Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2026-05-13 Briefing

Created Wed, 13 May 2026 19:46:04 +0000 Modified Wed, 13 May 2026 19:47:18 +0000
5048 Words

Critical security flaws in Meari-powered baby monitors expose 1.1 million families to potential surveillance. Geopolitically, US intelligence reveals Iran retains 70% of its missile stockpile, contradicting claims of military decline. In the UK, a relaunch of a voluntary digital ID scheme faces privacy backlash. Meanwhile, 50,000 Lake Tahoe residents face an energy crisis as utilities prioritize data centers.

🤖 AI & Machine Learning

Haiku

Haiku has selected three developers for the Google Summer of Code 2026 program to work on various system-level enhancements. Their projects include upgrading the Devices application into a comprehensive hardware manager and modernizing the operating system’s Bluetooth stack.

The AI Backlash Could Get Ugly

A growing bipartisan movement, fueled by fears of job displacement and corporate overreach, is intensifying opposition to the AI industry. This backlash is manifesting in increased resistance to data center developments and even instances of physical violence. Political figures are increasingly leveraging these anxieties to appeal to populist sentiments on both sides of the aisle.

The US is winning the AI race where it matters most: commercialization

The United States is leading the global AI race through its dominance in cloud infrastructure, data ownership, and commercialization. By integrating AI into global hyperscalers and established enterprise ecosystems, the U.S. maintains a decisive advantage in scale and adoption over competitors such as China and Europe.

Torrix, self hosted, LLM Observability,(no Postgres, no Redis)

Torrix is a new, self-hosted LLM observability tool designed to reduce setup complexity by running in a single Docker container backed by SQLite. The platform supports multiple AI providers and includes features such as cost forecasting, PII masking, and model routing, targeting teams managing moderate-scale LLM workloads.

“I applied to be pope”: Losing grip on reality while using ChatGPT

Canadian man Tom Millar experienced a severe mental health crisis involving delusions of scientific genius following prolonged, intensive use of ChatGPT. His experience highlights an emerging phenomenon known as “AI-associated delusions,” raising urgent concerns regarding the potential impact of unregulated AI chatbots on mental health.

AI shouldn’t have a meter. Unlimited tokens. Forever

OpenMonoAgent.ai is a free, open-source, terminal-native coding agent that operates entirely offline using local LLMs. Built on C#/.NET, the tool features automatic hardware optimization for both CPU and GPU and provides a secure, containerized environment for tasks like file editing and advanced code intelligence.

Adaption unveils AutoScientist to automate the model training and alignment research loop.

Adaption, an AI research lab co-founded by former Cohere VP Sara Hooker, has unveiled AutoScientist, a tool designed to automate the training and fine-tuning process for AI models. The system aims to accelerate model development by co-optimizing both data and models to learn specific capabilities more efficiently.

Anthropic launches Claude for Small Business with automated bookkeeping, insights, and ad tools.

Anthropic has launched “Claude for Small Business,” a new suite of automation tools and software integrations aimed at helping small and mid-sized enterprises adopt AI. Accessible through the Claude Cowork platform, the bundle offers specialized services for tasks such as bookkeeping and marketing via integrations with software like QuickBooks and Canva.

Q&A with Alexandr Wang: Meta’s AI stack, Muse Spark, superintelligence & more

In an interview on the Core Memory podcast, Alexandr Wang discussed rebuilding Meta’s AI infrastructure following the company’s $14 billion acquisition of the Scale AI co-founder. The conversation covers the recent launch of the Muse Spark model and Meta’s strategic efforts to compete with rivals such as OpenAI and Anthropic.

AI as Social Technology

Current debates about artificial intelligence are heavily influenced by 1990s science fiction myths regarding a transformative “Singularity.” The author argues that these exaggerated narratives of total social upheaval obscure the actual, complex ways that large language models interact with human social systems.

Dissatisfied: Three-fourths of AI customer service rollouts are a letdown

According to Sinch, AI customer service rollouts are facing significant challenges, with rollback rates reaching 81% at firms with mature guardrails. These figures suggest that enterprises are struggling to effectively manage AI systems once they are in production.

SAP U-turn brings AI features to ECC and on-prem S/4HANA

SAP is extending its AI feature rollout to include ECC and on-premises S/4HANA systems. This move marks a reversal of a previous strategy that focused innovation exclusively on cloud-based environments.

Execs admit AI makes them value human workers less

Executives are admitting that AI is reducing the perceived value of human workers, as significant investments in AI expertise have yet to yield tangible results. This shift occurs alongside emerging concerns regarding AI security and hardware supply chain pressures.

💻 Software & Development

Documenting everything everywhere all at once

Extensive personal digital archives create a permanent trail that can be exploited by governments through subpoenas or by hackers via data breaches. To mitigate these privacy risks, the author suggests reducing one’s digital footprint by embracing analog experiences and utilizing privacy-focused technologies.

Ardent (YC P26) – Postgres sandboxes in seconds with zero migration

Ardent has launched a platform that provides near-instant, production-like Postgres database sandboxes to help developers and coding agents test changes safely. Using logical replication, the service can spin up clones in under six seconds without requiring a database migration and includes features for data anonymization and enhanced security.

Open Source Resistance: keep OSS alive on company time

The “Open Source Resistance” manifesto encourages developers to maintain critical open-source software during working hours without seeking formal approval from their employers. It argues that maintaining essential dependencies is a professional responsibility and a necessary part of managing a company’s technical infrastructure.

The limits of Rust, or why you should probably not follow Amazon and Cloudflare

This article discusses the potential limitations of the Rust programming language. It cautions developers against blindly following the adoption strategies implemented by major companies like Amazon and Cloudflare.

Free Locality Domain Setup

US citizens and organizations can register free *.city.state.us locality domains by following a three-step process through a delegated registrar. The procedure involves selecting a subdomain, setting up nameservers via services like Amazon Lightsail, and completing an Interim .US Domain Template.

Leaving GitHub for Forgejo

The Dutch government and an individual developer are migrating their source code from GitHub to self-hosted Forgejo instances to ensure digital autonomy and ownership. This transition is driven by concerns regarding GitHub’s integration into Microsoft’s AI division, privacy risks from default AI training opt-ins, and frequent service outages.

Pyrefly v1.0 is here (fast type checker and language server for Python)

Pyrefly, an open-source Python type checker and language server, has officially reached version 1.0, signaling its readiness for production use. The release features significant performance and accuracy improvements, building on its existing adoption in major codebases such as PyTorch and Instagram.

Using OR-Tools CP-SAT for Scheduling Problems

Akamai is utilizing Google’s OR-Tools CP-SAT solver to optimize the scheduling of hypervisor host maintenance within its cloud infrastructure. The optimization model aims to minimize the total time required for reboots while managing complex constraints related to capacity, migration concurrency, and customer disruption.

Mino: Embeddable Clojure-inspired Lisp in portable C99

Mino is an embeddable, Clojure-inspired Lisp written in portable C99 that provides highly isolated runtimes with customizable, host-granted capabilities. Designed for high performance, the language can be seamlessly integrated into various environments, including C++, Rust, and Java.

Try LispE in the Browser

LispE enables the execution of Lisp-style code directly within a web browser. The article showcases this functionality using a FizzBuzz implementation via pattern matching and lists various related computer science and machine learning topics.

Cost of enum-to-string: C++26 reflection vs. the old ways

This article compares the compile-time performance of three C++ methods for enum-to-string conversion: C++26 reflection, the enchantum library, and the x-macro technique. The benchmark evaluates how each approach’s compilation cost scales with the number of enumerators and the overhead of including their respective headers.

The Emacsification of Software

Frustrated by the limitations of existing macOS Markdown viewers, the author used Claude to rapidly develop a custom application called MDV.app. The new tool provides a seamless reading experience with features like text search, bookmarks, and custom typography to overcome the shortcomings of current terminal and App Store alternatives.

Deterministic Fully-Static Whole-Binary Translation Without Heuristics

Elevator is a deterministic binary translator that statically converts x86-64 executables to AArch64 by accounting for all possible byte interpretations without relying on heuristics. While this approach causes significant code size expansion, it enables pre-deployment validation and achieves performance comparable to QEMU’s JIT emulation.

xkcd: Well 2

An xkcd comic features a “Uncomfortable Truths Well” that reveals unsettling facts about science, programming, and personal relationships in exchange for coins. Although the well has earned $13.72 today, it asks people to stop throwing pennies because the impact is painful.

Zero-native – Build native desktop apps with web UI

Zero-native is a framework for building lightweight desktop applications using web UIs and a Zig-based backend. It delivers sub-megabyte binaries and minimal memory usage by utilizing system WebViews or Chromium on macOS and Linux. The tool also supports easy integration with C libraries and modern frontend frameworks.

My graduation cap runs Rust

An author developed a custom graduation cap that uses an ATtiny85 microcontroller programmed in Rust to activate LEDs upon detecting tassel movement. Although the technical implementation was successful, the creator decided against wearing the device due to its tacky appearance.

How (and why) rqlite takes control of the SQLite Write-Ahead Log

rqlite utilizes the SQLite Write-Ahead Log (WAL) to efficiently manage incremental Raft snapshots by capturing changes rather than copying the entire database. To ensure the WAL remains a reliable source of state, rqlite takes control of the checkpointing process by disabling SQLite’s automatic checkpointing.

Points are a weird and inconsistent unit of measure

The article highlights the inconsistent use of the “point” as a unit of measurement in digital technologies, specifically noting the discrepancy between LaTeX and Inkscape. This variation stems from historical fluctuations in typographic standards and specific technical implementation decisions.

What if there was no BASIC in EndBASIC?

The creator of EndBASIC is exploring how to repurpose the project’s underlying technical building blocks, such as its compiler/VM and portable console framework, for new applications. This consideration stems from a desire to leverage these versatile components beyond the limitations of the BASIC language itself.

Lua as a practical “soft-bedrock” language

The article examines the utility of Lua as a practical “soft-bedrock” language. The provided text is otherwise inaccessible due to a captcha verification screen.

C++26: Standard library hardening

C++26 introduces standardized library hardening, which converts specific undefined behaviors in the standard library into detectable runtime contract violations. By focusing on memory safety preconditions, this feature aims to enhance security and code correctness with minimal performance overhead.

Designing a Custom Query Language for Non-Technical Analysts

The author details an 18-month project to design and implement a custom query language and execution environment for non-technical and semi-technical analysts. The tool enables these users to easily query large-scale vehicle maintenance data to identify specific vehicle populations based on complex maintenance histories.

Erlang/OTP 29.0 Release

Erlang/OTP 29.0 has been released, introducing new language features such as native records and multi-valued comprehensions. The update also implements significant security enhancements, including a more secure-by-default SSH daemon configuration, alongside improved compiler efficiency and new modules for terminal styling.

An update on East River Source Control availability

East River Source Control is developing a scalable code hosting platform based on Jujutsu that offers Git compatibility and a high-performance storage engine. The product is currently in trials with early partners, with plans to onboard more teams and introduce code review features in the near future.

Dart Live, a compiler, VM, analyzer and hot reload on the web via Wasm

Dart Live allows users to run Dart programs entirely in a web browser by compiling the Dart VM to WebAssembly. This serverless tool provides a compiler, analyzer, and hot reload functionality integrated within the Monaco editor.

Tolaria, Rust, and Questions About What Makes a Mac App Feel Good to Me

Tolaria is an open-source macOS and Linux application designed to manage Markdown files using Git for backups. Built with a Rust backend and a React frontend via Tauri, the app is noted for its exceptional speed, lightweight architecture, and subtle user interface.

A detailed introduction to Kakoune for the aspiring power user

This article provides a comprehensive introduction to the Kakoune text editor, exploring its design philosophy, history, and key features. It highlights how the editor distinguishes itself from Vim through its use of multi-cursor editing, an inverted subject-verb grammar, and a strong adherence to Unix-centric principles.

Rust stalks IBM mainframes, but only in nightly form

This news digest covers recent developments in AI security, hardware supply chain challenges, and identity resilience. It also features updates on SpaceX’s upcoming Starship test and recent Microsoft Windows performance and update enhancements.

Microsoft aims to speed Windows with ’leap forward’ in WinUI 3 perf

Microsoft is working to improve Windows performance by implementing a significant “leap forward” in the WinUI 3 framework. The initiative aims to address long-standing developer concerns regarding the current framework’s slow speed.

Microsoft gives Windows Update a Ctrl-Z for bad drivers

Microsoft is introducing a cloud-powered “undo” feature for Windows Update to automatically roll back problematic drivers. This new capability aims to resolve driver issues without requiring manual intervention from users or hardware partners.

Linux gains more critical Windows apps: 3D Movie Maker and Space Cadet Pinball

Linux has expanded its compatibility to include classic Windows applications such as 3D Movie Maker and Space Cadet Pinball. This development highlights the increasing versatility of modern porting tools and Linux’s growing role as an industry-standard operating system.

dBase debased: Database titan fades to black after 47 years

The veteran database application dBase is fading after 47 years of operation. A recent blog post mourning the software’s decline appears to have contributed to the loss of its remaining online presence.

🛡️ Security & Privacy

Hacker checks out Amazon baby monitor, finds mother of all security flaws

A security researcher has discovered critical vulnerabilities in a shared technology platform used by over 300 baby monitor brands, potentially exposing 1.1 million families to unauthorized surveillance. The flaws, affecting Meari-powered devices such as Wyze and CloudEdge, include unauthorized data access, exposed device locations, and unencrypted snapshots.

The Dutch suicide prevention hotline, 113 Zelfmoordpreventie, has been found sharing website visitor metadata, such as location and device information, with third parties like Google without user consent. Following exposure by an ethical hacker, the foundation has temporarily suspended its tracking tools and is investigating potential GDPR violations.

SecurityBaseline.eu

SecurityBaseline.eu has launched to monitor and visualize security risks across 32 European countries using interactive maps. The platform tracks 21 metrics across 200,000 domains, highlighting critical vulnerabilities such as illegal tracking cookies and poorly encrypted governmental email. Its primary mission is to provide the transparency needed for governments to identify and address security gaps to better protect their citizens.

DMARC Fail: 7 Causes and How to Fix Each

DMARC can fail even when SPF and DKIM checks pass if the authenticated domains do not align with the email’s “From” header. As major providers like Google increasingly enforce authentication requirements, resolving these alignment discrepancies is essential to prevent messages from being quarantined or rejected.

Project Intercept sent 70M+ warnings to CSAM seekers in 2 years via Google, TikTok & Meta

Project Intercept, a partnership between the Lucy Faithfull Foundation and tech giants like Google, TikTok, and Meta, has sent over 70 million warning messages to individuals seeking child sexual abuse material online in the last two years. The initiative aims to disrupt harmful behavior by redirecting users toward therapeutic resources and support services. While the proportion of users accessing these resources is relatively low, those who do engage show high levels of continued interaction.

A Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in Claude Code allowed attackers to execute arbitrary commands by injecting malicious settings through crafted claude-cli:// deeplink handlers. The flaw was caused by a naive command-line parsing mechanism and has since been resolved in version 2.1.118.

Greater Manchester still says no to NHS data platform with Palantir at its heart

The Integrated Care Board in Greater Manchester has declined to implement an NHS data platform centered on Palantir. This decision follows growing public concern and a lack of sufficient evidence regarding the platform’s potential benefits.

London cops hail fixed facial recognition cams after suspects collared every 35 mins

London police are praising a trial of fixed facial recognition cameras in Croydon that resulted in 173 arrests. While authorities claim suspects were apprehended every 35 minutes, civil liberties groups remain skeptical of the technology.

Malware crew TeamPCP open-sources its Shai-Hulud worm on GitHub

The malware group TeamPCP has open-sourced its Shai-Hulud worm on GitHub. The code has already been widely forked, apparently without being detected by Microsoft’s security monitoring.

⚡ Energy & Infrastructure

Data centers cutting power to homes, driving homeowners to solar and batteries

The rapid expansion of AI data centers is straining the power grid and causing utilities to redirect electricity away from residential customers to support large-scale tech projects. As a result, rising electricity rates and reliability concerns are driving more homeowners to invest in solar and battery storage systems.

50K Tahoe residents need power as utility eyes redirecting lines to data centers

Approximately 50,000 Lake Tahoe residents face a looming energy crisis as NV Energy prepares to stop supplying power to Liberty Utilities after May 2027 to prioritize Northern Nevada’s growing data center industry. Finding an alternative power source is complicated by complex jurisdictional conflicts between California and Nevada regulators and the high cost of constructing new transmission lines.

xAI adds turbines amid lawsuit

xAI has expanded its Colossus 2 data center in Southaven, Mississippi, by adding 19 natural gas turbines, bringing the facility’s total to 46. This expansion occurs as the company faces a lawsuit from the NAACP and environmental groups alleging Clean Air Act violations due to operating the units without necessary permits.

Utah mega datacenter could dump 23 atomic bombs worth of energy per day

A physicist has warned that the proposed Stratos campus data center in Utah could significantly impact the local environment. The facility’s projected energy consumption is estimated to be equivalent to the power of 23 atomic bombs per day.

SpaceX sets date for Starship test that asks: Did we break anything in the upgrade?

SpaceX has scheduled a Starship test launch for May 19. The mission will evaluate several recent upgrades, including redesigned rocket components, engines, and the launch pad.

ZTE advances intelligent network monetization at AGC2026, empowering ISPs

At AGC2026, ZTE introduced an intelligent network monetization strategy aimed at helping ISPs achieve sustainable growth. The approach leverages 10G PON, light OTN, and Wi-Fi 7 technologies to modernize infrastructure and reduce operational costs for local operators.

⚖️ Business & Policy

UK and Europe Digital Identity Updates

While individuals are migrating digital infrastructures to European and Swiss services to prioritize data sovereignty and privacy, the UK government has confirmed the relaunch of a voluntary digital ID scheme. This government initiative faces significant opposition from privacy advocates concerned about the potential for mass surveillance and state overreach.

U.S. intelligence shows Iran retains substantial missile capabilities

Classified U.S. intelligence assessments reveal that Iran has regained operational access to 30 of its 33 missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz, contradicting claims from the Trump administration that the nation’s military was decimated. The reports indicate that Iran retains roughly 70% of its missile stockpile and mobile launchers, with approximately 90% of its underground facilities now partially or fully operational.

Kickstarter is forced to ban adult content by payment processors

Kickstarter has updated its “Mature Content” guidelines to prohibit specific forms of NSFW content, including implied nudity and certain anatomical depictions. The shift is reportedly driven by pressure from payment processor Stripe, mirroring similar recent censorship trends observed on platforms like Steam and Itch.io.

European Stagnation Is Real

The author disputes Paul Krugman’s claim that Europe is not falling behind the United States, arguing that Krugman’s analysis overlooks significant productivity gains. By employing constant-price comparisons, the author demonstrates a genuine divergence in real output, highlighting the urgent need for economic reform in Europe.

Anduril raises $5B in Series H

Anduril has raised $5 billion in a Series H funding round.

a16z’s Massive Political Spending

Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz has emerged as the largest donor in the current US midterm election cycle, contributing over $115 million to various political groups. This significant increase in spending includes substantial donations directed toward Republican, pro-crypto, and pro-AI Super PACs.

Sovereign Tech Fund Invests in KDE

The Sovereign Tech Fund is investing over €1 million in KDE to enhance its security architecture, testing infrastructure, and communication frameworks. This investment aims to promote digital sovereignty and privacy by providing auditable, open-source alternatives to software from major technology companies.

OpenAI endorses Kids Online Safety Act and Illinois SB 315 for AI safety and transparency

OpenAI has announced its endorsement of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and Illinois SB 315 to enhance protections for youth and establish safety frameworks for frontier AI. The Illinois legislation specifically aims to implement requirements for transparency, incident reporting, and third-party audits for the most advanced AI systems.

Anthropic revenue run rate on track for $50B by June; Ramp says more users than OpenAI, a first

Anthropic is rapidly closing the gap with OpenAI, with its revenue run rate projected to reach $50 billion by the end of June. Driven by a focus on enterprise users and coding, the startup’s growth is accelerating while OpenAI’s performance shows signs of plateauing.

Poland to proceed with 3% digital tax on large platforms despite US tariff threats

Poland intends to implement a digital services tax of up to 3% on large digital platforms, despite potential retaliatory tariffs from the United States. Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski confirmed that the government will proceed with the legislation despite criticism from major US tech companies.

Royal Household seeks £3M finance system fit for a King

The Royal Household is seeking a contractor to implement a new £3 million finance system to manage taxpayer funds. The tender aims to establish a robust system capable of handling millions in public money.

Civil servants to protest outside Capita AGM over pension shambles

Civil servants will protest outside Capita’s Annual General Meeting to demand the government terminates the outsourcer’s contract. The union is calling for the cancellation following a series of pension-related failures, including data breaches, delays, and issues with bereavement services.

📱 Consumer Tech

Instagram rolls out Instants for ephemeral photo sharing via in-app and standalone apps

Meta has launched Instants, a new feature within Instagram and a standalone app for iOS and Android that allows users to share spontaneous, ephemeral photos. Designed for unfiltered sharing, these photos disappear after being viewed but are archived for up to a year and can be reshared to Stories.

Trump Mobile T1 Phone pre-orders shipping this week, assembled in US after delays

Trump Mobile CEO Pat O’Brien announced that pre-ordered T1 Phones will begin shipping this week following several months of delays. The company confirmed that the initial devices are assembled in the United States, with plans to use more American-made components for future models.

Q&A with Amazon’s Panos Panay on Alexa+, home devices, and Leo satellite broadband

Amazon SVP Panos Panay discussed the company’s strategy to integrate AI into its hardware ecosystem through initiatives like the Alexa+ upgrade. He also touched on the development of the Leo satellite broadband service and the management of Amazon’s diverse consumer hardware portfolio, including Ring and Echo.

MacBook Neo Review: The Laptop For The Rest Of Us

The MacBook Neo is an affordable $599 laptop designed specifically for general users rather than power users. While it lacks the advanced specifications of models like the MacBook Air, it serves as an effective and well-targeted option for the average consumer.

This browser add-in doesn’t just hide ads, it tells you to OBEY

A new Chromium browser extension replaces advertisements with John Carpenter-style subliminal slogans. Instead of traditional promotional content, the add-in displays messages such as “OBEY.”

ZTE and MediaTek unveil Tri-band Wi-Fi 7, targeting a relatively unexplored premium niche in Brazil

ZTE and MediaTek have unveiled Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 technology, targeting an unexplored premium niche in Brazil. This initiative aims to empower Brazilian internet service providers with next-generation Wi-Fi 7 infrastructure.

Man jailed for packing printer with something more expensive than toner: Cocaine

A man has been jailed for hiding cocaine inside a printer instead of toner or paper. The Class A drugs were discovered packed within the device.