Welcome to today’s curated collection of interesting links and insights for 2025/09/30. Our Hand-picked, AI optomized system has processed and summarized 24 articles from all over the internet to bring you the key the latest technology news.
As previously aired🔴LIVE on Clubhouse, Chatter Social, and TikTok.
Also available as a #Podcast on Apple 📻, Spotify🛜, Anghami and Amazon🎧 or anywhere else you listen to podcasts.
1. WhatsApp for iOS gets Live Photos support
WhatsApp for iOS has introduced support for #LivePhotos, allowing users to share moving pictures within the app. This new feature enhances user interaction by enabling Live Photos to be sent and viewed like regular images. Users can now capture moments more dynamically and share them directly through WhatsApp, improving multimedia communication. The update aligns WhatsApp with iOS capabilities, making the app more compatible and user-friendly for Apple device owners. Overall, this addition strengthens WhatsApp’s multimedia features and keeps it competitive with other messaging platforms supporting dynamic photo content.
2. Apple’s iOS 26.0.1, macOS 26.0.1, iPadOS 26.0.1 updates fix multiple issues
Apple has released point-updates across its ecosystems—iOS 26.0.1, macOS Tahoe 26.0.1, iPadOS 26.0.1, watchOS 26.0.1, tvOS 26.0.1—addressing a variety of bugs without introducing new features. The iOS update tackles random Bluetooth and Wi-Fi dropouts (especially on iPhone 17 and iPhone Air), cellular connectivity issues, photo artifacts, blinking app icons, and VoiceOver problems. For macOS, an important fix enables Mac Studio units with the M3 Ultra chip to finally install the Tahoe update—a bug had prevented the upgrade.
3. Microsoft just added AI agents to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint – how to use them
@Microsoft has rolled out AI agents for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as part of its #Copilot-enabled Microsoft 365 for both business and individual subscribers, with web access available now and desktop access coming soon. The Excel agent analyzes data, builds formulas and charts, summarizes insights, and shows validation steps, while the Word agent writes content, refines text, and can ask clarifying questions to ensure accuracy; both are trained on @OpenAI’s latest models. For business, Copilot subscriptions typically cost around $30 per user per month, while individuals can use Microsoft 365 Family or Personal plans; the Excel Agent Mode is available via the Frontier program for licensed Copilot users and Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscribers, and Word prompts can help update monthly reports. The capabilities lower barriers for non-experts to analyze data and craft documents, echoing an #AI vibe coding concept that lets users build and refine work without deep coding. In short, these AI agents extend productivity across Word, Excel, and #PowerPoint within the #Copilot ecosystem, enabling faster creation, editing, and analysis for both workplaces and personal projects.
Meta’s Ray-Ban Display glasses, unveiled by @Mark Zuckerberg at Meta Connect 2025, are priced at $799 and mark the company’s first #AI eyewear with a built-in private in-lens display. The glasses will ship on Sept 30 in the US, with UK, France, Italy, and Canada waiting until early 2026. They use the #MetaNeuralBand, a wrist-worn EMG controller that lets users navigate with subtle hand movements, and a private in-lens display built into Transitions lenses that appears on command and fades away when not in use. In-lens AI visuals enable #LiveCaptions and translations in English, Spanish, French, and Italian, alongside a 12 MP camera with 3x zoom for hands-free capture and two-way video calls. Meta positions these glasses as a work-and-play device that enables AI-driven insights and translations in meetings and daily tasks, while expanding its lineup with the Oakley Meta Vanguard and Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 #SmartEyewear.
6. Solstar wins NASA contract to develop lunar Wi-Fi systems
Solstar Space Co. secured a NASA contract to develop #Wi-Fi systems for lunar communications, pursuing the goal of establishing reliable wireless networks on the Moon. The company’s experience stems from working on global starlink systems and delivering broadband to remote Earth locations, showcasing relevant expertise. This development effort aims to support NASA’s Artemis program by enhancing communication capabilities for lunar explorers and infrastructure. Effective lunar Wi-Fi would facilitate real-time data transmission and operational coordination during missions, marking a critical advancement in sustaining human presence on the Moon. Solstar’s collaboration with NASA demonstrates a commitment to pioneering connectivity solutions essential for future lunar exploration.
7. Silver Lake, PIF set to take control of Electronic Arts in video game deal
Silver Lake and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (#PIF) are poised to acquire control of @Electronic_Arts (#EA) through a proposed $2.5 billion deal involving new investments and stock transactions. This partnership will grant Silver Lake a 25% ownership stake and strengthen PIF’s foothold in the gaming industry amid a surge in gaming popularity. Analysts note that this move reflects strategic expansion for both investors into the profitable and growing video game market, positioning EA for future growth and innovation. The deal highlights the increasing role of private equity and sovereign wealth funds in redefining gaming companies’ ownership structures and market influence. Ultimately, this acquisition aims to bolster EA’s competitive edge while providing opportunities for enhanced investment and development in gaming content and technology.
8. Mexican Cartels Reportedly Using AI To Improve Drug-Trafficking Operations
Mexican cartels are leveraging #AI to streamline and expand their drug-trafficking operations, according to a European-funded study. The report describes ‘smart routing’ to dodge checkpoints and estimate how long operations will take, with groups such as @CJNG and @Sinaloa using the tech to boost smuggling and even move people to their destinations. As @Antonio_Nicaso of @InSightCrime noted in an interview, cartels can imitate voices or create deepfakes for blackmail, and they are using digital tools along with #cybersecurity and social-media networks to broaden operations, with references to the dark web and encrypted communication. Interpol linked CJNG to a global financial fraud scheme using #AI and large language models for scams, and Mexican military sources say CJNG is recruiting tech experts to breach security networks at agencies and Pemex. The report also highlights social-media recruitment targeting youths aged 14 to 24 and the glamorization of cartel life to lure potential operatives, underscoring the need for vigilance against high-tech crime.
9. Amazon’s Finance Teams Are Relying More on AI—And Not Just for the Simple Stuff
Amazon’s finance divisions are increasingly using #artificialintelligence for complex tasks beyond routine automation, enhancing efficiency in financial planning, analysis, and reporting. The adoption of AI tools enables more sophisticated data interpretation and predictive modeling, allowing teams to focus on strategic decisions rather than manual processes. This shift reflects a broader trend in the corporate world where AI is becoming integral to core financial operations, transforming traditional roles and workflows. By deploying advanced AI, Amazon aims to accelerate decision-making and gain competitive advantages in financial management. This evolution underscores AI’s growing importance across business functions beyond simple automation.
10. DeepSeek releases sparse-attention AI model in experimental “intermediate” step
Chinese AI firm DeepSeek has launched an experimental model named DeepSeek-V3.2-Exp, branding it an “intermediate step” toward its next-generation architecture and spotlighting a new mechanism called DeepSeek Sparse Attention (DSA). Reuters reports that the innovation is aimed at cutting computational cost and improving efficiency in long-context processing, and coincides with DeepSeek slashing its API prices by more than 50 percent. DSA works via a two-stage process, using a “lightning indexer” to select promising excerpts from the context window and then a fine-grained token selection module to choose which tokens to feed into the restricted attention window. #DeepSeek claims the new model maintains output quality comparable to V3.1 while enabling major cost reductions. DeepSeek API Docs
This move is a clear signal that DeepSeek is pushing aggressively on efficiency, especially as long context models become more costly. If the claims hold, the pressure will mount on global players to optimize inference costs, or risk being outflanked by models that do the same job at far lower computational budgets.
CraftGPT demonstrates a working 5,087,280-parameter language model embedded inside a Minecraft computer built from 439 million blocks by @Sammyuri in a feat of #Minecraft #Redstone engineering. The model has an embedding dimension of 240, a vocabulary of 1920 tokens, six layers, and a context window of 64 tokens, trained in Python on the TinyChat dataset, with most weights quantized to 8 bits and embedding/LN weights stored at 18 and 24 bits. A major limitation is performance: the system typically takes about two hours to respond, even with the tick rate accelerated ~40,000x using #MCHPRS, making it uncompetitive with real hardware. The project uses Redstone components rather than command blocks or data packs and aims more to showcase feasibility than to replace traditional LLM deployment. It highlights how in-game hardware can prototype AI ideas while tempering expectations about practical in-game chat, linking @Sammyuri’s creativity with #AI research.
12. EA’s New Owner Plans AI Pivot to Significantly Cut Operating Costs: Report
EA’s new owner aims to shift the company’s focus towards AI to drastically reduce operating expenses. The report highlights that the planned pivot involves integrating advanced AI technologies to automate various processes and enhance efficiency. This strategic move is expected to address financial pressures while positioning EA competitively in the evolving gaming industry. The change reflects a growing trend of tech companies leveraging AI to optimize operations and cut costs. Consequently, this initiative could reshape EA’s business model and influence its future product development.
13. Brave launches Ask Brave feature to fuse AI with traditional search
Brave has introduced the Ask Brave feature, which integrates AI-powered chat responses with conventional search engine results to enhance users’ search experience. The feature processes queries through Brave’s LLM, providing AI-generated answers alongside standard search listings, enabling users to verify and expand on information. This hybrid approach addresses concerns over AI hallucinations by combining generative AI’s contextual understanding with factual search results. Ask Brave is part of Brave’s broader strategy to innovate in the search space by merging AI assistance with privacy-respecting browsing. This initiative positions Brave to compete with other browsers and search engines incorporating #ArtificialIntelligence into their offerings.
Thousands of protesters in Buenos Aires demanded justice for two young women and a 15-year-old girl whose torture and murders were livestreamed on social media. The victims—Lara Gutierrez, 15, and Morena Verdi and Brenda del Castillo, both 20—were found buried in a yard in a southern suburb of Buenos Aires five days after they disappeared, with investigators tying the crime to drug gangs and describing it as #narco-feminicide. The brutal acts were streamed live on #Instagram, seen by about 45 people on a private account, and police say the video surfaced after a detainee spoke. Authorities say three men and two women are involved; a fifth suspect was arrested in Bolivia on charges of providing logistical support, and the plot’s alleged mastermind, a 20-year-old Peruvian, remains at large. The protests underscored calls to protect women and to confront violence linked to gangs, with relatives and supporters marching to Parliament carrying banners with the victims’ names.
15. S. Korea to launch Nuri space rocket on Nov. 27: KASA | Yonhap News Agency
South Korea’s @KASA has announced the date for the fourth launch of its homegrown #Nuri space rocket, formally #KSLV-II, set for November 27 from the Naro Space Center in Goheung with a backup window from November 28 to December 4 and a precise lift time to be decided the day before. The mission will carry the main next-generation midsized satellite along with 12 smaller satellites, all expected to be delivered to the space center by the end of October. KASA Administrator @YoonYoung-bin said the launch will be the first since the space agency’s establishment and that flawless preparation and teamwork are planned to ensure success. The launch underscores @KASA’s ongoing push for independent space capabilities and positions the #Nuri program as a cornerstone for future satellite and lunar efforts.
Microsoft is reuniting the core Windows engineering teams with the Windows client teams under a single Windows organization. In a memo from @Pavan Davuluri, the Windows and Surface chief, it states that core Windows work, previously moved under @Azure since 2018, will operate under the Windows org again alongside the client and server teams. Davuluri says unifying these teams will help deliver against priorities and advance the vision of Windows as an #AgenticOS with voice input and AI-powered task execution. While most teams will be consolidated, some low-level teams will remain under @Azure, and dependencies from the core kernel, virtualization, and Linux teams (now part of @AzureCore) will continue to support client scenarios, silicon enablement, and #WSL. The restructuring signals Microsoft’s aim to position Windows as a platform for future AI experiences and agentic capabilities, a shift covered by @The Verge and Windows Central’s @ZacBowden.
Ford CEO @Jim Farley warns that the United States cannot actualize its moonshot #AI goals without enough blue-collar workers to build #AI data-centers and operate factories. He notes a looming labor gap as AI infrastructure demand grows toward a $4.8 trillion market by 2033 and says there is nothing to backfill the ambition when it comes to the workforce. The country is short about 600,000 factory workers and 500,000 construction workers now, with a need for 400,000 auto technicians over the next three years, underscoring the crisis in the #essential-economy that makes up about $12 trillion of U.S. GDP per the Aspen Institute. Shortages in #data-centers labor are corroborated by industry surveys, including #UptimeInstitute and #Deloitte, showing ongoing difficulties finding skilled workers even as demand for data-center capacity remains strong and hyperscalers are projected to spend hundreds of billions in 2025 with trillions in capex through 2030. Farley frames this as a national priority, calling for a new mindset that values skilled trades and invests in training to sustain AI progress and the country’s vibrancy and competitiveness.
18. New Stan Lee AI hologram makes its debut at LA Comic Con
A new immersive AI hologram of @Stan Lee debuted at LA Comic Con, letting fans interact with a Stan Lee avatar despite his 2018 passing. Kamikaze Entertainment CEO Chris DeMoulin describes the experience as an avatar that serves as a jumping-off point or portal for new fans to discover Marvel icons like #SpiderMan. The project blends nostalgia with #ArtificialIntelligence and #hologram technology, offering fan engagement while raising questions about authenticity and what it means to encounter a creator’s legacy through an avatar. The rollout sits within Marvel’s broader ecosystem under @Disney, the parent company of Marvel Comics.
19. Shopify, OpenAI partner to enable ChatGPT shopping | CBC
OpenAI is rolling out a feature called Instant Checkout, enabling U.S. users of #ChatGPT (free, Plus, or Pro) to purchase items directly within chats from Etsy sellers, with Shopify merchants to follow soon. By embedding commerce, OpenAI aims to move beyond subscription revenue and tap into the massive traffic on its platform. Merchants pay a small commission per sale, and OpenAI is open-sourcing its checkout tech (the Agentic Commerce Protocol) built in partnership with Stripe. Early results: stocks for Etsy and Shopify jumped after the announcement.
20. Imgur now appears to be blocked in the UK
Imgur, a popular image hosting and sharing platform, has reportedly been blocked in the UK. Users attempting to access Imgur have encountered access issues, suggesting a widespread restriction. The blocking appears to be enforced by UK network providers, reflecting possible regulatory or content-related concerns. This development has affected a community reliant on Imgur’s services for sharing visual content, raising questions about internet freedom and censorship. It remains unclear if this is a temporary measure or part of a broader trend of digital content control in the UK.
A Russian military spy ship has been actively tracked as it maps and surveys NATO undersea cables, closely following cable lines and pipelines across strategic maritime routes. Satellite and naval monitoring reveal the vessel’s systematic stops and movements designed to gather intelligence on critical infrastructure. This activity underscores Russia’s focus on undersea communication networks as potential targets or vulnerabilities, reflecting increased maritime espionage efforts amidst geopolitical tensions. Monitoring agencies emphasize the importance of vigilance given the critical role undersea cables play in global communications and security. The situation highlights ongoing concerns about safeguarding key digital infrastructure from state-sponsored surveillance and interference.
22. Disney reportedly lost 1.7 million paid subscribers in the week after suspending Kimmel
Disney experienced a significant drop of 1.7 million paid subscribers within a week following the suspension of @JimmyKimmel from its platform. This loss highlights the impact that high-profile content and personalities can have on streaming services’ subscriber numbers. The decline emphasizes the delicacy of maintaining subscriber loyalty amid controversial decisions involving popular figures. It suggests that audience engagement with #streamingservices like Disney+ is closely tied to the availability of favored entertainment options. This incident underlines the importance of content strategy and public relations in subscriber retention.
23. OpenAI Is Preparing to Launch a Social App for AI-Generated Videos
OpenAI is preparing to launch a stand-alone app for its AI video generator Sora 2, aiming to redefine how people interact with AI-generated footage via @OpenAI’s platform and a TikTok-like vertical feed #Sora2. The app supports 10-second clips, a For You-style recommendation feed, like/comment/remix interactions, and an identity verification feature that allows verified users to use their likeness in videos, with others able to tag or remix appearances. There are safeguards including copyright filters, and OpenAI reportedly blocks some generations; the company is also facing copyright lawsuits, including one from @TheNewYorkTimes. Internal feedback suggests the app could change how people experience AI-generated media and compete with other tech giants, as @Meta rolls out a Vibes AI-video feed and Google integrates Veo 3 into YouTube. If successful, the app could alter social interaction with AI content while raising ongoing questions about safety, copyright, and ownership #AIvideo.
24. Open Printer is an open source inkjet printer with DRM-free ink and roll paper support
The Open Printer is an open-source, DRM-free inkjet printer designed for repairability and modularity, challenging traditional printer constraints. It uses standard mechanical components, a modular design, and runs on the @Raspberry Pi W board, with no proprietary drivers or cartridge DRM. It uses HP #HP63 (or #HP302 in Europe) cartridges and can print in black and color, avoiding cartridge-lock restrictions common with big brands. It can print on standard A4 and A3 sheets and also on 27 mm wide paper rolls with an integrated cutter that outputs A4 sheets or longer banners. Wireless connectivity via WiFi and Bluetooth, a small LCD and jog wheel for basic controls, and a crowdfunding launch on #CrowdSupply with open-source mechanical design files; pricing and availability have not yet been disclosed. #openSource #DRMfree #modularDesign #cartridges #rollPaper #crowdfunding
GPT-5 has been instrumental as a research assistant in the recent breakthrough involving a complex theorem in #quantumcomputing theory. Researchers leveraged GPT-5’s advanced natural language processing and reasoning capabilities to assist in structuring the proof and validating critical steps. This collaboration demonstrates how #AI can augment human expertise in tackling longstanding theoretical challenges in quantum computing. The approach not only accelerated the proof process but also highlighted GPT-5’s ability to comprehend and manipulate intricate mathematical concepts. Such integration of AI tools promises to accelerate future discoveries and deepen understanding in the evolving field of quantum technologies.
26. Landlords Demand Tenants’ Workplace Logins to Scrape Their Paystubs
Landlords are using a screening tool that logs into applicants’ employer systems to scrape paystubs and other data, far beyond what is needed for a rental decision. Screenshots shared with 404 Media show @ApproveShield and @Argyle taking extensive data, with claims the opt-out effectively means no housing. A renter described forced surrender of payroll and bank logins, highlighting the intrusive nature of the process. The practice raises potential issues with U.S. hacking laws and is described as statewide consumer-finance abuse, prompting concerns about #privacy and #data-collection in #tenant-screening. The article signals a need for tighter oversight and clearer boundaries on what data screening services can access.
27. Anthropic launches Claude 4, 5 AI models with improved creativity, cost-efficiency
Anthropic introduced Claude 4 and Claude 5, its next-generation large language models designed to enhance creativity and reduce operational costs. Claude 4 is anticipated to be 40% cheaper to run with around 50% improved reasoning and creativity, while Claude 5, expected next year, will further boost efficiency and capability for developers. The models are built with safety and reliability in mind, aligning with industry demand for more powerful AI tools. Anthropic aims to provide developers with advanced AI options that maintain ethical boundaries and responsible use. These developments indicate progress in AI innovation driven by companies like Anthropic and their focus on scalable, affordable AI solutions.
That’s all for today’s digest for 2025/09/30! We picked, and processed 24 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! 🚀