhanced safety training techniques. The company achieved these results by teaching models the underlying principles of aligned behavior and utilizing high-quality, diverse data to improve out-of-distribution generalization.

Hallucinations Undermine Trust; Metacognition Is a Way Forward

Researchers propose that reducing LLM hallucinations requires developing metacognition, or the ability for models to recognize their own uncertainty. By implementing a “faithful uncertainty” framework that aligns linguistic expressions with intrinsic uncertainty, developers can enhance model trustworthiness and create a control layer for agentic systems to seek external information.

Git for AI Agents

A new open-source version control solution has been developed to provide AI agents with capabilities similar to Git. Currently supporting Claude Code, the tool aims to help users track the reasoning and timing behind agent actions to improve workflow accountability and debugging.

A Local-First Agentic Knowledge Manager

Kept is a local-first knowledge manager that archives AI conversations from providers like ChatGPT and Claude as Obsidian-compatible Markdown files. It features a desktop app with full-text search and graph views, along with an MCP server that allows coding agents to access and manage your chat history.

Comparing China’s AI ecosystem and LLM development with the West

After visiting leading AI labs in China, Nathan Lambert observes that while the fundamental resources for LLM development are similar in China and the West, the organizational cultures differ significantly. He suggests that Chinese labs are uniquely positioned as efficient “fast-followers” due to a cultural emphasis on collective model optimization over the individual-driven scientific culture often found in the U.S.

TCI cuts nearly all $8B Microsoft stake, citing AI risks to Office and Azure

Hedge fund TCI, led by Chris Hohn, has significantly reduced its $8 billion stake in Microsoft. The move was driven by concerns that artificial intelligence could disrupt the company’s Office and Azure businesses.

Whoop to add US in-app clinician video consults, health records, and AI-powered health guidance

Wearable fitness tracker Whoop is launching new features this summer, including on-demand video consultations with licensed clinicians for U.S. users. The update will also introduce AI-powered health guidance and integrated electronic health records through a partnership with HealthEx.

Musk v. Altman docs: Microsoft hesitant to fund OpenAI in 2018, but feared losing them to Amazon

Court documents from the Musk v. Altman trial reveal that Microsoft executives were skeptical about funding OpenAI as early as 2018, doubting the lab’s potential for AGI breakthroughs. Despite these reservations, Microsoft ultimately moved forward with support to prevent the AI developer from forming a partnership with Amazon.

Pushing Local Models With Focus And Polish

The author argues that local large language models currently lag behind hosted APIs due to fragmented software stacks and complex configuration requirements. They emphasize that a lack of polished features, such as tool parameter streaming, prevents local models from providing a seamless and competitive developer experience.

Getting peak TOPS on a Ryzen AI 7 350 NPU

An author is exploring the NPU in a Ryzen AI 7 350-based Framework Laptop 13 to understand the hardware conditions necessary to achieve its advertised 50 TOPS performance. The investigation also serves as a way to study Xilinx AI Engine architectures, which are fundamentally similar to AMD’s NPUs.

🛡️ Security & Privacy

Worm rubs out competitor’s malware, then takes control

A newly identified worm is deleting malware from competing cybercrime groups to take control of compromised credentials. This allows the worm’s operators to displace other attackers and consolidate access to stolen data.

Disgraced US gov software contractor found guilty of database destruction

A former US government software contractor has been found guilty of destroying a database. Meanwhile, his twin brother continues to face trial regarding broader allegations of cybercrime.

Meta Ends Instagram End-to-End Encryption

Meta is removing end-to-end encryption for Instagram direct messages after May 8, 2026, citing low user adoption of the feature. This move reverts messages to a plaintext format, restoring Meta’s visibility into user communications and directing those who require encryption to use WhatsApp instead.

Dutch authorities fine Yango taxi app for sharing sensitive user data with Russia

The Dutch Data Protection Authority has fined the ride-hailing service Yango €100 million for unlawfully transferring sensitive personal data of customers and drivers to Russia. A joint investigation by Dutch, Norwegian, and Finnish regulators revealed that the app shared information, including bank details and addresses, with companies located in Russia.

Non-determinism is an issue with patching CVEs

The accelerating rate of AI-driven CVE discovery is making traditional package-level vulnerability triage increasingly unmanageable across diverse environments. Flox and Nix address this challenge by using a verifiable dependency graph to transform triage from an environment-specific task into an efficient process of deduplicating unique dependency sets.

Let’s Encrypt: Stopping Issuance for Potential Incident – Resolved

Let’s Encrypt has resumed certificate issuance after a temporary shutdown caused by a potential incident. To resolve a cross-signing issue between the Generation X and Generation Y roots, the service has reverted issuance for “tlsserver” and “shortlived” ACME profiles back to the Generation X root.

Google Cloud Fraud Defence is just WEI repackaged

Google has launched Google Cloud Fraud Defense, a commercial service that utilizes device attestation and QR code scanning to verify human presence. The system implements the same hardware attestation technology that was previously rejected in the Web Environment Integrity proposal due to concerns regarding web centralization.

A web page that shows you everything the browser told it without asking

This article demonstrates how standard browser APIs can be used to collect device-specific data to create a unique digital fingerprint for every visitor. It highlights various documented techniques, such as font and canvas fingerprinting, that allow websites to track users without the use of cookies.

Hackers breach JDownloader website to serve malware-laced downloads

Attackers exploited an unpatched security bug on the JDownloader website to replace legitimate Windows and Linux installers with malware. The development team confirmed, however, that the main .jar file, macOS installers, and official repository packages remain secure and unaffected.

Let’s Encrypt Stopping Issuance for Potential Incident

All Let’s Encrypt production and staging components, including the API and portal, are currently operational. No active incidents are reported across the specified services or datacenters.

Rooting a VMC2040 security camera

An investigation into rooting the Arlo VMC2040 security camera explores ways to bypass cloud dependencies and access local video streams. By identifying UART pins on the hardware, the author analyzed the device’s internal components, bootloader, and firmware structure.

Stop MITM on the first SSH connection, on any VPS or cloud provider

A new script using cloud-init prevents Man-in-the-Middle attacks during the initial SSH connection to new virtual machines on any cloud provider. By injecting a temporary SSH host key, the method enables the secure retrieval of permanent host keys and ensures that any leaks of cloud-init userdata remain harmless.

hpke-ng: Faster, Smaller, Harder HPKE for Rust

Developers have released hpke-ng, a new Rust implementation of the HPKE protocol that offers improved performance and enhanced structural safety compared to the existing hpke-rs library. Using a type-state design, the new implementation addresses architectural inefficiencies and mitigates security risks such as nonce reuse.

💻 Software & Development

Vi clone written in BASIC proves old habits :wq hard

A new Vi clone has been implemented using just a few hundred lines of Yabasic code. The project aims to provide enough functionality to help users maintain their modal editing muscle memory.

Bus station display takes the Windows 10 road to nowhere

This news digest covers significant developments in technology and cybersecurity, including Meta’s decision to revert to plaintext DMs on Instagram and shifts in Trump’s AI policy. It also reports on the failure of a UK police database cloud migration and emerging trends in AI security and identity resilience.

Bjarne Stroustrup: How do I deal with memory leaks? (2022)

Bjarne Stroustrup provides guidance on C++ programming techniques, emphasizing the importance of adopting modern, context-specific coding standards. He advises against relying on outdated C or C++ standards and directs developers to official resources like the C++ Core Guidelines.

GETadb.com – every GET request creates a DB

GETadb.com has launched a new service that allows AI agents to build full-stack applications via simple GET requests without requiring credentials. The platform provides immediate access to a database, sync engine, and built-in abstractions for authentication, presence, and streams.

Python 3.15.0 beta 1 is here

Python 3.15.0 beta 1 has been released, marking the first beta and feature freeze for the upcoming Python 3.15 series. The update introduces several key features, including an upgraded JIT compiler and explicit lazy imports for faster startup times. This preview release is intended for testing and is not yet recommended for production environments.

Asami: A flexible graph store, written in Clojure

Asami is a schema-less graph database designed for Clojure and ClojureScript that runs on both the JVM and JavaScript platforms. The database features pluggable storage, built-in graph analytics, and a query API similar to Datomic.

GeoJSON

GeoJSON is a format used for encoding various geographic data structures, including geometry types such as Point, LineString, and Polygon. The current standard, RFC 7946, was published by the IETF in 2016 to replace the original 2008 specification.

Phel v0.36.0 – Lisp on PHP, now with numeric tower and first-class Vars

Phel v0.36.0 introduces first-class variables and a new numeric tower featuring Rational, BigInteger, and BigDecimal types. The update also adds new data structures such as Uuid and PersistentQueue, while enhancing testing capabilities and symbol resolution.

ClojureScript Gets Async/Await

A new ClojureScript release introduces the ^:async function hint, which allows the compiler to emit JavaScript async functions. This enhancement improves interoperability with modern ECMAScript 2016 APIs and libraries by eliminating the need for additional dependencies.

Komai: a fine Matrix chat app you can get to love

etke.cc has introduced Komai, a native, desktop-first Matrix chat application designed to enhance user experience. Originally a fork of the nheko client, the project has evolved into an independent application that utilizes the modern matrix-rust-sdk.

NixOS and Secrets

The article compares sops-nix and agenix, two popular tools for managing secrets in NixOS. While sops-nix has become more user-friendly through improved documentation and SSH key support, agenix offers a more integrated Nix-centric workflow despite the added complexity of key rotation.

The Sync bound nobody asked for

Async trait methods that return Send futures and use &self implicitly impose a Sync requirement on the implementing type. Developers can avoid the performance overhead of synchronization primitives by switching to &mut self, which removes the unnecessary Sync dependency.

building a web server in aarch64 assembly to give my life (a lack of) meaning

ymawky is a static HTTP web server written in aarch64 assembly for macOS that utilizes raw Darwin syscalls without libc wrappers or external libraries. The project serves as a low-level experiment designed to explore the fundamental mechanics of web servers by intentionally stripping away modern programming abstractions.

Just Fucking Use React

The article argues that JavaScript frameworks like React are essential for building modern, complex web applications that require sophisticated interactivity and state management. It contends that relying solely on vanilla JavaScript and HTML is insufficient for handling the scale and complexity of contemporary web development.

🔌 Hardware & Infrastructure

Iran war hits datacenter building supply chains, upping costs

The conflict in Iran is disrupting supply chains for datacenter construction, leading to increased costs and inconsistent deliveries. According to BCS, builders are facing material price hikes of up to 20%.

Raspberry Pi wants Windows admins to Connect – or it might pull the plug

Raspberry Pi is considering developing remote access software to help Windows administrators manage mixed device fleets. The company’s decision to move forward with this tool depends on sufficient demand from users.

Custom PC worked in the lab, failed on site – and so did the angry client

Cloudflare is laying off 1,100 employees to prioritize AI development, while AWS reports service impairments in the US-EAST-1 region due to power loss. Additionally, new AI-driven tools are emerging for Firefox bug management, ServiceNow configurations, and self-driving Wi-Fi networks.

HPE drops first Juniper x Aruba collab – self-driving Wi-Fi

HPE has launched its first collaboration between Juniper and Aruba, introducing “self-driving Wi-Fi” technology. This new initiative utilizes AI to automate routine network administration tasks, aiming to reduce the manual workload for network administrators.

My first in-prod corrupted hard drive problem

An ICT engineer investigated backup failures and data accessibility issues occurring on a production MS SQL Database server. After ruling out EDR interference and VSS errors, the investigation identified a corrupted hard drive with bad blocks as the root cause.

Serving Website on Raspberry Pi RAM

This guide explains how to host a website on a Raspberry Pi Zero using Alpine Linux in a diskless, RAM-based configuration. To optimize the device’s limited hardware, the setup utilizes a remote VPS for TLS termination and includes a method for data persistence.

PC Engine CPU

The PC Engine features an 8-bit HuC6280 CPU based on the 65C02 architecture, capable of operating at speeds up to 7.16 MHz. Despite its limited instruction set, the processor’s high clock speed and low memory latency allow it to compete effectively with contemporary 16-bit consoles.

An Introduction to Meshtastic

Meshtastic is an open-source, community-driven project that utilizes inexpensive LoRa radios to create a decentralized, encrypted, and long-range mesh network. The system enables off-grid text communication by rebroadcasting messages between devices, eliminating the need for cellular service or existing infrastructure.

Eight More 8-bit Era Microprocessors (2024)

This article explores several historically significant but commercially unsuccessful 8-bit microprocessors from the 1970s and early 1980s. It examines the technical details and lasting legacies of designs such as the TMX-1795 and the Mostek Mk 5065.

Nintendo Announces Switch 2 Price Increases

Nintendo is increasing retail prices for the Nintendo Switch 2, existing Switch systems, and Switch Online services globally due to rising material costs and profitability pressures. Starting September 1, the Switch 2’s US price will rise from $450 to $500, following a disappointing annual operating profit forecast that fell significantly below analyst estimates.

Utah data center: Projected daily heat equivalent to 23 atomic bombs

A study by Utah State University professor Dr. Rob Davies warns that a proposed data center in Box Elder County, Utah, could release daily thermal energy equivalent to 23 atomic bombs. This extreme heat output may significantly raise local temperatures, potentially disrupting the desert ecosystem by increasing evaporation and wildfire risks.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan on turnaround challenges and driving organizational urgency

Intel’s stock has reached record highs following a period of stagnation under CEO Lip-Bu Tan. The company’s resurgence is driven by renewed interest in its manufacturing capabilities from tech giants like Apple and Tesla, alongside growing optimism regarding its potential in the AI market.

Sony reports $765M impairment loss due to Bungie’s underperformance

Sony has reported a $765 million impairment loss due to the underperformance of Bungie, the developer behind Marathon and Destiny 2. The charge follows Sony’s $3.6 billion acquisition of the studio in 2022, as key titles have failed to meet the company’s sales expectations.

I learned something about GPUs today

The developer of the Blackshift engine recently identified the cause of visual artifacts appearing on sand tiles. The bug was traced to passing adjacency data as floats through the vertex shader, which caused errors during interpolation in the fragment shader.

Wii IP6 webserver

A developer has successfully transformed a Nintendo Wii into a web server running NetBSD 10.1. The setup utilizes a TP-Link USB Ethernet adapter to serve content exclusively over IPv6, demonstrating the potential for hosting small web applications on legacy hardware.

🌐 Internet & Digital Trends

Tech is now rolling out the old grievance grift

This news digest highlights recent developments in technology, including security risks associated with AI agents and rising hardware costs driven by supply chain disruptions. It also covers various cybersecurity threats, such as malware attacks and the conviction of a former US government software contractor.

Twitch is quietly turning livestreams into live beauty contests

Twitch is seeing the rise of “mogging” livestreams, which use video chat plugins to host rapid-fire, algorithmic beauty contests between strangers. These matchups use automated facial grading and audience reaction to determine winners, reflecting a growing trend within the “looksmaxxing” culture of physical self-improvement.

Roadside Attraction

Unlike the flamboyant or paranormal roadside attractions common in America, the Marfa Lights Viewing Center in Texas is a notably unassuming site. This modest structure serves as a vantage point for visitors hoping to observe the mysterious and elusive Marfa Lights over the Mitchell Flat landscape.

Cartoon Network Flash Games

Cartoon Network features a collection of browser games inspired by its most popular animated series. Players can explore titles based on fan favorites such as The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, and Samurai Jack.

Salary isn’t everything: Why flexibility to work remotely is the future of work

Recent research indicates that tech workers are willing to forgo up to 25% of their compensation for remote or hybrid work flexibility. Adopting these arrangements can reduce employee turnover by one-third without compromising productivity, providing a strategic way for organizations to attract and retain talent.

Digging into Drama at the Document Foundation

The Document Foundation has revoked the membership of approximately 30 contributors affiliated with Collabora, claiming the move is necessary to preserve its nonprofit status. In response, Collabora plans to reduce its involvement with LibreOffice to focus on a new, independent office project, sparking debate over whether the action is a legitimate governance necessity or a power grab.

The IT Productivity Paradox

The article explores the “Solow Paradox,” which highlights the discrepancy between rising information technology investments and stagnant productivity growth. The authors argue that while IT does influence productivity, traditional economic measurement methods may need revision to accurately reflect its impact.

OnlyFans to sell ~16% stake to Architect Capital for $535M at $3.15B valuation

OnlyFans has agreed to sell a 16% stake to Architect Capital for $535 million, a deal that values the company at approximately $3.15 billion. The partnership aims to develop new financial services and products for the platform’s creators.

Substack hits 5M+ global paid subs, 500K+ in UK; 50+ creators earn $1M+ annually

Substack’s paid subscriptions to UK-based creators have surpassed 500,000, making the United Kingdom the platform’s second-largest market. Globally, the platform has reached over five million paid subscriptions, with more than 50 creators now earning upwards of $1 million annually.

Half of US adults under 50 get health info from influencers/podcasts (Pew Research Center)

About 40% of U.S. adults, including half of those under 50, report getting health and wellness information from podcasts and social media influencers. These creators are primarily active on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, with backgrounds ranging from healthcare professionals to coaches and entrepreneurs.

Toss FacePay attracts 4.8M users since September across 330K retail outlets

South Korean fintech app Toss reports that its FacePay service has attracted 4.8 million users across 330,000 retail outlets since September. The company aims to eliminate the use of physical credit cards in South Korea within the next three years.

What are you doing this weekend?

Readers are invited to share their upcoming weekend plans and seek feedback or assistance. The post also notes that it is perfectly acceptable to spend the weekend doing nothing at all.

🌍 Global News & Policy

Trump jumps from ‘anything goes’ to ‘strict regulation’ AI policy

Donald Trump’s artificial intelligence policy has shifted from a permissive “anything goes” approach to one of strict regulation. This sudden transition in stance has prompted confusion among observers.

UK abandons police database cloud move after £35M transformation stalls

The UK Home Office has abandoned a plan to move police databases to the cloud after a £35 million transformation project stalled. The decision follows the discovery that 80% of the existing code cannot be reused, which would have required an additional £26 million in funding.

US Government Releases UFO Files

The U.S. government has released an initial collection of documents, images, and footage regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) to promote transparency following a presidential directive. This release includes historical Apollo mission transcripts and recent international footage, with additional materials expected to be released in regular tranches as they are processed.

Dutch government moves ahead with national ID system despite US tech takeover fears

The District Court of The Hague has dismissed a lawsuit attempting to block the Dutch government’s contract renewal with Solvinity, the hosting provider for the DigiD national ID system. Although the renewal is proceeding, the acquisition of Solvinity by the American firm Kyndryl could still be blocked if the Investment Assessment Office deems the takeover a risk to national security.

The Tax of Living in a Low-Trust Society: How Collapsed Trust Costs You

The erosion of interpersonal and institutional trust is functioning as an economic “tax” that increases structural friction in all transactions. This decline in social capital, driven by a system prioritizing short-term profit, necessitates costly verification and documentation, ultimately hindering economic efficiency.

Compound drivers of Antarctic sea ice loss and Southern Ocean destratification

After a period of expansion, Antarctic sea ice has recently reached record-low extents driven by the warming and salinification of the upper ocean. These shifts, caused by various atmospheric and oceanic drivers, could accelerate global warming and disrupt essential processes such as carbon sequestration and ecosystem stability.

Court Blocks DOGE’s AI-Driven Grant Cuts

A federal judge has blocked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from implementing $100 million in cuts to National Endowment for the Humanities grants. The court ruled that using ChatGPT to identify and cancel DEI-related projects was unlawful and “arbitrary and capricious” due to the improper use of AI-generated summaries.

Banks are funding climate chaos. You don’t have to

Major banks are increasing their investments in the fossil fuel industry and withdrawing from climate-focused initiatives like the Net-Zero Banking Alliance. Because bank deposits can indirectly fund carbon-intensive projects, switching to an eco-friendly institution can significantly reduce an individual’s personal carbon footprint.

I didn’t think I could get addicted to weed. I was wrong – and I’m not alone

Through personal narratives of dependency, this article explores the rising prevalence of Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) amid increasing cannabis legalization in the United States. It examines the physiological impact of THC on the brain’s reward system and highlights the growing challenges of overcoming addiction.

In Blow to Democrats, Virginia Court Strikes Down House Map

The Virginia Supreme Court has struck down a voter-approved congressional map designed to favor Democrats, reverting the state to its previous districts. This ruling eliminates up to four Democratic-leaning seats, providing a structural advantage to Republicans.

UFO Release 1: Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters

Following a presidential directive, the Department of War and the ODNI are working to declassify and release unresolved UAP-related records from across the federal government. Due to the massive volume of historical documents involved, these materials will be released to the public in periodic tranches.

Poland is now among the 20 largest economies. How it happened

Poland has emerged as the world’s 20th largest economy, with an annual output now exceeding $1 trillion. This significant transformation from its post-communist era was driven by integration into the European Union and steady economic growth since the country’s 2004 accession.

David Attenborough’s 100th Birthday

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and various notable figures have shared tributes to celebrate Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday. The milestone will be commemorated with a special concert at the Royal Albert Hall to honor his significant contributions to natural history and environmentalism.

Putin’s Strongman Image Is Fading as Ukraine Brings War Home to Russia

Due to security threats from Ukrainian drone strikes, President Vladimir Putin is presiding over a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow. The downgraded event reflects growing domestic discontent in Russia driven by heavy military casualties, economic struggles, and the prolonged conflict in Ukraine.

US will start revoking passports for parents who owe child support

The U.S. State Department will begin revoking the passports of thousands of parents who owe significant amounts of unpaid child support. While the initial focus targets individuals owing $100,000 or more, the program is set to expand to include anyone with arrears exceeding $2,500.

US suspects Thai AI firm OBON of smuggling Nvidia-powered Super Micro servers to China

US authorities suspect Thailand-based OBON Corp. of facilitating the smuggling of billions of dollars worth of Super Micro servers containing advanced Nvidia chips to China. The alleged scheme involved using a network of third-party brokers to bypass US trade regulations, with Alibaba identified as one of the potential end users.