Uber acquires SpotHero for an undisclosed sum, to offer parking reservation for events and at venues and airports; SpotHero was last valued at $290M

Uber announced its acquisition of SpotHero, a parking reservation app, aiming to integrate parking services into its platform. The acquisition will allow Uber to offer a parking reservation experience for events, venues, and airports, enhancing its ecosystem. SpotHero, founded in 2011, offers parking at over 13,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada.

A Trump administration official says DeepSeek's new model, expected next week, was trained on Nvidia Blackwell chips, in a potential US export control violation

Nothing reveals the Phone 4a ahead of schedule

This model will likely replace the 3a, which came out about this time of year in 2025.

Nobel laureate-built solar device turns desert air into clean water

Nobel laureate Omar Yaghi has developed a solar-powered device that harvests up to 1,000 liters of clean water daily from dry air using advanced Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF) technology. This off-grid device operates effectively even in areas with less than 20% humidity, offering a potential solution for regions facing severe water shortages. Unlike traditional atmospheric water generators, Yaghi’s system runs off-grid using only the sun’s heat, providing a more portable and eco-friendly alternative to desalination.

Tesla sues California's DMV to reverse a ruling that found Tesla violated the law by falsely promoting its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems

Tesla is suing California's DMV to reverse a ruling that found the automaker violated the law by falsely promoting its cars' self-driving capabilities. The DMV previously ruled that Tesla engaged in false advertising, but Tesla argues that the ruling was based on a misunderstanding of its marketing language. Tesla has since changed its branding and is now selling its partially automated driver assistance system on a subscription basis.

I completely missed what ChatGPT was doing to me—until an 11-minute phone call made it painfully obvious

This article from Fast Company discusses the author's evolving relationship with AI, particularly with tools like ChatGPT, as they customize the chatbot to be more neutral and factual, reflecting a shift towards viewing AI as a tool rather than a collaborator.

Meta Director of AI Safety Allows AI Agent to Accidentally Delete Her Inbox

This article discusses an incident where Meta's Director of AI Safety, Summer Yue, accidentally allowed an AI agent to delete her inbox. Yue referred to the incident as a 'rookie mistake' and highlighted the challenges of aligning AI with human intentions.

Anthropic says DeepSeek, MiniMax, and Moonshot violated its ToS by prompting Claude a combined 16M+ times and using distillation to train their own products

IBM Stock Price Sinks After Latest Anthropic AI Update - Markets Insider

IBM stock sinks as Anthropic rolls out yet another disruptive AI tool

Amazon plans to invest $12B in new data centers in Louisiana and says it worked with the local utility “to ensure we pay 100% of the costs” tied to the campus

Amazon plans to invest $12 billion in new AI data center campuses in Louisiana, aiming to create 540 full-time jobs and support around 1,700 other roles. This move is part of Amazon's broader $200 billion investment in AI this year, which includes data centers, chips, and networking equipment. The company has committed to using natural air cooling and surplus water to minimize environmental impact.

How ICE and CBP Use Free Walkie-Talkie App ‘Zello’ to Power Their Operations

404 Media discovered that ICE and CBP officials, including one involved in a shooting incident, use the Zello app to coordinate operations. This app, previously used by January 6 insurrectionists, has channels linked to ICE activities. Bodycam footage from Chicago confirmed CBP officials using Zello. The app, which has 5 million active monthly users, offers both free and paid versions.

ChatGPT Plus acting up? 7 fixes for the 2026 'Hmm... something went wrong' errors

OpenAI’s February 2026 updates, including the retirement of GPT-4o and the rollout of GPT-5.2 Thinking, have caused some unexpected bugs for Plus subscribers. If you’re hitting login loops, failed file uploads (now 20 at a time!), or the dreaded 'Something went wrong' message, we

Some AI startups are boosting their valuations by raising capital in back-to-back or multitiered deals, raising questions about how much they are really worth

AI can do anything and everything. 🛎️

New Xbox leader Asha Sharma expresses concern about declining birthrates and suggests AI could be a solution, but her claims about birthrates and the role of AI are factually incorrect.

China's brain-computer interface industry is racing ahead

China’s brain-computer interface industry is rapidly scaling from research to commercialization, driven by strong policy support, expanding clinical trials, and growing investor interest. Key factors include policy support, clinical resources, mature industrial manufacturing, and strategic investment. China’s BCI startups are ramping up to challenge U.S. leaders like Neuralink, Synchron, and Paradromics.

In recent interviews, Sam Altman said AI's adoption faces more resistance than he expected, while Jensen Huang warned the “doomer narrative” may be winning

Ladybird adopts Rust, with help from AI - Ladybird

Ladybird is adopting Rust as its C++ successor language, using AI agents to accelerate the transition. The first target was LibJS, Ladybird’s JavaScript engine, which was ported to Rust in two weeks, resulting in 25,000 lines of code. The Rust port was verified to be byte-for-byte identical to the C++ version, with no regressions in performance or test results. The Rust code intentionally mimics C++ patterns for compatibility, with plans to simplify and optimize the code in future iterations.

Exposing biases, moods, personalities, and abstract concepts hidden in large language models

A new method developed by MIT and UC San Diego researchers can identify and manipulate hidden biases, moods, personalities, and abstract concepts within large language models (LLMs). The approach uses recursive feature machines to pinpoint specific representations within LLMs and can steer these representations to enhance or diminish certain concepts in model responses. This method can improve LLM safety and performance by illuminating hidden concepts and potential vulnerabilities.

The 9,000-pound monster I don't want to give back =

This article explores the author's experience with the 2026 electric Escalade IQL, highlighting its luxurious features, impressive technology, and challenges faced during a snowy trip to Tahoe.

This Xpeng Chinese EV Comes with a Deployable Personal Aircraft

This article from Car and Driver discusses the Xpeng Land Aircraft Carrier, a six-wheeled EV van equipped with a six-rotor drone that can be deployed for personal flight, aiming to alleviate traffic congestion. Set for production in late 2026, it has already garnered 7000 pre-orders. The drone offers both autonomous and pilot-input operation and is recharged while stored in the van's cargo area.

Say Goodbye to the Undersea Cable That Made the Global Internet Possible | WIRED

This WIRED article explores the history and decommissioning of the first-ever transoceanic fiber-optic cable, TAT-8, which was responsible for carrying almost all intercontinental internet traffic. The article debunks the myth that sharks are the primary threat to undersea cables and highlights the human effort behind maintaining and retiring these cables. It details the process of cable recovery, recycling, and the environmental impact of decommissioning. The article also touches on the evolution of fiber-optic technology and its significance in global communication.

NVIDIA To Launch Custom Arm-based Laptop Processors By Late 2026

Major manufacturers Dell and Lenovo are confirmed to be the first partners, with at least eight laptop models already in development

Can the creator economy stay afloat in a flood of AI slop? | TechCrunch

TechCrunch's latest episode of Equity podcast discusses the future of the creator economy amidst the rise of AI-generated content. The discussion highlights the challenges faced by creators in monetizing their content and the potential impact of AI on the creator economy. The podcast also explores the tension between the democratization of content creation and the production of low-effort content.

OpenClaw users lost access to Gemini AI services, Google Antigravity lead Varun Mohan explains why

Google recently restricted access to its Antigravity AI tool, powered by Gemini, for some users due to misuse concerns. The affected users were those using OpenClaw, an open-source AI assistant. Varun Mohan, head of Antigravity, explained that the backend had seen a rise in malicious activity, which affected service quality for regular users. Google's decision underscores the control tech companies have over who can use their AI services and highlights the importance of adhering to official usage guidelines.

Keep Android Open

This open letter from various organizations opposes Google's policy requiring Android app developers to register with Google for third-party app distribution. They argue that this policy threatens innovation, competition, privacy, and user freedom, and they urge Google to reconsider and work with the community on less restrictive alternatives.

Digg Daily Tech for February 23, 2026: Sam Altman and Jensen Huang, Meta’s Director of AI Safety, and the new Head of Xbox

1. In recent interviews, Sam Altman said AI's adoption faces more resistance than he expected, while Jensen Huang warned the “doomer narrative” may be winning (https://digg.com/technology/Ai0FoxT/in-recent-interviews-sam-altman-said)   2. Meta Director of AI Safety Allows AI Ag

Linus Torvalds announces Linux 7.0-rc1

This article announces the release of Linux 7.0-rc1, emphasizing that the new major version is more about numbers than drama. Linus Torvalds clarifies that the release is a marker of solid progress and not a grand redesign. The update focuses on driver updates, Rust integration, and kernel code improvements. Developers are encouraged to test the release as it marks the beginning of the testing cycle.

The Devil's Advocate - Jailbreaking Fighter Jets, Social Media Addiction, and Self-Driving Snafus

This Week in Tech episode 1072 discusses the wild, occasionally absurd future of tech, including Mark Zuckerberg's court appearance, Meta's AI election push, and the challenges of social media addiction. It also covers tech mishaps like fighter jets being jailbroken, Amazon vans getting lost, and Tesla's robotaxis crashing. The episode highlights the intersection of technology and society, including privacy concerns, the impact of social media on children with disabilities, and the future of self-driving cars.