NerdNews

Google's Gemini app now features Lyria 3 AI model, which can generate 30 seconds of music based on a prompt, without requiring lyrics. The model can create music in various styles and genres, and also generates an album cover-style image. Lyria 3 is available in the Gemini web interface and will be rolled out to the mobile app soon.

OpenAI's Codex team discusses their product strategy, workflows, and how they use their own coding agent to ship new products, including a desktop app and a new flagship model. They also talk about the importance of speed in coding agents and how it can unlock new ways of working.

Dropbox built a context engine for enterprise knowledge search using index-based retrieval, knowledge graph-derived context, and continuous evaluation. The engine relies on pre-processing content and uses knowledge bundles to create models of relationships, allowing for faster and more accurate search results.

World Labs has secured a $200 million investment from Autodesk as part of a larger $1 billion round. The partnership will explore how World Labs' AI models can work alongside Autodesk's 3D design tools, starting with entertainment use cases.

Sarvam, an Indian AI lab, has launched new large language models, including 30-billion- and 105-billion-parameter models, as a major bet on the viability of open-source AI. The models are designed to support real-time applications, including voice-based assistants and chat systems in Indian languages, and are trained using computing resources provided under India's government-backed IndiaAI Mission.

Generative and agentic AI is transforming cyber security, but it also introduces new risks that existing evaluation and governance approaches were never designed to manage. CISOs need to prioritize enforceable controls, operational transparency, and independent oversight to effectively govern AI in security.

Researchers at Check Point discovered that AI services like Grok and Microsoft Copilot can be used to relay command-and-control activity, allowing attackers to deliver commands and retrieve stolen data from victim systems without being flagged or blocked.

Researchers have observed threat actors rapidly sharing proof-of-concept exploits and stolen administrator credentials related to SmarterMail vulnerabilities on underground Telegram channels. The vulnerabilities, including CVE-2026-24423 and CVE-2026-23760, enable remote code execution and authentication bypass on exposed email servers. Over 1,000 SmarterMail servers remain vulnerable to active ransomware exploits.

Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat has been found to summarize emails labeled as 'confidential' despite data loss prevention policies being in place. The issue is caused by a code problem that allows Copilot to access items in sent items and draft folders even when confidential labels are set. Microsoft is working to remediate the issue and has notified affected customers.

OpenAI is partnering with six public and private higher-education institutions in India to integrate AI into core academic functions, aiming to reach over 100,000 students, faculty, and staff. The initiative focuses on embedding AI into academic workflows, offering campus-wide access to ChatGPT Edu tools, faculty training, and responsible-use frameworks.

Dropbox built a context engine for enterprise knowledge search using index-based retrieval, knowledge graph-derived context, and continuous evaluation. The engine relies on pre-processing content and uses knowledge bundles to create models of relationships, allowing for faster and more accurate search results.

World Labs has secured a $200 million investment from Autodesk as part of a larger $1 billion round. The partnership will explore how World Labs' AI models can work alongside Autodesk's 3D design tools, starting with entertainment use cases.

Google introduces the Pixel 10a, a $499 entry-level smartphone with new AI software capabilities, minor hardware updates, and a 6.3-inch Actua display. It features a 48 MP main camera, faster charging, and up to 120 hours of battery life with the 'Extreme Battery Saver' setting.

Sarvam, an Indian AI company, plans to deploy its AI models on feature phones, cars, and smart glasses, using edge models that take up only megabytes of space and can run offline. The company is teaming up with HMD, Qualcomm, and Bosch to bring AI assistants to various devices.

DG Matrix, a solid-state transformer startup, has raised $60 million in a Series A round to make data center power management more efficient and flexible. Their Interport device acts as a router for power, integrating electricity from various sources and eliminating the need for uninterruptible power supplies and other equipment, resulting in increased efficiency and reliability.

Uber is investing over $100 million to build autonomous vehicle-dedicated charging hubs in the US, starting in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Dallas. The company aims to prepare for the rise of robotaxis and ensure its success in the emerging market. The hubs will include fast-charging stations and additional pit stop stations, allowing self-driving vehicles to stay on the road longer.

Google has signed a deal with Ormat Technologies to supply 150 megawatts of geothermal energy to support its datacenter expansion in Nevada. The agreement is expected to begin operations between 2028 and 2030 and will help reduce Google's carbon footprint. Geothermal energy is seen as a viable solution to meet the growing power demands of datacenters, with the potential to meet up to 64% of expected datacenter growth by the early 2030s.

Cisco FlashStack with Nutanix offers a modular converged infrastructure solution, enabling independent scaling of compute and storage, unified management, and pre-emptive capabilities for AI and hybrid-cloud deployments. This solution aims to provide flexibility and simplicity in IT infrastructure, allowing businesses to adapt to changing needs without being tied to specific architectures.

Tesla has complied with a California DMV order to stop using the term 'Autopilot' in its marketing, as it was deemed misleading. The company has already modified its use of 'Full Self-Driving' to clarify that it requires driver supervision. This change comes after a lengthy case over Tesla's use of these terms in relation to its advanced driver assistance system (ADAS).

Linus Torvalds and early Linux developers discuss how the operating system evolved from a solo project to a global collaborative effort, with key milestones including the release of Linux 0.02 and the adoption of the GNU General Public License (GPL).