NerdNews

Google's Gemini AI can now automate tasks such as booking an Uber or ordering food on Pixel 10 and Galaxy S26 devices. The feature, called task automation, allows Gemini to launch apps and complete tasks step-by-step, with options for users to stop or take control if needed.

Samsung has announced its new Galaxy S26 lineup, including the S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra, with features like a Privacy Display, improved performance, and new AI-powered features. The phones start at $899.99 and will be available on March 11th.

Nvidia reported record profits with $68 billion in revenue, up 73% from the prior year, driven by skyrocketing demand for AI compute. The company's data center business accounted for $62 billion of the revenue, with $51 billion coming from compute revenue and $11 billion from networking products. Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang addressed the company's pending investment in OpenAI and the sustainability of tech companies' capex commitments, stating that compute investments will soon bring revenue.

Waymo is bringing its robotaxis to Chicago and Charlotte, starting with manual mapping and data collection. This expansion is part of the company's push to scale autonomous vehicles, with Chicago's harsh winters and dense urban complexity posing a challenge. Waymo has also begun commercial driverless operations in 10 US cities and plans to launch in Denver, London, and Washington, D.C.

Nokia and AWS have demonstrated an 'industry-first' intent-based 5G-Advanced slicing with agentic AI, enabling providers to offer premium network slicing services that respond to real-world situations and enable autonomous intelligence. The solution combines Nokia's network slicing with AWS AI platform technologies and has been tested by operators Du and Orange.

Anthropic has acquired Vercept, an AI startup that created tools for complex agentic tasks. Vercept's product, Vy, was a computer-use agent in the cloud that could operate a remote Apple MacBook. The acquisition marks the latest move by Anthropic to scale its AI capabilities, following its acquisition of coding agent engine Bun in December.

The White House is asking AI companies to cover rate hikes caused by their data centers. Companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google have already committed to covering electricity costs or building their own power sources. This move aims to address the issue of rising electricity prices and alleviate the burden on consumers.

Google's Gemini AI can now automate multi-step tasks on Android, such as ordering food or calling an Uber. The feature is currently in beta and limited to certain devices and apps. Gemini also expands scam detection for phone calls and improves Circle to Search functionality.

Adobe Firefly's video editor now features Quick Cut, which uses AI to edit footage and create a first draft based on user instructions, saving time and effort for creators and marketers.

Harbinger, an electric trucking startup, has acquired Phantom AI, a company specializing in autonomous driving software. The acquisition aims to integrate Phantom AI's technology into Harbinger's electric truck chassis, enhancing safety features and generating new revenue streams. Harbinger has already secured a customer, ZF Group, which will license Phantom AI's tech for use in passenger cars.

Google and Samsung have launched AI features that enable multistep tasks on phones, starting with ordering food or a ride. This feature, called Gemini, will be available on Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S26 phones. Gemini can understand user context and take actions inside and across apps, potentially leapfrogging Apple's similar features for Siri.

Harper, an AI-native insurance brokerage, has raised $46.8 million in a combined Series A and seed round. The company, founded by Dakotah Rice, aims to simplify insurance for small- to mid-sized businesses using AI technology. With over 5,000 customers to date, Harper plans to use the funding to build out its engineering team and grow the brand.

Nvidia reported strong earnings with a 68% year-over-year increase in data center revenue. CEO Jensen Huang justified large capex commitments by major AI hyperscalers, stating 'compute equals revenues' and arguing that increased computing power will drive revenue. However, experts warn of an AI bubble and question the returns on investment.

OpenAI has partnered with major consulting firms to promote its new enterprise AI product, Frontier. The product creates and controls role-based AI agents throughout an organization. The partnership aims to scale the adoption of Frontier globally for large businesses, leveraging the expertise of the consulting firms in areas like cybersecurity and data services.

NTT Docomo and Keio University have successfully demonstrated high-precision remote robot operation over a commercial 5G network using Configured Grant, a network slicing scheduling method, and RealHaptics technology, which transmits tactile and contact information bidirectionally.

The Department of Homeland Security is moving to consolidate its face recognition and other biometric technologies into a single system capable of comparing faces, fingerprints, iris scans, and other identifiers collected across its enforcement agencies. The goal is to connect components including Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Transportation Security Administration, replacing a patchwork of tools that do not share data easily.

Google announced a new 1.9GW clean energy deal, including a 300-megawatt battery made by Form Energy, to power its new data center in Minnesota. The battery can deliver its rated power for 100 hours, making it the largest in the world. The deal also introduces a new utility fee structure to help utilities adopt clean technologies.

IBM X-Force reports a 44% increase in cyber-attacks exploiting public-facing applications, driven by missing authentication controls and AI-enabled vulnerability scanning. AI is lowering barriers to entry for ransomware actors and accelerating the attacker lifecycle.

A critical Cisco SD-WAN bug, tracked as CVE-2026-20127, has been exploited in zero-day attacks since 2023. The bug allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and compromise controllers, adding malicious rogue peers to targeted networks. Cisco has released software updates to address the vulnerability.

The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and other Five Eyes agencies have warned users of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN to take immediate action after identifying a cluster of threat activity targeting the products. The threat actor, known as UAT-8616, is exploiting vulnerabilities in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN, including an authentication bypass vulnerability. Users are advised to update to the latest versions of Catalyst SD-WAN Manager and Controller, and apply the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Hardening Guide.