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Tech, security & AI news, curated by Viking Net.

Soundtrack to 8,000 Job Cuts: A Meta Worker’s Layoff-Themed A.I. Songs
global

Soundtrack to 8,000 Job Cuts: A Meta Worker’s Layoff-Themed A.I. Songs

A Meta employee created an internal AI-generated radio station playing layoff-themed songs during the company's 8,000-person job cuts. Dark humor meets generative AI in the most 2026 way possible.

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Google’s new anything-to-anything AI model is wild
ai

Google’s new anything-to-anything AI model is wild

Google's new AI can transform any input into any output format. A Verge writer tested it by deepfaking their kid's stuffed deer into vacation videos, revealing how easy realistic AI video creation has become.

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The Best Browser Extensions to Get More Out of YouTube
topnews

The Best Browser Extensions to Get More Out of YouTube

Browser extensions can transform how you use YouTube, from skipping sponsored segments to enhancing playback controls. Here's what actually works for power users who spend serious time on the platform.

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These Robots Are Making Meals for a Nonprofit in San Francisco’s Tenderloin
topnews

These Robots Are Making Meals for a Nonprofit in San Francisco’s Tenderloin

A San Francisco nonprofit is using robots to prep meals in the Tenderloin district, filling gaps left by volunteer shortages. It's a practical example of automation solving real operational problems in community services.

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UK Institute Is Hunting for Dangers Lurking in AI
global

UK Institute Is Hunting for Dangers Lurking in AI

The UK's AI Security Institute, staffed by former OpenAI and Google employees, is setting the standard for how governments assess AI risks. Other countries are watching closely as they build their own safety frameworks.

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One Job That Is Growing in the A.I. Era? Cybersecurity Experts.
global

One Job That Is Growing in the A.I. Era? Cybersecurity Experts.

Security engineer jobs are booming as AI tools pump out massive amounts of code that needs protecting. New AI models are creating fresh attack surfaces that companies need experts to defend.

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Our Field Trip to Google I/O + A Sit-Down With Sundar Pichai + System Update
global

Our Field Trip to Google I/O + A Sit-Down With Sundar Pichai + System Update

Google I/O happened, and unlike most tech events these days, the crowd didn't groan when AI came up. That's notable given the growing AI fatigue elsewhere.

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Meta Settles a School District’s Social Media Addiction Lawsuit
global

Meta Settles a School District’s Social Media Addiction Lawsuit

Meta settled with a Kentucky school district that sued over social media addiction among students. Snap, TikTok, and YouTube already settled too, dodging what would've been the first federal trial on platform design and teen mental health.

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Ansel Adams' trust says AI-colorized version of his work was exhibited without permission
gadgets

Ansel Adams' trust says AI-colorized version of his work was exhibited without permission

An AI-colorized version of Ansel Adams' iconic 'Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico' was displayed at a major photography show without permission from his estate, raising questions about AI's use of protected artistic works.

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Apple registers new ‘gen AI' subdomain ahead of next month's WWDC keynote
gadgets

Apple registers new ‘gen AI' subdomain ahead of next month's WWDC keynote

Apple just registered genai.apple.com ahead of WWDC next month. After two years of AI promises, this looks like the company's big moment to finally deliver on its generative AI vision.

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Ferrari is using IBM's AI to create F1 superfans
ai

Ferrari is using IBM's AI to create F1 superfans

Ferrari and IBM are using AI to personalize the F1 fan experience, moving beyond basic stats to create deeper engagement with the sport's most passionate audience.

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Elon Musk has given up on solar power (on Earth)
ai

Elon Musk has given up on solar power (on Earth)

Elon Musk's xAI is powering its data centers with natural gas instead of solar, marking a shift from his longtime vision of a solar-electric economy. SpaceX is meanwhile exploring orbital data centers.

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With aluminum prices up 20%, recycling startups bet on AI to cash in
ai

With aluminum prices up 20%, recycling startups bet on AI to cash in

Recycling startups are deploying AI systems to better recover aluminum and other critical minerals as prices climb 20%. The tech could turn waste streams into a major metal supply source.

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Best Power Banks (2026): My Picks After Testing Over 100
topnews

Best Power Banks (2026): My Picks After Testing Over 100

After testing over 100 portable chargers, here are the power banks that actually deliver when your devices are running low. Essential gear if you're working remotely or traveling with multiple devices.

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Sundar Pichai Understands Why People Are Anxious About A.I.
global

Sundar Pichai Understands Why People Are Anxious About A.I.

Google's CEO Sundar Pichai sat down with Hard Fork hosts after I/O to talk AI anxiety, the future of Search, how he personally uses AI agents, and what he'd tell new grads entering an AI-transformed job market.

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AI is being used to resurrect the voices of dead pilots
ai

AI is being used to resurrect the voices of dead pilots

AI turned spectrograms of cockpit recordings into audible speech, reviving dead pilots' voices and prompting the NTSB to temporarily block its docket system.

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Six search engines worth trying now that Google isn’t really Google anymore
ai

Six search engines worth trying now that Google isn’t really Google anymore

Google's AI overviews are taking over search results, pushing traditional links down the page. If you're not into AI-generated summaries, here are six alternative search engines that still work the old-fashioned way.

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Hark raises $700M Series A for its secretive ‘universal' AI interface
ai

Hark raises $700M Series A for its secretive ‘universal' AI interface

Hark just closed a $700M Series A to build what it calls a 'universal' AI interface. First up: multimodal models this summer, then custom hardware to run them.

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Waymo Suspends Service in Six Cities After Cars Drove Into Flooded Roads
global

Waymo Suspends Service in Six Cities After Cars Drove Into Flooded Roads

Waymo hit pause on robotaxi service in six cities after two of its cars drove into flooded Atlanta streets. The incidents highlight how autonomous vehicles still struggle with unexpected road conditions.

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Google Appeals Landmark Ruling Declaring It a Monopolist in Search
global

Google Appeals Landmark Ruling Declaring It a Monopolist in Search

Google is appealing the federal ruling that found it violated antitrust laws in search. The company is also fighting requirements to share data with competitors.

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How VCs and founders use inflated ‘ARR’ to crown AI startups
ai

How VCs and founders use inflated ‘ARR’ to crown AI startups

AI startups are getting creative with how they report ARR, stretching traditional SaaS metrics in ways that make growth look more impressive than it might actually be. Their VCs know exactly what's happening.

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Elon Musk can't hear you over the sound of his $1.75 trillion IPO
ai

Elon Musk can't hear you over the sound of his $1.75 trillion IPO

SpaceX’s S‑1 filing lays out a $28 trillion addressable market and a $1.75 trillion valuation target, with Elon Musk’s compensation tied to building a Mars colony. A 36‑page risk section underscores the massive ambition and what it means for AI‑driven space tech.

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SpaceX files to go public, and the math requires a little faith
ai

SpaceX files to go public, and the math requires a little faith

SpaceX's S-1 filing reveals a $28 trillion addressable market claim and compensation tied to Mars colonization. The 36-page risk section alone signals this isn't your typical tech IPO.

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Elon, stop trying to make Grok happen
ai

Elon, stop trying to make Grok happen

Grok barely shows up in federal AI usage records, appearing in only 3 of 400+ government examples. Not a great look as Musk positions xAI for what could be a massive IPO.

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