NerdNews

Data brokers are selling access to sensitive personal data captured during chatbot conversations, including health and legal details, despite claims of anonymization and consent. Browser extensions can intercept user communications with AI services, capturing prompts and responses, which are then stored and exposed via API to authenticated customers.

Apple has announced two new processors, the M5 Pro and M5 Max, featuring an 18-core CPU and a new 'Fusion Architecture' that integrates two 3nm dies into a single system-on-a-chip. The chips offer improved performance and power efficiency, with the M5 Pro supporting up to 64GB of unified memory and the M5 Max supporting up to 128GB. Both chips feature a faster 16-core neural engine for on-device AI and Thunderbolt 5 support.

Researchers found that large language models (LLMs) can identify pseudonymous users on social media with surprising accuracy, posing a significant threat to online privacy. The models can analyze posts and other online activity to deanonymize users, with recall rates as high as 68% and precision rates up to 90%. This has significant implications for online privacy and could be used by governments, corporations, and attackers to unmask online critics, build customer profiles, and launch targeted social engineering scams.

A record $189 billion of global venture capital flowed to startups in February, with AI startups raising $171 billion. OpenAI, Anthropic, and Waymo dominated the funding, raising $156 billion together, which is 83% of the total venture dollars raised last month.

Apple introduced new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models with M5 chips, which improve AI task performance by up to 4x. The laptops feature enhanced battery life, faster storage, and improved sound systems. The MacBook Air starts at $1,099, while the MacBook Pro starts at $2,199.

Cloudflare's 2026 Threat Report warns that easy access to AI tools has lowered the barrier to entry for cybercriminals, making campaigns more effective and impactful. Threat actors are using AI to write convincing phishing emails, malware, and conduct campaigns, including mapping networks in real-time and generating deepfakes to bypass hiring filters.

The Pentagon has blacklisted Anthropic and partnered with OpenAI, sparking concerns about AI-powered surveillance. OpenAI's deal allows the Pentagon to use its AI for 'all lawful purposes', which could include mass surveillance. Experts warn that the US is adopting authoritarian tactics similar to China's, undermining the case for racing ahead in AI development.

Compromised cPanel credentials are being sold in cybercrime markets, enabling threat actors to deploy malware, phishing kits, and gain root access to servers. This can lead to reputational damage, operational disruption, and business continuity incidents. Organizations should enable multi-factor authentication, enforce strong passwords, and monitor for credential exposure to protect themselves.

Anthropic has upgraded its Claude AI with a new memory feature, allowing users to import data from other AI platforms. The update includes a new prompt and dedicated tool for importing memories, making it easier for users to switch to Claude from other chatbots.

OpenAI's new GPT-5.3 Instant model aims to improve user experience by reducing preachy disclaimers and condescending tone, providing more direct and factual answers to user queries.

CorelDRAW has introduced AI image tools, including Stable Diffusion 3.5 and Nano Banana, allowing designers to generate images from prompts and create variations. However, the tools aren't truly vector-native, requiring an extra step to convert raster-based images. The update also includes new features in Corel PHOTO-PAINT, such as background removal and image clean-ups, narrowing the gap with Adobe Photoshop. The pricing model offers a choice between a one-time purchase and a subscription, with the latter including 2,000 AI credits per month.

Wolf & Badger CEO George Graham is heavily involved in the company's AI projects, aiming to improve efficiency and customer experience. The company has seen £3.2m in incremental sales from AI initiatives and is exploring agentic commerce, a rapidly evolving space.

AI startups are using a novel valuation mechanism where they sell the same equity at two different prices, allowing them to call themselves a unicorn even if a significant portion of the equity was acquired at a lower price. This approach creates the aura of a market winner, but it's not without risks, including the potential for down rounds and erosion of confidence among partners, customers, and investors.

Former tech executive Alex Bores is running for Congress and has incurred the wrath of Silicon Valley with his AI regulation bill, the RAISE Act. AI companies, including Palantir and Meta, are spending millions to thwart his campaign through super PACs like Leading the Future.

A recent report by Logicalis finds that 51% of CIOs believe AI adoption is moving too quickly, with concerns over risk management, compliance, and skills. Despite this, 72% of enterprises plan to invest in AI over the next 12 months.

Apple has announced five new models, including the MacBook Air M5, MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max, and two new Studio Displays. These new models feature improved performance, AI readiness, and enhanced displays, making them ideal for creatives. The MacBook Air M5 starts at $1,099, while the MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max start at $2,199 and $2,699, respectively. The Studio Display (2nd gen) starts at $1,599, and the Studio Display XDR starts at $3,299.

Google is accelerating its Chrome browser release cycle from four weeks to two weeks, starting in September. This change applies to desktop, Android, and iOS, and begins with the stable release of Chrome 153 on September 8th. The goal is to provide developers and users with immediate access to the latest performance improvements, fixes, and new capabilities.

Anduril, a defense-tech company, is seeking a $60 billion valuation in a new funding round led by Thrive Capital and Andreessen Horowitz. The round could bring in up to $8 billion in capital, less than a year after the company's previous funding round.

X is testing a standalone X Chat app on iOS, available to thousands of early adopters through Apple's TestFlight. The app offers end-to-end encrypted messaging and a simple interface. An Android version is expected soon.

Apple announced new Studio Displays with improved cameras, connectivity, and Thunderbolt 5 ports. The displays come in two models: a $1,599 Studio Display and a $3,299 Studio Display XDR, featuring 5K Retina and 5K Retina XDR displays respectively.