Apple's iOS 26.4 introduces AI-powered music playlists and video podcasts, Google's Gemini Pro achieves new benchmark scores, while xAI's Grok shows improved capability in specific areas, and significant AI investments are flowing into India.

• The creator economy’s ad revenue problem and India’s AI ambitions — TechCrunch -
• Anthropic-funded group backs candidate attacked by rival AI super PAC — TechCrunch -
• Apple’s iOS 26.4 arrives in public beta with AI music playlists, video podcasts, and more — TechCrunch -

• Great news for xAI: Grok is now pretty good at answering questions about Baldur’s Gate — TechCrunch -
• ‘Toy Story 5’ takes aim at creepy AI toys: ‘I’m always listening’ — TechCrunch -
• AI’s promise to indie filmmakers: Faster, cheaper, lonelier — TechCrunch -
• Peak XV raises $1.3B, doubles down on AI as global VC rivalry in India heats up — TechCrunch -
• An AI coding bot took down Amazon Web Services — Ars Technica -
• OpenAI says 18- to 24-year-olds account for nearly 50% of ChatGPT usage in India — TechCrunch -
• The OpenAI mafia: 18 startups founded by alumni — TechCrunch -
• UAE’s G42 teams up with Cerebras to deploy 8 exaflops of compute in India — TechCrunch -
• Google’s new Gemini Pro model has record benchmark scores — again — TechCrunch -
• Nvidia deepens early-stage push into India’s AI startup ecosystem — TechCrunch -

Microsoft Gaming Chief Phil Spencer steps down, a new mobile game show TextSavvy emerges, **InScope secures $14.5M for financial reporting solutions, and General Catalyst pledges $5B** to India.

• Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer steps down after 38 years with company — Ars Technica -
• Remember HQ? ‘Quiz Daddy’ Scott Rogowsky is back with TextSavvy, a daily mobile game show — TechCrunch -
• InScope nabs $14.5M to solve the pain of financial reporting — TechCrunch -

• Prepare for pitch battle: Startup Battlefield 200 nominations are open — TechCrunch -
• TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 Super Early Bird rates end in 1 week — TechCrunch -
• Why investors are going gaga over solid-state transformers — TechCrunch -
• General Catalyst commits $5B to India over five years — TechCrunch -
• Ali Partovi’s Neo looks to upend the accelerator model with low-dilution terms — TechCrunch -

Concerns arise over Discord's age verification test in the UK, the FCC seeks "pro-America" programming for broadcasters, Wikipedia blacklists Archive.today, and a Ukrainian man is jailed for identity theft aiding North Koreans.

• Fury over Discord’s age checks explodes after shady Persona test in UK — Ars Technica -
• FCC asks stations for "pro-America" programming, like daily Pledge of Allegiance — Ars Technica -
• Wikipedia blacklists Archive.today, starts removing 695,000 archive links — Ars Technica -

• Ukrainian man jailed for identity theft that helped North Koreans get jobs at US companies — TechCrunch -
• Supreme Court blocks Trump's emergency tariffs, billions in refunds may be owed — Ars Technica -
• Microsoft deletes blog telling users to train AI on pirated Harry Potter books — Ars Technica -

Final Fantasy targets PC as its lead platform, Nintendo re-releases GBA-era Pokémon for Switch, and a House of the Dragon S3 teaser previews an intense conflict.

• Why Final Fantasy is now targeting PC as its "lead platform" — Ars Technica -
• It's outright war for the Iron Throne in House of the Dragon S3 teaser — Ars Technica -
• Nintendo brings GBA-era Pokémon to the Switch, but not Switch Online subscribers — Ars Technica -

Artemis II is on track for a March Moon launch, Tesla faces legal challenges over its Autopilot system and slashes Cybertruck prices, and Lucid Motors announces workforce reductions.

• After fueling test, optimism grows for March launch of Artemis II to the Moon — Ars Technica -
• Tesla loses bid to overturn $243M Autopilot verdict — TechCrunch -
• Lucid Motors slashes 12% of its workforce as it seeks profitability — TechCrunch -

• Tesla slashes Cybertruck prices as it tries to move (unpainted) metal — Ars Technica -
• Rocket Report: Chinese launch firm raises big money; Falcon 9 back to the Bahamas — Ars Technica -

Meta's Horizon Worlds shifts focus away from VR toward mobile, while Threads enhances sharing capabilities by integrating directly with Instagram Stories.

• Meta's flagship metaverse service leaves VR behind — Ars Technica -
• Threads posts can now be shared directly to your Instagram Story without leaving the app — TechCrunch -
• Meta’s metaverse leaves virtual reality — TechCrunch -

RFK Jr.'s stance on pesticides causes controversy among activists, the NIH director takes on dual leadership of the CDC, and ancient Chinese fossil skulls are re-dated to be significantly older.

• MAHA moms threaten to turn this car around as RFK Jr. flips on pesticide — Ars Technica -
• Controversial NIH director now in charge of CDC, too, in RFK Jr. shake-up — Ars Technica -
• "Million-year-old" fossil skulls from China are far older—and not Denisovans — Ars Technica -