This topic highlights Grok's new AI companions and government contracts for xAI, alongside studies showing AI tools slowing down software developers, and Cognition's acquisition of an AI coding startup; it also covers Google's new AI-curated notebooks for learning, Malaysia's new trade permits for US AI chips, Anthropic's Claude integrating with Canva, and the significant increase in gen AI traffic during Prime Day, with Meta building a massive AI data center and AI being used for decision-making and cloud seeding.

• Elon Musk’s AI bot adds a ridiculous anime companion with ‘NSFW’ mode — The Verge -
• Study finds AI tools made open source software developers 19 percent slower — Ars Technica -
• Cognition, maker of the AI coding agent Devin, acquires Windsurf — TechCrunch -

• Elon Musk’s Grok is making AI companions, including a goth anime girl — TechCrunch -
• Google’s curated AI ‘notebooks’ talk you through topics from parenting to Shakespeare — The Verge -
• US government announces $200 million Grok contract a week after ‘MechaHitler’ incident — The Verge -
• Malaysia will require trade permits for U.S. AI chips — TechCrunch -
• NotebookLM adds featured notebooks from The Economist, The Atlantic and others — TechCrunch -
• Anthropic’s Claude chatbot can now make and edit your Canva designs — The Verge -
• Prime Day event drove over $24B in U.S. e-commerce sales, gen AI traffic was up 3,300% — TechCrunch -
• Mark Zuckerberg says Meta is building a 5GW AI data center — TechCrunch -
• New Grok AI model surprises experts by checking Elon Musk’s views before answering — Ars Technica -
• Rainmaker partners with Atmo to squeeze more rain from clouds — TechCrunch -
• How AI can make us better decision-makers, with Cassie Kozyrkov — The Verge -

This topic addresses a health data breach at Episource affecting millions, the Trump administration's plan for offensive hacking operations, Nvidia chips becoming vulnerable to Rowhammer attacks, and the hacking of Elmo's X account leading to offensive posts.

• Episource is notifying millions of people that their health data was stolen — TechCrunch -
• Trump administration to spend $1 billion on ‘offensive’ hacking operations — TechCrunch -
• Nvidia chips become the first GPUs to fall to Rowhammer bit-flip attacks — Ars Technica -

• Elmo’s X account hacked to publish racist and antisemitic posts — TechCrunch -

This topic explores the intensifying browser wars and alternatives to Chrome and Safari, discusses Microsoft's strategy to encourage Windows 11 upgrades by halting new Office features for Windows 10, and reports on Google's plans to merge Chrome OS and Android into a single platform.

• As the browser wars heat up, here are the hottest alternatives to Chrome and Safari in 2025 — TechCrunch -
• Office problems on Windows 10? Microsoft’s response will soon be “upgrade to 11.” — Ars Technica -
• Chrome OS is “combining” with Android, but what does that mean? — Ars Technica -

• Microsoft has a new trick to improve laptop battery life on Windows — The Verge -
• Microsoft will halt new Office features for Windows 10 in 2026 — The Verge -
• Where are the iPhone’s WebKit-less browsers? — The Verge -
• Google exec: ‘We’re going to be combining ChromeOS and Android’ — The Verge -

This topic features Bose offering discounts on refurbished audio products, Pebblebee's location tracker adding a panic alarm feature, Sony developing new noise-canceling headphones for NFL coaches, and a deal on Google's Pixel 8 Pro including a free Pixel Watch 2, alongside Jack Dorsey's new health app for tracking sun exposure and vitamin D levels.

• Bose is offering an extra 25% off refurbished headphones, earbuds, and portable speakers — The Verge -
• Pebblebee’s AirTag alternative now doubles as a panic alarm — The Verge -
• These are Sony’s new noise-canceling headphones for NFL coaches — The Verge -

• Google’s Pixel 8 Pro is $599, and includes a free Pixel Watch 2 — The Verge -
• Now Jack Dorsey has built an app to track your vitamin D — The Verge -
• Jack Dorsey’s latest app tracks sun exposure — TechCrunch -

This topic covers Tesla's Autopilot facing a rare jury trial over a fatal crash, GM's efforts to boost U.S. LFP battery production to compete with China, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe's reduced voting control following a divorce settlement, and a review of Hyundai's Ioniq 6 N electric vehicle.

• Tesla’s Autopilot is under scrutiny in a rare jury trial — The Verge -
• GM to challenge China’s LFP monopoly with upgraded battery factory — TechCrunch -
• Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe’s voting control slips following divorce settlement — TechCrunch -

• Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 N offers more sound, more shifts, more smiles — Ars Technica -

This topic includes the Texas governor refusing to release emails with Elon Musk, a report on weekly subscriptions dominating iOS app revenue, and news from TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 regarding audience choice winners and event launches, additionally highlighting a new fiber ISP built by brothers to compete with Comcast and Discord's virtual reward system 'Orbs' launching out of beta.

• Why Gov. Greg Abbott won’t release his emails with Elon Musk — Ars Technica -
• Weekly subscriptions dominate iOS app revenue, report finds — TechCrunch -
• Texas governor says his emails with Elon Musk are too ‘intimate or embarrassing’ to release — The Verge -

• The votes are in: TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Audience Choice winners revealed for roundtables and breakouts — TechCrunch -
• Two guys hated using Comcast, so they built their own fiber ISP — Ars Technica -
• Tomorrow: TechCrunch All Stage launches in Boston — and ticket prices rise — TechCrunch -
• Discord’s virtual reward, ‘Orbs,’ launches out of beta — TechCrunch -

This topic announces the premiere of HBO's new Harry Potter series in 2027, reports on Nintendo Switch 2 consoles being available at Best Buy stores, and discusses a potential Donkey Kong movie as part of Nintendo's expanding entertainment strategy, also examining how incel language has infiltrated the mainstream internet.

• HBO’s new Harry Potter series will premiere in 2027 — The Verge -
• Every Best Buy store will have Nintendo Switch 2 consoles on July 17th — The Verge -
• A Donkey Kong movie is a safe bet for Nintendo’s growing entertainment empire — The Verge -

• How incel language infected the mainstream internet — and brought its toxicity with it — The Verge -