OpenAI has developed an experimental, highly efficient code-generation AI model that runs on massive, plate-sized AI accelerator chips from startup Etched, reducing reliance on Nvidia GPUs. The model targets software development tasks such as code completion, bug fixing, and refactoring, and is optimized specifically for transformer-style workloads. By exploiting Etched’s specialized hardware, OpenAI achieves unusually high throughput and lower latency compared with conventional GPU clusters, though with less flexibility for other model types. The collaboration highlights a broader industry push toward domain-specific AI hardware as demand for compute surges. While still early-stage and not yet a full replacement for Nvidia-based infrastructure, the project demonstrates a viable path to diversifying AI compute, potentially lowering costs and mitigating GPU supply constraints for large-scale coding assistants and developer tools.

Best Buy has slashed $500 off the price of the Asus Zenbook S 16, bringing it down to a record-low $1,200 for its Presidents Day sale. This premium laptop features an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, 24GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, making it powerful enough for demanding productivity and creative tasks. It is notable for its sleek design, utilizing a durable 'Ceraluminum' finish and a slim 16-inch chassis that weighs only 3.3 pounds. The device features a vivid 3K OLED touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate. As a Copilot+ PC, it incorporates a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to handle modern AI applications efficiently. This significant discount makes one of the year’s best portable laptops highly accessible for users seeking high-end specs in a stylish, lightweight form factor.

IBM is shifting its recruitment strategy to prioritize entry-level talent through specialized apprenticeship and skills-based programs, addressing the evolving workforce demands shaped by artificial intelligence. By moving away from traditional four-year degree requirements for most US-based roles, the company aims to bridge the growing "skills gap" and provide accessible pathways for individuals from diverse backgrounds to enter the technology sector. This initiative strategically focuses on high-growth areas such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, and AI engineering, where practical on-the-job training often outperforms academic credentials in value. IBM’s approach involves intensive mentorship and internal development, effectively creating a corporate pipeline to cultivate the specific technical competencies required in a modern digital economy. This strategy helps the company secure a steady stream of skilled workers while setting a new industry standard for managing labor market shifts and workforce displacement caused by AI-driven automation and tools.

Pinterest recently reported financial results that fell short of market expectations, leading to a slump in its stock price. To reassure investors, the company highlighted its massive scale by claiming its search volume exceeds that of OpenAI's ChatGPT. CEO Bill Ready emphasized that Pinterest remains a primary destination for visual discovery and inspiration, with over 500 million monthly active users. Despite the revenue miss, the platform is doubling down on its "shoppable" content strategy and AI-driven personalization to improve advertiser ROI. The comparison to ChatGPT serves to position Pinterest as a utility-driven search juggernaut in the age of generative AI, focusing on intent-based commerce rather than general information retrieval. The company continues to navigate a competitive landscape while trying to monetize its growing user base effectively.

Bryan Johnson has launched an exclusive longevity coaching program priced at $1 million, anchored by "BryanAI," a digital persona trained on his proprietary biological data and "Blueprint" protocols. The program offers ultra-wealthy participants ultra-personalized interventions aimed at slowing or reversing the biological aging process. BryanAI acts as a 24/7 health consultant, processing real-time biometric inputs to guide users through rigorous dietary, sleep, and supplement regimens. This initiative highlights the growing intersection of longevity science and generative AI, moving beyond static advice to dynamic, data-driven biological management. While the high cost maintains a barrier to entry, the use of a digital twin represents an attempt to scale Johnson’s complex life-extension methodology. The offering underscores a trend where high-performance health optimization is increasingly treated as a luxury technology product powered by sophisticated artificial intelligence systems.

iOS 26.3 introduces a groundbreaking "Transfer to Android" feature, streamlining the process for users to migrate their personal data to non-Apple devices with ease. Alongside this significant utility, the update includes a collection of new, vibrant wallpapers designed to refresh the aesthetic of both the lock and home screens for iPhone users. System performance and security are also a major focus of this release, which incorporates various bug fixes and stability enhancements to ensure a smoother operating experience. By offering improved data portability, Apple provides its users with greater flexibility in choosing hardware while maintaining access to their essential information across different mobile platforms. This update further underscores Apple's commitment to user-centric features, delivering a more versatile environment that caters to modern connectivity needs while protecting device integrity through updated security protocols and refined software architecture.

Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is currently available for a one-time purchase price of $34.97, offering a permanent license without the recurring subscription fees associated with Microsoft 365. This comprehensive suite includes essential applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access, along with the free version of Microsoft Teams. Designed for users with Windows 10 or 11, the package provides a professional-grade set of tools for document creation, data analysis, and communication. Upon purchase, users receive a digital activation key and download link, allowing for immediate installation on one PC. This deal is particularly beneficial for students, small business owners, and home users looking for a reliable, long-term software solution at a fraction of the original retail cost, ensuring all productivity needs are met with industry-standard software.

YouTube Music is rolling out an AI-generated playlist feature that lets users create personalized playlists using text prompts. Available initially to a limited number of US English users on Android and iOS, the tool generates playlists based on moods, activities, or detailed descriptions, such as “songs for a rainy day road trip.” Google says the system is powered by large language models combined with its music understanding capabilities, and includes safeguards to block problematic or inappropriate prompts. The feature aims to make playlist creation easier and more fun while deepening music discovery. YouTube notes that it will continue refining the experience based on user feedback before a broader release.

Waymo has started fully autonomous, driverless testing on public roads in Chandler, Arizona, using its 6th‑generation self‑driving system on Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans. These vehicles operate without a human safety driver behind the wheel, though a Waymo employee can sit in the back to monitor performance. The 6th‑generation hardware suite integrates improved lidar, radar and cameras with more powerful onboard computing, enabling better perception, prediction and planning. Waymo frames this as a major milestone toward a commercial ride‑hailing service, building on millions of autonomous miles already logged. The company emphasizes safety, extensive mapping and redundant systems as it gradually expands operations, signaling accelerating progress in real‑world deployment of autonomous vehicle technology.

Disney Store is officially launching retail versions of the BDX droid figures, which originally garnered significant attention as advanced, free-roaming animatronics at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. These interactive figures are modeled after the BD-series droids from the Star Wars Jedi video game series and are specifically designed to mimic the lifelike, expressive movements of the park's sophisticated droids. Equipped with remote controls, the figures can perform stylized walks, complex head tilts, and various expressive movements that convey unique personality traits, all accompanied by authentic light and sound effects. By making these sophisticated robotic companions available via the Disney Store, the company is effectively bridging the gap between high-end park technology and consumer-level merchandise. The launch represents a major milestone for Star Wars collectors, offering a chance to own a piece of movie-accurate, interactive robotics technology for the home.

Intel is discontinuing its controversial "Intel On Demand" program, a pay-as-you-go service that allowed customers to unlock hardware features on Xeon processors via software licenses. This program, initially launched with the 4th Gen Xeon "Sapphire Rapids" processors, enabled users to activate specific capabilities like AVX-512, QuickAssist Technology, and AI acceleration for a fee. The move comes 15 years after Intel's widely criticized "Intel Upgrade Service," which attempted a similar model for consumer-grade CPUs. While intended to provide flexibility and lower initial costs, the initiative faced significant backlash from users who frustrated by the concept of paying to unlock hardware already physically present in the silicon. Intel’s decision to sunset the program marks the end of its latest attempt to implement a subscription-based hardware model, highlighting the industry's ongoing resistance to software-locked hardware features.

Nvidia researchers have introduced De-composed Soft-Attention (DeSA), a technique designed to significantly reduce the computational and memory overhead of Large Language Models (LLMs) during reasoning tasks. Specifically targeting long-context scenarios, DeSA achieves up to an 8x reduction in costs and improves inference speed by breaking down the traditional attention mechanism without compromising accuracy. By optimizing how models process vast amounts of data, this method addresses the quadratic scaling issues that usually slow down long-form text generation. This breakthrough is particularly relevant for applications requiring extensive context windows, such as document analysis and complex coding assistants. It offers a more efficient alternative to existing methods like FlashAttention, enabling high-performance AI deployment on more accessible hardware while maintaining the precision required for enterprise-grade reasoning.

Cursor, an AI-powered code editor built on VS Code, claims that over 30,000 Nvidia engineers have adopted the tool, resulting in a reported threefold increase in code commits. While these figures suggest a massive productivity boost and improved developer satisfaction, skepticism remains regarding whether increased code volume equates to higher-quality software or actual efficiency. Critics argue that "lines of code" or "commit frequency" are misleading metrics for measuring the impact of AI on software engineering. Despite the debate, Cursor is gaining momentum as a potent competitor to GitHub Copilot, leveraging large language models to automate repetitive tasks and assist in complex coding logic. This widespread adoption reflects a broader trend of major tech corporations integrating generative AI tools into their core development workflows to accelerate output.

Gary Cohen has officially taken the helm as CEO of iRobot, marking a new chapter for the developer of the iconic Roomba following the collapse of the Amazon acquisition deal. The company is undergoing a strategic shift to honor its American heritage while streamlining operations to compete with rapidly growing international rivals. Cohen emphasizes a focus on innovation and quality, maintaining the company’s design and engineering core in Massachusetts to differentiate its products through superior technology and consumer trust. This leadership transition aims to stabilize the brand's financial health and regain market share by leveraging its extensive patent portfolio. By prioritizing its established identity as a pioneer in domestic robotics, iRobot intends to navigate the competitive smart home landscape as an independent entity, proving the brand still holds significant value in the modern household market.

Google has officially confirmed that a dedicated YouTube app for the Apple Vision Pro is currently on its roadmap, marking a shift from its initial stance of having no plans for a native visionOS application. Since the headset's launch, users have been forced to access the video platform through the Safari web browser or third-party alternatives like Juno. While a specific release date has not been provided, Google stated it is excited to see the Vision Pro launch and is committed to ensuring YouTube users have a great experience. This announcement follows the success of Juno, a third-party app developed to fill the void, and signals Google's willingness to support Apple's new spatial computing platform despite early reservations.

The 2026 Nissan Leaf undergoes a significant transformation from a traditional hatchback into a sleek crossover-SUV, adopting modern design cues from the Nissan Ariya. Starting at approximately $30,000, it maintains its reputation as one of the most accessible electric vehicles on the market. This redesign finally replaces the outdated CHAdeMO charging port with the standard CCS1 connector and introduces a liquid-cooled battery system to improve thermal management and longevity. Available in 40 kWh and 60 kWh battery configurations, the Leaf offers a range of up to 240 miles. While it focuses on comfort and urban practicality rather than high-performance driving, the inclusion of ProPilot Assist driver-augmentation technology enhances its highway capabilities. Ultimately, the 2026 Leaf successfully modernizes a pioneer brand, offering a compelling, budget-friendly entry point for families transitioning to electric mobility.

Elephant whiskers possess a specialized internal architecture that allows them to process tactile information mechanically before signals reach the nervous system. Unlike typical mammalian whiskers, these stiff hairs feature a distinct conical shape and specific follicle connectivity that enables highly refined sensitive feedback. Researchers have identified that this "mechanical intelligence" allows elephants to navigate complex textures and manipulate delicate objects with their trunks by effectively filtering out noise and focusing on relevant vibrations. The physical properties of the whiskers themselves perform a type of pre-processing, significantly reducing the computational load on the elephant's brain. This discovery offers new biological insights and provides a potential blueprint for developing more responsive and efficient robotic tactile sensors. Understanding how biology offloads computation to physical structures is a critical step in advancing embodied artificial intelligence and sophisticated sensory hardware in robotics.

Google reports that adversaries attempted to clone its Gemini AI system by sending more than 100,000 automated prompts in a large‑scale data exfiltration effort. The attackers tried to harvest model outputs and system behaviors to reconstruct a copy of Gemini, an approach sometimes called “model extraction” or “cloning.” According to Google, its security mechanisms detected and blocked the activity before any significant intellectual property loss occurred. The company frames the incident as evidence that advanced AI models are now targets for sophisticated cyberattacks, similar to other critical infrastructure. Google says it is investing in stronger rate limiting, anomaly detection, and monitoring to mitigate such attacks and is sharing lessons with industry partners to improve AI security best practices.

Google has officially launched its native YouTube application for Apple's Vision Pro, providing users with a dedicated spatial computing experience two years after the headset's initial release. The new application replaces previous workarounds, such as using web browsers or third-party wrappers, and introduces a custom interface designed specifically for visionOS. It supports high-resolution video, 360-degree immersive content, and 3D videos, leveraging the device's advanced display capabilities and hand-tracking navigation. Key features include personalized recommendations, access to subscriptions, and theater-like viewing environments that enhance the cinematic experience. This release signifies a shift in Google's support for Apple's mixed-reality platform and provides a crucial service to early adopters, filling a significant content gap in the Vision Pro's available software library.

Framework, a DIY and modular laptop/PC maker, has been raising its RAM prices almost every month since mid-2024 due to a sharp increase in DRAM costs and continuing supply constraints. The company says RAM costs have risen by about 40 percent in that period, with further hikes expected into 2026 as memory makers prioritize more profitable products and AI-related demand tightens supply. Framework is trying to limit the impact by keeping margins low on memory, warning customers of upcoming price changes, and encouraging those planning purchases to buy sooner rather than later, as the RAM market is unlikely to stabilize quickly.