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NerdNews

January 02, 2026

News & Trends
Kubernetes 1.35 Released

Kubernetes 1.35, also known as Timbernetes, has been released with several key features including In-Place Pod Resize, AI-optimized scheduling, and Gang Scheduling. The release also includes enhancements to the API and improvements to the Horizontal Pod Autoscaler. Additionally, the Ingress NGINX controller will be sunset in March 2026, and users are encouraged to migrate to the Gateway API or alternative third-party ingress controllers.

Cloudflare Year in Review: AI Bots Crawl Aggressively

Cloudflare's 2025 review reveals 19% growth in global internet traffic, Googlebot dominance, and increasing adoption of post-quantum encryption. AI platforms aggressively crawl content, with crawl-to-refer ratios increasing over 2024. Go-based clients account for 20% of automated API requests.

Every fusion startup that has raised over $100M

Several fusion startups have raised over $100M in funding, including Commonwealth Fusion Systems, TAE Technologies, Helion, Pacific Fusion, and others. These companies are working on developing commercially viable fusion power plants, which could potentially upend trillion-dollar markets. Advances in computer chips, AI, and high-temperature superconducting magnets have driven the growth of the fusion industry.

European Banks Plan to Cut 200,000 Jobs as AI Takes Hold

European banks are planning to cut 200,000 jobs by 2030 as they adopt AI technologies to improve efficiency. The job cuts will mainly affect back-office operations, risk management, and compliance. Banks like ABN Amro and Société Générale have already announced plans to cut staff, while others like Goldman Sachs are implementing AI-powered initiatives to streamline processes.

OpenAI Bets Big on Audio

OpenAI is unifying its engineering, product, and research teams to overhaul its audio models, preparing for an audio-first personal device launch in about a year. This move reflects the tech industry's shift towards an audio-centric future, with smart speakers, voice assistants, and audio-first designs becoming increasingly popular.

Options & Tutorials
Why the Electrical Grid Needs More Software

The electrical grid is facing increased demand and strain due to the growth of data centers and AI. Startups like Gridcare and Yottar are using software to optimize the grid and find spare capacity. Other companies, such as Nvidia and Google, are working on AI-powered solutions to improve efficiency and resiliency. These software solutions could help modernize the grid and make it more efficient, reducing the need for new infrastructure and lowering costs.

AI Labor Is Boring. AI Lust Is Big Business

The article discusses how erotic chatbots have become a significant aspect of the AI industry, with companies like Joi AI creating explicit bots that can role-play and fulfill users' fantasies. Despite the hype around generative AI increasing productivity, the technology has proven to be more successful in the adult content industry. Experts warn about the potential risks of emotional commodification and manipulation of vulnerable users.

!important and CSS Custom Properties

The !important keyword in CSS custom properties can be tricky. It doesn't become part of the custom property value, but rather makes the declaration itself important. This can affect how styles are applied, especially when there are multiple declarations with different specificities. Understanding this behavior is crucial for working with CSS custom properties.

A beginner’s guide to Mastodon

Mastodon is a decentralized, nonprofit microblogging platform with a federated network, allowing users to choose their own server and communicate with others across different servers. It has its own lingo, including 'instances' and 'Fediverse', and supports features like replies, retweets, and hashtags. Mastodon is open-source, meaning anyone can download and modify its code, and it has a smaller user base compared to Twitter.

Instagram CEO thinks real content should be labeled

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri suggests labeling real content to differentiate it from AI-generated content. He proposes a 'fingerprint' created from within cameras to verify authenticity at capture. This move aims to help users navigate the increasing amount of AI-generated content on social media platforms.

Launches & Tools
Windows on Arm had another good year

Windows on Arm laptops have made significant progress in 2025 with improved software compatibility and performance. Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chips have enabled solid performance and long battery life, making Arm-based laptops a viable option. However, Intel and AMD's new chips have narrowed the gap, and the competition is expected to heat up in 2026 with the release of new chips from Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD.

Unkey Ditches Serverless After Performance Struggles

Unkey, a developer platform, has rebuilt its API authentication service from the ground up, moving from serverless Cloudflare Workers to stateful Go servers due to performance struggles, resulting in a sixfold performance improvement and eliminating workarounds.

Long-lived tech: COBOL, C, Linux, and SQL

The article discusses how old technologies like COBOL, C, Linux, and SQL are still widely used today despite being decades old. These technologies have stood the test of time and continue to be relevant in modern computing. The article also mentions other long-lived technologies like JavaScript, Kubernetes, and Photoshop.

OpenAI Offers Free ChatGPT Plus to Some Users

OpenAI is offering $20 ChatGPT Plus for free to some users who cancel their subscription. This limited-time offer is being rolled out in several regions and can be claimed by managing the payment settings.

What the public really thinks about AI

A recent poll shows that 50% of Americans are concerned about AI, while 40.1% are optimistic. Voters support regulating AI, but it's not a top concern. Democrats might benefit from taking a more adversarial stance towards AI, but the issue is complex.

Quick Links
Tade Oyerinde and Teddy Solomon on Building Engaged Audiences

Tade Oyerinde and Teddy Solomon discuss strategies for building and maintaining engaged audiences at TechCrunch Disrupt. Oyerinde's online school Campus offers affordable education, while Solomon's social app Fizz operates on over 200 college campuses. They share insights on monetization, community building, and the future of their companies.

European Space Agency Hacked

The European Space Agency (ESA) has suffered a security incident, with hackers claiming to have stolen 200GB of data, including source code, credentials, and confidential documents. The ESA says the impact was limited to external systems, but this is not the first time the agency has experienced a security breach.

Disney to Pay $10M for Children's Data Privacy Violations on YouTube

Disney has agreed to pay a $10 million civil penalty to settle claims that it violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by mislabeling videos and allowing data collection for targeted advertising on YouTube. The settlement requires Disney to alert parents before collecting kids' personal information and ensure that videos posted to YouTube are correctly designated as 'Made for Kids' to prevent unlawful data collection and targeted advertising.

Net Neutrality

The FCC is removing net neutrality rules, sparking debate over internet regulation. States are stepping up to fill the void, but the Trump administration is pushing back, threatening funding for broadband expansion. The issue affects many companies and developers, with implications for internet access and affordability.

New GlassWorm malware wave targets Macs

A new wave of GlassWorm malware is targeting macOS developers with malicious VSCode/OpenVSX extensions, delivering trojanized crypto wallet applications and attempting to steal credentials and cryptocurrency wallet data.

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