Discord says it “ran a limited test of Persona in the UK” to verify user ages and “that test has since concluded”, distancing itself from Persona amid backlash

Discord has halted its 'limited test' of Persona's age verification in the UK after facing user backlash over privacy concerns. Discord removed references to Persona from its support page and confirmed that the information collected during the test was deleted. Discord maintains that its age estimation technology runs locally on users' devices and does not upload video selfies. The company is evaluating vendor partners to improve its age assurance experience and expand user options while prioritizing privacy.

Discord cuts ties with Peter Thiel-backed verification software after its code was found tied to U.S. surveillance efforts

Discord terminated its partnership with Peter Thiel-backed Persona Identities, an age-verification software, after exposed code raised concerns about U.S. surveillance efforts. Researchers discovered nearly 2,500 accessible files on a U.S. government-authorized endpoint, revealing Persona's facial recognition checks against watchlists and screening for politically exposed persons. Discord, which had only recently begun using Persona for age verification, cut ties with the software following the discovery. Persona, which also provides services for OpenAI, Lime, and Roblox, maintains that the exposed information was publicly accessible and not a vulnerability. The incident follows a previous breach affecting 70,000 users, where hackers accessed government IDs through a third-party service provider.

Taara Beam provides 25Gbps connectivity over invisible beams of light

Light-based internet provider Taara, which spun out of Alphabet’s “moonshot” incubator last year, just launched Taara Beam to provide 25Gbps connectivity within cities over invisible beams of light — line of sight permitting.

Apple says it plans to move some production of Mac Mini to Houston from Asia later in 2026, as part of its efforts to invest $600B in the US over four years

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.

Cyber Security: Trust & Resilience in Digital Era

This article discusses the importance of cyber security in the digital era, emphasizing trust, resilience, and business continuity. It highlights the evolving nature of cyber threats, the need for proactive planning, and the role of human factors in cyber security. The article also covers modern cyber security approaches, data protection measures, AI-based solutions, incident response plans, compliance requirements, and the ongoing nature of cyber security as a strategic business decision.

Panasonic, the former plasma king, will no longer make its own TVs | Ars Technica

Last month Sony sold half their TV business to TCL that signaled the end of an era; This marks the end of an era for Japanese television manufacturers.

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.

ASML researchers unveil a breakthrough in EUV light source power, increasing output from 600W to 1,000W, a jump that could yield 50% more chips by 2030

ASML Holding has unveiled a significant advancement in its extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) light source, potentially increasing chip production by up to 50% by 2030. This breakthrough, achieved by boosting the power of the light source to 1,000 watts, aims to maintain ASML's competitive edge in the global chipmaking industry. The improvement could reduce costs per chip and enhance production efficiency, with ASML's machines expected to process 330 wafers per hour by the end of the decade.

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.

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.

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

Meta agrees to acquire up to 6GW of AMD Instinct GPUs in a deal valued at $100B+ that could see Meta own up to 10% of AMD; Meta plans to deploy 1GW in 2026

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.