AI developments range from OpenAI condemning Robinhood's 'OpenAI tokens' and Wonder Dynamics co-founder joining TechCrunch Disrupt's AI Stage to concerning trends like racist AI videos flooding TikTok and X's new AI-written community notes presenting risks, while Google's Veo 3 hints at playable world models and Perplexity launches a premium subscription plan.
The tech industry is marked by significant Microsoft layoffs affecting 9,000 employees, a downward spiral for Tesla's energy storage business and declining vehicle sales, alongside Lucid's sales inching forward and Rivian's continued sales struggles despite Volkswagen funding; meanwhile, Substack updates livestreaming for video push and **Lovable is on track for a $2B valuation**.
The gaming sector faces significant changes, with Blizzard winding down Warcraft mobile game support and Xbox hit hard by Microsoft layoffs, leading to canceled Perfect Dark and Everwild games and Forza Motorsport developer cuts, while Nintendo's Switch 2 USB-C port breaks third-party docking and former Ubisoft executives face harassment convictions.
Concerns over data security are prominent, with **AT&T rolling out Wireless Account Lock protection to curb SIM-swap scourges, Max Financial revealing a hacker accessed customer data, and lawmakers urging Zelle to fix significant scams and fraud, while data breaches expose stalkerware apps spying on thousands of phones and Qantas confirms theft of 6 million passengers' personal data**.
Consumers can find numerous Apple deals ahead of Amazon Prime Day, including early Prime Day sales and refurbished Kindle Paperwhite offers, alongside discounts on devices like the Amazon Echo Hub, while Honor launches the world's thinnest foldable phone and DJI gets serious about portable power stations.
This broader category includes news such as Google's fix for Pixel 6A battery overheating issues, new evidence on supernovae being a 'double detonation', and rice's potential to improve non-alcoholic beer, alongside legal settlements like Paramount accused of bribery in settling a Trump lawsuit, and cultural updates like Lorde's transparent CD being unplayable on some stereos.