NerdNews

Apple is set to unveil a new, smarter version of Siri, powered by a Google-built AI model. The new Siri will be able to tap into personal data and on-screen content to fulfill tasks, and will be conversational, aware of relevant context, and capable of sustained back-and-forth dialogue. This new version is expected to be demoed at an Apple event next month.

The US Customs and Border Protection is developing AI-powered 'quantum sensors' to detect fentanyl and other narcotics in vehicles, containers, and devices. The $2.4 million project with General Dynamics aims to integrate advanced quantum and classical sensing technologies with artificial intelligence to enhance the agency's ability to detect illicit contraband.

Humans&, a new AI startup, has raised $480M to develop a 'central nervous system' for human-AI collaboration, focusing on social intelligence and coordination, with plans to create a product that enables effective teamwork and communication between humans and AI tools.

Tesla has discontinued its Autopilot advanced driver-assistance system and will focus on its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into Waymo after its robotaxis were spotted illegally passing stopped school buses. Zipline, a drone-delivery startup, has raised $600 million in new funding to expand its services.

Apple will reportedly unveil its Gemini-powered Siri assistant in February, with a more conversational version to follow in June. The new Siri will use Google's Gemini AI models to access user's personal data and on-screen content, and may run directly on Google's cloud infrastructure.

Google's Gemini AI chatbot now has Personal Intelligence, allowing it to reference past conversations and access user data from other Google services. While it shows promise, it still struggles with details and has privacy concerns.

The author discusses how they stopped manually reading code for reviews and instead used 13 AI agents to review code in parallel, resulting in better code quality and increased efficiency. The AI agents caught critical bugs and provided findings that the author could then use to make decisions.

OpenAI is testing an upgrade for ChatGPT's temporary chat feature, allowing personalization while keeping the chat temporary. The update will enable users to retain memory, chat history, style, and tone preferences in temporary chats without influencing their account.

A developer teamed up with Anthropic's Claude Code to create the Elo programming language, demonstrating the potential of human-AI collaboration in software development. Elo is a portable expression language that compiles to JavaScript, Ruby, and SQL, aiming to provide a safe and simple alternative for data tasks.

DoorDash engineers Caixia Huang and Alex Weinstein adopted a multi-armed bandits approach to optimize experiments, reducing opportunity cost and accelerating learning. This strategy allocates traffic based on performance, balancing exploration and exploitation, and enables the evaluation of many distinct ideas quickly.

Apple is working on a wearable device that utilizes AI models, expected to be released as early as 2027. The device, similar in size to an AirTag, will feature a speaker, three microphones, and two cameras, with a single physical button and magnetic inductive wireless charging.

The article discusses the increasing presence of robots in daily life, with the author's building having multiple robots for cleaning and maintenance. The cost of hardware for robots has decreased, and AI advancements are expected to make robots more capable. However, the development of humanoid robots is still in its early stages, with companies like Tesla working on prototypes. The article also touches on the geopolitical implications of the robot revolution, with China potentially leading the way.

In 2026, AI-generated commercials and marketing content are expected to become ubiquitous. According to a Marketing Week study, over half of brand marketers used AI in their creative campaigns in 2025. The use of generative AI in advertising is anticipated to increase, with 90% of advertisers planning to use it for video ads. However, the rise of AI-generated ads has also sparked concerns about creativity, ethics, and the potential for 'sloppy' or unappealing content.

The article discusses the future of coding, with vibe coders sharing their insights on what's next. They highlight the shift from typing code to managing agents that write it for you, and the importance of planning and clear direction. The article also touches on the potential creation of consciousness in machines and its implications.

A Google executive warns that AI-powered cyberattack kits are inevitable and will change the cybersecurity landscape. Cybercriminals are already using AI to automate parts of their workflows, and it's only a matter of time before a full end-to-end toolkit is developed. This could lead to more sophisticated and automated attacks, making it harder for defenders to keep up.

Airbus and Keysight are collaborating on the Airbus UpNext SpaceRAN demonstrator to explore 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) using advanced software-defined satellite technology. The partnership aims to tackle technical challenges such as seamless integration between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, reliable mobility management, and maintaining high-performance connectivity across dynamic satellite orbits.

Coinbase has established an independent advisory board to evaluate the threat of quantum computing to blockchain cryptography. The board will publish papers, issue recommendations, and respond to breakthroughs in quantum computing. This move is a proactive step to address the potential risk of quantum computers breaking blockchain encryption, which could compromise the security of crypto transactions.

Tesla's self-driving Robotaxis were reported to be operating without a safety monitor in the car, but it appears the company has simply moved the monitors to a trailing car that follows the Robotaxi. This move has raised questions about the true level of autonomy achieved by Tesla's Robotaxis.

Microsoft is deprecating System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) Management Packs for SQL Server, forcing users to migrate to Azure-based monitoring solutions. This shift could expose server deployments to Microsoft's licensing auditors, potentially leading to license compliance issues. Analysts advise users to find alternative management tools or carefully plan their migration to Azure Monitor, Azure Arc, and Log Analytics to avoid potential risks.

A database containing 149 million usernames and passwords, including those for Gmail, Facebook, and banking services, was left unsecured and publicly accessible. The database was discovered by a security researcher and has since been taken down. The leak is suspected to be the result of infostealing malware, which can automatically collect and index login credentials.