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Category: Technology

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  • Summer Game Fest runs from June 5-8

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    It’s getting to be that time of year again. Summer Game Fest and will go until June 8. The Live Kickoff show will once again be hosted by Geoff Keighley and takes place on June 5 at 5PM ET. This is where we’ll see all of those juicy reveals and trailers.

    The opening event will be streamed globally on just about every digital platform, including YouTube, Twitch, X and even Steam. Those in the Los Angeles area will be able to pick up tickets for the live show sometime in the Spring.

    The kickoff event is just the beginning. There’s something called Play Days, which is an expo in downtown LA produced by iam8bit. This invite-only event promises “immersive exhibits and hands-on experiences from the industry’s leading publishers and developers.” Coverage of this will be shared across digital and social platforms.

    There is, of course, another livestream scheduled for immediately after the kickoff. Day of the Devs: SGF Edition should provide us with even more trailers and reveals, this time for indie games.

    Finally, there’s a “thought leadership event” on June 8 that’s primarily for developers and publishers. Game Business Live “brings together top industry voices on one stage for insightful discussions on key changes, challenges and opportunities shaping the global video game industry.”

    We’ll be covering the event live and will have all of those trailers ready to go. After all, that’s pretty much the main reason people watch these things.

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    Lawrence Bonk

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  • Bungie says ‘no second chances’ if you’re caught cheating in Marathon

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    Bungie isn’t taking any prisoners when it comes to cheating on its upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon. In a detailed blog post explaining its anti-cheat measures, Bungie took a very declarative position against those caught trying to gain an unfair advantage.

    “We are taking a strong stance against cheating and anyone found to be cheating or developing cheats will be permanently banned from playing Marathon forever, no second chances,” the blog post read, adding that there will be an appeals system in place.

    However, Bungie’s anti-cheat standards go beyond punishment. In the blog post, Bungie detailed that Marathon‘s dedicated servers have full authority on movement, shooting, actions, and inventory. Since these key actions rely on the server, it will translate to smoother gunplay for players as well as the prevention of cheats related to teleportation, unlimited ammo or damage manipulation. Bungie is also incorporating a “Fog of War” system that limits an individual player’s client to see only certain regions of a map, which should prevent wall hacks, ESP cheats or loot revealers.

    On top of these robust regulations, Bungie is utilizing BattlEye, a kernel-level anticheat that’s seen with other popular multiplayer shooters like Fortnite, Rainbow Six Siege and Destiny 2. Bungie added that in the event of disconnecting, you’ll be able to reconnect to your run without any hitches. If players can’t reconnect due to an issue with the servers, Bungie said it will “attempt to return the starting gear to all impacted players.”

    Marathon isn’t out until March 5, but Bungie is doing a preview weekend with the Server Slam event starting February 26. Still, it’s obvious that Bungie already wants to get ahead of the competition, since Arc Raiders, another recently released extraction shooter, has been dealing with its own cheating problem. To address the rise in cheating, the game’s developer, Embark Studios, implemented a three-strike system, which some players have criticized as too lenient.

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    Jackson Chen

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  • Spyware can hijack your phone in seconds

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    You already know malware is out there. You hear about phishing emails, fake apps and data breaches almost every week. But every so often, something comes along that feels more personal. ZeroDayRAT spyware is one of those threats.

    If your device gets infected, attackers can see almost everything happening on your phone. That includes your messages, notifications, location and even live camera feeds. Let that sink in for a second.

    This is not some clunky virus from years ago. Security researchers at iVerify, a mobile security and digital forensics company, describe it as a complete mobile compromise toolkit. And it works on both iPhone and Android devices.

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    ZeroDayRAT spyware can secretly access messages, camera feeds and banking apps on infected iPhone and Android devices. (Stefan Sauer/picture alliance via Getty Images)

    What makes ZeroDayRAT spyware so dangerous?

    Many types of malware focus on one goal. Some steal passwords. Others spy on text messages. ZeroDayRAT spyware goes much further.

    Once installed, the infected device starts transmitting data back to a central dashboard controlled by the attacker. From there, they get:

    • A full stream of incoming notifications
    • A searchable inbox of text messages
    • Device model and operating system details
    • Battery level and lock status
    • Network activity and app usage

    In other words, they can build a detailed profile of your daily life. Reports say the dashboard even shows a live activity timeline. That timeline reveals who you talk to most, which apps you use and when you are most active online. For anyone who values privacy, that is chilling.

    It can watch and listen in real time

    Here is where things get even more disturbing.

    ZeroDayRAT spyware includes keylogging and live surveillance tools. That means attackers can:

    • Capture every keystroke with context
    • See which app you opened
    • Track how long you spent inside it
    • Record gestures and inputs
    • Access your microphone
    • Activate your front or rear camera
    • View your screen in real time

    Imagine someone watching your screen as you log into your bank account. Or listening while you have a private conversation. This is not a hypothetical capability. According to reporting, those features are built directly into the platform.

    Your banking and crypto apps are targets too

    Many people assume mobile malware only steals passwords. ZeroDayRAT spyware goes after money directly. It reportedly includes tools designed to target digital payment and banking apps such as Apple Pay and PayPal. It can also intercept banking notifications and use clipboard injection to redirect cryptocurrency transfers to the attacker’s wallet.

    Even without full remote control of your phone, that level of access is enough to drain accounts and steal digital assets. And here is another troubling detail. Reports indicate the platform is openly sold on Telegram, which lowers the barrier for would-be cybercriminals. You do not need advanced hacking skills to use it. That combination of power and accessibility makes this threat especially concerning.

    Why Apple and Google are tightening app rules

    There is a reason Apple strongly discourages installing apps outside the App Store. Google is also exploring changes to how sideloading works on Android. When apps bypass official stores, security screening becomes weaker. That opens the door for spyware like ZeroDayRAT to sneak in. While no system is perfect, sticking to trusted app marketplaces dramatically lowers your risk.

    How to tell if ZeroDayRAT spyware is on your phone

    Advanced spyware is designed to stay hidden. You may not see a flashing warning that something is wrong. Still, your phone often gives subtle clues when something is off. Watch for these warning signs.

    Unusual battery drain

    Spyware that streams data, records audio or tracks location runs constantly in the background. If your battery suddenly drains much faster than normal, especially after no major app changes, that can be a red flag.

    Phone overheating without heavy use

    If your device feels hot even when you are not gaming or streaming video, background surveillance activity could be consuming resources.

    Strange data usage spikes

    Check your mobile data usage in settings. A sudden jump may indicate that your phone is transmitting large amounts of information to an external server.

    Unknown apps or configuration changes

    Look for apps you do not remember installing. On iPhone, check for unknown configuration profiles under Settings. On Android, review installed apps and device administrator permissions.

    Unexpected login alerts

    If you receive password reset emails or login alerts you did not trigger, assume your credentials may be compromised.

    Microphone or camera indicators are activating randomly

    Both iPhone and Android show visual indicators when the camera or microphone is in use. If those indicators appear when you are not actively using them, investigate immediately.

    If you suspect spyware, do not ignore it. Back up essential data, perform a factory reset and restore only trusted apps. In severe cases, consult a mobile security professional.

    149 MILLION PASSWORDS EXPOSED IN MASSIVE CREDENTIAL LEAK

    Person typing on their phone's keyboard.

    Security researchers warn ZeroDayRAT functions as a full mobile surveillance toolkit sold openly online. (Photographer: Angel Garcia/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    How to remove ZeroDayRAT spyware from your phone

    If you believe your phone may be infected, act quickly. Do not keep using it normally while you figure things out. Follow these steps.

    1) Disconnect immediately

    Turn off Wi-Fi and cellular data. This stops the spyware from sending more data to the attacker while you take action.

    2) Change your passwords from a different device

    Do not use the potentially infected phone to change passwords. Use a trusted computer or another secure device. Update passwords for email, banking, social media and payment apps first. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on every account. Consider using a password manager, which securely stores and generates complex passwords, reducing the risk of password reuse.  Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com

    3) Run a trusted mobile security scan

    Install and run strong antivirus software on your phone. Let it scan your device for malicious apps, suspicious configuration profiles or hidden spyware components. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

    4) Remove suspicious apps and profiles

    On iPhone, check Settings > General > VPN & Device Management for unknown configuration profiles. Delete anything you do not recognize. On Android, review installed apps and remove anything unfamiliar. Also, check device administrator settings and revoke access from unknown apps.

    5) Back up essential data carefully

    If you plan to reset your phone, back up only photos, contacts and critical files. Avoid restoring full system backups that could reintroduce malicious software.

    6) Perform a factory reset

    A full factory reset on your iPhone or Android is often the most effective way to remove advanced spyware. This wipes the device and removes hidden malware components. After the reset, reinstall apps manually from the official app store instead of restoring everything automatically. Before performing a factory reset, back up important photos, contacts and files, as this process permanently deletes everything stored on the device.

    7) Monitor your financial accounts

    Because ZeroDayRAT targets banking and crypto apps, watch your accounts closely for unusual transactions. Contact your bank immediately if you see suspicious activity.

    When to replace the device

    In rare cases, if the phone was deeply compromised or jailbroken, replacing the device may be the safest option. While that sounds extreme, protecting your identity and finances is worth more than the cost of a new phone.

    Ways to stay safe from ZeroDayRAT spyware

    The good news is that you still have control over your digital safety. Start with these practical steps to reduce your risk of infection and limit the damage if spyware ever targets your phone.

    1) Avoid sideloading apps

    Only install apps from the App Store or Google Play Store. Official stores screen apps for malicious code and remove threats when discovered. Do not download apps from links in emails or text messages. If an app asks you to install it from outside the store, treat that as a red flag.

    2) Think before you tap and use strong antivirus protection

    Do not click links from unknown senders. Even one tap can trigger a malicious download or redirect you to a fake login page. Install strong antivirus software on your mobile device. Good mobile security apps scan for spyware, block malicious websites and warn you about suspicious behavior in real time. Some also alert you if your personal information appears in known data breaches, which adds another layer of protection. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

    3) Keep your phone updated

    Install operating system updates as soon as they become available. Security updates patch vulnerabilities that spyware platforms like ZeroDayRAT try to exploit. Turning on automatic updates helps ensure you do not miss critical fixes.

    4) Review app permissions regularly

    Check which apps have access to your camera, microphone and location. Remove permissions that do not make sense. If a simple game wants constant microphone access, that should raise questions. Limiting permissions reduces what spyware can capture.

    5) Use strong authentication

    Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for banking, email and social media accounts. Even if spyware captures a password, that second verification step can stop attackers from logging in. Use a reputable password manager to create strong, unique passwords for every account.

    6) Use a data removal service to reduce your exposure

    Spyware operators often profile targets using personal data that is already available online. Data broker websites collect your phone number, address, relatives and more. A reputable data removal service can help remove your personal details from many of these sites. The less information criminals can gather about you, the harder it becomes to target you with convincing phishing attacks or social engineering.  Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com. Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

    7) Do not bypass your phone’s built-in security protections

    Some people modify their phones to remove manufacturer restrictions so they can install unofficial apps or customize the system. On an iPhone, this is called jailbreaking. On Android, it is known as rooting. While that may sound harmless, it removes important security safeguards that are designed to block spyware and malicious software. Once those protections are gone, threats like ZeroDayRAT have a much easier time installing and hiding on your device. Keeping your phone in its original security state adds a powerful layer of protection that most people never see but benefit from every day.

    YOUR PHONE SHARES DATA AT NIGHT: HERE’S HOW TO STOP IT

    Woman typing on her smartphone.

    Experts say the spyware can activate a phone’s microphone and camera without a user’s knowledge. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/picture alliance via Getty Images)

    Kurt’s key takeaways

    ZeroDayRAT spyware feels unsettling because it attacks something we rely on every day. Your phone holds your conversations, photos, financial apps and personal routines. When a single piece of malware can see your screen, hear your voice and track your location, the stakes get higher. The silver lining is this. Most infections still depend on user action. A bad link was clicked. A suspicious app was installed. A warning ignored. Staying cautious may not sound exciting, but it remains one of the strongest defenses you have.

    Now here is the question worth asking. If spyware can already access your camera, messages and money in one package, are tech companies and app stores doing enough to protect you? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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    Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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  • Microsoft Xbox shake-up: Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond step down as AI exec takes over – Tech Digest

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    Microsoft has announced a seismic shift in its Xbox leadership, with Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond both stepping down from their roles.

    Spencer, the face of Xbox for over a decade, is retiring after a 38-year career at the company. He will be replaced as CEO of Microsoft Gaming by Asha Sharma, an executive previously known for leading major AI initiatives at the firm.

    The departure of both Spencer and Bond – the latter having only recently been promoted to Xbox President – marks the end of an era defined by massive acquisitions, including the $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard. While Spencer’s exit is described as a retirement, the sudden vacancy at the top comes after a turbulent year for the division, marked by declining hardware sales and significant layoffs.

    New Vision: From Consoles to AI Integration?

    The appointment of Sharma has sparked intense debate, with some fans declaring it “the end of Xbox” due to her lack of traditional gaming industry experience. Unlike Spencer, who was viewed as a “gamer-first” executive, Sharma’s background is rooted in AI and social platforms.

    Industry analysts suggest this indicates a pivot toward integrating Microsoft’s advanced AI tools into the development pipeline and competing with “insta-gratification” platforms including TikTok and Instagram.

    To ease concerns about a “soulless” future for the brand, Sharma stated she would not “flood the ecosystem with AI slop,” emphasizing that games remain human-crafted art. The promotion of Matt Booty to Chief Content Officer suggests that while Sharma will handle the platform’s technological evolution, Booty will be tasked with maintaining the creative output of Microsoft’s sprawling network of studios.

    For Xbox, this transition signifies a move away from the traditional “console wars.” With hardware sales struggling, the new leadership is expected to lean harder into the “Xbox everywhere” strategy initiated by Spencer, focusing on Game Pass, cloud gaming and potentially AI-assisted game creation.

    While Spencer’s legacy is built on the hardware and major deals of the past 40 years, Sharma’s tenure will likely be defined by how she navigates the increasingly blurred lines between gaming, artificial intelligence and social media.

    For latest tech stories go to TechDigest.tv

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    Chris Price

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  • AI Added ‘Basically Zero’ to US Economic Growth Last Year, Goldman Sachs Says

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    Meta, Amazon, Google, OpenAI, and other tech companies spent billions last year investing in AI. They’re expected to spend even more, roughly $700 billion, this year on dozens of new data centers to train and run their advanced models.

    This spending frenzy has kept Wall Street buzzing and fueled a narrative that all this investment is helping prop up and even grow the U.S. economy.

    President Donald Trump has cited that argument as a reason the industry should not face state-level regulations.

    “Investment in AI is helping to make the U.S. Economy the ‘HOTTEST’ in the World — But overregulation by the States is threatening to undermine this Growth Engine,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social in November. “We MUST have one Federal Standard instead of a patchwork of 50 State Regulatory Regimes.”

    Some prominent economists have also given credibility to this story with their analysis. Jason Furman, a Harvard economics professor, said in a post on X that investments in information processing equipment and software accounted for 92% of GDP growth in the first half of the year. Meanwhile, economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis similarly estimated that AI-related investments made up 39% of GDP growth in the third quarter of 2025.

    But now some Wall Street analysts are starting to rethink this narrative.

    “It was a very intuitive story,” Joseph Briggs, a Goldman Sachs analyst, told The Washington Post on Monday. “That maybe prevented or limited the need to actually dig deeper into what was happening.”

    Briggs’ colleague, Goldman Sachs Chief Economist Jan Hatzius, said in an interview with the Atlantic Council that AI investment spending has had “basically zero” contribution to the U.S. GDP growth in 2025.

    “We don’t actually view AI investment as strongly growth positive,” said Hatzius. “I think there’s a lot of misreporting, actually, of the impact AI investment had on U.S. GDP growth in 2025, and it’s much smaller than is often perceived.”

    Hatzius said one major reason is that much of the equipment powering AI is imported. While U.S. companies are spending billions, importing chips and hardware offsets those investments in GDP calculations.

    “A lot of the AI investment that we’re seeing in the U.S. adds to Taiwanese GDP, and it adds to Korean GDP but not really that much to U.S. GDP,” he said.

    On top of that, there is currently no reliable way to accurately measure how AI use among businesses and consumers contributes to economic growth.

    So far, many business leaders say AI hasn’t significantly improved productivity.

    A recent survey of nearly 6,000 executives in the U.S., Europe, and Australia found that despite 70% of firms actively using AI, about 80% reported no impact on employment or productivity.

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    Bruce Gil

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  • Trump’s science and tech man lays out White House’s global AI strategy

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    U.S. policy is often reported through announcements, personalities and regulatory skirmishes. Far less attention is paid to the economic mechanisms that actually move structures and determine outcomes.

    To understand how the White House is organizing a multipronged strategy for AI adoption and export, and how its pieces are meant to work together in practice, I had an exclusive sit down with Michael Kratsios, assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

    Tanvi Ratna: The fundamental issue you speak about at the summit is the widening AI adoption gap between the developed and developing world. What makes that a concern for the White House right now?

    Michael Kratsios: The divergence in AI adoption between developed and developing countries is growing every day. We see the world in two broad categories, and different tools are needed for each.

    Developing countries are at risk of falling behind at a fundamental inflection point. That is why we urge them to prioritize AI adoption in sectors that deliver concrete benefits: healthcare, education, energy infrastructure, agriculture, and citizen-facing government services.

    Michael Kratsios testifies before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness on Capitol Hill on Sept. 10, 2025. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)

    For too long, countries seeking development support faced a false choice. We believe the American AI Exports Program offers a different path: trusted best-in-class technology, financing to overcome adoption barriers, and deployment support, so governments can learn how and where to use these tools.

    America remains the undisputed leader in AI, from GPUs to data centers to frontier models and applications. That leadership brings with it a responsibility to share the foundations of a new era of innovation. We stand ready to work with partners around the world so creativity, freedom and prosperity shape today’s technological revolution.

    STATE-LEVEL AI RULES SURVIVE — FOR NOW — AS SENATE SINKS MORATORIUM DESPITE WHITE HOUSE PRESSURE

    Tanvi Ratna: A lot of governments say they want AI leadership. Your delegation came in talking about real AI sovereignty, rejecting global governance, and launching an export program with multiple prongs. What is fundamentally different about this approach, and how should countries understand the system you’re building?

    Michael Kratsios: The hope of the United States is that the pursuit of real AI sovereignty, the adoption and deployment of sovereign infrastructure, sovereign data, sovereign models and sovereign policies within national borders and under national control, will become an occasion for bilateral diplomacy, international development, and global economic dynamism. The American AI Exports Program exists to make that happen.

    Real AI sovereignty means owning and using best-in-class technology for the benefit of your people, and charting your national destiny in the midst of global transformations. We urge nations to focus on strategic autonomy alongside rapid AI adoption rather than aiming for full self-sufficiency. AI adoption cannot lead to a brighter future if it is subject to bureaucracies and centralized control.

    PALANTIR’S SHYAM SANKAR: US MUST USE AI AS ‘SLINGSHOT’ AGAINST CHINA OR FACE ECONOMIC DEFEAT

    We deeply believe that the best pathway for the developing world to fully realize the untold benefits of AI is through the adoption of the American AI stack. The American AI stack has the best chips, the best models and the best applications in the world, and that is what countries ultimately need to deploy AI effectively.

    Tanvi Ratna: When you say the American AI stack, are you talking about selling products, or shaping the foundation on which countries build while keeping sensitive data under national control?

    Michael Kratsios: Working with the American AI stack allows nations to build on the best technologies in the world while keeping sensitive data within their borders. Independent partners are critical to unlocking the prosperity AI adoption can deliver. That is why the president launched the American AI Exports Program.

    TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S TOP ‘SCIENTIFIC PRIORITY IS AI,’ ENERGY SECRETARY SAYS

    American companies can build large, independent AI infrastructure with secure and robust supply chains that minimize backdoor risk. They build it, and it belongs to the country deploying it.

    Michael Kratsios, assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, speaks at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on Feb. 21, 2026.

    Michael Kratsios, assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, speaks at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on Feb. 21, 2026.

    Tanvi Ratna: If this is an adoption strategy, then cost and complexity become the bottlenecks. Your public remarks emphasize financing and deployment sophistication as the two biggest hurdles for developing countries. How are you actually removing those barriers?

    Michael Kratsios: Developing countries face two major obstacles to AI adoption. One is financing. The AI stack is expensive. Through the energy and material demands of its infrastructure, it brings the digital transformation of our world back into physical reality. Data centers, semiconductors, power production all require real labor and real resources.

    CHINA RACES AHEAD ON AI —TRUMP WARNS AMERICA CAN’T REGULATE ITSELF INTO DEFEAT

    The second barrier is a deficit in the technical sophistication needed to deploy AI tools effectively. To address this, we announced a U.S. government-wide suite of support initiatives to facilitate global adoption of trusted AI systems, create a competitive and interoperable AI ecosystem, and advance the American AI Exports Program in both developed and developing partner nations.

    Tanvi Ratna: Spell out that suite. What are the prongs, capital, integration, standards, execution, and which agencies are being activated?

    Michael Kratsios: We unveiled a new set of initiatives across the federal government supporting the American AI Exports Program, which was launched by executive order last July.

    TRUMP CALLS FOR FEDERAL AI STANDARDS, END TO STATE ‘PATCHWORK’ REGULATIONS ‘THREATENING’ ECONOMIC GROWTH

    The first new initiative within it is the National Champions Initiative. It is designed to include the leading technology companies of partner countries directly into the American AI stack. We want the best technologies from all our partners and allies to be part of that ecosystem wherever the American AI stack goes.

    The second is a full suite of financing and funding opportunities. We are mobilizing support through the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the Export Import Bank, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, and a new World Bank fund, with additional programs launched by Treasury and other parts of the U.S. government. The message is simple: this is serious. Every possible financing avenue is being brought to bear.

    The third is the creation of the U.S. Tech Corps. It is a reimagining of how the Peace Corps can make an impact in the modern era. We are seeking Americans with technical backgrounds who can help deploy American technology abroad, because there is no better tool to drive economic development, health improvements, and quality of life gains than AI.

    WAR DEPARTMENT REFOCUSES ON AI, HYPERSONICS AND DIRECTED ENERGY IN MAJOR STRATEGY OVERHAUL

    And finally, we believe one of the fastest ways to drive global adoption is through standards, particularly as the next wave of innovation centers on AI agents. How those agents communicate and coordinate their actions will benefit from unified standards, which is why NIST has launched a dedicated initiative.

    Tanvi Ratna: The National Champions Initiative is easy to misunderstand. Critics hear American stack and assume dependency. Your framing suggests the opposite, integrating partner champions so countries do not have to choose between importing the stack and building domestic capability. Is that the point?

    Michael Kratsios: Exactly. To integrate partner nation companies with the American AI stack and ensure that no country has to choose between completing the stack and developing domestic AI, we established the National Champions Initiative. Partners need the opportunity to build native technology industries, and facilitating that is a core part of the exports program.

    TRUMP ADMIN WILL RECRUIT 1,000 TECHNOLOGISTS FOR ELITE ‘TECH FORCE’ TO MODERNIZE GOVERNMENT

    Tanvi Ratna: You have also criticized previous U.S. approaches to AI diffusion for restricting partners. What did that get wrong strategically?

    Michael Kratsios: The previous approach treated partners as second-tier actors with significant restrictions on access to advanced technology. That was a lose-lose AI diplomacy strategy. It cut off partners from the best technology and limited American companies from competing globally.

    Under President Trump, the United States is rethinking how it advances international development and how technology can deliver lasting impact. We believe both developed and developing countries can build sovereign AI capability if given the chance.

    FOX NEWS AI NEWSLETTER: TRUMP ACTIVATES ‘TECH FORCE’

    Tanvi Ratna: Let’s talk about the Tech Corps, because it would be easy to dismiss it as a feel-good addition. In your model, it sounds like an execution layer. What would these teams actually do on the ground?

    Michael Kratsios: These will be like Peace Corps volunteers, except the focus is on technology. We are looking for people with technical backgrounds who want to help implement AI solutions.

    If a country wants to improve agriculture through precision farming, apply AI to healthcare systems to improve hospital efficiency, or modernize digital public services, American technologists through the Tech Corps and the Peace Corps will be able to support those efforts.

    WE’RE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE AISLE. BUT WE KNOW AMERICA MUST WIN THE AI RACE, OR ELSE

    A lot of young people today care deeply about real-world impact. What is special about this moment is that the United States has incredible technology, the best chips, models, and applications, and we are being more deliberate about sharing it.

    Tanvi Ratna: You put unusual emphasis on AI agents and interoperability. Why does the White House see standards as a strategic lever now?

    Michael Kratsios: The next wave of AI innovation over the next year or two will center on agents. How those agents communicate and orchestrate their actions would benefit greatly from unified standards. NIST has launched an initiative to develop standards for agents, so these systems can interoperate securely and effectively.

    IN 2026, ENERGY WAR’S NEW FRONT IS AI, AND US MUST WIN THAT BATTLE, API CHIEF SAYS

    Tanvi Ratna: You also linked this export architecture to supply chains, from chips to data centers to power and minerals. Where does Pax Silica fit? Is it the hard backbone complement to the adoption layer?

    Michael Kratsios: Pax Silica is a broader alliance focused on supply chain challenges that the United States and many partner nations have faced. It is a small, select group of countries working together to alleviate these challenges. India is a tremendous addition.

    AI adoption depends on secure physical inputs. The AI stack is tangible: data centers, semiconductors, power generation. Pax Silica helps address those vulnerabilities while the exports program accelerates adoption. They are complementary.

    TRUMP NATIONAL SECURITY BLUEPRINT DECLARES ‘ERA OF MASS MIGRATION IS OVER,’ TARGETS CHINA’S RISE

    Tanvi Ratna: Since India hosted the summit and joined Pax Silica, what role do you see for India within this strategy?

    Michael Kratsios: India is a technology powerhouse. It graduates an incredible number of engineers, has deep domestic talent, and is building strong products and applications. We look forward to working with them.

    India has long been a strong partner in how the United States shares technology abroad. Our major hyperscalers have data centers and research operations here and employ large numbers of Indian engineers. We believe many Indian companies can ultimately become part of the American AI stack.

    Tanvi Ratna: When critics frame this as being about China, you resist that characterization. How does the administration view competition?

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    Michael Kratsios: We do not see this as being about any one competitor. This is about the fact that the United States has the best AI technology in the world, and many countries want it in their ecosystems. We are excited to share it and build mutually beneficial partnerships globally.

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    Tanvi Ratna is a policy analyst and engineer with a decade of experience in statecraft at the intersection of geopolitics, economics, and technology. She has worked on Capitol Hill, at EY, at CoinDesk and others, shaping policy across sectors from manufacturing to AI. Follow her takes on statecraft on X and Substack. 

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  • European smartphone market dips, but Apple and HONOR defy downturn – Tech Digest

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    The European smartphone market faced another year of headwinds in 2025, according to the latest research from Omdia.

    Total shipments declined by 1% to 134.2 million units, closing out a disruptive year defined by subdued consumer demand and strict new EU regulations requiring USB-C connectivity and eco-design standards.

    While the overall market contracted, the landscape is increasingly being dominated by its largest players. The region’s five biggest vendors continued to gain combined market share, highlighting that scale is becoming the primary requirement for long-term success in Europe’s mature and highly competitive environment.


    Brands bucking the trend

    Despite the slight market dip, several manufacturers managed to achieve record-breaking performances. Apple was the standout among the major players, growing its shipments by 6% to 36.9 million units.

    This surge propelled Apple to a record-high 27% market share in Europe. Growth was fuelled by a strong iPhone refresh cycle and the introduction of the iPhone 16e, which successfully replaced older models discontinued due to new USB-C mandates.

    HONOR also celebrated a milestone, climbing into Europe’s top five for the first time. The brand grew 4% to 3.8 million units by leveraging its affordable X-series to build relevance with key retail partners. Meanwhile, market leader Samsung maintained its top spot with marginal growth to 46.6 million units, buoyed by the popularity of the Galaxy A56 – the top-selling smartphone model in Europe for 2025.

    The research also highlighted significant growth from smaller, “challenger” brands that have found success through heavy differentiation. Vivo, London-based Nothing, and the sustainability-focused Fairphone all reported high double-digit growth, proving that unique branding can still capture interest in a saturated market.

    Looking ahead to 2026, analysts warn that rising memory prices and supply chain uncertainties could create a challenging outlook. “Scaling a smartphone business within Europe can be very gradual and challenging,” noted Runar Bjorhovde, Senior Analyst at Omdia.

    He suggested that larger vendors with diverse price-band coverage will likely be the most resilient if the industry is hit by further price increases.


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  • Panasonic partners with Skyworth in strategic shift for European market – Tech Digest

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    Panasonic has announced a major strategic partnership with China’s Skyworth, marking a fundamental shift in how the Japanese brand will produce and sell televisions in Europe.

    The deal, unveiled today (February 23, 2026) aims to revitalize Panasonic’s TV business by leveraging the massive manufacturing scale of one of the world’s largest electronics groups.

    Under the terms of the agreement, Shenzhen Skyworth Display Technology will take over the heavy lifting of sales, marketing, and logistics across the European region.

    Meanwhile, Panasonic will pivot towards high-level product development, quality assurance and maintaining premium brand standards. Notably, the two companies will jointly develop Panasonic’s high-end flagship OLED models.

    Trends towards economies of scale 

    This move mirrors a broader industry trend where legacy Japanese brands are seeking survival through collaboration with Chinese manufacturing giants. The partnership is strikingly similar to the joint venture recently formed between Sony and TCL, where Sony spun out its Bravia business to lean on TCL’s production efficiency.

    The driver behind these deals is, of course, the increasingly brutal economics of the global TV market. Profit margins in the industry have become razor-thin due to fierce price competition and high production costs.

    By partnering with a “top-five” global manufacturer like Skyworth, Panasonic gains access to world-class R&D investment and economies of scale that are difficult to achieve independently in the current climate. “The new business model will leverage Panasonic’s core strengths in AV processing and quality together with Skyworth’s global manufacturing scale and speed,” said Akira Toyoshima, CEO of Panasonic Entertainment & Communication.

    The reorganization also involves internal changes at Panasonic. From April 1, 2026, the company’s Entertainment Division will be reintegrated into the main Panasonic Corporation. This move is designed to strengthen its consumer business, with Europe identified as the primary strategic market for this long-term recovery plan.

    For existing customers, Panasonic has emphasized that service remains a priority. The company will continue to provide after-sales support for all TVs sold prior to the transition in March 2026, as well as for those sold under the new partnership starting in April.

    By combining Japanese engineering with Chinese manufacturing prowess, Panasonic hopes to secure a profitable future in a market where scale looks set to become the ultimate survival tool.

    Via Kulwinder Singh Rai

    Sony spins out Bravia TV business in joint venture with China’s TCL


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  • Discord drops Persona after UK users blast age checks, Tech boss wins payout for whistleblowing on China move, – Tech Digest

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    Discord has drawn significant criticism lately, thanks to a major data breach in October and the debut of a new “Teen-By-Default” policy, which will require select users to verify their age by uploading a government issued ID. At the root of the criticism was Discord’s involvement with Persona, an “age assurance” firm partially funded by controversial Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel. Hackers found that some of Persona’s frontend code was seemingly tied to US government surveillance efforts, including an apparent OpenAI-powered watchlist database. HotHardware.com

    A tech boss who was sacked by a British microchip company for blowing the whistle on a move to China has received a multimillion-dollar payout. Ron Black has received $2m (£1.5m) from Imagination Technologies after an employment tribunal declared he had been unfairly dismissed for whistleblowing. Mr Black was removed as Imagination’s chief executive in 2020 after alerting MPs to an attempted “coup” in which a Chinese state-owned investment firm planned to take over the company’s board. He later pursued the company at the employment tribunal, claiming his sacking prevented him from turning Imagination into a major player. Telegraph 

    It’s no secret that I’m fully in my Ikea era at the moment. If you’re unsure what that means, I’m basically on a personal mission to fill my house with as much IKEA smart home tech as possible, and it’s going very well so far. The main reasons behind this is simply because I’m constantly amazed at how much these very affordable devices can do. After trying the Timmerflotte temperature and humidity sensor last week, I couldn’t wait to get started on the biggest range within Ikea’s new Matter-compatible lineup – the Kajplats smart bulbs. T3.com


    Broadband ISP Virgin Media (O2)     has this morning confirmed that all new and existing Virgin TV 360 and Stream box customers with the ‘Sky Entertainment‘ channels (Sky Comedy, Sky Witness, and the soon to be relaunched Sky One) will soon also be able to access popular Sky Atlantic programming on channel 111, “at no extra cost“. The addition of Sky Atlantic, which will take place on 1st April 2026, follows the news that HBO Max will also be available to Virgin customers next month. ISPreview

    A self-driving Ford Mustang Mach-E is currently navigating the congested streets of London, employing its advanced AI to manoeuvre around pedestrians, cyclists, and roadworks. This autonomous vehicle, developed by British startup Wayve Technologies, is undergoing trials ahead of the UK government’s anticipated robotaxi launch this spring. The capital is set to become the latest battleground in the global robotaxi race, with US giant Waymo and China’s Baidu also slated to participate in the pilot programme. Independent

    In the UK, £70 may not guarantee quality, but it tends to mean you are getting a blockbuster or “AAA” – a big-budget game made by a large team, built around cutting-edge graphics, sprawling worlds and dozens of hours of gameplay. In 2025 Nintendo set a new benchmark for game prices when it listed major Switch titles such as Mario Kart World at £74.99 (launching in the US at $79.99). Meanwhile speculation grew from a 2025 report by gaming industry advisory company Epyllion that the next Grand Theft Auto will be the first game to be priced at $100. BBC 


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  • A horse’s neigh may be unique in the animal kingdom. Now scientists know how they do it

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    NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Horses whinny to find new friends, greet old ones and celebrate happy moments like feeding time.

    How exactly horses produce that distinctive sound — also called a neigh — has long eluded scientists.

    The whinny is an unusual combination of both high and low pitched sounds, like a cross between a grunt and a squeal — that come out at the same time.

    The low-pitched part wasn’t much of a mystery. It comes from air passing over bands of tissue in the voice box that make noise when they vibrate. It’s a technique similar to how humans speak and sing.

    But the high-pitched piece is more puzzling. With some exceptions, larger animals have larger vocal systems and typically make lower sounds. So how do horses do it?

    According to a new study, they whistle.

    Researchers slid a small camera through horses’ noses to film what happened inside while they whinnied and made another common horse sound, the softer, subtler nicker. They also conducted detailed scans and blew air through the isolated voice boxes of dead horses.

    The whinny’s mysterious high-pitched tones, they discovered, are a kind of whistling that starts in the horse’s voice box. Air vibrates the tissues in the voice box while an area just above contracts, leaving a small opening for the whistle to escape.

    That’s different from human whistling, which we do with our mouths.

    “I’d never imagined that there was a whistling component. It’s really interesting, and I can hear that now,” said Jenifer Nadeau, who studies horses at the University of Connecticut. Nadeau was not involved with the study, which was published Monday in the journal Current Biology.

    A few small rodents like rats and mice whistle like this, but horses are the first known large mammal to have a knack for it. They’re also the only animals known to be able to whistle through their voice boxes while they sing.

    “Knowing that a ‘whinny’ is not just a ‘whinny’ but that it is actually composed of two different fundamental frequencies that are created by two different mechanisms is exciting,” said Alisa Herbst with Rutgers University’s Equine Science Center, of the study in an email.

    A big lingering question is how horses’ two-toned calls came to be. Wild Przewalski’s horses can do something similar, as can elks. But more distant horse relatives like donkeys and zebras can’t make the high-pitched sounds.

    The two-toned whinnies could help horses convey multiple messages at the same time. The differently pitched neighs may help them express a more complex range of feelings when socializing, said study author Elodie Mandel-Briefer with the University of Copenhagen.

    “They can express emotions in these two dimensions,” Mandel-Briefer said.

    —-

    Associated Press video journalist James Brooks contributed to this report.

    The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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  • VPN flaws allowed Chinese hackers to compromise dozens of Ivanti customers, says report | TechCrunch

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    In February 2021, software giant Ivanti discovered that Chinese hackers had breached the network of Pulse Secure, one of its subsidiaries that provided VPN appliances to dozens of companies and government agencies around the world, according to new reporting by Bloomberg.

    The hackers exploited a secret backdoor they had planted in Pulse Secure’s VPN software, Bloomberg reported, citing Ivanti’s chief security officer at the time and other sources. The backdoor allowed the hackers to gain access to 119 other unnamed organizations that used the company’s same VPN product.

    Mandiant was reportedly aware of the breaches as well, alerting Ivanti that hackers had exploited the bug to breach European and U.S. military contractors. 

    The previously unreported breach is the latest example of how acquisitions, layoffs, and cost-cutting driven by private equity firms helped to compromise the quality and security of Ivanti’s most critical technologies. After private investment giant Clearlake Capital Group acquired Ivanti in 2017, Bloomberg reported rounds of cuts — particularly in 2022 — affecting employees who had deep institutional knowledge of the company’s products and their security.

    Ivanti and Mandiant did not respond to a request for comment. 

    Bloomberg’s findings echo earlier reporting into rival provider of remote access tools, Citrix, which had large scale layoffs following a 2022 deal by Elliott Investment Management and Vista Equity Partners to buy the company. Like Ivanti, Citrix has been mired by cybersecurity incidents and critical flaws in recent years. 

    Ivanti’s VPN products have been the cause of at least two other major attacks since. 

    Techcrunch event

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    In early 2024, U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA ordered all federal agencies to disconnect their Ivanti VPN appliances within two days because hackers were actively exploiting vulnerabilities that were unknown to Ivanti at the time. Ivanti also warned customers last year that hackers were exploiting another critical flaw in its Connect Secure product to hack corporate customers.

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    Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai

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  • The creators of Dark Sky have a new weather app

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    The team behind the beloved Dark Sky weather app has a new iPhone app called Acme Weather. The release comes after Apple’s 2020 , which it ultimately in 2022 after integrating much of its tech into the native iOS Weather app.

    Acme Weather is primarily designed to address the uncertainty inherent in most forecasts, as different models yield disparate results and no two weather apps seem to report the same thing. Acme’s answer to this issue is “Alternate Predictions,” which shows users a range of possible outcomes alongside the app’s core forecast line throughout the day. If the lines are arranged together tightly, it means the app has high confidence in the forecast at that time. When those lines start to diverge, the app is signaling lower confidence while showing users alternate predictions for that time of day.

    The app also supports community reporting, seeking to do for weather what Waymo did for traffic. Users can share real-time conditions in their area using icons or emojis, helping increase accuracy when conditions are changing quickly. Like most weather apps, there is also a map component with layers for radar, lightning, rain and snow totals, wind and more.

    Acme leverages notifications to help make sure you don’t miss important changes to the forecast or weather alerts. Grossman says they are comprehensive and should help you avoid getting caught in the rain unawares. Notifications also include community reports, government weather alerts and even experimental tools from “Acme Labs” like rainbow and beautiful sunset alerts.

    Acme offers a two-week free trial, then costs $25 a year. The iOS version is available now and an Android is forthcoming.

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  • Atlanta tests driverless pod transit loop

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    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    If you have ever sat in traffic staring at brake lights and questioning your life choices, this story will hit home.

    South Metro Atlanta is becoming the first place in the world to publicly test Glydways’ Automated Transit Network in live passenger service. The idea sounds simple. Put small electric vehicles on their own narrow guideways. Keep them out of mixed traffic. Use AI to coordinate everything. The promise? Rail level capacity at bus fare prices without decade-long construction headaches.

    That is a bold claim. So let’s unpack it.

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    Glydways’ automated transit network will begin live passenger testing in South Metro Atlanta in December 2026, marking the first public deployment of the driverless pod system. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    What is the Atlanta automated transit network pilot?

    The pilot is a 0.5-mile dedicated guideway connecting the ATL SkyTrain at the Georgia International Convention Center to the Gateway Center Arena. It will launch as a free public test service in December 2026.

    Instead of buses weaving through traffic or trains stopping at every platform, Glydways operates small electric passenger pods on a private lane. Riders request a trip through an app, and within minutes, a pod arrives. From there, passengers travel directly from point A to point B with no intermediate stops. That means no fighting SUVs, no getting stuck behind a delivery truck and no red lights.

    Because the vehicles run on their own guideway, they maintain consistent speeds in tight formations. As a result, the company says the system can move up to 10,000 people per hour on a guideway just over six feet wide. If those numbers hold up in real-world testing, the system could carry as many people per hour as a light rail line.

    Why South Metro Atlanta was chosen for the pilot

    This location was not random. A 2019 feasibility study from the ATL Airport Community Improvement Districts identified the airport area as a 24-hour mobility district with serious first- and last-mile gaps. In plain terms, people can get close to where they need to go. They just cannot easily get that last leg of their trip. That affects workers, convention visitors and arena guests. It also affects underserved communities that struggle to connect to jobs and transit.

    So the pilot serves as a controlled environment. Demand is predictable. Distances are short. Plus, stakeholders such as MARTA, Fulton County and Clayton County are already involved and on board. If it works here, expansion could follow.

    How Atlanta’s driverless pod system differs from robotaxis

    You may be thinking, “We already have autonomous vehicles.” True. Companies like Waymo run driverless cars on public roads. But Glydways argues that putting autonomous vehicles into existing traffic does not solve congestion. In some cases, it makes it worse. The key difference here is separation.

    These pods do not mix with regular traffic. They run on purpose-built guideways with controlled access. That allows tighter spacing, predictable speeds and lower maintenance. In other words, it is more like a lightweight rail system without the heavy rail infrastructure.

    Can the economics of the Atlanta transit pilot work?

    Technology is not the hard part. Autonomous vehicles on dedicated lanes are fairly straightforward engineering. The real question is cost.

    Traditional rail projects can run into the hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars. They often take years to build. Glydways claims its infrastructure deploys faster and cheaper, though specific Atlanta construction costs have not been disclosed.

    Operational costs also stay lower because there are no drivers, vehicles are electric, and the guideway environment reduces wear and tear. The company says unsubsidized bus fare pricing is core to its model. While that sounds great on paper, the Atlanta pilot will show whether the math works in practice.

    THE ROBOTAXI PRICE WAR HAS STARTED. HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW 

    The interior of a transit vehicle.

    Officials say the half-mile pilot could move up to 10,000 passengers per hour if real-world testing meets projections. (Getty)

    Atlanta Transit pilot timeline and what happens next

    Construction began in early 2026. Guideway installation, vehicle testing and system commissioning are underway. Passenger service is scheduled for December 2026.

    By 2027, the goal is a fully operational South Metro pilot delivering real-world data and rider feedback. A feasibility study led by MARTA will then evaluate whether expansion across the broader Atlanta region makes sense.

    If successful, future routes could connect airports, suburban corridors and high-traffic districts where rail is too expensive.

    Why the Atlanta automated transit network matters beyond Georgia

    Traffic congestion is not just an Atlanta problem. It is a global one. Glydways has signed agreements in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and has held discussions in Tokyo, Florida, California and New York. South Metro Atlanta is the global proving ground.

    If this pilot demonstrates reliable performance, strong rider adoption and sustainable economics, other cities will take notice. If it fails, critics will point to it as another ambitious transit experiment that looked better in a PowerPoint deck than on the street.

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    TRANSIT FUNDING HITS RECORD HIGHS AS RIDERSHIP LANGUISHES, NEW REPORT QUESTIONS RETURN ON BILLIONS

    Photo of transit tracks.

    Small electric pods running on a dedicated guideway aim to bypass traffic and connect the ATL SkyTrain to Gateway Center Arena. (Getty)

    Kurt’s key takeaways

    Atlanta drivers know congestion is not going away on its own. Adding lanes rarely solves the problem. Traditional rail is expensive and slow to deploy. So cities are searching for net new capacity. Something that expands mobility without competing with what already exists. This pilot represents a serious attempt to rethink public transit from the ground up. It blends private lanes, electric vehicles and AI coordination into something that sits between bus and rail. Now the spotlight is on South Metro Atlanta. Will this be the beginning of a scalable new transit model or another well-intentioned experiment that struggles once real-world economics kick in?

    If a driverless pod could pick you up on demand and bypass traffic entirely, would you trust it with your daily commute? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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    Related Article

    Waymo’s cheaper robotaxi tech could help expand rides fast

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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  • Ofcom fines porn company £1.35m for age check failures – Tech Digest

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    The UK’s communications regulator Ofcom has issued its largest ever penalty under the Online Safety Act, fining pornography provider 8579 LLC a total of nearly £1.4m.

    The record-breaking enforcement action follows the company’s failure to implement “highly effective” age verification measures across its portfolio of adult websites.

    Ofcom launched its investigation into the firm just days after new regulations came into force in July 2025. These rules mandate that all pornography providers with a UK audience must go beyond simple “tick-box” age declarations and employ robust technology to verify that users are over 18.

    Despite these requirements, 8579 LLC continued to operate several major sites without adequate protection for months.

    Record penalties and ongoing sanctions

    The total financial penalty comprises a £1.35m fine for the age check failures and an additional £50,000 for failing to respond to legally binding information requests. The regulator has also said if the company doesn’t implement compliant age checks on its remaining active sites immediately, it will face a recurring daily penalty of £1,000.

    Furthermore, a daily fine of £250 has been set until the company provides Ofcom with a comprehensive list of every website it operates. George Lusty, Ofcom’s director of enforcement, stated that the regulator has been “clear that adult sites must deploy robust age checks to protect children in the UK from seeing porn.”

    He warned that firms choosing to ignore these duties or the regulator’s requests should expect significant financial consequences.

    The investigation into 8579 LLC initially covered five websites, though two were transferred to a business registered in the Seychelles shortly before the regulator reached its preliminary findings. This case is part of a broader crackdown by Ofcom, which previously fined AVS Group Ltd £1m for similar breaches in December.

    The enforcement of the Online Safety Act has already caused significant shifts in the UK digital landscape. While some firms have complied by introducing facial estimation or ID credit checks, others, including Pornhub’s parent company Aylo, have chosen to restrict access to their sites in the UK entirely, citing concerns over how the laws are implemented.

    Ofcom maintains that these strict measures are essential to ensure children do not encounter harmful adult content online.


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  • Top 5 Ways to Strengthen Customer Loyalty – Tech Digest

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    Loyalty isn’t something you can request at checkout.

    It’s something that builds in the background after a series of solid experiences. It grows when someone finishes dealing with your brand and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

    People return to businesses where spending feels comfortable, not risky.

    Follow these five tips below so choosing you feels natural, not debated:

    1. Deliver On Your Promises

    Most customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They just expect you to mean what you say.

    If you promise delivery on Wednesday, they’ve probably already rearranged their day around it. If you describe something as premium, they’re picturing a certain finish and feel.

    Those expectations matter.

    When the product arrives exactly as described, on the timeline you gave, it creates relief – and relief builds trust.

    1. Personalize Without Being Stalkerish

    Personalizing your service should feel like a good memory, not surveillance.

    Think about how it feels when someone remembers your café order. It’s warm. It’s flattering. Now imagine that same person reciting everywhere you’ve visited that week.

    Somewhat different energy from data-driven marketing – one is thoughtful, one is disturbing.

    Keep it helpful. Recommend what genuinely fits.

    Customers don’t mind you remembering what they bought or ordered, or the things that make their lives easier. What unsettles them is when brands are overly specific or use data that customers don’t recall giving them.

    1. Communicate Proactively

    Proactive communication is made possible when it is backed by the right systems and technology.

    At scale, you simply cannot rely on memory or scattered inboxes. This is where brands start asking, what are CRM platforms?

    In practical terms, they’re structured databases that track every interaction, from purchases, service tickets, and preferences, to delivery timelines and renewal options.

    The result is operational reliability. Customers don’t have to ask twice. They don’t need to repeat themselves. Proactive communication, powered by smart systems, infinitely builds trust at scale.

    1. Loyalty Perks

    Loyalty perks shouldn’t feel like a complicated system that needs a calculator and a notebook.

    The best ones feel thoughtful and intentional. Early access to a new launch. A small unexpected gift. Discounted deliveries. These all help customers feel valued and appreciated.

    You don’t need to give away half your margin. You just need to acknowledge repeated support. These things are what turn once-off buyers into loyal brand ambassadors.

    1. Connect Customers To Something Bigger

    Creating a sense of community is simply giving customers a reason to hang around when they’re not actively buying.

    Show them what’s happening in the warehouse, the showroom, or the studio – the real stuff. Share launches early. Ask their opinion on things. Feature their homes, their offices, their photos, and their wins.

    The goal is connection. When people feel recognised, they stop shopping around – they come back because your brand feels familiar.

    Final Words

    Real loyalty forms when customers feel respected at every stage – before, during, and after a purchase.

    That accumulation of trust transforms first-time buyers into committed supporters who return naturally and recommend you without batting an eyelid.

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  • Samsung Galaxy AI Becoming a Control Plane: That Is The Real Story

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    Ahead of Wednesday Samsung Unpacked event in San Francisco (we’ll be there!), Samsung signaled a strategic shift that more important than any single model benchmark: Galaxy AI is evolving into a multi-agent layer where users can choose between integrated assistants or specialists, starting with Perplexity on upcoming flagship Galaxy phones.

    On paper, the announcement is about “more choice and flexibility.” In practice, Samsung is positioning itself to own the interface layer that sits above the LLMs. Galaxy AI is positioned as the orchestrator that can hand off tasks across agents and apps, without forcing users to manually jump between separate AI experiences.

    Samsung says Perplexity will be callable via a dedicated wake phrase (“Hey Plex”) or quick-access controls like press-and-hold on the side button, and it will be embedded across Samsung Notes, Clock, Gallery, Reminder, and Calendar (plus “select third-party apps”).

    This matches what we’ observed in the broader market: AI is going agentic, fast. The differentiator is no longer “who has the best model this quarter,” because leadership keeps leapfrogging.

    The durable advantage shifts to whoever owns the control plane: permissions, context routing, cross-app actions, and the default UI users touch all day. Samsung has distribution, default placement, and deep OS hooks. That is a very different moat than trying to build a frontier model.

    If Samsung can hide the complexity behind intent routing and consistent UX, then multiple agents becomes a backend detail. That said, Samsung is adding one visible layer of complexity: another wake phrase and another branded assistant users must learn (“Hey Plex”).

    The prominence of “Hey Plex” and the depth of app integration seems more than a casual plug-in. There has been prior reporting that Samsung was exploring a broader Perplexity relationship, potentially including investment and deeper product placement. Nothing in Samsung’s announcement confirms commercial terms, but the incentives are there.

    If Samsung executes, it does not need to pick the ultimate LLM winner. It just needs Galaxy AI to become the default way Galaxy users get things done.

    Filed in Cellphones. Read more about and .

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    Hubert Nguyen

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  • Police are finding suspects based on their online searches as courts weigh privacy concerns

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    HARRISBURG, Pa. — Criminal investigators hoping to develop suspects in difficult cases have been asking Google to reveal who searched for specific information online, seeking “reverse keyword” warrants that critics warn threaten the privacy of innocent people.

    Unlike traditional search warrants that target a known suspect or location, keyword warrants work backward by identifying internet addresses where searches were made in a certain window of time for particular terms, such as a street address where a crime occurred or a phrase like “pipe bomb.”

    Police have used the method to investigate a series of bombings in Texas, the assassination of a Brazilian politician and a fatal arson in Colorado.

    It’s not a wild guess by investigators to conclude that people are using Google searches in all manner of crimes, as the company’s search engine has become the main gateway to the internet and users’ daily lives increasingly leave online traces. The potential value to investigators of the data Google collects is obvious in cases with no suspect, such as the search for Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapper.

    The legal tension between the need to solve crimes quickly and the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment protections against overly broad searches was at the heart of a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision that upheld the use of a reverse keyword warrant in a rape investigation.

    Privacy advocates see it as giving police “unfettered access to the thoughts, feelings, concerns and secrets of countless people,” according to an amicus brief filed in the Pennsylvania appeal by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Internet Archive and several library organizations.

    In response to written questions about the warrants, Google provided an emailed statement: “Our processes for handling law enforcement requests are designed to protect users’ privacy while meeting our legal obligations. We review all legal demands for legal validity, and we push back against those that are overbroad or improper, including objecting to some entirely.”

    Pennsylvania State Police were stymied in their investigation into the violent rape of a woman in 2016 on a remote cul-de-sac outside Milton, a small community in the center of the state. With no clear leads, police obtained a warrant directing Google to disclose accounts that searched for the victim’s name or address over the week when she was attacked.

    More than a year later, Google reported two searches for the woman’s address were made a few hours before the assault from a specific IP address, a numeric designation that lists where a phone or computer lives on the internet.

    That led them to the home of a state prison guard named John Edward Kurtz.

    Police then conducted surveillance and collected a cigarette butt he discarded that matched DNA recovered from the victim, according to court records. He confessed to the rape and attacks involving four other women over a five-year period, and was convicted in 2020. Now 51, he’s been sentenced to 59 to 280 years.

    Kurtz’s attorneys argued police lacked probable cause to obtain the information and impinged on his privacy rights.

    The state Supreme Court rejected those claims late last year but split on the reasons why. Three justices said Kurtz should not have expected his Google searches to be private, while three more said police had probable cause to look for anyone who searched the victim’s address before the attack. But a dissenting justice said probable cause requires more than just a “bald hunch” and guessing that a perpetrator would have used Google.

    Kurtz lawyer Douglas Taglieri made the same point in a court filing, but conceded, “It was a good guess.”

    Julia Skinner, a prosecutor in the case, said reverse keyword searches are much more effective when there are specific and even unusual terms that can narrow results, such as a distinctive name or an address. They are also particularly effective when crimes appear to have been planned out beforehand, she said.

    “I don’t think they’re used super frequently, because what you need to target has to be so specific,” she said. There were 57 searches returned in the Kurtz case, but many of them were first responders trying to locate the home in the immediate aftermath of the crime, Skinner said.

    In the similar case in Colorado, police sought the IP addresses of anyone who searched over a 15-day period for the address of a home where a deadly arson occurred. Authorities got IP addresses for 61 searches made by eight accounts, ultimately helping identify three teenage suspects.

    The Colorado Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that although the keyword warrant was constitutionally defective for not specifying an “individualized probable cause,” the evidence could be used because police had acted in good faith about what was known about the law at the time.

    “If dystopian problems emerge, as some fear, the courts stand ready to hear argument regarding how we should rein in law enforcement’s use of rapidly advancing technology,” the majority of Colorado justices ruled.

    Courts have long permitted investigators to seek things like bank records or phone logs. However, civil liberties groups say extending those powers to online keywords turns every search user into a suspect.

    It’s unclear how many keyword warrants are issued every year — Google does not break down the total number of warrants it receives by type, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in a January 2024 brief.

    The two groups said police working on the bombings in Austin, Texas, sought anyone who searched for terms such as “low explosives” and “pipe bomb.” And in Brazil, investigators trying to solve the 2018 assassination in Rio de Janeiro of the politician Marielle Franco asked for those who searched for Franco’s name and the street where she lived. A Brazilian high court is expected to decide soon on the legality of those search disclosures.

    Reverse keyword warrants are distinct from “geofence” warrants, where criminal investigators seek information about who was in a given area at a particular time. The U.S. Supreme Court said last month it will rule on that method’s constitutionality.

    For many people, their Google search history contains some of their most personal thoughts, from health issues and political beliefs to financial decisions and spending patterns. Google is introducing more artificial intelligence into its search engine, seemingly a way to learn even more about users.

    “What could be more embarrassing,” asked University of Pennsylvania law professor and civil rights lawyer David Rudovsky, if every Google search “was now out there, gone viral?”

    Google warns users personal information can be shared outside the company when it has a “good-faith belief that disclosure of the information is reasonably necessary” to respond to applicable laws, regulations, legal processes or an “enforceable government request.”

    In the Kurtz case, Pennsylvania Justice David Wecht drew a distinction between Kurtz deciding to search for the victim’s name on Google and a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision that limited the use of broad collections of cellphone location data.

    “A user who wants to keep such material private has options,” Wecht wrote. “That user does not have to click on Google.”

    ___

    AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke in San Francisco and writer Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo, Brazil, contributed.

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  • Robotaxis are coming to London. The city’s famed black cab drivers are skeptical

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    LONDON — The Ford Mustang Mach-E cruises down a London road choked with traffic, using its onboard AI system to avoid jaywalkers and cyclists, and navigate roadwork as it drives to its destination.

    The autonomous vehicle from British startup Wayve Technologies is on a test run ahead of the U.K. government’s robotaxi trials set to launch in the spring. Tech companies including U.S. company Waymo and China’s Baidu also plan to take part in the pilot program, making London the latest arena in the global robotaxi competition.

    While self-driving cabs aren’t new, London’s ancient road layout and busy streetscapes could pose special challenges for the technology.

    There’s also skepticism from London’s famed black cab drivers, who must pass a grueling training course known as “The Knowledge,” which requires memorizing hundreds of routes and takes years to complete. They’ve previously opposed technology that’s disrupted their industry, and protested the arrival of Uber.

    Self-driving taxis are “a solution looking for a problem,” said Steven McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, which represents black cabbies.

    He doubts that robotaxis would have any advantage on London’s road network, which is laid out in a convoluted spiderweb that dates back to Roman times — unlike the grid layout in American cities like San Francisco and Phoenix where Waymo operates.

    The British capital is notorious for being one of the world’s most congested cities and its streets are already clogged with other modes of transport, including private cars, buses, motor scooters, bicycles and electric rental bikes.

    McNamara and many others have noted that robotaxis face another challenge from pedestrians crossing the streets. While jaywalking is illegal in the United States and many other countries, it’s not an offense in Britain.

    “It’s virtually impossible to drive anywhere (in London) without somebody walking in front of you,” McNamara said. In London, with a population of nearly 10 million, he wondered “how these cars are going to deal with those volumes of people?”

    The robotaxi companies say there’s room for the new technology.

    “I think Londoners are going to love autonomous driving. It’s going to be another choice alongside the Tube, cycling, walking, “said Wayve CEO Alex Kendall in a recent interview at the company’s workshop.

    Wayve is teaming up with Uber for the taxi trials, which are part of Britain’s move to adopt national regulations for self-driving vehicles. The nation is seeking to position itself as a world leader in the technology.

    Chinese tech company Baidu is also teaming up with Uber, as well as its ride-hailing rival Lyft, to operate its Apollo Go autonomous vehicle service in the London pilot.

    Waymo, owned by Google parent Alphabet, will also take part and plans to launch a London passenger service by the third quarter of 2026, company representatives told reporters last month.

    Waymo officials sought to ease concerns that the company would suddenly flood London streets with robotaxis, noting that it has operated 1,000 total vehicles in San Francisco since going into full service in 2024.

    “We’re not here to replace anyone,” Waymo spokesman Ethan Teicher said. “We’re here to add another option for people who will choose to take black cabs or other modes of transportation when it suits them and choose to take Waymo, when it makes sense.”

    Waymo’s self-driving Jaguar I-Pace sedans have been spotted doing test runs around London. Wayve’s Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles have also been doing road tests with human backup drivers sitting behind the wheel, ready to intervene if needed.

    On a recent demo ride for The Associated Press, Wayve’s Ford steered automatically through a three-mile (five kilometer) loop in North London without any problems.

    Cruising down a straight and open stretch of road, the car maintained a steady pace of 19 miles (30 kilometers) per hour, a tick under the speed limit.

    A traffic light changed as the car approached, forcing it to brake firmly and lightly jolting the passengers forward — the only moment that the driving was less than smooth.

    Kendall said Wayve takes a different approach from traditional self-driving technology. It doesn’t rely on “high definition” maps and “hand-coded” safety systems rules written by programmers anticipating every scenario.

    Instead, it uses an AI trained on millions of hours of data gathered by its cars to learn and understand how the world works.

    “This is the key thing for self-driving, because every time you drive on the road, you’re going to experience something different,” Kendall said. “You can’t rely on a self-driving car being told how to behave in every scenario it encounters.”

    He said Wayve is positioning itself as a technology company providing hardware and software that can be added to any vehicle to make it autonomous. It signed a deal with Nissan in December to build self-driving cars that will go on sale in Japan and North America by 2027.

    Kendall wouldn’t reveal any more specific details about the robotaxi service it will operate in collaboration with Uber, such as pricing.

    Waymo, which has its own app to hail rides, will have “competitive” prices and fares will be in line with the market, officials said last month, while adding that it is often able to “demand more premium pricing.”

    Experts say there’s a role for robotaxis in Britain, but it might be a niche one.

    They’re best poised to fill gaps in Britain’s public transport network, such as serving villages that have lost bus services connecting them to bigger towns and cities because of budget cuts, said Kevin Vincent, director of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Automotive Research at Coventry University.

    There will still be demand for human drivers, especially from out-of-town visitors and tourists, he said.

    If you find a “cab driver who knows the area, you can ask him questions. You feel confident and comfortable you’re going where you need to go,” which is a service that won’t be easily replaced in the short term, Vincent said.

    Self-driving taxis can’t replicate the human touch, said Frank O’Beirne, who has been driving black cabs for 14 years.

    For example, one of his recent fares was a pair of blind passengers going to touristy Leicester Square. He ended up parking at a cab rank and walking them across the street to their destination, a Chinese restaurant that turned out to be in the basement of a casino.

    “They would never have found that, ever, (on their own),” said O’Beirne. “There’s nothing like us. I can’t see the space where autonomous taxis can operate, really.”

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  • Phone-Maker Honor Will Unveil Its First Humanoid Robot Next Week

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    When Honor announced its upcoming Robot Phone in October last year, it was a genuine surprise, promising a refreshing break from the predictable designs we see with most phone launches. But it turns out the Chinese phone-maker had something even more ambitious and impressive up its sleeve: an actual robot.

    Honor Invite

    Honor’s event invitation.

    Honor

    Honor will unveil its first humanoid service robot during its launch event at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Sunday March 1, the company said on Monday. It’s set to display the robot alongside the first working prototype of its Robot Phone, as well as new phones and tablets.

    The worldwide market for humanoid robots is currently experiencing a massive boom — with IDC noting a 508% year-on-year growth in revenue in 2025 — thanks to rapid advances in AI. Chinese companies are far ahead in this race, with leaders such as Agibot and Unitree already shipping out units, while US competitors trail behind.

    Still, most of these humanoids are designed to be used in industrial or service settings. Very few are ready for deployment into people’s homes.

    We don’t have many details about what to expect from Honor’s robot at this stage. An AI-generated video posted by the company shows a humanoid robot with a glowing neon blue lights interacting with its Robot Phone.

    Last year at MWC, Honor announced a $10 billion investment into AI, with a range of devices promised. Honor is one of the first phone-makers to jump into the world of robotics, potentially giving it early-mover advantage in an increasingly crowded market.

    What isn’t clear at this stage is how far along Honor is in its robot development. At MWC, it could unveil a full working prototype on stage, or it could show us another video of the robot. Either way, CNET will be in attendance at the company’s kenynote to bring you all the news as it happens.

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    Katie Collins

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  • ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Showrunner Wishes the Show Wasn’t So Timely

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    The first two seasons of Daredevil: Born Again have focused on Matt’s ongoing beef with the Kingpin, who now runs New York. What seems at first like a legit play to go straight turns out to be a front: not only has FIsk assembled an anti-vigilante task force to take down costumed heroes, he’s also looking to turn Red Hook into its own city-state to profit from.

    Even before the season finale featured power blackouts, riots in the streets, and cops claiming an unarmed kid they shot was a vigilante, it wasn’t hard to see parallels between the MCU’s New York and then-current state of affairs in the United States. That doesn’t seem like it’ll be changing with season two, and showrunner Dario Scardapane had no trouble admitting that what’s going on in the real world isn’t lost on him or others working on the show.

    “There’s a few sequences we shot [last season] that could be off the news, and it’s weirding us all out,” he told SFX Magazine. Citing Stan Lee’s old adage about his comics reflecting the real world, Scardapane appreciates the “renewed political energy” of Born Again, but thinks too much of it can take away from the archetypes and near-mythological bent of the superhero genre. And based on what he’s saying, this season will end with Fisk off the board so season three can go in another direction.

    “It was fun to play in the realm of politics, but I personally like something a little more street level,” Scardapane finished. “What we’re doing going forward, as the Mayor Fisk run comes to its inevitable conclusion, feels more like a return to the Frank Miller-era comics.” We’ll see what that looks like after Daredevil: Born Again returns with season two on March 24.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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    Justin Carter

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