Amazon blames human employees for an AI coding agent’s mistake

Two minor AWS outages have reportedly occurred as a result of actions by Amazon’s AI tools, according to The Verge. The first outage, in December, was caused by Amazon’s AI coding assistant Kiro, which deleted and recreated the environment it was working on. The second outage, linked to Amazon’s AI chatbot Q Developer, did not impact a customer-facing AWS service. Amazon blames human error for the problems, not the AI tools, and has implemented numerous safeguards following the incidents.

Sam Altman says discussions about AI's energy usage are “unfair”, as it takes “20 years of life and all of the food you eat during that time” to train a human

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, addressed concerns about AI's environmental impact during an event hosted by The Indian Express. He dismissed claims about AI's water usage as 'totally fake' and emphasized the need for a shift towards renewable energy sources. Altman also pointed out that training a human requires significant energy and time, suggesting that AI may already be more energy-efficient than human learning.

US farmers are increasingly rejecting multimillion-dollar offers from data center developers; some estimate ~40K acres are needed globally for new AI projects

US farmers are rejecting multimillion-dollar datacenter bids for their land, emphasizing the cultural and emotional value of their properties over financial gain. The article highlights the conflict between tech companies' need for land to power AI and the farmers' deep-rooted connection to their land. Despite offers that far exceed the land's market value, many farmers refuse to sell, citing personal and historical ties to their land as well as concerns about the environmental impact of datacenters.

They Want To Age Verify Our Computers Now...

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.

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.

Google and Anthropic Are Banning OpenClaw Users: 4 Reasons Behind the Crackdown

You know something’s wrong when companies start banning their own paying customers without explanation. Last week, Google restricted access for some AI Ultra users (those paying $250/month). Anthropic made similar moves with Claude Pro subscribers around the same time. The conne

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.

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.

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

Wispr Flow launches an Android app for AI-powered dictation

Wispr Flow, an AI-powered dictation startup, has launched its Android app, offering a floating bubble interface for voice input. The app, which supports over 100 languages and includes a new Hinglish model, is now available after initial releases on Mac, Windows, and iOS. The company claims a 30% speed improvement and has raised $81 million in funding.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

AS400 Services: Driving Hybrid IT Transformation and Enterprise Growth

Explore the strategic role of AS400 in hybrid IT environments. See how AS400 services enable modernization without disruption, enhance governance, and support enterprise innovation. Learn how organizations leverage iSeries managed services to balance AS400 legacy infrastructure w

Importance of UI / UX Design in Today’s Digital World

UI/UX design is the process of making websites and apps easy to understand, simple to navigate, and comfortable to use. It focuses on clear visuals, consistent layouts, and smooth user journeys so people can complete tasks without confusion, leading to better user satisfaction, s

Human Cogeneration: Generating your own Heat and Electricity - PedalPC

Claude in PowerPoint expands to Pro subscribers with connector support and double usage promo

With the release of Claude Opus 4.6 earlier this month, Anthropic rolled out a new Microsoft Powerpoint extension for its chatbot. Initially launched as a research preview for users on the Max, Team, and Enterprise plans, the Claude in PowerPoint extension is now available to Pro

Anthropic's data shows software engineering accounts for ~50% of its AI agent tool calls; the remaining verticals are greenfields most founders are overlooking

Samsung Galaxy AI gets Perplexity integration for the upcoming S26 series

Many folks are looking forward to the Samsung Galaxy AI. Perplexity is now a full-time system-level helper for the S26 smartphone series, which is a sign that things are getting better. The Samsung Galaxy AI is a group of advanced AI technologies that come with the phone’s operat

AI Renaissance - by Santiago Roel Santos

This blog post explores the transformative impact of AI on education and personal learning. It highlights how AI can personalize learning, enhance engagement, and democratize access to high-quality education. The author argues that AI will empower individuals with specialized skills and knowledge, leading to a new era of creativity and innovation. The post emphasizes the potential of AI to reshape traditional educational systems and the skills valued in society.

A Case for "ChatGPT Takeout"

More than ever we need to talk about data portability when it comes to AI providers.