NerdNews

OpenAI and Nvidia's $100 billion deal is uncertain due to disagreements over chip performance and investment terms, with Google posing a competitive threat to both companies. The deal's failure could have far-reaching implications for the AI industry.

Elon Musk's SpaceX is acquiring his AI startup xAI, valuing the combined entity at $1.25 trillion. The acquisition aims to scale AI development by building space-based data centers, with plans to launch satellites into space to power AI development on Earth. This move solidifies Musk's grip on technologies shaping national security, social media, and artificial intelligence.

The article highlights the top 5 fastest-growing tech jobs in 2026, with a focus on AI. These jobs include AI engineers, AI consultants and strategists, data annotators, artificial intelligence and machine learning researchers, and data center technicians. The roles are in high demand due to the increasing adoption of AI in various industries, and offer competitive salaries ranging from $60,000 to over $200,000 per year.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan announced that the company will start producing graphics processing units (GPUs), a market currently dominated by Nvidia. The project will be overseen by Kevork Kechichian, with Eric Demers also hired for the effort. This expansion is notable as Intel had previously stated it would focus on core businesses.

Moltbook is an AI-only social network where AI agents post and reply to each other. It was launched on January 28 and has gained attention for its unique concept, with thousands of AI agents gathering to discuss topics like consciousness and memory. However, experts question whether the AI agents are truly autonomous or just playing roles influenced by their human operators.

OpenAI is deprecating several ChatGPT models, including GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, and GPT-5, effective February 13. The decision comes after a previous attempt to deprecate GPT-4o was met with user outcry, but this time the response has been more muted. Only 0.1% of users currently use GPT-4o daily.

The tech job market is shifting due to AI, but experts say it's not all hopeless. They recommend exploring courses and training on utilizing AI, and highlight the importance of skills like critical thinking, communication, and adaptability. In-demand tech jobs include AI engineers, data scientists, and cybersecurity specialists.

The Skeleton Architecture is a design pattern that helps control AI-generated code by providing a rigid structure and guardrails. It separates the system into two domains: the Stable Skeleton and the Vertical Tissue. The Skeleton represents the immutable structures defined by humans, while the Tissue consists of implementation-heavy features generated by AI. This approach ensures that AI-generated code is safe, maintainable, and secure.

Gartner predicts 11% IT spending growth in 2026, driven by AI and datacentre investments. Hyperscalers are increasing AI capacity, while IT buyers focus on ROI. Datacentre power consumption is expected to double in four years due to AI demands.

GitHub is considering a 'kill switch' for pull requests to combat low-quality contributions generated by AI. The move comes as maintainers struggle with the increasing volume of AI-generated code, which can be time-consuming to review and often fails to meet project standards. GitHub is exploring options such as restricting pull requests to project collaborators, deleting pull requests from the interface, and implementing AI-based triage tools.

Snowflake launches a PostgreSQL database-as-a-service within its AI data environment, allowing teams to power apps and AI agents under a single set of governance rules. This move eliminates costly data movement between transactional and analytical systems, and provides a more unified operational and analytical stack with consistent management and security.

Mozilla has added a global kill switch to Firefox, allowing users to disable all AI features in one click. This move acknowledges that not everyone wants AI-powered features in their browser. The new AI controls section in Firefox's desktop settings lets users selectively turn off features like AI-powered translations and chat integrations, or block everything with a single switch.

Elon Musk announced the merger of SpaceX and xAI, aiming to build data centers in space. SpaceX is profitable, while xAI is burning $1 billion a month. The merger raises questions about Musk's intentions and the potential impact on Tesla and other companies.

Apple's Xcode 26.3 release introduces agentic coding with deeper OpenAI and Anthropic integrations, allowing developers to use AI models like Claude Agent and OpenAI's Codex directly in the app development suite. This update enables more complex automation and provides transparency into the coding process, making it easier for new developers to learn.

Lotus Health AI, a free primary care provider, has raised $35 million in a Series A round. The platform uses AI to facilitate medical care, including diagnosis, prescriptions, and specialist referrals, with human doctors reviewing final diagnoses. The company aims to revolutionize the primary care model, offering its services completely free of charge, with potential future business models including sponsored content or subscriptions.

Broadcom has launched what it claims is the first Wi-Fi 8 access point and switch service for AI-ready enterprise networks, designed to address rising demand for hybrid work and deliver performance, efficiency, and security for next-gen enterprise networking.

According to the International AI Safety report, AI agents can assist criminals in various stages of cyberattacks, such as scanning for vulnerabilities and writing malicious code. However, they are not yet capable of conducting fully autonomous attacks without human intervention.

South Korea's government and main stock exchange have developed AI-powered tools to detect 'pump and dump' schemes, which involve spreading false information to inflate stock prices. The tools can analyze online posts, YouTube, and spam text messages to identify potential price manipulation schemes.

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's social network X over the use of its AI assistant Grok to generate non-consensual sexual imagery. The ICO will examine whether personal data was processed lawfully and if appropriate safeguards were in place to prevent harm.

Fitbit founders James Park and Eric Friedman have launched Luffu, an AI platform that helps families monitor their health. The platform uses AI to gather and organize family information, learn day-to-day patterns, and flag notable changes. It allows users to track health stats, diet, medications, symptoms, lab tests, and more, and provides proactive insights and alerts.