Welcome to today’s curated collection of interesting links and insights for 2025/09/03. Our Hand-picked, AI optomized system has processed and summarized 30 articles from all over the internet to bring you the key the latest technology news.
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1. Cloudflare blocks record-breaking 1.15 Tbps DDoS attack
Cloudflare recently mitigated a record-breaking Distributed Denial-of-Service (#DDoS) attack exceeding 1.15 terabits per second, highlighting the escalating scale of cyber threats. The attack involved a UDP amplification technique, leveraging the memcached reflection vector to amplify traffic volume, surpassing previous state-sponsored attack records. By deploying advanced traffic filtering and mitigation measures through its global network, the company effectively absorbed and neutralized the flood of malicious traffic without impacting legitimate user access. This event underscores both the increasing sophistication of adversaries and the critical role that robust cloud security providers like @Cloudflare play in defending internet infrastructure. The incident demonstrates the ongoing challenges in cybersecurity and the necessity for continued innovation in defense mechanisms against evolving DDoS tactics.
2. ‘Anonymity Online Is Going to Die’: What Age-Verification Laws Could Look Like in the U.S.
The UK’s #OnlineSafetyAct mandating age-verification is being watched as a potential blueprint for U.S. policy, drawing warnings about privacy and #FirstAmendment rights from critics such as @J.D.Vance and @Jim_Jordan. In the U.S., 19 states already require ID to access adult content, with at least six more introducing similar bills, and civil lawsuits challenge these provisions as unconstitutional. Civil rights advocates warn that demanding IDs, facial recognition, or credit-card data threatens #privacy and could chill access to information, including educational or medical content. There are also concerns about First Amendment rights, with 4chan and KiwiFarms suing Ofcom over age-verification fines as potentially unconstitutional. Ultimately, the debate centers on balancing child protection with constitutional rights, as states, courts, and advocates weigh anonymity and access to information.
The plan to enforce an #age-assurance regime from December means all Australian social media users, not just those under 16, will need to prove their age, and the process could be more complicated and time-consuming than expected. In the official trial, facial age estimation averaged about 40 seconds, but some users faced 10 minutes to an hour, with error rates as high as 34% for 14-year-olds and 73% for 15-year-olds misidentified as 16, and estimates varied by ethnicity, gender, and age, including a 12-year-old being estimated at 85. #facial_age_estimation #privacy Those gaps mean many 13- to 15-year-olds could be wrongly blocked, encouraging fallback measures like passports or other IDs, which raises privacy concerns if data are retained by providers or law-enforcement expectations. The minister @Anika_Wells said there should be a quick appeals process to rectify wrongful bans. Overall, the regime could be more burdensome and privacy-invasive than anticipated, affecting a broad user base and requiring robust safeguards and timely redress, with @Yoti among the providers tested. #appeals #IDverification #under16ban
Microsoft has concluded there is no connection between the August 2025 Windows security update KB5063878 and reported SSD failures, and the issue does not appear to be widespread #Windows #SSD. In its resolution, the company said thorough investigation found no link between the update and the kinds of drive problems seen on social media, and internal testing plus telemetry showed no increased risk or file corruption #SSD. @Phison and @Microsoft cannot reproduce the issue after thousands of hours of testing, and reports of failures span multiple brands, with some drives recovering after a restart; Phison cautioned that a circulated list of affected controllers did not originate from the company #thermalthrottling. Despite limited social posts, the lack of reproducibility and customer reports suggests the update is not the root cause, though recommendations such as adding heatsinks for heavy workloads to reduce thermal throttling were noted #hardware. For now, monitor SSD health and report any incidents to both the drive manufacturer and @Microsoft to help establish a paper trail and determine the real cause behind the observed failures.
The U.S. has revoked @TSMC’s #VEU authorization to ship advanced tooling to its #Fab16 in Nanjing, with the end of 2025 as the effective date, signaling tighter export controls on its China operations. This change means U.S. suppliers like @Applied Materials, @KLA, and @LAM Research must obtain individual approvals for each shipment, and there will be a presumption of denial for covered tools, parts, or chemicals to the site. The move could disrupt fab operations at #Fab16, which currently makes 12nm/16nm/28nm-class devices, and while @TSMC claims commitment to uninterrupted operation, it could push the company to explore China-made substitutes, though lithography and other high-precision tools may not be readily replaceable. The development underscores ongoing tensions in #UScn tech policy and could affect competitive dynamics with #SMIC and #HuaHong, given that China accounted for about 11% of @TSMC’s 2024 revenue (~$9.91B on $90.08B).
6. The Big Idea: why we should embrace AI doctors
Doctors are human and often stretched thin by fatigue, distraction, and outdated knowledge, so AI could help by processing vast medical data 24/7 and spotting patterns humans miss. Evidence suggests persistent failures: in England about 5% of primary care visits miss a proper diagnosis, in the US diagnostic errors harm about 800,000 people each year, and misdiagnosis is a greater risk for the one in ten people with a rare disease; evidence-based treatments reach adults only about half the time, and second opinions in radiology change treatment roughly 20% of cases. AI’s speed and consistency could address these gaps, while medical knowledge advances so quickly that research takes years to reach practice, with thousands of rare diseases identified yearly; in a 2023 study with @ChatGPT-4, the model solved all common cases by the second suggestion and achieved 90% for rare conditions by the eighth, outperforming the human doctors in the study. Ultimately, embracing #AI in #healthcare could help fix persistent failures and expand access, when used to support clinicians rather than replace them. #diagnosis #rare-diseases #medicine #clinical-reasoning
7. China’s BCI Blueprint Revealed: A Roadmap for Brain-Computer Interface Development
China has unveiled a comprehensive plan to advance brain-computer interface (#BCI) technology, aiming to establish global leadership in this emerging field. The blueprint outlines significant government investment and ambitious targets for developing neural interface devices that could enhance human capabilities and medical treatments. This plan reflects China’s strategic focus on integrating technology with neuroscience to drive innovation and economic competitiveness. The approach also includes fostering collaboration between research institutions and industry to accelerate development and application. The blueprint highlights China’s commitment to shaping the future of BCI technology on the international stage.
8. OpenAI to buy product-testing startup Statsig for $1.1 billion
OpenAI is acquiring Statsig, a Seattle-based startup that specializes in product testing and experimentation, for $1.1 billion in cash and stock. Statsig’s technology enables companies to optimize software development by testing new features and gathering data on user experiences, complementing OpenAI’s AI development efforts. This acquisition highlights OpenAI’s strategy to enhance its offerings in product experimentation and user analytics, potentially increasing the effectiveness and reliability of AI-powered applications. The investment reflects the growing importance of data-driven decision-making in tech innovation, integrating Statsig’s tools with OpenAI’s AI capabilities. By acquiring Statsig, OpenAI aims to advance its mission of building transformative technologies that are carefully tested and user-focused.
9. Former Biogen CEO Maraganore and Coursera CEO Meanwell to Lead Biotech Corsera
The newly founded biotech company Corsera appointed @George Maraganore, former Biogen CEO, as its CEO and @Daphne Koller, Coursera co-founder and CEO of Insitro, as its Chief Strategy Officer, aiming to innovate drug discovery through AI and genomics. Corsera plans to use #machinelearning and #genomic data to accelerate pharmaceutical research and development, addressing inefficiencies in traditional methods. The leadership team’s combined expertise in biotech and technology underscores a strategic shift towards integrating cutting-edge computational techniques with biological science. Corsera’s approach signals a transformative moment in #biopharma, leveraging data science to enhance precision medicine and speed up therapeutic breakthroughs. This positions Corsera at the forefront of a movement to revolutionize drug design and patient outcomes.
11. Google will not be forced to sell Chrome, federal judge rules
Judge @AmitMehta ruled that Google will not be forced to sell its Chrome browser, allowing the world’s most popular browser to remain in the ongoing antitrust dispute. The decision bars exclusive contracts with device makers for distributing Chrome, Google Assistant and the Gemini app, and requires Google to share data from its search engine with competitors. Prosecutors had urged a harsher remedy, including forcing a divestiture of key assets and a five-year ban from entering the browser market, but Mehta said prosecutors overreached. The ruling notes shifts in the internet-search landscape since last year and frames remedies to address #GSEs and #AI while permitting payments to distributors. Investors responded positively with Google shares rising after-hours, while critics from the American Economic Liberties Project described the remedy as a complete failure.
12. Waymo starts testing in Denver and Seattle, expands US robotaxi service
Waymo is expanding its #robotaxi services by initiating testing in Denver and Seattle, marking a significant growth in its US operations. The company has begun to test fully driverless vehicles in these new markets, signaling progress in their autonomous driving technology and increasing accessibility for more users. This expansion allows Waymo to gather diverse data across different urban environments, improving safety and reliability. By extending its footprint beyond existing locations like Phoenix, Waymo aims to accelerate the commercial deployment of autonomous rides. The move reflects broader trends in autonomous vehicle development and urban mobility innovation.
13. Google and Apple’s $20 billion search deal survives
The federal court ruling allows @Google to continue paying partners to keep #defaultSearch in @Apple’s Safari and other products, preserving the $20 billion deal for now. Judge Amit Mehta said cutting off these payments would likely cause substantial downstream harms to distribution partners, related markets, and consumers, arguing against a broad payment ban. The ruling stops short of forcing divestiture of @Chrome or @Android and requires Google to share some search data with competitors, reflecting a nuanced remedies approach rather than a full breakup. Google plans to appeal, and the decision leaves its earlier finding that it is a monopolist in search and advertising under scrutiny in the US v. Google case. Executives from @Apple and @Mozilla defended the deals, noting Firefox might be doomed without Google’s arrangement.
14. EU to continue to enforce tech regulations despite tariff threats from Trump
The EU will continue to enforce its tech regulations despite threats of tariffs from @DonaldTrump, a position reinforced by European tech commissioner @HennaVirkkunen who says the rules protect fundamental rights for citizens and businesses. Virkkunen noted in a letter to the US Congress that the #DSA and #DMA are EU laws with no extraterritorial reach in the US, and she argued the regulations defend consumers against scams and deliberate manipulation campaigns, countering claims of censorship from figures like @MarkZuckerberg. The EU stresses that the rules apply equally to all platforms and rejects the claim of targeted measures against US companies, while reiterating that tax and regulation issues belong to national and EU legislatures, and warning that retaliation could occur via the EU’s anti-coercion instrument as needed, a stance supported by @EmmanuelMacron and @FriedrichMerz. In essence, the EU frames this as a sovereign right to regulate digital markets and protect democracy, reaffirming its commitment to enforcement even in the face of external pressure.
15. Tesla’s 4th ‘Master Plan’ reads like LLM-generated nonsense | TechCrunch
The piece argues Tesla’s 4th Master Plan is vague and devoid of concrete steps, even as it outlines aims for planet-wide adoption of #robotics and #sustainable-energy. It notes @ElonMusk has acknowledged the lack of specifics and said more detail will be added, though no timetable is given. By contrast, Master Plan 2 from 2016 was more concrete, promising a solar-roof-with-battery product that would scale globally and a vehicle lineup including a compact SUV, semitruck, pickup, and electric bus, yet the solar roof has struggled to gain scale and several vehicles, including the Semi and Cybertruck, have not met goals, while full autonomy has not materialized. The piece describes the 4th plan as sounding like generic college prose and even AI-generated content, noting it reads as if talking points from @ElonMusk and the #AbundanceBros were fed to a system like #LLM-generated. It implies more specifics may appear later, but for now the plan remains aspirational rather than actionable.
16. Therapists are secretly using ChatGPT. Clients are triggered.
The rise of AI in psychotherapy is underscored by reports that some therapists secretly use @ChatGPT during sessions, risking client trust and privacy. In one case, Declan watched his therapist share his screen and feed his words into ChatGPT, receiving real-time analysis that reshaped the session, while others report AI-generated or AI-edited messages from therapists observed online. The trend reflects efficiency gains but raises questions about consent, data handling, and accountability when clients may not know what content is bot-generated or what is being shared. Clear guidelines, open conversations about AI use, and stronger data safeguards are needed to preserve the therapeutic relationship and protect sensitive information. @privacy #AI #datasecurity #consent
17. Palo Alto Networks Data Breach Exposes Customer Info, Support Cases
Palo Alto Networks has suffered a #data breach that exposed customer information and support cases, highlighting vulnerabilities in cybersecurity even among security firms. The breach was confirmed when attackers gained unauthorized access to the company’s support environment, impacting customer data including names, email addresses, and support case details. This incident raises concerns about data protection practices within leading cybersecurity companies such as @PaloAltoNetworks and the potential implications for compromised customer trust. It emphasizes the need for continuous improvement in security measures and vigilant monitoring to prevent similar breaches. This event serves as a critical reminder of the pervasive risks organizations face and the importance of robust defense strategies.
18. China’s social media sites rush to abide by AI-generated content labelling law
Major Chinese social platforms including @WeChat and @Douyin have rolled out features to comply with a new law that requires explicit and implicit labels for all AI-generated content. Issued in March and drafted by the CAC with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the rule demands clearly visible explicit markings and metadata-based implicit identifiers across text, images, audio, video and other virtual content. The move reflects regulators’ concerns about misinformation, copyright infringement and online fraud and ties into the #Qinglang campaign to tighten AI oversight and address #deepfake risks to national security. Platforms require creators to voluntarily declare AI-generated content and remind users to exercise judgment where content isn’t flagged. This development shows Beijing’s push to standardize transparency and accountability for AI across cyberspace, signaling tighter controls on major platforms as the technology proliferates.
19. Twitch viewership drops to lowest in 5 years amid viewbot crackdown
Twitch has experienced a significant decline in viewership, reaching its lowest levels in five years due to the platform’s crackdown on #viewbot and manipulation services. Data from StreamElements and Rainmaker.gg reveal that hours watched on Twitch’s English channel dropped by approximately 30% from early April to late May 2023. This reduction is linked to the enforcement of stricter policies against artificial view inflation, impacting influencer visibility and earnings. The decline illustrates the platform’s commitment to curbing fraudulent activity but poses challenges for creators relying on inflated numbers to grow their audience. Ultimately, Twitch’s actions highlight a shift towards more authentic engagement metrics, reshaping how content is consumed and promoted on the platform.
20. New Study Proves EVs Are Always Cleaner Than Gas Cars
Life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions vary by powertrain, vehicle size, and location, and the @University of Michigan study and its calculator show that many #EVs carry substantially lower emissions than any #ICE vehicle over their lifetimes. In Bucks County, PA, a pure ICE compact sedan emits 309 gCO2e per mile, while a hybrid cuts about 20%, a plug-in hybrid ~44% less, and a BEV with a 200-mile range cuts about 63%; in Phoenix, the advantage of switching to BEV rises to about 79%. Even very heavy EVs can beat small gas cars, with a 7,000‑pound Rivian R1T estimated at 71% of a Civic’s lifetime emissions. A midsize #PHEV SUV with a 35‑mile BEV range can be similar to a 400‑mile #BEV pickup in lifetime emissions, and a 400-mile BEV with 2,500‑pound payload still yields roughly 35% the CO2e of a gas truck hauling nothing. The researchers note that charging times/patterns and grid mix can alter results, but the takeaway is clear: any #ICE vehicle incurs higher lifetime emissions than any #EV, so choosing the smallest EV that meets needs is best.
21. Ice obtains access to Israeli-made spyware that can hack phones and encrypted apps
ICE’s access to Graphite via a @Paragon Solutions contract marks a rare deployment of one of the world’s most powerful stealth cyberweapons, following a compliance pause that was lifted after a late-2024 contract under the @Biden administration. The software, #Graphite, can hijack a mobile phone to track location, read messages, and access encrypted apps like WhatsApp or Signal, while also functioning as a listening device by manipulating the device’s microphone. Civil and human rights groups have long criticized ICE for due process concerns, and the @Biden administration has sought guardrails around spyware use, including placing @NSO on a Commerce Department blacklist for enabling abuses #civilrights. Paragon says it differentiates itself by working with democracies and enforcing a no-tolerance policy against targeting civil society, though it does not disclose clients and says it has limited visibility into how clients use the tech #democracies. The move underscores ongoing tensions between security aims and civil liberties and raises questions about the role of external spyware vendors in U.S. government surveillance.
22. Anthropic’s Valuation More Than Doubles to $183 Billion After $13 Billion Fundraise
Anthropic, an AI startup focused on developing safe generative AI systems, has raised $13 billion in a new funding round, more than doubling its valuation to $183 billion. This substantial capital injection comes from major investors including @Google and @SparkCapital, reflecting strong confidence in Anthropic’s approach to AI safety and research. The company plans to use the funds to accelerate AI development, expand its team, and advance its large language models, aiming to compete with other industry giants. This milestone highlights the growing investor appetite for #AI innovation centered on ethics and safety, positioning Anthropic as a significant contender in the competitive generative AI landscape. Overall, the fundraising underscores the increasing value placed on balancing AI capability with responsible development.
23. A Call of Duty movie is coming
A live-action Call of Duty film is being developed via a new deal between @Activision and @Paramount to develop, produce, and distribute the feature. Paramount, the studio behind @TopGun: Maverick, is applying its post-merger slate to this project as one of its first major efforts. The franchise has sold more than 500 million copies and its campaigns are cinematic, making a film adaptation a plausible fit. No release window, director, or cast have been announced yet. David Ellison, the new CEO and chairman of Paramount, is a known fan of the franchise, which suggests the movie could become a priority given recent hits like @TheSuperMarioBrosMovie, @MinecraftMovie, @TheLastOfUs, and @Fallout.
24. Amazon ends shared Prime free shipping outside your home
@Amazon will end Prime free shipping sharing with people outside your household on October 1, 2025, replacing the old invitee program with #AmazonFamily that limits benefits to those at the same primary address. Under #AmazonFamily, you can share benefits only with people who live at the same address; the new policy also specifies invitees must sign up for their own subscription at a discounted $14.99 per year (then $14.99 per month). This change follows earlier limits on invitee sharing since 2015, and @Reuters reported that Prime signup goals in the US were not met during the extended Prime Day event, though there were record signups around the period. Launched in 2015, #AmazonFamily offered free shipping and other perks such as Prime Video, Prime Reading, third-party benefits like GrubHub, shared ebooks, Amazon Music, and more, and the update signals a shift in how #Prime benefits are shared within households.
25. OpenAI announces parental controls for ChatGPT after teen suicide lawsuit
OpenAI announced plans to roll out parental controls for @ChatGPT and to route sensitive mental health conversations to its simulated reasoning models, in response to crises involving vulnerable users. Within the next month, parents will be able to link their accounts with their teens’ ChatGPT accounts (minimum age 13), set default #ParentalControls for age-appropriate behavior, disable features such as memory and chat history, and receive notifications when the system detects acute distress. The move follows high-profile cases, including the Raine lawsuit over a teen with extensive ChatGPT interactions and reports that ChatGPT reinforced paranoid delusions in another incident. OpenAI has convened an Expert Council on Well-Being and AI and a Global Physician Network to guide safety improvements while remaining accountable for its choices. OpenAI also acknowledged that safety safeguards can degrade during long back-and-forth conversations, underscoring the need for proactive controls and continuous safeguards to protect vulnerable users #MentalHealth #AI
26. Scientists fear microscopic ‘mirror life’ could wipe out humanity
A field of synthetic biology is pursuing mirror life, including @KateAdamala’s work on creating a living cell from scratch with reversed chirality, and experts warn this could pose an existential, irreversible threat to humans and ecosystems. Researchers and biosecurity experts, including two Nobel laureates, convened across disciplines for months to assess risks and whether those risks could be mitigated. They concluded mirror cells could act as invasive species across many ecosystems and cause widespread lethal infections in plants, animals, and possibly humans, with biosafety measures potentially inadequate to contain them and the threat described as unprecedented and irreversible. Because mirror cells might not be recognized by the immune system, they could replicate unchecked in the body and progress rapidly, making infections hard to detect and enabling spread to other species; lab escapes could destabilize environments as well. Reflecting these concerns, scientists call for a global ban on further mirror life research to prevent harm and safeguard public health #ban #mirrorLife #biosecurity @VaughnCooper
27. The new Dolby Vision 2 HDR standard is probably going to be controversial
Dolby Vision 2 broadens the original HDR format by adding motion control and ambient-environment adaptation to better align playback with viewer conditions, @Dolby #ContentIntelligence. Content Intelligence brings new AI capabilities and TV sensors to fix scenes that look too dark without compromising creator intent, using ambient light detection to adjust the image. Its ‘Authentic Motion’ feature promises shot-by-shot control of motion smoothing to avoid judder while preserving a cinematic feel, a move that will spark debate among purists #AuthenticMotion. So far, Dolby has named Hisense as a hardware partner and CANAL+ for content creation, with two tiers, Dolby Vision 2 and Dolby Vision 2 Max, while launch dates remain undetermined. The industry awaits CES for more details on how this will differ from existing options and whether it will satisfy filmmakers and audiences alike.
28. New ‘Vision Air’: Here’s how much lighter and less expensive it might be – 9to5Mac
Vision Air is eyed for a 2027 release with a heavy emphasis on reducing weight and cost compared with Apple’s Vision Pro. @Ming-Chi_Kuo reports the device could be over 40% lighter and more than 50% cheaper, weighing about 600 g and priced roughly $1,500, while Vision Pro starts at $3,499. Vision Air shipments are anticipated to reach about 1 million units in 2027, versus existing Vision models at under 400,000. To hit a lower price, Apple may cut features such as cameras, display resolution, or EyeSight, though exactly how much of a Vision Pro-like experience remains unclear. If these projections hold, Vision Air would be a more affordable, lighter alternative that still aims to offer a Vision Pro-like experience, potentially shaping the next phase of Apple’s XR strategy #VisionAir #VisionPro #MetaQuest3.
29. WordPress shows off Telex, its experimental AI development tool | TechCrunch
WordPress unveiled Telex, an early AI development tool described as a ‘V0’ or ‘Lovable’ version for WordPress, during @Matt_Mullenweg’s keynote at WordCamp US 2025. Telex allows users to generate #Gutenberg content blocks by prompting, returning a .zip that can be installed as a plugin on a WordPress site or in #WordPress Playground, and a simple marketing animation was shown as an example. The project sits under WordPress’s AI team and is labeled experimental, with early testers noting that some Telex projects still fail or require work. Mullenweg emphasized that democratized publishing, accessible, open, affordable, and multilingual, drives WordPress, and that #AI could broaden that mission even as progress sparks debate about hype. He also demonstrated a browser-based WordPress help assistant built in a short time, illustrating practical, incremental AI experiments alongside Telex.
30. Samsung 9100 PRO 8TB PCIe Gen5 NVMe SSD Review
The @Samsung 9100 PRO 8TB PCIe Gen5 NVMe SSD delivers high capacity with flagship #Gen5 performance. It uses an in‑house #Presto controller and 236‑layer #TLC NAND, plus an 8GB #LPDDR4X cache, to push rated speeds of 14,800 MB/s sequential read and 13,400 MB/s sequential write. The increased channels on the controller help raise #IOPS, supporting the claim of top-tier Gen5 performance in real workloads. Endurance is rated at 4800 TBW with a 5‑year warranty, and the 8TB model carries an 8GB cache given the 1GB per TB rule. For users needing massive capacity without sacrificing speed, the 9100 PRO 8TB stands as a leading option in the #PCIe5 #NVMe SSD landscape.
31. Qiddiya Fully Acquires Evolution Championship Series Organizer RTS – TEA
Qiddiya has taken full ownership of RTS, the organizer of Evolution Championship Series (EVO), signaling a strategic consolidation of EVO’s future under the Saudi-backed mega-city project. In a LinkedIn post, @MuhannadAldawood announced the acquisition and said the move will strengthen Qiddiya’s esports business and unlock opportunities across the gaming ecosystem, though terms of the deal were not disclosed. RTS’s EVO operation had previously involved @NODWINGaming acquiring Sony’s stake and becoming a sponsor, with Qiddiya investing an undisclosed amount as a co-owner and serving as EVO’s global partner in 2024. The move coincides with Qiddiya and @NODWIN opening offices in New York City to engage North American partners, while watchdog groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have highlighted criticisms of state-backed sports initiatives, signaling ongoing scrutiny of such acquisitions.
That’s all for today’s digest for 2025/09/03! We picked, and processed 30 Articles. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s collection of insights and discoveries.
Thanks Patricia Zougheib and Dr Badawi for curating the links
See you in the next one! 🚀