The Verge
Uber aims to launch Europe’s first robotaxi service with Pony AI and Verne
Uber is partnering with China's Pony AI and Croatia's Verne to launch what it claims will be Europe's first commercial robotaxi service, with vehicles already undergoing testing in Zagreb. The move positions Uber to integrate autonomous vehicles into its existing ridehail network rather than be disrupted by them. It marks the latest in a string of strategic alliances designed to keep Uber relevant as self-driving technology matures.
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Government agencies buy commercial data about Americans in bulk
Federal agencies, including ICE, are purchasing bulk commercial data on Americans from data brokers, circumventing privacy protections that would otherwise require warrants. The practice allows agencies to build detailed surveillance profiles using information harvested from apps, loyalty programs, and other commercial sources. As Congressional scrutiny grows, the arrangement highlights a significant legal gray area where consumer data becomes a tool of government surveillance.
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Convicted spyware chief hints that Greece’s government was behind dozens of phone hacks
Greece's spyware scandal deepened as Intellexa's convicted founder implied the Mitsotakis government directly authorized surveillance operations targeting senior ministers, opposition figures, military officials, and journalists. The remarks mark the first time an Intellexa insider has pointed this explicitly at the government itself. If substantiated, the allegations would represent one of the most serious abuses of state surveillance power in recent European history.
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Google unveils TurboQuant, a new AI memory compression algorithm — and yes, the internet is calling it ‘Pied Piper’
Google's new TurboQuant algorithm can compress AI working memory by up to sixfold, a breakthrough that could dramatically cut the hardware costs and energy demands of running large language models. The tech draws inevitable comparisons to the fictional Pied Piper compression engine from HBO's Silicon Valley — a joke Google's engineers are apparently taking in stride. For now, TurboQuant remains a research project, but the underlying efficiency gains could reshape how AI models are deployed at scale.
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The Verge
Meta is laying off hundreds of employees as it pours money into AI
Meta is cutting hundreds of jobs across recruiting, sales, social media, and its Reality Labs division as the company continues to redirect resources toward artificial intelligence. The layoffs signal a strategic reshaping of priorities, with Meta trimming headcount in areas deemed less central to its AI ambitions. For employees across the company's sprawling divisions, the cuts underscore how aggressively leadership is willing to restructure to stay competitive in the AI race.
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