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Astronomer CEO Andy Byron placed on leave after viral Coldplay kiss cam video

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 18: Chris Martin of Coldplay performs on stage at Optus Stadium on November 18, 2023 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images) Astronomer, a provider of open-source technologies that was hardly known until this week, said on Friday that CEO Andy Byron has been placed on leave after he was shown on video at a Coldplay concert in an intimate embrace with the company's head of human relations. The company said in an emailed statement that co-founder and pr

The Halo Effect

Notes on the recent trend of “Hire and License Out” deals in AI Halos are made when souls leave their companies and ascend to the Clouds Over the last year, a new breed of deal structure has emerged in AI: an alternative to acquisitions and hiring that shares traits of both yet isn’t quite either. Companies like Inflection, Character AI, Adept, Covariant and most recently Windsurf have used this new structure in a common pattern. A core team from the startup–usually including the founders and

Sage: An atomic bomb kicked off the biggest computing project in history

In addition to being vital for national security, SAGE was a proving ground for the US Department of Defense. It demonstrated the government’s ability to coordinate large-scale, diversified and highly sophisticated computer research and development. From his earliest conversations with MIT, IBM vice president of engineering John McPherson, who would become the company’s point person on SAGE, quickly recognized the magnitude of the data processing opportunity — the largest for IBM since it was c

Block shares soar 10% on entry into S&P 500

Jack Dorsey, co-founder and chief executive officer of Twitter Inc. and Square Inc., listens during the Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami, Florida, on Friday, June 4, 2021. Block shares jumped more than 10% in extended trading on Friday, as the fintech company gets set to join the S&P 500, replacing Hess . It's the second change to the benchmark this week, after S&P Global announced on Monday that ad-tech firm The Trade Desk would be added to the S&P 500. Trade Desk is taking the place of softw

Microsoft stops relying on Chinese engineers for Pentagon cloud support

Microsoft Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella (L) returns to the stage after a pre-recorded interview during the Microsoft Build conference opening keynote in Seattle, Washington on May 19, 2025. Microsoft on Friday revised its practices to ensure that engineers in China no longer provide technical support to U.S. defense clients using the company's cloud services. The company implemented the changes in an effort to reduce national security and cybersecurity risks stemming from

Section 174 is reversed, mostly

Hi, this is Gergely with a bonus, free issue of the Pragmatic Engineer Newsletter. In every issue, I cover Big Tech and startups through the lens of senior engineers and engineering leaders. Today, we get into one out of four topics from last week’s The Pulse issue, which full subscribers received seven days ago. If you’ve been forwarded this email, you can subscribe here. Since early 2024, a tax change in the US named “Section 174” has been plaguing tech companies in the country. It was introd

An Innovative New Security Camera Has a Solar Panel That Follows the Sun

I've tested solar panels for home security cameras before. Almost every brand has one nowadays, and they're an easy way to use wireless cams and keep their batteries full. But mounting those little solar panels in the right spot can be a pain, which is why I'm fascinated by Baseus S2's solution: A built-in solar panel that moves. This camera, currently available for preorder at $130, includes a solar panel on top similar to Eufy's model but with one big difference. This panel is designed to rot

An Innovative New Security Camera Has a Solar Panel that Follows the Sun

I've tested solar panels for home security cameras before. Almost every brand has one nowadays, and they're an easy way to use wireless cams and keep their batteries full. But mounting those little solar panels in the right spot can be a pain, which is why I'm fascinated by Baseus S2's solution: A built-in solar panel that moves. This camera, currently available for preorder at $130, includes a solar panel on top similar to Eufy's model but with one big difference. This panel is designed to rot

Russian alcohol retailer WineLab closes stores after ransomware attack

WineLab, the retail store of the largest alcohol company in Russia, has closed its stores following a cyberattack that is impacting its operations and causing purchase problems to its customers. Its parent company, Novabev Group, informed earlier this week that hackers had breached its IT systems. “On July 14, the group was subjected to an unprecedented cyberattack—a large-scale and coordinated operation carried out by hackers,” the company said. “As a result of the incident, parts of the IT

Meta says it wont sign Europe AI agreement, calling it growth stunting overreach

Meta Platforms declined to sign the European Union's artificial intelligence code of practice because it is an overreach that will "stunt" companies, according to global affairs chief Joel Kaplan. "Europe is heading down the wrong path on AI," Kaplan wrote in a post Friday on LinkedIn. "This code introduces a number of legal uncertainties for model developers, as well as measures which go far beyond the scope of the AI Act." Last week, the European Commission, the executive body of the EU, pub

More Than Half of Teens Surveyed Use AI for Companionship. Why That's Not Ideal

Is your teen using an artificial intelligence chatbot for companionship? If you don't know, it's time to find out. Common Sense Media released a study this week, where it found that more than half of pre-adult teenagers regularly use AI companions. Nearly a third of the teens surveyed reported that conversations with AI were as satisfying as conversations with actual humans, if not more so. Researchers also found that 33% of teens surveyed use AI companions such as Character.AI, Nomi and Replik

After a partly successful test flight, European firm eyes space station mission

Last month, the parachutes on Hélène Huby's small spacecraft failed to deploy, and the vehicle and its cargo crashed into the ocean on Earth. It was both a success and a failure. The success was that after Huby founded The Exploration Company in Europe, she managed to move nimbly with the "Mission Possible" spacecraft such that it cost less than $25 million to build and reached space in less than three years. The vehicle ticked off a number of successes in spaceflight before making a controlle

OpenAI Quietly Turns to Google to Stay Online

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has quietly added Google Cloud as one of its official service providers, meaning Google will now help power the systems that run ChatGPT and other AI products. This development was disclosed on OpenAI’s website in a list of what are called sub-processors, or companies that handle or process user data on OpenAI’s behalf. For everyday users, it may not seem like a big deal. But behind the scenes, it is a major shift. OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft, has

Psilocybin decreases depression and anxiety in cancer patients (2016)

Participants with a potentially life-threatening cancer diagnosis and a DSM-IV diagnosis that included anxiety and/or mood symptoms were recruited through flyers, internet, and physician referral. Of 566 individuals who were screened by telephone, 56 were randomized. Figure 1 shows a CONSORT flow diagram. Table 1 shows demographics for the 51 participants who completed at least one session. The two randomized groups did not significantly differ demographically. All 51 participants had a potentia

Meta refuses to sign EU’s AI code of practice

Meta has refused to sign the European Union’s code of practice for its AI Act, weeks before the bloc’s rules for providers of general-purpose AI models take effect. “Europe is heading down the wrong path on AI,” wrote Meta’s chief global affairs officer Joel Kaplan in a post on LinkedIn. “We have carefully reviewed the European Commission’s Code of Practice for general-purpose AI (GPAI) models and Meta won’t be signing it. This Code introduces a number of legal uncertainties for model developer

Engadget review recap: Galaxy Z Fold 7, Panasonic S1 II, Samsung QS700F and more

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . We've been busy in the Engadget reviews department over the last few weeks, keeping up with Prime Day, product launches and the accumulating stack of devices on our desks. If you missed any of our in-depth testing recently, you can quickly catch up on the latest camera, laptop, phone a

Nintendo launches another Switch Online test program for 40,000 players

Nintendo has posted a call for participants for another Playtest Program, and this time, it's looking for 40,000 testers and not just 10,000 like in the first one. If you'll recall, Nintendo looked for 10,000 participants for the first Playtest event last year to test an unnamed, mysterious Switch Online feature. The new program still only welcomes active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members, but as you'd expect, it now supports both the original Switch and the Switch 2. Interested p

Zuck, Sandberg, and Thiel Skate Free From Testifying After Settlement in Meta Privacy Suit

An $8 billion shareholder lawsuit against Meta over the Cambridge Analytica scandal ended in an undisclosed settlement on Thursday. The settlement, which came at the last minute as a trial was getting underway, saved high-ranking members of Meta’s board from having to testify under oath about their roles in those alleged violations. The lawsuit, which was originally filed in 2018, asked the defendants to use billions of their personal wealth to compensate for the financial damages it accused th

Psilocybin produces substantial sustained decreases in depression and anxiety

Participants with a potentially life-threatening cancer diagnosis and a DSM-IV diagnosis that included anxiety and/or mood symptoms were recruited through flyers, internet, and physician referral. Of 566 individuals who were screened by telephone, 56 were randomized. Figure 1 shows a CONSORT flow diagram. Table 1 shows demographics for the 51 participants who completed at least one session. The two randomized groups did not significantly differ demographically. All 51 participants had a potentia

Netflix starts using GenAI in its shows and films

Companies developing video AI models and tools often talk about working with Hollywood studios to make certain workflows possible. On Thursday, Netflix said that it has started using AI in movies and shows it produces. Speaking at the company’s post-results conference call, the company’s co-CEO, Ted Sarandos, said that the platform had “the very first GenAI final footage to appear on screen” in an Argentine show called “El Atonata.” He noted that Netflix’s internal production group teamed up wi

iSnitched? Apple sues YouTuber over elaborate iOS 26 leak plot

Front Page Tech TL;DR Apple is suing YouTuber Jon Prosser for Front Page Tech for allegedly accessing a development iPhone and leaking iOS 26 details months before launch. The lawsuit accuses him and a collaborator of a conspiracy to misappropriate trade secrets and secretly record unreleased features. It’s an unusually aggressive legal move for a tech company, one we’ve never seen from an Android brand. Apple is generally better than most Android brands at keeping its unreleased products an

Elon Musk's Neuralink filed as 'disadvantaged business' before being valued at $9 billion

Elon Musk's health tech company Neuralink labeled itself a "small disadvantaged business" in a federal filing with the U.S. Small Business Administration, shortly before a financing round valued the company at $9 billion. Neuralink is developing a brain-computer interface (BCI) system, with an initial aim to help people with severe paralysis regain some independence. BCI technology broadly can translate a person's brain signals into commands that allow them to manipulate external technologies j

Poor Passwords Tattle on AI Hiring Bot Maker Paradox.ai

Security researchers recently revealed that the personal information of millions of people who applied for jobs at McDonald’s was exposed after they guessed the password (“123456”) for the fast food chain’s account at Paradox.ai, a company that makes artificial intelligence based hiring chatbots used by many Fortune 500 firms. Paradox.ai said the security oversight was an isolated incident that did not affect its other customers, but recent security breaches involving its employees in Vietnam te

How We Test Antivirus Software

Protecting your devices from viruses and other malware is incredibly important, but effective antivirus detection isn’t the only thing to consider when choosing security software. You also want to ensure that the program won’t slow your devices down or interfere with everyday tasks. And if you’re buying a full cybersecurity suite, you’ll need to make sure it covers most or all of your security needs. Our testing processes are designed to help you find antivirus tools that meet all of these crit

Key Home Energy Tax Credits End This Year. Act Quickly if You're Considering Solar Panels, Experts Say

A big federal tax credit for homeowners who get solar panels will end this year, meaning a window for significant savings on going solar is closing fast. The 30% credit has long been the biggest single incentive for residential solar panel adoption, and its expiration is a significant blow for what has been a fast-growing industry. For homeowners, its elimination significantly changes the calculus of whether solar panels make financial sense compared with paying utility electrical rates. "It's

Trump Jr.’s ‘Amazon for Guns’ Business Is Firing Blanks

What is the opposite of the Midas touch? Whatever that is, Donald Trump Jr. seems to have it. On Wednesday, an online firearms seller backed by the President’s favorite failson went public. It didn’t take long for the public to say, “No thanks.” On Wednesday, the company’s stock price took a significant hit by the end of the trading day. GrabAGun is a pretty simple concept. It’s an online marketplace that specifically handles guns, ammunition, and firearm accessories. Trump Jr.’s business partn

Uber Is Going All-in on Robotaxis

By the end of this decade, your next Uber ride might not have a driver at all. At least, that’s what Uber wants you (and its investors on Wall Street to believe.) Uber announced a new partnership today with luxury electric vehicle maker Lucid and the robotics company Nuro. Under the agreement, Uber plans to deploy a fleet of at least 20,000 Lucid Gravity SUVs equipped with Nuro’s self-driving technology over the next six years. The robotaxi service is expected to launch in a yet unnamed major U

Microsoft is buying tons of carbon removal from Xprize startup Vaulted Deep

Microsoft is building data centers as fast as it can, and that’s killing its carbon balance sheet. Since 2020, its carbon emissions have grown by nearly a quarter, undermining the pledge it made that year to remove more carbon from the atmosphere than it generates by 2030. So Microsoft has been buying massive amounts of carbon-removal credits to attempt to remedy that situation, including a newly announced purchase of 4.9 million metric tons from Vaulted Deep. Neither party disclosed the financ

Amazon cuts some jobs in cloud computing unit as layoffs continue

Attendees walk through an exposition hall at AWS re:Invent, a conference hosted by Amazon Web Services, in Las Vegas on Dec. 3, 2024. Amazon is laying off some staffers in its cloud computing division, the company confirmed on Thursday. "After a thorough review of our organization, our priorities, and what we need to focus on going forward, we've made the difficult business decision to eliminate some roles across particular teams in AWS," Amazon spokesperson Brad Glasser said in a statement. "

Amazon’s AI push is undermining its sustainability goals

Amazon’s decarbonization goals are being undermined by its push to be a leader in generative AI. Its most recent sustainability report concedes its overall carbon emissions grew for the first time since 2022. It reported a six percent increase in its carbon footprint across 2024, laying much of the blame at the feet of its data center rollout. The reported increase is significant given Amazon’s method of reporting its own environmental impact. Critics have suggested the mega-retailer “ dramatic