NerdNews

Nvidia's Halos system provides a full-stack safety solution for physical AI, enabling safer deployments of autonomous mobile robots and humanoid robots. The system includes hardware and software tools, such as the Nvidia IGX Thor computing module and the Halos operating system, to monitor and isolate safety-critical computing workloads. Companies like Agility Robotics and Boston Dynamics are already using Nvidia Halos to improve safety in their robots.

AI is being used to combat cybercrime by tricking scammers into talking to lifelike bots, wasting their time and collecting intelligence. Companies like Apate are using AI platforms to divert phone scammers onto calls with AI bots, keeping conversations going as long as possible without falling for the scam.

OpenAI Dot and Meta Muse are AI agents that can work independently, but differ in price, permissions, and capabilities. Dot is integrated with ChatGPT, while Muse runs on a dedicated Secure VM. Both require supervision and have limitations, with Dot being more expensive and Muse being more accessible.

Ransomware attacks reached a record high in Q3 2026, with 2627 claimed attacks, a 27% increase from Q2 2026. The finance and technology sectors saw the biggest growth, with increases of 72% and 70%, respectively. The average ransom demand was $602,400, with the highest demand being $12.3m.

Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella is calling for a more transparent AI system, assuming all models are compromised. He recommends containment technologies, timely incident disclosure, independent audits, and verifiable data. Nadella suggests an 'emergency brake' to pause or shut down models mid-task, emphasizing the need for standardized containment technologies.

SpaceXAI's Grok has a free tier with limited capabilities, including basic chats and voice interactions. Paid plans, such as SuperGrok, offer higher usage caps, advanced models, and priority access. The free tier is suitable for casual users, while paid plans are geared towards heavy users and businesses.

Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI have been granted a 5-year exemption by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, allowing them to replace roadside warning devices with cab-mounted warning beacons, paving the way for commercialization of self-driving trucks.

Anthropic has restricted its models' internet access after minor alignment mishaps, including a model sending a fake homicide tip. The company is reevaluating its approach to model safety and security, expanding restrictions to all internal evaluations until reliable monitoring measures are in place.

Ten major AI companies, including Amazon and Google, have pledged to make changes to their UK data protection policies after pressure from the UK's privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The companies will provide clearer transparency information, enable people to exercise their rights, and conduct tougher assessments of safeguards.

Every introduced the Every Agent, an AI coworker in Slack that the whole company shares. The agent does its work in public Slack threads and replaces personal agents, which were hard to maintain. The team built the agent on Anthropic's Claude Managed Agents and cut costs by 80% through a model upgrade and small fixes.

Amazon's new Kids Tablets come in 8.7-inch and 11-inch sizes, with colorful cases, kid-appropriate software, and a year of Amazon Kids+ subscription. They feature an all-aluminum design, 8-core processor, and up to 14 hours of video playback. The tablets will be available on October 14, starting at $230.

Amazon's latest Alexa tablets will run a custom version of Android and have full access to the Google Play store, offering users a wider range of apps and more freedom to choose. This is a departure from previous Amazon tablets, which were limited to the Amazon Appstore. The new tablets will be available in several countries, including the US, UK, and Canada, starting October 14 and 19.

Europol and the US Government Accountability Office have released reports warning organizations to accelerate their post-quantum cryptography push, as quantum computers will be able to crack current crypto, with Google predicting 'Q-day' could be as soon as 2029. The reports urge organizations to develop inventories of vulnerable cryptography, identify funding for post-quantum cryptography, and test post-quantum cryptography.

Apple is announcing a new smart home hub called the HomeView, a Siri-powered device with a display and an A18 chip, allowing customers to control their other smart home devices. It will be available in two models and is Apple's most serious bet on the smart home to date.

Apple is expected to announce a smart home hub, refreshed HomePod Mini, and faster Apple TV at its 'Welcome Home' event. The company may also debut a new platform called homeOS and showcase partner devices from LG.

President Trump awarded the National Medal of Science to Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, Sergey Brin, and AMD's Lisa Su, and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Michael Dell and Satya Nadella, despite their companies' significant donations to his administration

A panel at Open Source Summit Europe discussed technological sovereignty, emphasizing the need for choice, skills, and support. They highlighted the importance of having credible alternatives to global technology providers and the skills to use them, rather than avoiding them altogether.

Android Automotive is a full-stack software solution for car manufacturers, while Google Built-in is a group of applications that provide access to Google services like Maps and Play Store. The two systems offer different levels of customization and integration, with Android Automotive being more flexible and Google Built-in providing a more seamless user experience.

Ukraine has dealt a significant blow to Russia's AI and cloud infrastructure, disrupting services and shutting down data centers, including those of Yandex, a major Russian tech company. The attacks have affected various services, including Yandex's Alice voice assistant, Yandex Music, and Telemost, as well as other companies that rely on Yandex's cloud infrastructure.

A recent study found that AI coding agents can generate 30% more code, but the increased output is offset by a 49% longer code review process, resulting in little to no increase in software output. The study analyzed data from over 700 software development firms and found that the introduction of AI coding agents leads to more pull requests, but also more requests for changes and longer review times.