From The Verge · 40 stories
Hacker Reveals AI Music Generator Suno Breached, Exposing Data Practices
A hacker breached AI music generator Suno, revealing it had scraped millions of songs from platforms like YouTube and Deezer for its training datasets. Exposed user data from over 55 million accounts highlights serious privacy and copyright violation concerns. This incident raises questions about the legality of Suno's dataset usage amidst ongoing lawsuits.
Google Launches Gemini 3.5 Flash Cyber for Efficient Vulnerability Management
Google DeepMind has launched Gemini 3.5 Flash Cyber, a cybersecurity AI model to detect and patch vulnerabilities efficiently. Initially available to governments and trusted partners via CodeMender, this model provides a cost-effective alternative to larger AI security models like Anthropic's Mythos. Its introduction is part of a broader release including Gemini 3.6 Flash and 3.5 Flash-Lite, demonstrating Google's continued commitment to cybersecurity innovation.
EU Mandates Google to Provide AI Rivals Access to Android and Search Data
The European Union requires Google to provide rival AI applications access to Android functionalities and to share anonymized search data under the Digital Markets Act. This aims to prevent Google from leveraging its OS dominance to limit competition. Google cited potential privacy and security concerns with these changes.
OnePlus to Cease Operations in US, Europe Amidst Oppo Restructuring
OnePlus will stop launching new products in North America and Europe, as part of a restructuring initiative by its parent company, Oppo. The company will transition existing devices to Oppo's ColorOS for updates while maintaining support agreements. This move, triggered by declining demand and operational challenges, marks a significant change for OnePlus's presence in Western markets.
Google Rebrands NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook with Enhanced Features
Google has rebranded its AI research tool NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook, integrating it into its AI ecosystem and enhancing it with new capabilities including secure code execution for data analysis. The tool, used by 30 million individuals and over 600,000 organizations, will now allow for deeper integration with Google Search and AI-related applications. This change marks Google's alignment of its AI tools under the Gemini brand, expanding the functionality and versatility of the tool.
Meta Faces Lawsuit Over AI-Driven Layoff Decisions Allegedly Discriminating Against Leave-Takers
Twenty-six former Meta employees have filed a lawsuit claiming biased AI systems were used for layoffs, disproportionately targeting those on protected leave. The suit alleges that AI tools ranked employees for layoffs without accounting for leave-related absences or disabilities, leading to possible violations of federal and state discrimination laws.
Spotify Launches AI Chatbot for Interactive Music and Media Control
Spotify has introduced 'Talk to Spotify,' a beta AI chatbot feature for Premium users. Available in the US, Ireland, and Sweden, it allows users to interact with the app to create playlists and learn about songs, audiobooks, and podcasts using voice or text commands. This rollout is part of Spotify's ongoing strategy to enhance user engagement through personalized AI interactions.
Apple Music to open 600-capacity concert venue in London's Battersea Power Station
Apple Music is opening a new 600-capacity concert venue, Apple Music Hall, in London's Battersea Power Station, located beneath its European headquarters. The venue will host live performances by artists, which will be filmed and broadcast online, marking Apple's return to hosting live music events in London.
Leaked DLSS 5 Library Found in NBA 2K27, Modders Get it Running in Control
A new Nvidia library, nvngx_dlssnr.dll, associated with DLSS 5 neural rendering technology, was found in the early access version of NBA 2K27. Modders successfully implemented this leaked DLSS 5 library into the game Control, demonstrating its functionality and initial performance characteristics on Blackwell GPUs. This leak provides an early look at Nvidia's upcoming rendering technology ahead of its official fall release.
Waymo reveals details of custom computing hardware powering its robotaxis
Waymo has disclosed key details about the custom computing hardware, including its silicon chip, that powers its autonomous robotaxis. This revelation provides insight into the technology enabling Waymo's driverless operations, which currently involve 4,000 vehicles across more than 10 cities.
Tesla Opens First High-Volume Semi Truck Production Factory in Nevada
Tesla has opened its first factory for high-volume production of the heavy-duty electric Semi truck in Sparks, Nevada. This expansion into commercial trucking comes as Tesla faces increased competition in its EV business and as rising diesel costs create an opportunity for electric alternatives in the commercial sector.
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg Placed on Paid Leave, Mark Davies Named Interim CEO
Automattic founder and CEO Matt Mullenweg was placed on a paid leave of absence by the company's board of directors. CFO Mark Davies has been appointed interim CEO, a decision Mullenweg stated was made without his consent and against his vote. This change in leadership affects Automattic, the parent company of WordPress, Tumblr, and Pocket Casts.
NVIDIA GeForce NOW Releases Native Linux App, Adds Nine New Games, and Cloud Optimizations
NVIDIA's GeForce NOW cloud gaming service has officially released its native Linux application out of beta, introduced new cloud optimizations for Frame Generation and CPU-intensive games, and added nine new titles, including "Halo: Campaign Evolved." These updates allow users to stream PC games with RTX-level performance on devices like laptops, Macs, and Chromebooks without requiring high-end local hardware.
Adobe Integrates Photoshop, Firefly, and 70+ Creative Tools into Slack via MCP App
Adobe has launched a new MCP app for Slack, integrating over 70 creative and productivity tools, including Photoshop, Firefly, and Acrobat, directly into Slack. This integration allows users to access and utilize Adobe tools within Slack conversations, with Slackbot calling the appropriate tool based on user descriptions and conversation context. The feature is available for Slack Business+ and Enterprise+ teams, aiming to streamline creative workflows within communication platforms.
Anthropic Establishes Bio Research Lab for Physical Experiments in Bay Area
Anthropic has opened a biology research lab in the San Francisco Bay Area to conduct physical experiments, confirming its commitment to real-world lab work in conjunction with AI. This development indicates Anthropic's expansion into biological research beyond its existing drug discovery program, potentially leveraging AI to accelerate treatment development.
Microsoft Updates Smaller Surface Pro and Laptop with Snapdragon X2 Plus Chips
Microsoft has refreshed its 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Plus chips, launching on October 13. These devices feature improved performance, brighter displays, and a minimum of 16GB RAM, but come with higher starting prices of $1,149.99 for the Surface Pro and $1,199.99 for the Surface Laptop. The Surface Pro 12-inch will also offer an optional 5G variant for enterprise versions.
Disney Appoints Karandeep Anand as First CTO, Signaling Tech and AI Focus
Disney has appointed Karandeep Anand, former CEO of Character.AI, as its first Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, effective October 2. This new C-suite role reports directly to CEO Josh D'Amaro and will oversee enterprise technology, infrastructure, data, AI platforms, product, and engineering. The appointment occurs despite Disney previously sending a cease and desist letter to Character.AI in September 2025 over alleged copyright infringement.
Microsoft sets new Patch Tuesday record with over 650 security fixes for Windows
Microsoft released over 650 security fixes for Windows in its September Patch Tuesday, setting a new record. This increase in patched vulnerabilities is attributed to new AI models, like Anthropic's Mythos and OpenAI's cybersecurity model, which are discovering software flaws at a rapid pace.
OpenAI's Astra AI model faces safety concerns over opaque internal processing
OpenAI's upcoming Astra AI model is raising concerns among researchers due to its use of a recurrent depth or looped transformer technique, which makes its internal reasoning less transparent than other frontier AI models. This opacity could make it harder to monitor for undesirable behaviors, despite OpenAI's stated efforts to implement additional safety protocols.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman States 2026 IPO Would Be 'Ill-Advised'
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that the company will not go public in 2026, citing ongoing AI safety discussions and the need for the business to be ready. This clarifies previous reports that suggested a 2026 IPO was a possibility, with Altman indicating a later public offering when societal conditions and the company's readiness align.
Google's September Android Drop Introduces Find Hub Item Tracking, Motion Assist, and Gemini Live Guided Vision
Google is rolling out its September Android feature drop, introducing updates to Find Hub that allow users to save item locations via Gemini without a physical tracker. The update also includes Motion Assist for Android 17+ to reduce motion sickness, and Guided Vision for Gemini Live, providing visual assistance. Additionally, Google Messages gains Keep integration for shared notes and new conversation themes.
Snapchat Introduces "Snapchat Plans" for In-App Event Planning
Snapchat has launched "Snapchat Plans," a new suite of features enabling users to create, share, and manage real-world events directly within the app. Users can invite up to 200 friends, track RSVPs, and view event details, with invitations delivered via one-on-one chats. This update formalizes event planning, a behavior already common among over a third of its core users who use group chats for organizing meet-ups.
Apple May Launch Camera-Equipped AirPods This Fall, Codenamed B790
Apple may release a version of camera-equipped AirPods, codenamed B790, as early as next month, according to references found in iOS 27 code and internal roadmaps. This potential release precedes another rumored variant, B798, which is anticipated in 2027. The cameras could expand health features, including vision assistance for blind and low-vision users when combined with Apple's AI-powered VoiceOver.
Phil Schiller Steps Down from App Store and Apple Events Leadership
Longtime Apple executive Phil Schiller has stepped down from his leadership roles for the App Store and Apple events. The App Store division will now be overseen by Eddy Cue's services team, while Nola Weinstein will lead Apple events. Schiller will retain his title as Apple Fellow and work on unspecified initiatives.
NYC Public Schools Ban AI Use for Students Up to Eighth Grade, Restrict Digital Devices
New York City public schools will implement a one-year moratorium on AI use for students in 2-K through eighth grade, effective for the 2026-2027 school year, impacting approximately 600,000 students. This policy also bans companion chatbots across all grades and restricts teachers from using AI for grading, while introducing limits on digital device screen time for younger students. The decision reflects a stance against early AI integration in education, emphasizing human connection and critical thinking development.
Instagram to demote unlabeled AI-generated profiles, renames "AI creator" label
Instagram is implementing new rules for profiles featuring AI-generated personas, requiring them to use a new "AI-generated profile" label. Accounts that fail to self-label will have their reach limited, meaning their content will not be recommended to non-followers in Reels and Explore. This change addresses user feedback regarding misleading AI content and aims to increase transparency on the platform.
Crypto Traders Value Chinese Chipmaker CXMT at $425B on Derivatives Platform Pre-IPO
Crypto traders on a decentralized exchange are valuing China's largest memory chipmaker, ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), at $425 billion, significantly higher than its official IPO valuation. This speculative valuation, driven by offshore investors lacking direct access to the upcoming Shanghai listing, highlights the demand for exposure to major Chinese tech companies through alternative financial platforms.
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope to Launch August 2026 on SpaceX Falcon Heavy
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, named after NASA's first chief astronomer, is scheduled to launch on August 30, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. This new space telescope will have a field of view 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope and aims to address key questions in dark energy, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics.
12TB Steam Data Leak Reveals Unreleased Half-Life 2: Episode 3 and Portal 2 Content
Valve experienced a 12-13TB data leak from its legacy infrastructure, exposing unreleased game content from 2003-2013, including early builds of Half-Life 2: Episode 3 and Portal 2. This leak provides insight into Valve's game development during a period when the company was more actively developing titles.
Google Play to mandate reduced memory usage and seamless device migration by 2027
Google Play will enforce new requirements for Android apps by 2027, including reduced memory usage and automatic sign-in during device transfers. These changes aim to improve app performance and user experience on Android devices, particularly in response to hardware supply constraints affecting memory availability.
GTA VI Gameplay and Map Leaked by Hacker Protesting Digital-Only Releases
A hacker named Cyberleek leaked GTA VI gameplay footage and the full map of Leonida, stating the action is a protest against Rockstar's decision to release the game digitally only and to highlight issues with digital pre-orders. The hacker demands a public apology from Rockstar and a commitment to better practices regarding game distribution and ownership. This incident underscores ongoing gamer dissatisfaction with the industry's shift towards digital-only content and the perceived loss of game ownership.
Xbox Introduces Disc-to-Digital Feature for Physical Games, Starting August 31
Microsoft is launching a new disc-to-digital feature for Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles, allowing users to convert physical game discs into digital entitlements. This initiative, which begins testing with Xbox Insiders on August 31st, aims to provide digital benefits like Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming for disc-based titles, supporting game preservation and future console generations.
Situational Awareness Hedge Fund Sells Public Portfolio After Significant Losses
Situational Awareness, an AI-focused hedge fund founded by former OpenAI researcher Leopold Aschenbrenner, sold most of its public stock portfolio to Ken Griffin's Citadel following substantial losses in AI stocks. The fund's assets under management reportedly dropped from $45 billion to $10 billion in July, highlighting the volatility of highly leveraged investments in the AI infrastructure sector.
Amazon increases prices for Echo, Fire TV, and Kindle products by up to 60%
Amazon has raised prices on its Echo, Fire TV, Kindle, and Eero devices by up to 60%, citing increased memory and storage component costs. This change affects several popular Amazon hardware products, making them more expensive for consumers.
Apple Proposes 5-15% Commission for Off-App Store Purchases Amidst Legal Battles
Apple has proposed a commission structure of 5% to 15% for purchases made through external payment systems in the US, following a court order in its ongoing legal dispute with Epic Games. This proposal came after the Supreme Court denied Apple's request to pause lower-court proceedings, which are determining the fees Apple can charge for off-App Store transactions.
Apple reportedly lays off 60 Vision employees, signaling shift in VR development
Apple has reportedly laid off at least 60 employees from its VR development team, the Apple Vision Group, according to AppleInsider. This move suggests a potential reprioritization within Apple's spatial computing initiatives, despite previous assurances of continued investment in visionOS and the Vision Pro.
Apple to Revise App Tracking Transparency Rules in EU Following German Antitrust Scrutiny
Apple will change its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) rules in the European Union after the German Bundeskartellamt found its implementation favored Apple's own applications. The changes will require Apple to make third-party app tracking consent prompts neutral and allow developers to combine their own data protection prompts with Apple's, addressing concerns about fair competition and user consent.
YouTube Changes View Counting to Register a View as Soon as Video Starts Playing
YouTube will update its view counting method on August 24th, registering a view as soon as a video begins playing or a live broadcast is entered. This change aligns YouTube's system with those used by Instagram, TikTok, and its own Shorts videos, and is expected to increase view counts for creators.
US Imposes Tariffs Up to 100% on Foreign Drones and Components
The United States has implemented new tariffs on foreign-made drones and their components, with rates up to 100% for certain categories. This action aims to strengthen national security, reduce reliance on overseas suppliers, and encourage domestic manufacturing of drones and parts.
Nintendo Exceeds Q1 Profit and Revenue Estimates Despite Switch 2 Sales Decline
Nintendo reported fiscal first-quarter earnings exceeding revenue and profit estimates, with net profit reaching 147.4 billion yen and revenue at 517.8 billion yen. This occurred despite a 34.4% decline in Switch 2 console sales to 3.82 million units. The company's financial performance was bolstered by strong game sales and a $300 million refund from US tariffs.