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Engadget News + Next

Engadget News + Next

2,210 episodes — Page 4 of 45

Meta needs new rules for AI-generated content, Dutch intelligence warning of Russian hackers, and Uber expanding its program that helps pair women riders and drivers

-The Oversight Board is once again urging Meta to overhaul its rules around AI-generated content. This time, the board says Meta should create a separate rule for AI content that's independent of its misinformation policy, invest in more reliable detection tools and make better use of digital watermarks among other changes. -The Netherlands’ military intelligence service and domestic intelligence agency have issued a join warning claiming that Russian hackers have launched "a large-scale global cyber campaign to gain access to Signal and WhatsApp accounts belonging to dignitaries, military personnel and civil servants." -Uber has expanded its program that helps pair women riders and drivers. The Women Preferences feature is now available nationwide, after being tested in several cities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 10, 20266 min

Meta needs new rules for AI-generated content, Dutch intelligence warning of Russian hackers, and Uber expanding its program that helps pair women riders and drivers

-The Oversight Board is once again urging Meta to overhaul its rules around AI-generated content. This time, the board says Meta should create a separate rule for AI content that's independent of its misinformation policy, invest in more reliable detection tools and make better use of digital watermarks among other changes. -The Netherlands’ military intelligence service and domestic intelligence agency have issued a join warning claiming that Russian hackers have launched "a large-scale global cyber campaign to gain access to Signal and WhatsApp accounts belonging to dignitaries, military personnel and civil servants." -Uber has expanded its program that helps pair women riders and drivers. The Women Preferences feature is now available nationwide, after being tested in several cities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 10, 20266 min

UK government delays AI copyright rules amid artist outcry

The government is trying to decide whether copyrighted material can be used to train AI algorithms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 9, 202610 min

NASA changed a binary asteroid's orbit around the sun, Qualcomm has a new AI-focused computer designed for robotics, and OpenAI's robotics hardware lead resigned in protest

-NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said that this "marks the first time a human-made object has measurably altered the path of a celestial body around the Sun." -Qualcomm, which purchased microcontroller board manufacturer Arduino last year, just announced a new single-board computer that marries AI with robotics. -OpenAI's robotics hardware lead is out. Caitlin Kalinowski, who oversaw hardware within the robotics division of OpenAI, posted on X that she was resigning from her role, while criticizing the company's haste in partnering with the Department of Defense without investigating proper guardrails. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 9, 20266 min

Apple Music can now flag AI content, but only if distributors elect to label it

New 'Transparency Tags' allow record labels to show that music was made with the help of AI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 6, 20267 min

UK government delayed AI copyright rules, Anthropic says it will challenge the supply chain risk designation in courts, and Meta hit with a class action lawsuit

-The UK government is working on a controversial data bill that would allow AI companies like Google and OpenAI to train their models on copyrighted materials without consent. -Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said the company received a letter from the Defense Department, officially labeling it a supply chain risk. He said he doesn’t “believe this action is legally sound,” and that his company sees “no choice” but to challenge it in court. -Meta is facing a class action lawsuit for false advertising related to its AI glasses following reports about the company's use of human contractors to review footage captured from users' glasses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 6, 20267 min

Google ends its 30 percent app store fee

Some of these changes were proposed as part of its settlement with Epic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 5, 20267 min

Anthropic is back in talks with the DoD, tech companies agree to not ruin your electric bill, and Apple Music can now flag AI content, but only if distributors elect to label it

-Anthropic is reportedly trying to reach a new deal with the US Defense Department, which could prevent the government from labeling it a supply chain risk. -The White House announced that several major players in tech and AI have agreed to steps that will keep electricity costs from rising due to data centers. Under this Ratepayer Protection Pledge, companies are agreeing to practices that are intended to protect residents from seeing higher electricity costs as more and more businesses create power-hungry data centers. -Apple Music has now introduced "Transparency Tags" designed to show listeners if any elements were generated in whole or part by AI. The catch is that Apple is leaving it up to labels and distributors to create those tags. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 5, 20269 min

Meta starts testing its AI shopping assistant

It's currently available for select users in the US on desktop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 4, 20266 min

AI data centers could reduce power draw on demand, Meta signed an AI licensing deal with News Corp, and no end-to-end encryption for TikTok DMs

-Over five days in December 2025, more than 200 simulated "grid events" tested a London data center’s ability to adjust its energy use on the fly. In each simulated grid event, the data center successfully adjusted its energy use to the requested level, reducing power draw by up to 40% -Meta has signed an AI licensing deal with News Corp that will allow the Meta AI maker to use content from The Wall Street Journal and other brands in its chatbot responses and for training of its AI models. -TikTok said that implementing the technology would prevent its safety teams or law enforcement from being able to read messages if needed. The ByteDance-owned app framed it as a deliberate decision, made in an effort to keep users, especially younger ones, safe on its platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 4, 20269 min

The Samsung Wallet can now hold your house keys

The Digital Home Key can unlock smart doors through your phone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 3, 20266 min

OpenAI will amend its deal with the DoD to prevent mass surveillance in the US, the Supreme Court doesn't care if you want to copyright your AI-generated art, and Starlink's next-gen satellite network could broadband speed

-OpenAI’s Sam Altman said the company will amend its deal with the Defense Department to explicitly prohibit the use of its AI system on mass surveillance against Americans. -On Monday, the US Supreme Court declined to hear a case about whether an artwork generated with the help of AI can be copyrighted. The refusal means that a lower court's decision to reject the copyright request will stand. -Starlink is getting ready to launch its second generation of satellites, and it's expected to match the speeds of a traditional terrestrial network. During a keynote at Mobile World Congress, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 3, 20267 min

A closer look at Honor’s Robot Phone

Look, but don’t touch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 2, 20267 min

Anthropic's Claude tops in App Store after Trump's ban, the US reportedly used Anthropic's AI for its attack on Iran, and Lenovo's robot concept can help you digitally sign documents (and maybe annoy coworkers)'

-Anthropic may have lost out on doing business with the US government, but it's gained enough popularity to earn the number one spot on the App Store's Top Free Apps leaderboard. -A few hours after Trump ordered all federal agencies to "immediately cease all use of Anthropic's technology", the US conducted a major air attack on Iran with the help of Anthropic's AI tools, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. -Lenovo can make a robot, too. Alongside proof-of-concept foldable gaming PCs and modular laptops, it introduced the AI Workmate Concept at MWC 2026. With its own Intel Core Ultra processor, 64GB of memory and its own Pico projector, it’s an AI-laced “workmate” meant to streamline office tasks and collaboration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 2, 20267 min

Canadian government demands safety changes from OpenAI

A “big week" that starts on Monday includes a March 4 event for press and creators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 27, 20266 min

Anthropic refuses to bow to the Pentagon despite threats, Block is laying off nearly half its workforce, and Burger King will use AI to monitor employee 'friendliness'

-Despite an ultimatum from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei said that it can't "in good conscience" comply with a Pentagon edict to remove guardrails on its AI. -Block, helmed by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, is slashing its current staff of 10,000 to "just under 6,000." -Burger King, the chain that leans into creepy, is at it again. The Verge reported on Thursday that the company is rolling out a new voice-controlled AI chatbot for its workers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 27, 20268 min

Amazon introduces three personality styles for Alexa+

The AI assistant can be Brief, Chill or Sweet in its communications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 26, 20266 min

Anthropic weakened its safety pledge, Kalshi fined a MrBeast, and Instagram will alert parents if teens repeatedly search for suicide or self-harm content

-Will Shanklin reports that with two stories about the Claude maker Anthropic breaking on Tuesday paint a chilling picture. -Ian Carlos Campbell writes about Kalshi suspending a MrBeast video editor for insider trading. -Anna Washenko writes about Instagram adding a new alert for the parents of teen users of its social media platform. The network will alert the adult if their child repeatedly searches for terms about suicide or self-harm in a short time frame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 26, 20267 min

Google claims it's building data centers that barely use any water

The new design uses air cooling and supposedly limits water to on-site kitchens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 25, 20265 min

xAI's trade secret lawsuit against OpenAI has been dismissed, the Pentagon giving Anthropic until Friday to let it use Claude as it sees fit, and Uber previewed its Dubai air taxi service

-OpenAI has successfully convinced the court to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Elon Musk’s xAI, accusing the company of stealing its trade secrets. -Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will reportedly give Anthropic until Friday to drop certain guardrails for military use, as reported by Axios. -Uber is one step closer to going airborne. On Wednesday, the company previewed its air taxi booking service ahead of an expected launch in Dubai later this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 25, 20268 min

The creators of Dark Sky have a new weather app

The app shows a range of weather predictions for increased accuracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 24, 20266 min

US military may use Grok AI in its classified systems, Anthropic accused 3 Chinese AI labs of abusing Claude, and Bungie said 'no second chances'

-The US Department of Defense has reportedly reached a deal to use Elon Musk's Grok in its classified systems. That’s according to a report by Axios. That follows news that the Pentagon is currently in a dispute with another AI company, Anthropic, over limits on its technology for things like mass surveillance. -Anthropic is issuing a call to action against AI "distillation attacks," after accusing three AI companies of misusing its Claude chatbot. On its website, Anthropic claimed that DeepSeek, Moonshot and MiniMax have been conducting "industrial-scale campaigns…to illicitly extract Claude’s capabilities to improve their own models." -Bungie isn't taking any prisoners when it comes to cheating on its upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 24, 20268 min

Apple's next event to bring at least five products over a 'three-day blitz'

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the multiple product reveals will culminate with an in-person "experience" on March 4th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 23, 20266 min

The US will send Tech Corps members to foreign countries, a Colorado bill would make it illegal to 3D print firearms and gun parts, and the recent 13-hour AWS outage may have been caused by its own AI tools

-Tech Corps volunteers will be placed in Peace Corps countries that are part of the American AI Exports Program, which was created last year from an executive order from President Trump as a way to bolster the US' grip on the AI market abroad. -Colorado's proposed law would "prohibit the use of a three-dimensional printer, or similar technology, to make a firearm or a firearm component." -A recent Amazon Web Services outage that lasted 13 hours was reportedly caused by one of its own AI tools, according to reporting by Financial Times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 23, 20266 min

Meta is shuttering Messenger’s standalone website, which is a thing that exists

It goes dark in April, but the app will remain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 20, 20266 min

Google Play used AI to help block bad apps last year, Samsung's Bixby is more conversational, and 'Freedom.gov' will allow Europeans to view hate speech

-Google has announced that with the help of AI, it blocked 1.75 million apps that violated its policies in 2025, significantly down from 2.36 million in 2024. -Samsung has launched the latest version of Bixby with the new One UI 8.5 beta -According to Reuters, the US State Department is building a web portal, where Europeans and anyone else can see online content banned by their governments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 20, 20268 min

Federal court rules that OpenAI must stop using the term 'Cameo'

The company's video generator Sora offered a feature bearing the name. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 19, 20266 min

Is Meta planning to release a smartwatch this year?, Nevada is suing Kalshi, and Gemini can now generate a 30-second clip of what real music sounds like

-Meta is reportedly gearing up to enter another segment of the wearables market. According to The Information, the company is planning to release its first smartwatch sometime this year. Meta has revived its smartwatch initiative internally called “Malibu 2." -Nevada's gambling regulators and attorney general sued Kalshi on Tuesday accusing the company of bypassing Nevada law by operating a sports gambling market without proper licenses. In addition, they say Kalshi provides services to individuals under 21, which violates state law. -Google has announced that using its newly incorporated Lyria 3 model, Gemini users will be able to generate 30-second music tracks based on a prompt, or remix an existing track to their liking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 19, 20269 min

WordPress adds an AI assistant

An expansion of the platform's AI website builder, the tool helps with edits and media creation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 18, 20266 min

Texas AG is suing TP-Link, OpenAI must stop using the term 'Cameo', and Tesla stopped using 'Autopilot' to promote its EVs in California

-Texas is suing Wi-Fi router maker TP-Link for deceptively marketing the security of its products and allowing Chinese hacking groups to access Americans' devices. -Cameo, the platform where celebrities sell short, personalized videos, has scored a preliminary win in a trademark lawsuit against OpenAI. A California judge has ruled that the AI company's video generation tool Sora cannot use the term 'cameo' or any variation likely to cause confusion. -Tesla stopped using the term “Autopilot” to sell its cars in California, thereby avoiding a 30-day sales and manufacturing ban in the state. If you’ll recall, a California administrative law judge ruled in December that the automaker misled consumers by using the terms “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 18, 20268 min

Apple's next event is set for March 4th

Rumors had suggested the company would reveal new iPads and MacBooks that week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 17, 20265 min

EU launching a second investigation into Grok, the EC is probing Shein's addictive app design and illegal product sales, and Apple's Podcasts app now supports HTTP Live Streaming video technology

-X is facing yet another investigation into Grok's reported creation of nonconsensual sexual images on the platform. Ireland's Data Protection Commission has announced an inquiry into X regarding the harmful, intimate images and processing of EU and EEA individuals' personal data — including children. -The European Commission has opened an investigation into low-cost fast fashion retailer Shein. EC officials are concerned about the sale of illegal products, including child sexual abuse material, as well as the potentially addictive design of its shopping experience. -Apple is planning a major update for its Podcasts app. The app now supports the company's HTTP Live Streaming video technology. Previously, it only streamed video in various formats like MOV, MP4 and M4V. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 17, 20267 min

Airbnb is testing out AI search with a 'small percentage' of users

Beyond improving search, Airbnb wants to lean heavily into artificial intelligence to help users with with booking, managing listings and customer service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 16, 20264 min

ByteDance will tighten up its new AI video generator, OpenAI hired the developer behind AI agent OpenClaw, and Terminator Zero has been canceled after just one season

-ByteDance is going to curb the new media generator's use of prohibited content. In a statement to the BBC, ByteDance said, "We are taking steps to strengthen current safeguards as we work to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property and likeness by users." -Sam Altman has announced that OpenAI has absorbed OpenClaw by hiring developer Peter Steinberger "to drive the next generation of personal agents.” -Responding to a fan on social media, showrunner Mattson Tomlin said this weekend that the show has been canceled. Despite being generally well received, Tomlin noted that "at the end of the day not nearly enough people watched it." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 16, 20267 min

Apple's Siri relaunch is reportedly behind schedule

The company is going to release its capabilities in portions over future software updates, according to Bloomberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 13, 20266 min

Ring called off its partnership with Flock Safety, the person overseeing the Netflix-Warner merger resigned, and the EU opening another probe into Google's ads pricing

-Ring has canceled its partnership with Flock Safety, after receiving backlash for running a Super Bowl ad touting its Search Party feature. -Gail Slater, a former JD Vance adviser and Fox Corp VP, reportedly clashed with Attorney General Pam Bondi. Their longstanding feud is said to have centered around Slater's skepticism of corporate mergers. -European Union regulators have already fined Google billions for violating the Digital Markets Act, and being found guilty of anticompetitive behavior in online advertising could add to that total. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 13, 20269 min

Uber Eats’ new Cart Assistant feature is an AI hack for your grocery shopping

The feature accepts both image and text prompts, but is still in beta at the moment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 12, 20266 min

WhatsApp is now fully blocked in Russia, Anthropic beefed up Claude's free tier, and Meta turned Threads algorithm complaints into an official feature

-After warnings from lawmakers last year, WhatsApp has been blocked in Russia for as many as 100 million users, the Financial Times reported. Russian authorities removed the app from an online directory, effectively wiping it from Russia's internet. -Anthropic is upgrading Claude's free tier, apparently to capitalize on OpenAI's planned integration of ads into ChatGPT. -Meta is turning those "Dear algorithm" posts into an official feature that it says will allow Threads users to tune their recommendations in real time. With the change, users can write a post that begins with "dear algo" to adjust their preferences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 12, 20266 min

Waymo's vehicles are now fully driverless in Nashville

The company plans to offer rides to the public in Nashville sometime this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 11, 20266 min

Elon Musk's satellite catapult on the Moon, Discord will soon require age verification, and Meta, TikTok and Snap are participating in an online safety ratings system

-In an xAI meeting with employees, Musk said the company needed to build an AI satellite factory on the moon with a gigantic catapult to launch them into space, according to audio heard by The New York Times. -Discord will require all users to have a "teen-appropriate experience" by default by March. -Numerous major social platforms including Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap say they will submit to a new external grading process that scores social platforms on how well they protect adolescent mental health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 11, 202610 min

Lyft rolls out teen accounts with enhanced safety protections

This is similar to Uber's toolset. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 10, 20266 min

The DOJ may face an investigation for pressuring Apple and Google, SpaceX pivoting to focus on a moon base, and disabling Ring's creepy Search Party feature

-House Judiciary Committee member Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, has asked the US Department of Justice to turn over all its communications with both Apple and Google regarding the companies' decisions to remove apps that shared information about sightings of US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers. -Elon Musk says SpaceX has shifted its near-term priorities from Mars settlement plans to building what he called a “self-growing city on the Moon,” arguing the lunar target is faster and more achievable. -Ring is advertised as a way to reunite missing dogs with their owners, a noble cause indeed, but Search Party does this by turning individual Ring devices into a surveillance network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 10, 20268 min

DOJ is investigating if Netflix used anticompetitive tactics as part of its merger probe

A report from The Wall Street Journal said the probe will include looking into Netflix's potentially monopolistic practices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 9, 20266 min

NY lawmakers introduce bill that aims to halt data center development for 3 yrs, Apple's new iPads and MacBooks may be here soon, and Lyft rolls out teen accounts with enhanced safety protections

-On Friday, New York State Senators Liz Krueger and Kristen Gonzales introduced a bill that would stop the issuance of permits for new data centers for at least three years and ninety days to give time for impact assessments and to update regulations. -Apple is gearing up for a slew of hardware announcements that will include upgrades for the entry-level iPad, iPad Air, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, according to Mark Gurman's Power On newsletter. -Lyft has officially introduced teen accounts for ages 13 to 17. This is a rideshare feature in which teenagers can request their own rides, which is similar to Uber's pre-existing platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 9, 20265 min

NVIDIA reportedly won't release new graphics cards this year

Gamers, schmamers. We have AI data centers to power! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 6, 20265 min

X's Community Notes will allow AI to write the first draft, Meta is giving its AI slop feed an app of its own, and the CIA will stop publishing The World Factbook

-The company started a pilot program last year to allow developers to create dedicated AI note writers. X’s Keith Coleman told Engadget that AI writers are “prolific” and that one has contributed more than 1,000 notes that were rated as helpful by other contributors. -Vibes was introduced as a feature in the Meta AI app in September 2025. Similar to OpenAI's Sora app, Vibes lets users prompt Meta AI to create TikTok-style vertical videos. -The US Central Intelligence Agency is ending one of its popular services, The World Factbook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 6, 20267 min

Anthropic says it won't bring ads to Claude

The company said that integrating advertising would 'work against' the core principles of the chatbot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 5, 20266 min

A new bill would crack down on fraudulent ads, X's 'open source' algorithm isn't a win for transparency, and Valve pushed back its Steam Machine launch

-The backdrop to the SCAM Act is a Reuters report from last November. Meta reportedly estimated that up to 10 percent of its 2024 revenue came from scam ads. The company is said to have calculated that as much as $16 billion of its revenue that year was from scams, including "fraudulent e-commerce and investment schemes, illegal online casinos and the sale of banned medical products." -While it's true that X is the only major social network to make elements of its recommendation algorithm open source, researchers say that what the company has published doesn't offer the kind of transparency that would actually be useful for anyone trying to understand how X works in 2026. -As The Wall Street Journal recently reported, the AI industry has been hoovering up manufacturers’ available memory chips and hard drives for its infrastructure developments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 5, 20269 min

iPhone Fold rumors: Everything we know so far

We're tracking all of the rumors about Apple's foldable phone, including when it could launch and possible price. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 4, 20268 min

An AI powered mobile app to integrate your family's health data, the next gen X-Box will arrive in 2027, and Apple just made Xcode better for vibe coding

-he Luffu mobile app "uses AI quietly in the background" to collect and organize family health information. But the definition of family isn't limited to parents raising children. The company sees its tool as especially valuable for caregivers in their 40s and 50s who may be managing the needs of both aging parents and kids. It even tracks pets' health habits. -Microsoft could launch the next-generation Xbox console sometime in 2027. -Apple has just released Xcode 26.3, and it's a big step forward in terms of the company's support of coding agents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 4, 20268 min