Apple notified more than a dozen Iranians in recent months that their iPhones had been targeted with government spyware, according to security researchers.Miian Group, a digital rights organization that focuses on Iran, and Hamid Kashfi, an Iranian cybersecurity researcher who lives in Sweden, said they spoke with several Iranians who received the notifications in the last year.  Bloomberg first wrote about these spyware notifications.Miaan Group published a report on Tuesday on the state of cybersecurity ...

OpenAI was the company that signed a $30 billion per year deal with Oracle for data center services, disclosed last month, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. Now, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has confirmed the details of the contract (but not the dollar amount) in an X post on Tuesday and in a company blog post.To recap, on June 30, Oracle disclosed in an SEC filing that it had signed a cloud deal that would generate $30 billion a year in revenue. However, the company didn’t say who it was with or for wha ...

The Florida GOP isn’t the only one profiting from the detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” by selling merchandise. A subset of Etsy buyers and sellers began a boycott of the online marketplace this month over its decision to allow “Alligator Alcatraz”-branded merchandise on its site. Today, this sort of merchandise — including T-shirts, hats, mugs, stickers, patches, and other items — can be found across e-commerce platforms beyond Etsy, ranging from large retailers like Amazon to online marketpla ...

Core Insights - The Tesla Diner & Drive-In officially opened in Hollywood, California, combining retro nostalgia with a fast-charging network for Tesla vehicles [1] - The facility serves as a charging station for Tesla drivers while offering classic diner menu items and features like Tesla-branded merchandise and LED movie screens [2] - Initial public interest is high, as indicated by long lines on opening day, suggesting potential for sustained popularity [3] Group 1 - The diner includes 80 v4 Supercharger stalls and a drive-in movie theater that syncs with Tesla vehicle speakers [3] - Elon Musk has expressed intentions to expand the diner concept to major cities globally if the initial location proves successful [4]

Core Insights - Figma is allowing existing shareholders to sell significantly more shares than the company itself plans to offer in its IPO, with existing shareholders permitted to sell nearly 24.7 million shares compared to the company's planned 12.5 million shares [1] - The IPO is expected to be highly sought after, with existing shareholders having the option to sell an additional 5.5 million shares if demand is strong [2] - Figma's CEO, Dylan Field, plans to sell 2.35 million shares, potentially cashing out over $62 million at the midrange price, while still retaining 74% of the voting rights post-IPO due to supervoting rights [2] - Major venture investors like Index, Greylock, Kleiner Perkins, and Sequoia are also cashing out shares, with each potentially selling between 1.7 million to 3.3 million shares, which could provide liquidity in a challenging venture market [3] - Despite the secondary sales, these investors are retaining the majority of their Figma holdings, indicating confidence in the company's future [4] - Figma is not expected to profit from the shares sold by its stockholders, but if the IPO prices above the announced range, it could raise more capital [6] - Experts anticipate Figma could sell around $1.5 billion worth of stock, making it the largest IPO of 2025 if it exceeds this amount [7]

Core Insights - Tesla's launch in India has been met with disappointment from early backers who pre-ordered the Model 3, with many expressing frustration over the long wait and lack of communication from the company [2][10][14] Group 1: Customer Sentiment - Early supporters like Vishal Gondal and Amit Bhavani, who pre-booked the Model 3 in 2016, felt underwhelmed by the showroom launch and have no plans to purchase a Tesla now [1][10] - Many early backers experienced difficulties in obtaining refunds for their reservations, leading to a shift in sentiment from excitement to disappointment [2][3][11] - A significant portion of early reservation holders, approximately 80%, are frustrated with Tesla's lack of communication and the long wait for the launch [14] Group 2: Market Position and Competition - Tesla's Model Y is priced at ₹59,89,000 (approximately $68,000) in India, significantly higher than its U.S. counterpart, which starts at $44,990 (₹38,71,000) [21] - The premium segment in India, where Tesla operates, comprises only 1% of total car sales, with electric vehicles holding a 10% share in that segment [22][24] - Competitors like Tata Motors dominate the Indian electric vehicle market, and other brands are gaining traction, making Tesla's entry less impactful than anticipated [24][28] Group 3: Infrastructure and After-Sales Concerns - There is uncertainty regarding Tesla's Supercharger network and after-sales service in India, with only eight charging stations planned for Delhi and Mumbai [15][17] - Early backers are concerned about the practicality of owning a Tesla without a robust charging infrastructure in place [17][18] Group 4: Brand Perception and Leadership - Elon Musk's recent political involvement has affected Tesla's brand perception, leading some potential customers to feel disillusioned [18][19] - The excitement surrounding Tesla's brand has diminished, with many now viewing it as just another option among many electric vehicles available in the market [21][28]

Group 1 - Microsoft has made changes to its operations to prevent China-based engineers from maintaining cloud computing systems for the U.S. Department of Defense [1][2] - The previous system utilized "digital escorts," who were U.S. citizens with security clearances, to supervise the engineers, but they sometimes lacked the necessary technical expertise [1] - Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth emphasized that foreign engineers, including those from China, should not have access to DoD systems [2] Group 2 - Microsoft's chief communications officer stated that the company has assured no China-based engineering teams will provide technical assistance for DoD cloud services [2]

In Brief ServiceNow’s acquisition of enterprise AI startup Moveworks is reportedly drawing regulatory scrutiny.The acquisition is currently under review for antitrust by the U.S. Justice Department, according to Bloomberg, which cited sources familiar with the matter. The probe began in June, Bloomberg reported, and both companies have since received a “second request” calling for additional information that has to be provided before the deal can move forward. ServiceNow announced it was acquiring Movework ...

Core Viewpoint - Meta has declined to sign the European Union's code of practice for its AI Act, citing concerns over legal uncertainties and regulatory overreach that could hinder AI development in Europe [1][2][3] Group 1: Meta's Position - Meta's chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, criticized the EU's Code of Practice for general-purpose AI models, stating it introduces legal uncertainties and exceeds the AI Act's intended scope [2] - Kaplan described the EU's legislation as "over-reach," arguing it could stifle the development and deployment of advanced AI models in Europe and negatively impact European companies aiming to build businesses on these technologies [3] Group 2: EU's AI Regulations - The EU's code of practice is a voluntary framework designed to assist companies in complying with upcoming AI regulations, requiring regular updates and documentation about AI tools, banning training on pirated content, and adhering to content owners' requests [2] - The AI Act categorizes certain AI applications as "unacceptable risk," outright banning them, while defining "high-risk" uses that require registration and compliance with risk and quality management obligations [3] Group 3: Industry Response - Major tech companies, including Meta, have been opposing the EU's AI regulations and have urged the European Commission to postpone the implementation timeline, which the Commission has refused to alter [4] - New guidelines for AI model providers were published by the EU, with compliance deadlines set for August 2, 2027, for companies with general-purpose AI models that pose systemic risks [5]

Group 1 - Meta has appointed Connor Hayes, the VP of product for generative AI, as the head of Threads, indicating the platform's growth beyond a side product of Instagram [1] - Previously, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, was in charge of Threads, but the platform's expansion necessitated additional leadership [1] Group 2 - Threads, launched in 2023, is rapidly approaching the daily active user (DAU) numbers of X, with approximately 115 million DAUs on mobile compared to X's 132 million [2] - The growth in Threads' user base highlights its increasing significance in the social media landscape [2]