At gamescom 2026, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told BBC News that Project Helix, the code name for Xbox's next-generation hardware, actually refers to a whole lineup of devices rather than a single console. She declined to give specifics or say whether the discless-versus-disc question applies to the entire family, only confirming that all Helix hardware will support both console and PC games and that performance will keep improving.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-29
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told BBC News that Project Helix, previously described as a codename for Microsoft's next console, will actually be a 'family' of devices rather than a single machine. She declined to confirm whether any of these devices would be discless, though Microsoft recently launched a program letting users digitize physical games.
theverge.com
· 2026-08-28
Following Dolly Parton's death on August 25, attention has turned to the broader economic footprint she built around Dollywood in Tennessee. Beyond the theme park's roller coasters, her ventures included workforce housing, health centers, and other investments that supported the surrounding regional economy.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-08-28
According to Reuters, Meta executives led by Mark Zuckerberg pursued an internal initiative called Project Organization Transformation aimed at cutting entire teams by as much as 60 percent and replacing workers with AI agents. That plan followed May's layoffs of nearly 8,000 employees and was ultimately abandoned after a second wave of cuts was called off amid backlash, lawsuits, and low morale.
futurism.com
· 2026-08-28
A batch of newly reviewed titles spans wildly different territory: Suzanne Simard's account of her Mother Tree Project reforestation effort in British Columbia, Antonio Melechi's historical survey of theories about the unconscious mind, and Jeffrey Marlow's exploration of the little-studied deep ocean floor. A fourth title, Valerie Tiberius's Artificially Yours, is also noted among the season's book releases.
nature.com
· 2026-08-28
Meta shelved a broader round of layoffs tied to its 'Project OT' restructuring effort, which aimed to replace larger teams with AI agents and smaller staff groups. Internal data showed AI-generated code volume jumped 220%, but actual product improvements reaching users grew only 36%, while security incidents rose 40% and time spent fixing them climbed 70%.
techspot.com
· 2026-08-27
Reuters reports that Meta developed an internal restructuring effort, codenamed Project OT, that explored replacing much of the daily work of thousands of employees with AI systems overseen by small human teams. The plan, reportedly set in motion by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, called for two rounds of layoffs; the first occurred in May, but Meta scrapped the second round. Meta confirmed the scenario-planning exercise took place but said not every scenario was implemented, noting thousands of employees were instead redeployed to new priority teams.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-08-26
Reuters reports Meta spent 2024 developing 'Project OT,' an internal restructuring effort meant to reorganize the company around AI agents overseen by small human 'pods,' with some teams facing headcount cuts of up to 60%. Mark Zuckerberg reportedly shelved or paused a planned second wave of layoffs under the plan, which would have followed the company's earlier 10% workforce reduction this year. Meta confirmed a second plan existed but described the harsher cuts as scenarios under consideration rather than finalized decisions.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-26
More than 15 candidates for state and federal office, including Nebraska Senate independent Dan Osborn, have signed the AI Pact, a five-point pledge covering mandatory AI safety reviews, worker dividends from AI profits, and legal accountability for AI-caused harms. The pact grew out of the Political Integrity Project, an anti-money-in-politics group, and is funded by a progressive PAC rather than tech companies or AI safety organizations. Nearly all current signers are Democrats, though organizers say they hope to attract Republican candidates too.
wired.com
· 2026-08-26
Chris Malone, who led OpenAI's data center strategy after joining from Meta and Google in March 2024, has left the company. OpenAI confirmed it recently restructured its infrastructure organization, shifting oversight so that Malone no longer reported to President Greg Brockman but instead to VP Sachin Katti before his exit. The company says several other executives, including Uday Ruddarraju, Brent Mayo and Spas Lazarov, remain in charge of its data center efforts.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-08-26
Dreame, the Chinese vacuum maker turned aspiring tech conglomerate, has reportedly dissolved its automotive division 'Project Starry Sky,' which once had over 1,000 employees and produced a rocket-engine concept car shown in San Francisco. Only a small legal and HR team remains to wind down the unit, after Chinese regulators tightened scrutiny of the $3.4 trillion private fund industry and singled out Dreame's spending.
theverge.com
· 2026-08-25
CD Projekt Red joint CEO Michał Nowakowski said in a new video that the studio is aiming to release The Witcher 4 in 2028. Before that, the company plans a 2027 launch for Songs of the Past, an expansion for The Witcher 3, which will be featured at Gamescom's Opening Night Live this week.
theverge.com
· 2026-08-24
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