All Updates
Page 435 of 869
March 21, 2026
Windows 11 May End Forced Microsoft Account Login
Microsoft faces internal pressure to relax or eliminate mandatory Microsoft account login during Windows 11 initial setup (OOBE). Current versions require internet and account login, drawing user criticism since launch. This change would allow easier offline installations.
Reddit Eyes Biometrics to Curb Bots
Reddit CEO Steve Huffman is exploring verification methods like Face ID, Touch ID, and ID checks to confirm users are human amid rising bot activity. The platform seeks a balance between proving humanity and preserving anonymity. Co-founder Alexis Ohanian expressed surprise at Face ID but agreed action is needed against fake bot content.
Open-Source ML Homeworks with Auto-Tests
Skoltech ML course releases open-source homeworks teaching fundamental algorithms from scratch using Jupyter notebooks and automated tests. Includes starter templates, grading scripts, and pre-generated data for instant feedback. Permissive license allows free reuse.
Huawei Ascend 950PR: 3x H20 Perf, FP4 Support
Huawei launched the Ascend 950PR processor in the Atlas 350 AI accelerator card at its 2026 partner conference. It delivers nearly 3x performance of H20 with support for FP4 precision. Major upgrades include low-precision formats, vector compute, interconnect bandwidth, and self-developed HBM.
Publisher Drops 'Shy Girl' Over AI Fears
Hachette Book Group has decided not to publish the horror novel 'Shy Girl' due to concerns that its text was generated using artificial intelligence. This action signals growing caution in the publishing industry toward AI-generated content.
Apple eyed Halide buyout for Camera app boost
Apple nearly acquired Lux Optics, developers of Halide and other camera apps, in summer 2025 to enhance its native iPhone Camera app. The deal fell through as founders prioritized future Halide updates for higher valuation. One co-founder later joined Apple's design team amid internal disputes.
Red Desert Slammed for Hiding AI Art
Red Desert sold 2 million copies in 24 hours with 240k Steam peak, but faces growing controversies. Issues include player complaints on key bindings, Intel's rebuttal on GPU support, and undisclosed AI-generated artwork.
OpenAI to Double Staff by 2026 End
OpenAI plans to nearly double its workforce by end of 2026. The expansion aims to counter competition from Anthropic and Google.
Kaiser Screening Delays Urgent Mental Health Care
Kaiser Permanente introduced a new behavioral health screening process in January 2024 using unlicensed clerical workers with scripted yes/no questions and e-visits via online questionnaires. Therapists report seeing severely ill patients too late, fearing for their lives. Kaiser rejects claims of delays, insisting on timely, high-quality care amid AI fears from striking workers.
Wall Street Unimpressed by Nvidia Conference
Wall Street investors remain unconvinced by Nvidia's recent major conference. Despite fears of an AI bubble, the event reveals industry confidence undeterred by bubble concerns.
OpenAI Plans Workforce Double to 8,000
OpenAI aims to double its workforce to 8,000 by 2026 from 4,500, hiring in product, engineering, research, sales, and technical ambassadors. This counters Anthropic's edge in new enterprise AI buys. Recent DoD contract and Brookfield talks bolster expansion.
Microsoft Copilot Shakeup Highlights
GeekWire Podcast discusses a major shakeup in Microsoft Copilot, Amazon's ambitions for a new smartphone codenamed 'Transformer' over a decade after its last attempt, and experiments pushing Anthropic's Claude AI to its limits on LinkedIn.
Vietnam Ties Politics to Economic Security
Under General Secretary To Lam, Vietnam conditionally empowers southern economic leaders for growth while retaining political control via anti-corruption and administrative reforms. Northern industrial parks attract AI-driven FDI and exports amid trade wars. Energy imports from China set to double amid geopolitical tensions.
Nemotron Cascade 2 Dominates Benchmarks
Nemotron Cascade 2 30B-A3B achieves 97.6% on HumanEval, outperforming Qwen3.5 mediums, and 88% on ClassEval. It's a hybrid model on Nemotron's own architecture. IQ4_XS quant performs strongly locally.
DeepSeek Researcher Daya Guo Resigns
Core researcher Daya Guo, key author of DeepSeek-R1, reportedly resigned after contributing to DeepSeekMath, V3, and R1. Rumors suggest move to Baidu or ByteDance. Driven by resources and compensation gaps.
Toy Drones Become Iran's Battlefield Killers
Inexpensive drones like Iran's Shahed-136, built from civilian parts, have emerged as top weapons in modern conflicts including Russia-Ukraine and Middle East wars. Their low cost ($20K) contrasts sharply with $4M interceptors like Patriot, creating economic strain. Swarms overwhelmed Moscow defenses, while AI targeting boosts efficiency.
China Unicom's Steady Survival Strategy
China Unicom's 2021-2025 revenues rose modestly to 3922B CNY with net profit at 91B CNY, emphasizing stability over growth in a saturated market. Traditional services declined while data and internet apps grew 70%, but surging receivables to 801B CNY strained cashflow. Capex slashed 27% to 542B CNY, shifting pressure to suppliers amid hyperscaler AI compute expansions.
Apple Halide Acquisition Fails, Sparks Lawsuit
Apple sought to acquire Lux Optics, Halide camera app developer, to enhance iPhone 18 Pro camera but negotiations collapsed. Post-failure, Apple hired co-founder Sebastian de With, leading to his firing by CEO Ben Sandofsky over alleged fund misuse. Sandofsky now sues de With for $150K embezzlement and IP leaks to Apple.
AI Outputs 166 Papers in 17 Days
Analemma's FARS autonomously generated 166 AI research papers in 417 hours (17 days), costing $18.6K, via four agents handling ideation, planning, experiments, and writing. Processes live-streamed with GPU cluster dashboard and all code open-sourced on GitLab. Papers on AI4AI topics averaged 2.5 hours each, scoring 5.2/10 on AI review.
Gig Workers Sell Life Data for AI Training
Thousands of gig AI trainers worldwide sell personal data like videos, calls, and texts to AI companies for quick cash. Jacobus Louw earned $50 in weeks via Kled AI by uploading everyday walking videos worth up to $14 each. The practice prompts questions about the long-term costs to individuals.