OpenAI has changed its position on California's AI safety legislation, now urging the state to strengthen SB 53. The company had previously opposed the bill but is now advocating for more robust provisions. SB 53 is designed to address safety standards around artificial intelligence development. OpenAI's shift marks a notable reversal from its earlier stance against the California measure.
A new study has revealed that leading frontier AI laboratories have minimal publicly documented procedures for containing AI models that behave dangerously or unexpectedly. The findings raise serious concerns about how prepared these organizations are to handle worst-case scenarios as AI systems grow more powerful. Researchers noted that unexpected and potentially harmful AI behavior is becoming an increasingly documented phenomenon. The lack of transparency around containment strategies leaves open questions about whether adequate safeguards exist within these labs.
American battery startups have received $500 million in grants from the Department of Energy, providing crucial financial support to a struggling sector. The funding comes at a critical time, as the industry had been under significant pressure following reductions in electric vehicle incentives. The grants are seen as a lifeline for companies that were at risk without alternative sources of capital. Defense-linked funding channels have emerged as a key avenue sustaining these startups through the difficult period.
Comedian and activist W. Kamau Bell, known for United Shades of America and We Need to Talk About Cosby, recently shared the everyday tool he considers most indispensable to his work. Bell has built a career blending comedy, social commentary, and political activism across television, podcasts, and live performance. His accolades include a Peabody Award, four Emmys, and recognition from the ACLU. Currently juggling a podcast, comedy tour, and Substack newsletter all titled Who's With Me, Bell spoke to The Verge about what keeps him organized amid his demanding schedule.
Google has released the Pixel 11 Pro XL, its latest flagship smartphone featuring improved camera performance and new AI capabilities. Among the standout additions is a feature called Rambler, described as a genuinely useful AI tool. However, reviewers note that the overall improvements are largely incremental rather than a major generational leap. As a result, users who already own a recent Pixel device may find little reason to upgrade to the new model.
Amazon has increased prices across its Echo, Kindle, Fire TV, and Eero product lines by as much as 60 percent, citing rising costs of memory and storage components. The budget-friendly Echo Dot saw one of the steepest hikes, jumping from $49.99 to $79.99. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max now retails at $84.99, a rise of over 40 percent, while the entry-level Kindle climbed nearly 37 percent to $149.99. The flagship Echo Dot Max also edged up from $99.99 to $119.99. The move comes shortly after Apple similarly raised the price of its HomePod Mini to $129 this past summer.
HP's OmniBook 3, priced at $520, has stood out in a crowded budget laptop market by offering 16GB of RAM. Laptop pricing has become increasingly skewed, with even $950 devices like the Microsoft Surface Laptop shipping with just 8GB of RAM. Industry analysts and reviewers note that 8GB is no longer sufficient for modern computing needs. Budget manufacturers have been struggling to compete, often cutting corners on storage, build quality, and processing power. The OmniBook 3 bucks this trend by prioritizing memory capacity at an affordable price point, according to a review by The Verge.
A five-day robotics conference is currently underway in Beijing, China. The event is hosting over 300 companies displaying their latest developments in robotics technology. Among the standout exhibits is a robot horse and rider, which has captured significant attention from attendees. The showcase reflects the rapid pace of advancement in the global robotics industry.
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 141, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, I'm newish here too, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I've been getting back into the Installer groove, trying out some ergonomic Switch 2 grips I bought on Etsy, researching bike stuff because I'm about to get a Velotric e-bike, inching my way through the fourth book in The Dark Tower series, trying to figure out what feels off about Sonic in the new Fortnite season, wondering why Mark Zuckerberg needs a castle, and
New research has found that inducing a hibernation-like state in mice leads to a significant reduction in synaptic connections in the brain. Scientists studied the neurological effects of torpor, a deep sleep state similar to hibernation, on the rodents. Despite the substantial loss of synapses, the mice appeared to retain their memories after emerging from the state. The findings raise intriguing questions about how the brain preserves memory even when its physical connections are dramatically reduced. Researchers believe this could have implications for understanding memory storage and potentially treating neurological conditions.
The Trump administration has proposed rolling back the Roadless Rule, a federal regulation that restricts road construction in certain undeveloped US forest lands. The rule has long served as a protective barrier for wildlife habitats and watershed areas across the country. Dismantling these protections could open previously untouched lands to logging, mining, and other industrial activities. Environmental advocates warn that removing the rule would have significant consequences for ecosystems and water supplies that depend on these roadless areas.
A new wave of apps designed to deliver messages at deliberately slow speeds is attracting a growing number of users. These platforms intentionally delay texts by hours or even days, mimicking a more leisurely, old-fashioned pace of communication. Users say the apps offer relief from the relentless pressure of instant replies and constant notifications. However, the format has clear limitations, making it poorly suited for time-sensitive exchanges like coordinating plans.
Michael Polansky, known as Lady Gaga's partner and a former senior aide to Sean Parker, has been quietly building an AI-focused biotech startup for several years. The company keeps living human skin tissue alive outside the body for weeks at a time. This approach is used to test and discover new skincare compounds with the help of artificial intelligence. Polansky is only now going public with details about the venture after developing it largely out of the spotlight.
Japanese space startup Letara has raised ¥2.6 billion ($16 million) to scale its hybrid rocket technology. The company, which initially focused on small satellite thrusters, now aims to enter broader markets spanning space, defense, and security. Letara is betting that its proprietary propulsion technology can be adapted for a wider range of applications beyond its original scope. The funding marks a significant step in the startup's ambition to become a more diversified player in the space technology sector.
Anthropic, the artificial intelligence startup behind the Claude AI assistant, is reportedly planning an initial public offering that could raise as much as $100 billion. The company's bankers have communicated a potential valuation of $2 trillion to prospective investors. If achieved, that valuation would surpass Elon Musk's SpaceX, making Anthropic one of the most valuable companies to go public. The five-year-old startup has grown rapidly amid surging investor interest in generative AI technology.
The Trump administration has released a new space transportation policy that includes a directive to establish an additional spaceport on federal land. The policy specifically targets the need for a site capable of supporting heavy and super-heavy rocket launches. Current launch infrastructure in the United States has faced capacity and scheduling constraints as commercial spaceflight activity has surged. The new policy reflects the administration's intent to expand domestic launch capabilities to meet growing demand from both government and private sector missions.
TikTok has agreed to a $400 million settlement with the United States government over child privacy violations. The Justice Department had filed a lawsuit accusing the social media platform of illegally collecting personal data from children. The settlement resolves the legal dispute without TikTok admitting wrongdoing. The case highlights ongoing regulatory scrutiny of how major tech platforms handle the data of underage users.
Anthropic officially prohibits its Claude AI models from generating sexually explicit content. However, tests conducted by TechCrunch revealed that the restriction could be circumvented with relative ease. The findings raise concerns about the effectiveness of content moderation guardrails in large language models. The specific model implicated in the tests was Claude Opus 4.5. This discovery highlights ongoing challenges AI companies face in enforcing their own usage policies.
Nvidia has announced a new partnership with Cloverleaf, a data center development company. The collaboration reflects Nvidia's continued investment in data center infrastructure. This move aligns with the growing demand for AI computing, which has significantly boosted Nvidia's revenues. Data centers are central to running the AI workloads that rely heavily on Nvidia's chips. The partnership underscores the mutually beneficial relationship between Nvidia's hardware business and the expanding data center industry.
HoverAir's new Versa, a modular camera that converts into a drone via snap-on propeller wings, has stopped accepting US orders only three days after launching on Indiegogo. The company told backers it would ship only the camera unit to the US, citing unspecified 'logistics updates' related to the Flight Kit. Observers suspect the real reason is a federal regulatory issue, as the FCC's database no longer appears to carry a listing for the device. HoverAir has not explicitly confirmed a ban, but the timing and language have raised concerns among US backers about whether the drone component will ever ship domestically.
