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June 24, 2025

News & Trends
Google Brings New Gemini Features to Chromebooks

Google is bringing its AI technology to Chromebooks, introducing features like image generation, text summarization, and more. The new Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the first device to have on-device AI features, including Smart Grouping and AI-powered photo editing.

Court filings reveal OpenAI and io's early work on an AI device

Court filings show OpenAI and io's early work on a mass-market AI hardware device, exploring various form factors, including in-ear devices and desktop-based products. The device is at least a year away from being advertised or offered for sale.

Tesla's Robotaxis Catch Attention of Federal Safety Regulators

Federal safety regulators have contacted Tesla after videos showed its robotaxis violating traffic laws in Austin. The NHTSA is gathering information and may take action to protect road safety. Tesla's robotaxis are equipped with an unsupervised version of its Full Self-Driving software and have a human safety monitor on board.

Databricks, Perplexity Co-Founder Pledges $100M for AI Research

Andy Konwinski, co-founder of Databricks and Perplexity, has pledged $100 million to establish the Laude Institute, a new AI research fund. The institute will provide grants to researchers and support the development of AI systems that benefit humanity. The first grant of $3 million annually for five years will be awarded to the AI Systems Lab at UC Berkeley.

Google adds AI features to Chromebook Plus devices

Google has added several AI features to its Chromebook Plus line, including a screen-selection tool, a text simplification feature, and access to AI-powered writing tools. The company is also offering a free one-year subscription to its AI Pro plan with the purchase of a new Chromebook Plus device.

Options & Tutorials
Goldman Sachs Makes a Huge AI Bet

Goldman Sachs has launched its generative AI assistant across the firm, allowing employees to interact with large language models like GPT and Gemini. The GS AI Assistant is designed to help employees with tasks like summarizing complex documents and analyzing data, with the goal of improving productivity and efficiency.

Tesla's $100 Billion Robotaxi Rally

Tesla's shares jumped over 10% after debuting its autonomous taxi service in Austin, adding $104 billion to its market capitalization. The company's camera-based Full Self-Driving system powers the robotaxis, which operated in a geofenced area with positive reviews from invited influencers and fans.

Tesla's First Robotaxi Rides Encounter Issues

Tesla's robotaxi service has launched with a limited number of cars and human supervision. However, early rides have shown instances of potentially unsafe driving, including a Tesla briefly driving on the wrong side of the road and speeding. The company's Full Self-Driving system has been criticized and is under federal investigation.

AWS Introduces Extended Threat Detection for EKS via GuardDuty

AWS has introduced extended threat detection for EKS clusters via GuardDuty, using a managed eBPF agent to detect container-level threats, allowing customers to identify suspicious behavior such as credential exfiltration and crypto mining.

Harvey AI Grows to $5B

Harvey AI, a legal automation startup, has raised $300 million in Series E funding at a $5 billion valuation, just four months after its $3 billion valuation. The company plans to use the funds to double its staff and expand its AI products beyond legal services.

Launches & Tools
Apple iOS 26

Apple's iOS 26 brings a new design called Liquid Glass, improved Phone and Messages apps, Live Translation, and more. The update will be available for iPhones released in 2019 or later, with a public beta in July and a final release in September.

Tesla's first Robotaxi rides kick off in Austin, Texas

Tesla has launched its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, with human safety monitors accompanying the first riders. The service is currently limited to 10 cars and specific areas, with rides available to certain Tesla users. The company plans to expand its fleet to 1,000 driverless cars within a few months.

Samsung Unpacked July Ultra Foldable

Samsung has confirmed its Unpacked event for early July, expected to feature a new foldable Ultra phone. The event will take place in Brooklyn and can be streamed on Samsung's YouTube channel. The invitation hints at a thinner device, which would align with recent rumors of super-thin foldables.

T-Mobile's Satellite Service Launches in July

T-Mobile's satellite service, powered by Starlink, will launch on July 23rd with messaging capabilities on Android and iOS. The service will be available to anyone in the US, with data capabilities coming on October 1st. Partners include AllTrails, Accuweather, and WhatsApp.

AllSpice's Platform for Electrical Engineering Teams

AllSpice's platform allows electrical engineering teams to collaborate on designs, similar to GitHub for software engineers. It supports commenting on specific design aspects in documents like PCB files and electronic CAD files. The startup has raised a $15 million Series A round and is launching an AI agent tool to validate engineers' designs.

Quick Links
Bitcoin Who? Wall Street Has a New Crypto Obsession

Circle Internet Group, a company behind the stablecoin USDC, has seen its stock skyrocket 675% after going public, making it worth more than iconic industrial giants like Ford Motor Company and General Motors. The company's business model involves giving users a digital token pegged to the US dollar in exchange for a real dollar, which is then invested in safe assets to generate profit.

LapDog ORB Network Attack Campaign

A stealthy campaign, dubbed LapDogs, has infected over 1,000 devices, primarily in the US and South East Asia, by compromising old and unpatched devices, including routers, IoT devices, and security cameras, to build an Operational Relay Box (ORB) network. The attackers use a fake TLS certificate purportedly signed by the Los Angeles Police Department to gain access to critical infrastructure. The campaign is believed to be the work of Chinese government-backed groups, specifically the Typhoon crews.

Experts Count Staggering Costs of UK Retail Cyberattacks

The UK's Cyber Monitoring Centre estimates that recent cyberattacks on major retail organizations could have cost between £270-440 million. The attacks, which targeted companies like Marks & Spencer and the Co-op, have been categorized as a 'category 2 systemic event' by the Centre. The costs include lost sales, incident response, and legal counsel, with some retailers experiencing daily losses of up to £1.3 million.

Malware on Google Play, Apple App Store stole your photos—and crypto

A new mobile crypto-stealing malware called SparkKitty was found in apps on Google Play and the Apple App Store. The malware steals all images from an infected device's photo gallery, targeting crypto wallet seed phrases. It has been active since at least February 2024 and has been removed from the app stores.

Telegram Purged Chinese Crypto Scam Markets—Then Watched as They Rebuilt

Telegram removed major Chinese crypto scam markets, but the scammers have rebranded and returned to the platform, with one market, Tudou Guarantee, growing to nearly the same size as the original banned market, Haowang Guarantee, and enabling millions of dollars in crypto payments daily.

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