Amazon Establishes AI Agent Lab in San Francisco, Tapping Expertise from Adept
Amazon is launching a new R&D lab in San Francisco, dubbed the Amazon AGI SF Lab, aimed at advancing capabilities in AI agents, TechCrunch reports. The lab, focused on foundational…
Vipps Becomes First Third-Party Tap-to-Pay App on iPhone
Apple’s grip on iPhone’s tap-to-pay functionality is loosening. Vipps, a Norwegian mobile payment app, has become the first third-party service to utilize tap-to-pay on iOS, marking a significant milestone in…
Senators Urge Stronger Cybersecurity Measures After Chinese Telecom Hack
The United States must strengthen its defenses against cyber threats, lawmakers urged during a Senate hearing on Wednesday, following revelations of a massive Chinese hacking campaign dubbed “Salt Typhoon.” The…
SEC Advances NYSE Arca’s Filing for Bitwise Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF
U.S. regulators are currently reviewing a proposal from NYSE Arca to list a Bitwise exchange-traded fund (ETF) that holds both Bitcoin and Ether, following a recent filing on December 10.…
US Supreme Court Rejects Nvidia’s Appeal in Securities Fraud Case
The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed Nvidia’s attempt to block a securities fraud lawsuit brought by shareholders alleging the company misled investors about its reliance on cryptocurrency-related sales. Nvidia, a leading…
MicroStrategy Set to Join Nasdaq 100, According to Bloomberg Intelligence
MicroStrategy, a company well known for its substantial investment in Bitcoin, is poised to enter the Nasdaq 100 index on December 23, with an official announcement anticipated this week, per…
Japanese Crypto Exchange Coincheck Set for Nasdaq Debut
Coincheck Group, the parent company of the Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck, is poised to enter the public market with its upcoming debut on the Nasdaq stock exchange scheduled for December…
Trump Nominates Kari Lake to Lead Voice of America
President-elect Donald Trump has expressed his intention to nominate Kari Lake, a staunch ally, as the next director of the Voice of America (VOA), which is under the umbrella of…
Apple Launches iOS 18.2 with ChatGPT Siri and AI Tools
Apple has officially launched iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2, delivering significant enhancements to its AI ecosystem. These updates mark the final software releases for 2024 and introduce…
Instagram Threads and WhatsApp Return Online After Technical Issues
Meta’s suite of apps, including Instagram, Threads, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger, is returning to normal functionality after widespread disruptions left users unable to access services for hours on Wednesday. The…
ChatGPT and Sora Experience Widespread Outage
OpenAI’s flagship tools, ChatGPT, Sora, and its developer-facing API, encountered a significant outage on Wednesday, disrupting services for users worldwide. The company began investigating the issue at approximately 3:17 PM…
California Bill Proposes Mental Health Warning Labels for Social Media
California lawmakers are pushing for a new law, AB 56, that would require social media platforms to add warning labels about mental health risks. Attorney General Rob Bonta and Assemblymember…
Musicians Demand Labels Stop Legal Action Against Internet Archive
Musicians, including Tegan & Sara, Open Mike Eagle, and Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill, are urging major music labels to abandon their legal battle against the Internet Archive. These artists,…
Spotify Shuts Down Car Thing and Announces Refund Deadline
Spotify has officially disabled its Car Thing devices, marking the end of the in-car streaming accessory’s short-lived journey. The company confirmed the shutdown to TechCrunch after users noticed their devices…
TikTok Appeals for Time as US Ban Looms Next Month
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have filed an emergency motion requesting a federal appeals court to temporarily block a law that mandates the app’s sale or a nationwide ban.…
Blue Origin Aims to Launch New Glenn By End of 2024
Blue Origin plans to launch its massive New Glenn rocket by the end of 2024, but it still needs to pass a key test and get final approval from regulators.…
Reddit Tests AI-Powered Answers to Simplify Search
Reddit is piloting a new feature called Reddit Answers, designed to make searching the platform faster and more intuitive. The AI-powered tool pulls information directly from Reddit posts and conversations…
Trump Suggests TikTok Sale Amid Legal Challenges
Donald Trump, the president-elect, avoided giving a clear answer when asked if he would protect TikTok from its impending ban during an interview on Meet the Press with NBC’s Kristen…
UCLA Introduces AI-Generated Course Materials for Humanities Division
A UCLA comparative literature course is taking a high-tech turn this winter. Starting in 2025, students diving into literature from the Middle Ages to the 17th century will encounter AI-generated…
FTC Begins $72 Million Refund to Fortnite Players
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) began distributing $72 million in refunds to Fortnite players tricked into unintended purchases due to deceptive practices by the game’s developer, Epic Games. Announced on…