Nvidia prepares RTX Spark laptops with local AI tools for October 16 launch
Nvidia says RTX Spark owners will be able to run supported AI agents locally and use optimized creative apps and games when laptops launch October 16.
• Nvidia says RTX Spark laptops will be available October 16 with tools for running AI agents locally.
• Its Nemotron 3.5 Bolt 74B-A9B 24GB model is due October 15, and the PAIR network tool is out of beta.
• Adobe optimizations are in beta, while Nvidia says DLSS 5 will reach RTX Spark at launch.
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Nvidia says RTX Spark owners will be able to run supported AI agents locally and use optimized creative apps and games when laptops launch October 16.
• Nvidia says RTX Spark laptops will be available October 16 with tools for running AI agents locally.
• Its Nemotron 3.5 Bolt 74B-A9B 24GB model is due October 15, and the PAIR network tool is out of beta.
• Adobe optimizations are in beta, while Nvidia says DLSS 5 will reach RTX Spark at launch.
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Shopify to open its catalog to more AI shopping agents
Shopify’s planned expansion gives more AI agents access to its catalog while requiring buyers to approve every purchase.
• Shopify will soon let more AI agents browse and buy from over a billion listings in its catalog.
• Shoppers can connect an agent to Shop and check out with Shop Pay inside the conversation.
• Buyers must approve each purchase and can set rules such as budget limits or fast shipping.
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Shopify’s planned expansion gives more AI agents access to its catalog while requiring buyers to approve every purchase.
• Shopify will soon let more AI agents browse and buy from over a billion listings in its catalog.
• Shoppers can connect an agent to Shop and check out with Shop Pay inside the conversation.
• Buyers must approve each purchase and can set rules such as budget limits or fast shipping.
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Nvidia pledges $250 million in compute for UK AI safety research
Nvidia says the compute will support UK research on secure AI agents, open-model security and safety assessment benchmarks.
• Nvidia pledged compute access valued at $250 million over five years for UK research on AI agent safety and security.
• The company says $50 million in compute access will be provided annually, mostly for the wider UK research community.
• UK-based Nvidia Cloud Partners will provide access, but Nvidia has not named providers or given an access date.
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Nvidia says the compute will support UK research on secure AI agents, open-model security and safety assessment benchmarks.
• Nvidia pledged compute access valued at $250 million over five years for UK research on AI agent safety and security.
• The company says $50 million in compute access will be provided annually, mostly for the wider UK research community.
• UK-based Nvidia Cloud Partners will provide access, but Nvidia has not named providers or given an access date.
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SolarWinds unveils Avior for enterprise IT operations
SolarWinds says Avior can take on first-line IT work while keeping actions subject to permissions, logging and risk-based approval.
• SolarWinds unveiled Avior to handle first-line enterprise IT operations.
• Avior can group alerts, address configuration changes and retire stale device records.
• SolarWinds says higher-risk actions require human approval; Avior is available through guided onboarding.
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SolarWinds says Avior can take on first-line IT work while keeping actions subject to permissions, logging and risk-based approval.
• SolarWinds unveiled Avior to handle first-line enterprise IT operations.
• Avior can group alerts, address configuration changes and retire stale device records.
• SolarWinds says higher-risk actions require human approval; Avior is available through guided onboarding.
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Researchers find gaps in OpenAI and Google image safeguards
The tests show gaps in safeguards on widely available image tools, which a Google co-authored study identified as a critical point for limiting nonconsensual sexual imagery.
• White Circle says its prompt attack produced explicit images from OpenAI and Google models.
• In its tests, human reviewers confirmed explicit outputs from about 13% of DALL·E 3 attack prompts; rates were lower for two other models.
• White Circle says ChatGPT Images 2.5 and Nano Banana 2.1 were more susceptible than their predecessors under the same method.
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The tests show gaps in safeguards on widely available image tools, which a Google co-authored study identified as a critical point for limiting nonconsensual sexual imagery.
• White Circle says its prompt attack produced explicit images from OpenAI and Google models.
• In its tests, human reviewers confirmed explicit outputs from about 13% of DALL·E 3 attack prompts; rates were lower for two other models.
• White Circle says ChatGPT Images 2.5 and Nano Banana 2.1 were more susceptible than their predecessors under the same method.
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MIT researchers improve weather forecasts two to six weeks ahead
According to MIT, better forecasts two to six weeks ahead could give farmers, energy operators and emergency officials more time to prepare.
• A team including MIT researchers built a method to correct weather forecasts two to six weeks ahead.
• MIT says its competition entry doubled the original model’s predictive power and beat long-term climate averages.
• The team reported better extreme weather predictions, and Cohen says the model is open source.
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According to MIT, better forecasts two to six weeks ahead could give farmers, energy operators and emergency officials more time to prepare.
• A team including MIT researchers built a method to correct weather forecasts two to six weeks ahead.
• MIT says its competition entry doubled the original model’s predictive power and beat long-term climate averages.
• The team reported better extreme weather predictions, and Cohen says the model is open source.
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Google adds AI scam checks to Messages and expands Android protections
Google is extending its scam checks to unfamiliar Messages conversations and links, while adding call-forwarding and screen-sharing safeguards.
• Google Messages will add opt-in, cloud-based Gemini scam checks for chats with unrecognized senders in the coming weeks.
• The setting also uses on-device Gemini Nano to check unfamiliar links before they open.
• Google says its Pixel chat notification scam detection will reach hundreds of millions of additional users later this year.
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Google is extending its scam checks to unfamiliar Messages conversations and links, while adding call-forwarding and screen-sharing safeguards.
• Google Messages will add opt-in, cloud-based Gemini scam checks for chats with unrecognized senders in the coming weeks.
• The setting also uses on-device Gemini Nano to check unfamiliar links before they open.
• Google says its Pixel chat notification scam detection will reach hundreds of millions of additional users later this year.
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Modal raises $750 million at a $15.75 billion valuation
Modal's reported revenue growth and new funding give it resources to develop planned AI training services.
• Modal raised $750 million in a Series D round led by Accel, valuing it at $15.75 billion.
• Modal says annualized revenue has more than tripled since May to over $1 billion.
• Modal says it ran 1 million containers at once in a recent internal test of Sandboxes.
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Modal's reported revenue growth and new funding give it resources to develop planned AI training services.
• Modal raised $750 million in a Series D round led by Accel, valuing it at $15.75 billion.
• Modal says annualized revenue has more than tripled since May to over $1 billion.
• Modal says it ran 1 million containers at once in a recent internal test of Sandboxes.
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Xbow built Chrome exploit chain with AI assistance in six days
Xbow’s six-day effort shows how its researchers used an AI model to help build a full Chrome exploit chain that it estimates could affect about one billion users worldwide.
• Xbow used GPT-5.6 Sol to help build a three-flaw Chrome exploit chain capable of escaping the browser sandbox on Windows.
• Google patched all three flaws and paid Xbow a $250,000 bounty.
• The team spent six days and about $40,000 in token charges; Xbow estimates about one billion users worldwide could have been affected.
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Xbow’s six-day effort shows how its researchers used an AI model to help build a full Chrome exploit chain that it estimates could affect about one billion users worldwide.
• Xbow used GPT-5.6 Sol to help build a three-flaw Chrome exploit chain capable of escaping the browser sandbox on Windows.
• Google patched all three flaws and paid Xbow a $250,000 bounty.
• The team spent six days and about $40,000 in token charges; Xbow estimates about one billion users worldwide could have been affected.
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Grok Voice 3.0 tops Artificial Analysis speech-to-speech index
Artificial Analysis' tests put Grok Voice 3.0 first overall, while GPT-Live-1 led its support-call test with heavy accents and background noise.
• Grok Voice 3.0 scored 86.9 and ranked first on Artificial Analysis' Speech-to-Speech Index.
• GPT-Live-1 led the Tau-Voice support-call test, scoring 74.5% against Grok Voice 3.0's 71.6%.
• Grok Voice 3.0 is available in SpaceXSI's Voice Agent API for eight cents a minute.
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Artificial Analysis' tests put Grok Voice 3.0 first overall, while GPT-Live-1 led its support-call test with heavy accents and background noise.
• Grok Voice 3.0 scored 86.9 and ranked first on Artificial Analysis' Speech-to-Speech Index.
• GPT-Live-1 led the Tau-Voice support-call test, scoring 74.5% against Grok Voice 3.0's 71.6%.
• Grok Voice 3.0 is available in SpaceXSI's Voice Agent API for eight cents a minute.
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AI-designed enzymes cut selected protein targets in lab tests
The cell test suggests AI-designed proteases could target disease-associated proteins, though delivery and immune responses remain hurdles.
• Researchers used AI tools to design proteases that cut selected protein targets.
• Placing a water molecule in the zinc designs raised the share showing some activity from 14 of 89 to 35 of 38.
• A redesigned zinc protease cut its intended disease-associated target in cells.
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The cell test suggests AI-designed proteases could target disease-associated proteins, though delivery and immune responses remain hurdles.
• Researchers used AI tools to design proteases that cut selected protein targets.
• Placing a water molecule in the zinc designs raised the share showing some activity from 14 of 89 to 35 of 38.
• A redesigned zinc protease cut its intended disease-associated target in cells.
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Figma adds Specs editor and expands code layers beta
Figma’s updates give teams and agents a shared design reference while connecting prototypes, code, and website content in its platform.
• Figma introduced Specs, a Markdown editor that gives teams and agents a reference for design rules.
• Code layers are entering public beta after a private beta announced in June.
• Figma is integrating Payload with Figma Make to generate dynamic websites and manage content.
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Figma’s updates give teams and agents a shared design reference while connecting prototypes, code, and website content in its platform.
• Figma introduced Specs, a Markdown editor that gives teams and agents a reference for design rules.
• Code layers are entering public beta after a private beta announced in June.
• Figma is integrating Payload with Figma Make to generate dynamic websites and manage content.
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