NerdNews

Alibaba has announced a $53 billion global AI plan, including a revamped LLM lineup and plans for AI datacenters in Europe. However, the company faces challenges due to US chip curbs and competition from other AI providers. Alibaba's own homegrown alternative, the T-Head, may be used instead of Nvidia's GPUs.

A Stanford study reveals that 40% of US workers are reporting AI-generated 'workslop', which costs around $186 per employee per month in lost productivity. The study also found that recipients of such content trust the sender less and view them as less creative and intelligent.

Major tech companies like Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, and Google are investing billions in AI infrastructure, with deals like Microsoft's $1 billion investment in OpenAI and Oracle's $300 billion deal with OpenAI. These investments are driving the growth of the AI industry, but also pose significant environmental and regulatory challenges.

Kodiak Robotics, a self-driving trucks startup, has gone public via a merger with Ares Acquisition Corporation II, valued at $2.5 billion. Meanwhile, Gatik, an AV and logistics startup, has expanded its partnership with Canada's largest retailer, Loblaw, to deploy 20 autonomous trucks by the end of 2025. Additionally, Hyundai's air taxi startup Supernal has undergone a shake-up in its C-suite, with several executives departing the company.

Wiz chief technologist Ami Luttwak discusses how AI is changing the cybersecurity landscape, creating new attack surfaces and opportunities for hackers. As companies adopt AI tools, they must prioritize security and consider the potential risks of AI-powered attacks.

Google is enhancing its Colab Enterprise notebooks to integrate SQL, Python, and Apache Spark, eliminating the need to switch between environments. The update includes native SQL cells, interactive visualization cells, and enhanced Data Science Agent. This move aims to increase productivity in data science and machine learning, and is part of a larger trend of vendors like Snowflake and Databricks trying to bridge the gap between data analytics and machine learning.

Meta is working on its own robot, but its main goal is to develop software that other companies can license, similar to Google's Android. The company is creating a 'world model' to help robots simulate complex movements and tasks, with the potential to handle household chores in the future.

Apple is testing an internal chatbot called Veritas to upgrade Siri's AI capabilities. The chatbot allows employees to have conversations, search personal data, and perform in-app actions. However, there are no plans for a public release, and Apple may rely on Google's Gemini for AI-powered search instead.

Microsoft is testing an AI-powered feature in its Photos app that automatically categorizes images into folders such as receipts, screenshots, identity documents, and notes. The feature will be available to all Windows 11 Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs and can identify images even if the text is in a language other than English.

Nvidia's Blueprint uses AI to generate 3D objects, streamlining the modelling process. It combines several AI tools into one pipeline, allowing for fast and easy creation of usable 3D assets. The Blueprint is optimized for RTX GPUs, making it accessible to a wide range of creators.

A critical vulnerability in Salesforce's AgentForce platform has been discovered, allowing attackers to steal sensitive CRM data through indirect prompt injection. The flaw, known as ForcedLeak, has a severity score of 9.4 and has been patched by Salesforce.

A vulnerability in Salesforce's Agentforce, dubbed 'ForcedLeak', allowed attackers to steal sensitive customer data via prompt injection. The flaw was fixed after security researchers demonstrated a proof-of-concept attack, which exploited a DNS misconfiguration and used an expired trusted domain purchased for $5.

Apple is reportedly nearing production for its M5-powered MacBooks, with a release scheduled between the end of this year and the first quarter of next year. The new laptops will feature Apple's latest silicon and are expected to include upgraded MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs, and two new Mac monitors, one of which may be an upgraded Studio Display with a mini-LED display.

Microsoft's Advanced Shader Delivery aims to reduce PC shader compilation stutter by compiling shaders ahead of time and storing them in the cloud. However, due to hardware-specific shader compilation, it may take years to fully implement and cover all common setups. The technology will debut on the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X handheld and Xbox app games.

Trend Micro warns of a new LockBit ransomware variant that can target Windows, Linux, and VMware ESXi environments, making it significantly more dangerous than previous versions. The variant features enhanced evasion, obfuscation, and cross-platform capabilities, allowing it to simultaneously attack entire enterprise networks.

Nokia and Boldyn Networks have deployed a private 5G network at the Callio FutureMINE site in Pyhäjärvi, Finland. The network aims to transform one of Europe's deepest mines into a next-generation testbed for technological innovation, enabling safer, smarter, and more sustainable operations.

RedNovember, a Chinese state-sponsored cyberspy group, targeted government and critical private-sector networks globally between June 2024 and July 2025, exploiting buggy internet-facing appliances to deploy malware, including a Go-based backdoor called Pantegana and other tools like Cobalt Strike and SparkRAT.

Salesforce is facing multiple lawsuits after a cyberattack exposed customer data. The lawsuits allege that Salesforce fell short on security, and that stolen data is being used for identity theft. Salesforce has denied any security shortcomings, stating that its platform was not compromised.

Interpol's Operation Contender 3.0 led to 260 arrests and the seizure of 1235 electronic devices in a crackdown on large-scale digital scamming networks in 14 African countries, targeting romance scams and sextortion.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) are investigating potential insider trading in companies that have announced major crypto investments. The probe focuses on unusual trading patterns and stock price gains ahead of public announcements about crypto purchases.