Ars Technica retracted an article after discovering it contained fabricated quotes generated by artificial intelligence. The piece, written by a freelancer, discussed an AI-generated article on another site but included fake statements attributed to real individuals who were never contacted. This incident occurred when the writer relied on AI tools to research or draft sections, leading to "hallucinations" presented as factual reporting. Ars Technica's editorial team issued a public apology, acknowledging the breach of journalistic standards and the failure of their verification process. The event underscores growing concerns regarding the integration of generative AI in newsrooms and the potential for these tools to produce convincing but entirely false information, threatening the credibility of established media outlets.

Western Digital has announced a significant shortage of high-capacity hard drives and enterprise SSDs, with current stock effectively sold out for the remainder of 2024. This supply constraint is primarily driven by the exponential growth of artificial intelligence, which necessitates massive storage capacity for training large language models and processing vast datasets in specialized data centers. As AI-focused infrastructure expands at an unprecedented rate, traditional storage supply chains are struggling to keep pace with the sudden surge in industrial demand. Consequently, Western Digital is prioritizing its high-capacity enterprise-grade products over consumer markets. This shift may lead to consumer availability issues and potential price hikes across the hardware sector as the global tech industry adjusts to the resource-heavy requirements of the ongoing AI boom.

Ars Technica has officially retracted a recently published report after discovering it contained fabricated quotations and non-existent interview subjects. An internal investigation revealed that the freelance contributor utilized generative artificial intelligence to draft the content, leading the software to "hallucinate" entire segments, including quotes from industry experts that were never actually provided. This significant breach of editorial standards was caught by readers and subsequently verified by the editorial board. In response, the publication has issued an apology to its audience and the individuals falsely cited, underscoring its commitment to human-led, fact-checked journalism. The contributor's relationship with the site has been terminated, and new, stricter verification protocols have been implemented to prevent AI-generated fabrications from appearing in future articles.

Real-time AI inference is transforming enterprise operations by demanding near-instantaneous response times and high throughput. While Nvidia maintains a dominant position with its high-performance GPUs, specialized hardware providers like Groq are gaining traction with Language Processing Units (LPUs) optimized for massive speed in Large Language Model (LLM) execution. The goal is to move beyond batch processing toward conversational, agentic AI that can interact with users and systems without noticeable delays. Enterprises must navigate this evolving landscape by choosing hardware and software stacks that balance latency, cost, and scalability. This transition is foundational for developing sophisticated AI agents capable of autonomous decision-making and seamless human-computer interaction, marking a significant shift in how AI value is delivered and measured in industrial and service sectors.

Android Auto has resolved a long-standing issue regarding the automatic activation of Do Not Disturb (DND) mode when a phone is connected to a vehicle's infotainment system. Previously, the system would often force the phone into a silenced state that remained active even after the device was disconnected, leading to missed calls and notifications for both drivers and passengers. The recent update ensures that notification settings are managed more intelligently, preventing the persistent DND bug that required manual resetting. This improvement significantly enhances the convenience of the platform by allowing passengers to use the connected device without being bypassed by silent alerts. By streamlining how software interacts with hardware during transit, Google has addressed a major pain point for users who rely on seamless mobile integration while on the road.

Glean is positioning itself as a foundational layer for enterprise AI, moving beyond simple search to become a comprehensive AI work assistant that connects fragmented data across platforms like Slack, Google Drive, and GitHub. As organizations navigate the generative AI landscape, Glean offers an essential bridge by indexing internal data while strictly adhering to corporate permissioning and security standards. Unlike generic language model interfaces, Glean prioritizes accuracy and relevance by grounding its AI actions in the specific context of an organization's internal knowledge base. By building this infrastructure layer, Glean aims to dominate the enterprise AI sector, serving as a central hub for information retrieval and decision-making that enhances workforce productivity across the entire corporate ecosystem by delivering context-aware insights directly into the user's workflow.

India has surpassed 100 million weekly active users on ChatGPT, a milestone announced by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman that highlights the country's pivotal role in the global AI ecosystem. As one of OpenAI's most significant markets, India’s rapid adoption is attributed to a highly tech-savvy, mobile-first population and the platform's support for multiple regional languages, which has lowered the barrier for entry for millions of users. Altman emphasized that the vibrance of India’s developer community is instrumental in pushing the boundaries of what generative AI can achieve in localized contexts. This growth reflects broader trends in digital transformation across the subcontinent, where AI tools are increasingly utilized in education, customer service, and software development. OpenAI intends to continue investing in the region through strategic partnerships and improved infrastructure to support this massive scale of user engagement and innovation.

Stickerbox is a handheld AI toy marketed at kids but proving addictive for adults, including the reviewer, thanks to its mix of nostalgia and creative AI features. Resembling a Tamagotchi-style device, it lets users generate bespoke digital stickers from text prompts, remix existing ones, and trade designs with friends using NFC-style taps. The author describes an easy setup and surprisingly capable image generation, though with occasional quirks and limits on complexity. Its appeal lies in low‑stakes creativity, social trading, and screen‑light, kid‑friendly design compared with phones or tablets. The piece also notes some downsides, such as a relatively high price for a toy, constraints of the small screen, and reliance on a companion app, but overall concludes Stickerbox is a charming, shareable way to introduce children (and adults) to generative AI art.

Microsoft is investigating advanced cooling technologies to address the extreme thermal challenges posed by next-generation AI and high-performance computing hardware. Recent patent filings highlight microfluidic cooling solutions that integrate liquid channels directly onto silicon, alongside high-efficiency heat exchangers designed to dissipate heat more effectively than traditional air-based systems. These innovations aim to optimize energy consumption and maintain peak performance as data centers scale to meet the massive processing demands of modern artificial intelligence models. While these research projects represent a significant shift toward specialized liquid cooling, the transition from experimental designs to widespread, reliable data center deployment faces hurdles in manufacturing complexity, maintenance, and overall cost-effectiveness in large-scale commercial facilities.

Rivian Automotive has secured a critical financial and technological lifeline through an expanded $5.8 billion partnership with Volkswagen Group. This deal centers on a joint venture to develop next-generation vertical software stacks and zonal electrical architectures, providing Rivian with the capital necessary to scale production of its upcoming R2 and R3 vehicle platforms. By sharing development costs, Rivian mitigates its high cash burn while Volkswagen gains immediate access to advanced software solutions, a sector where the German automaker has previously struggled. This strategic alliance not only stabilizes Rivian's balance sheet but also positions its proprietary technology as a potential industry standard. The partnership underscores a shift toward software-defined vehicles, where integrated hardware and digital platforms determine market competitiveness. For Rivian, this investment ensures operational continuity amidst a challenging landscape for specialized electric vehicle manufacturers.

Airbnb is rolling out a new AI-powered search feature designed to simplify the booking process for its global user base. This update allows travelers to use natural language queries rather than relying solely on traditional filters for location, dates, and price. By leveraging generative AI, the platform can better understand nuanced requests—such as "a quiet apartment in Paris with a balcony near a bakery"—and provide highly relevant listings. CEO Brian Chesky has emphasized that this integration marks a fundamental shift in how people interact with the platform, moving toward a more conversational interface. The initiative aligns with Airbnb's broader vision to personalize travel recommendations and improve host-guest matching. As AI becomes central to their architecture, the company aims to reduce friction in the planning phase, making the discovery of unique stays faster and more intuitive for diverse travel needs.

Author Robert Jones describes his growing obsession with the indie game The Plague Doctor of Wippra, a retro-styled pixel art adventure set in a medieval German town ravaged by disease. Playing as a young doctor, you must diagnose patients, choose treatments, and balance emerging scientific thinking with religious superstition, social tension, and fear. The game’s slow pace, moral ambiguity, and historically grounded medical logic make each decision impactful and often tragic. Jones contrasts this carefully crafted, human-centered experience with the current trend of generative AI tools in game development, arguing that Wippra exemplifies why thoughtful design, hand-made art, and strong authorial vision are irreplaceable. For him, the game is a reminder that meaningful, personal creativity still offers the best antidote to the growing presence of GenAI in the industry.

Andreessen Horowitz’s Speedrun is a highly selective accelerator aimed at very early-stage founders, particularly in areas like AI and other frontier technologies. The piece explains how applicants can stand out: show clear founder–market fit, strong technical ability, and evidence of shipping fast. Speedrun favors small, committed teams that move quickly, have a sharp product vision, and can articulate a massive market opportunity. The article details what to include in the application, how to leverage a16z’s network, and how to prepare for interviews by demonstrating obsession with the problem, resilience, and the ability to iterate rapidly. It also outlines the benefits of the program, including capital, mentorship, and deep access to a16z’s platform and partners.

Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware has fundamentally altered the virtualization landscape through significant licensing changes and mandatory software bundling, prompting many organizations to reconsider their long-term infrastructure strategies. While the immediate pressure focuses on rising costs and vendor lock-in, forward-thinking enterprises are leveraging this "VMware exit" as a catalyst for broader digital transformation. Instead of a simple "lift and shift" to alternative hypervisors, businesses are embracing hybrid cloud models, containerization through Kubernetes, and open-source solutions. This transition enables companies to modernize legacy applications, improve operational agility, and better support performance-heavy workloads like artificial intelligence. By treating the migration not as a forced move but as a strategic pivot, organizations can break free from technical debt and build a more resilient, future-proof IT environment that aligns with modern DevOps practices and diverse infrastructure requirements.

The Mova P50 Ultra robot vacuum and mop solves a common frustration for pet owners by efficiently clearing long hair from high-pile carpeting without frequent clogging. Equipped with a specialized anti-tangle roller brush and powerful suction, the device manages heavy shedding that often jams other robotic cleaners. Its navigation system utilizes precise mapping and obstacle avoidance technologies, allowing it to move smoothly between rooms while avoiding furniture and unexpected items. Beyond dry vacuuming, the unit features a pressurized mopping system designed to lift surface stains from hard floors. While the self-emptying base occupies significant floor space, the P50 Ultra provides a high degree of automation and reliability for its price point. It represents a practical, specialized choice for households needing consistent, hands-free maintenance of both carpets and hard flooring in challenging environments.

Robots are increasingly integrated into daily life, from household vacuums to industrial arms. When these machines malfunction or behave unexpectedly, immediate intervention is crucial. First, locate and activate the physical emergency stop button, commonly found on larger industrial and service models. Second, utilize software-based overrides via dedicated mobile apps or command consoles to cease operations. Third, severing the power supply or network connection can effectively neutralize remote commands or continued rogue behavior. Fourth, creating physical barriers or containment prevents a malfunctioning unit from causing damage to its surroundings. Finally, reporting the failure to the manufacturer ensures the flaw is logged and potentially fixed through firmware updates. Understanding these safety protocols is essential as autonomous technology becomes more prevalent in human environments.

Coros Pace 4 marks a significant transition to AMOLED display technology while maintaining its reputation for extreme battery longevity, offering up to 19 days of use. This lightweight sports watch features a premium titanium alloy bezel and advanced dual-frequency GPS for superior tracking accuracy in urban and wooded environments. It integrates seamlessly with the Coros EvoLab ecosystem, providing athletes with detailed training load, recovery metrics, and physiological data using AI-driven algorithms without the need for monthly subscriptions. Although it foregoes lifestyle-centric features like third-party app support and cellular data found on the Apple Watch, its competitive pricing and robust hardware make it an excellent alternative for dedicated runners. The inclusion of improved optical sensors for heart rate and blood oxygen ensures high-quality data for performance analysis and health monitoring.

Researchers at ETH Zurich and the Max Planck Institute have pioneered a functional inkjet printing (FIP) technique that enables the creation of sophisticated soft robots in a single 3D printing process. By utilizing slow-curing thiol-ene polymers, this method allows for the integration of rigid, elastic, and liquid materials, overcoming the technical limitations of traditional fast-curing 3D printing. The breakthrough has successfully produced a robotic hand featuring complex internal structures like tendons, ligaments, and sensory pads that closely mimic biological anatomy. These components are significantly more durable and flexible than those made with previous methods, offering superior elastic properties. This innovation holds transformative potential for advanced prosthetics, safer human-robot interaction in clinical settings, and the development of highly adaptable soft machines. While the lifelike movements and organic complexity may appear unsettling to some, the primary focus remains on advancing bio-mimetic engineering and functional robotics.

The all-electric Porsche Macan marks a bold evolution for the brand, utilizing the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture to deliver exceptional driving dynamics that rival traditional sports cars. Equipped with high-performance permanent-magnet synchronous motors and advanced suspension systems, the vehicle offers precise handling and impressive acceleration. A standout technological feature is the Intelligent Park Assist system, which employs a suite of cameras and sensors to automate complex parking maneuvers. This system can identify suitable spaces and manage steering, speed, and braking autonomously. Users can also operate the vehicle remotely via a smartphone for parking in tight spots, demonstrating a sophisticated blend of AI-driven automation and luxury performance. These advancements reflect Porsche's commitment to integrating smart technology within its high-performance electric vehicle lineup while maintaining its signature driving experience.

WIRED rounds up the best Windows laptops for 2026, based on extensive hands-on testing and daily use. The guide highlights top picks across categories like best overall, budget, ultraportable, gaming, and 2-in-1 devices, balancing performance, battery life, display quality, and build. It explains key trade-offs between Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm chips, and notes emerging AI-focused hardware and Copilot+ features on newer models. Buying advice includes what specs to prioritize (RAM, storage, CPU, GPU), recommended display resolutions, and when to wait for updated models. Several specific laptops are recommended for students, creators, and gamers, while also cautioning about bloatware and the importance of return policies and warranties.