NerdNews

The Nevada Transportation Authority has approved permits for Tesla, Uber, and Waymo to operate commercial robotaxi services in Clark County, with up to 8,000 vehicles to be deployed over the next 12 months. Tesla's permit allows for up to 5,000 robotaxis, while Waymo and Uber are approved for 1,000 each. The move is expected to change the city's workforce and transportation landscape.

The article discusses the implications of automation on work, including the rise of AI writing, the cost of staying at the frontier, and the potential for AI to augment human capabilities. It also highlights the launch of Thesis Statements, a project that collects predictions from AI leaders on the future of work.

Meta has launched a new social media app called Pocket, which allows users to generate and share AI-created mini games and digital toys. The app uses Meta's Muse Spark model and allows users to create games using text prompts, without needing to know code.

Google's HEIR is an open-source compiler and development toolchain designed to make encrypted computation easier to deploy, allowing pre-trained AI models to operate on encrypted data. It aims to address challenges with end-to-end encryption and enable services like spam detection and content recommendations without exposing user data.

Meta is in court over child safety, with 29 state attorneys general claiming the company violated federal privacy law by collecting personal info from kids under 13 without parental consent. The trial could force changes to Facebook and Instagram's core features.

Google has introduced a new 'Preferred Sources' button that allows readers to indicate their favorite sources, which can help drive more traffic to publishers' websites. This feature is part of Google's effort to mitigate the impact of AI-driven traffic losses on online publishers.

Security researcher Christopher Domas has unveiled an open-source hardware security project that dismantles traditional CPU privilege boundaries by targeting the lowest layer of the physical memory hierarchy. The project, called skitter-creek-bath-salts, manipulates memory controller translation registers to dynamically alter physical-to-DRAM address mappings, allowing unprivileged software to access isolated platform memory regions without triggering upstream architectural memory fences or fault exceptions.

Meta's AI glasses are becoming increasingly popular, but they also raise significant privacy concerns. The glasses can record video and audio without the consent of those around them, and some apps are being developed to detect when they are being used. However, these apps are not perfect and may not always be able to detect the glasses. As demand for the glasses continues to grow, it's likely that they will become even more prevalent, making it harder for people to avoid being recorded without their consent.

Waymo has developed a custom silicon chip to handle the massive influx of raw data in its self-driving system, delivering over 1,000 TOPS of computing performance. This chip is a critical piece of a system that can react fast and safely in complex environments. Waymo has also partnered with several companies, including AMD, Micron, Nvidia, and Samsung, to work on compute.

The legality of training AI models on copyrighted books is unclear due to outdated copyright laws. Recent court rulings have provided some insight, but the issue remains complex. Judges consider factors like fair use and transformative purpose when deciding whether AI training on copyrighted materials is permissible.

Microsoft released Aspire 13.5, updating the dashboard and adding workflow improvements, including a new Interaction Service, file imports, and progress dialogs. The release also adds a terminal inside the dashboard, improves TypeScript AppHosts, and enhances deployment capabilities.

EE has launched Fast Lane, the UK's first commercial network slice, offering dedicated 5G+ connectivity for consumers and businesses during busy times. The service anticipates network congestion and seamlessly moves eligible users to a dedicated section of EE's 5G+ network to maintain performance.

ToxicPanda Android malware uses VPN permissions to block Google Play, expanding its targeting to 349 applications and adding support for 167 remote commands, allowing it to interfere with security checks and actions.

Anthropic is reportedly including the potential for public backlash against AI in its IPO prospectus, a key risk factor for investors. This move comes as the company prepares for its public release and faces growing concerns over the impact of AI on society.

Generalist AI has developed robots that can learn tasks without specific training, using a method similar to how children learn. The robots can improvise and adapt to new situations, with a success rate of around 59%. This technology has the potential to revolutionize industries such as manufacturing.

Flux has introduced Flux Mirror, a CLI plugin that mirrors container images, Helm charts, and OCI artifacts between registries from a declarative configuration, aiming to keep Kubernetes clusters reconciling only from registries that teams operate themselves, as part of the Flux project's move towards Gitless GitOps.

Harper, a database platform, advocates for a single-runtime architecture, releasing version 5.2 with improved performance. A benchmark against a Vercel-based stack shows Harper's architecture outperforms in live, personalized-data workloads, while Vercel excels in cacheable content and broadcast-only real-time scenarios.

Patreon has introduced 30 new features to help creators get discovered, build their community, and learn from insights. The features include short-form Clips, revamped discovery, and new tools for tracking audience and earnings. The platform aims to prioritize genuine community over fleeting engagement and provide a better experience for creators and fans.

Grand Theft Auto VI is set to release on November 19th, 2026, with preorders now open. The game will be available in standard and Ultimate editions, with the latter including additional in-game content. Rockstar Games has confirmed that the physical versions of the game will contain a download code, rather than a disc. The game's developer has also faced accusations of union busting after firing over 30 employees.

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto VI is nearing its November 19th launch, with a gameplay trailer set to premiere on Netflix. Despite leaks, controversy, and delays, the game's hype remains strong, with millions of views on YouTube and a massive following. The game's success could boost flagging console sales, but its impact on the industry will be temporary.