NerdNews

Meta is discussing a multi-billion dollar investment in Scale AI, a company that provides data labeling services to train AI models. The deal could exceed $10 billion, making it one of the largest funding events for a private company. Scale AI has seen significant revenue growth and has built a large language model on top of Meta's Llama 3.

Apple's AI ambitions have been challenged by faster-moving competitors and changing legal realities. The company needs to demonstrate it can deliver on AI for end users and developers, especially with WWDC 25 approaching and the threat of lost App Store income due to lawsuits and regulations.

OpenAI is pushing to integrate its ChatGPT AI chatbot into college campuses, despite concerns over misinformation and negative impacts on critical thinking and social skills. Several universities have already signed up for OpenAI's premium service, ChatGPT Edu.

OpenAI has detected and banned 10 malicious campaigns using ChatGPT, including fake IT worker resumes, social engineering, and cyber snooping. The campaigns were linked to North Korea, China, and Russia, and used the AI model to generate spammy social media content and develop malware.

Anthropic has open-sourced a tool to trace the internal behavior of large language models, providing insights into their decision-making processes. The circuit tracing library can identify replacement circuits and generate attribution graphs, allowing developers to understand how the models work and make them more interpretable.

Amazon has launched a new R&D group focused on agentic AI and robotics, based out of Lab126, its hardware R&D division. The group aims to develop an agentic AI framework for use in Amazon's robotics efforts and to enhance the skills of its warehouse robots.

Apple's upcoming iOS 19 is rumored to have a new name, major design overhaul, dedicated gaming app, virtual health coach, smarter battery management, AI translation for Messages, and more.

Apple's WWDC 2025 is expected to feature significant updates to iOS, including a new design and potentially a new naming system. The company may also announce updates to other operating systems, such as macOS and watchOS, as well as new features for AirPods and the Apple Pencil. Additionally, there may be announcements related to AI, including support for outside AI chatbots and updates to Apple's Health app.

Microsoft and ASUS' ROG division have confirmed the ROG Xbox Ally handheld gaming devices, with two variants: the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. They will be available this holiday season, with pricing and pre-order details coming soon. The devices will run on Windows 11, have a 7-inch 1080p display, and support Xbox games, Battle.net, and other PC storefronts.

A federal judge ruled that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in the online advertising market. The Justice Department has called for Google to be broken up. This case is part of a larger effort to regulate Big Tech companies, including Meta, Amazon, and Apple.

Amazon has introduced a palm scanning technology called Amazon One, which allows users to verify their identity by waving their hand over a sensor. The technology is being used in various locations, including Whole Foods, sports venues, and NYU Langone Health hospitals and clinics. While the technology is convenient and secure, it raises concerns about data privacy and the potential for big tech companies to use biometrics to control our digital identities.

Walmart is expanding its drone delivery service to five new cities, including Atlanta, Tampa, Orlando, Charlotte, and Houston, in partnership with Wing. The service will be available at 100 stores, with plans to reach every store within a year. Customers can sign up for notifications when drone deliveries become available in their area. The drones can deliver up to six miles from the retail location, with an average fulfillment time of 19 minutes.

OpenAI has appealed a federal judge's order to maintain all ChatGPT logs, citing user privacy concerns. The order was made as part of a copyright lawsuit filed by the New York Times, which claims OpenAI violated copyrights by using its articles to train ChatGPT. OpenAI argues that the order is 'sweeping' and 'unprecedented' and would require it to retain sensitive user data indefinitely.

Researchers at UC San Diego have released Orca, an open-source system that demonstrates how large language models can assist users on the web by guiding interaction, offering improved task speed and accuracy, and strengthening user trust in results.

Phygital design blends physical and digital elements, creating immersive experiences. It's used in AR packaging, VR pop-ups, and interactive storefronts, changing how we shop and play. This design approach is becoming increasingly important due to advances in technology, cultural shifts, and rising expectations for interactive experiences.

Exposed secrets in public repositories remain valid due to lack of awareness, resource constraints, and technical limitations. Organizations must prioritize rapid remediation and shift towards modern secrets management practices to reduce risks.

The datacenter industry is facing a public image problem due to misconceptions about their purpose and impact. Industry leaders are calling for education and awareness to improve understanding and acceptance of datacenters, which are critical infrastructure for modern society. The issue is complicated by the growing demand for datacenters to support AI and other technologies, which is leading to increased energy consumption and environmental concerns.

The US Department of Justice has filed a civil forfeiture complaint to seize $7.74 million in cash that was frozen over two years ago, alleged to be laundered by North Korean IT workers. The workers, who secured jobs at US tech companies while stationed overseas, used fake identities and laundered money through cryptocurrencies to fund North Korea's weapons program.

The Linux Foundation has introduced the FAIR Package Manager project to stabilize the WordPress ecosystem. The project aims to prevent political power plays by providing a decentralized alternative to the central WordPress.org plugin and theme ecosystem. This move comes after months of infighting between WordPress co-creator Matthew Mullenweg and rival commercial WordPress hosting firm WP Engine.

Microsoft and Asus have announced two new Xbox Ally handheld devices, featuring a new full-screen Xbox experience on Windows that hides the complexities of Windows away. The devices, part of Project Kennan, include the white ROG Xbox Ally for 720p gaming and the black ROG Xbox Ally X for 900p to 1080p gaming. They have a 7-inch 1080p screen, 120Hz refresh rate, and VRR support. The Xbox Ally uses an AMD Ryzen Z2 A chip, while the Xbox Ally X uses an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor.