#JPMorganChase will become the new issuer of the #AppleCard, taking over from #GoldmanSachs. The transition will take about two years, during which time customers can continue using their Apple Cards as usual. https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/jpmorgan-chase-is-taking-over-the-apple-card-232711979.html?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#Anthropic signed a term sheet for a $10 billion #funding round at a $350 billion valuation, led by Coatue and GIC. The company, founded by former OpenAI executives, is known for its #Claude language models and is competing with Google and OpenAI. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/07/anthropic-funding-term-sheet-valuation.html?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#Arm Holdings Plc announced a new #PhysicalAI #businessunit focused on developing #semiconductors for #robotics and #intelligentcars. The unit, led by Drew Henry, will leverage Arm’s expertise in chip design for mobile devices and cloud computing to create specialised chips for robotics and automotive applications. https://siliconangle.com/2026/01/07/chip-designer-arm-targets-robotics-new-physical-ai-business/?eicker.news #tech #media #news

Statcounter reports that #iOS26 #adoption is significantly lower than previous versions, with only 16% of #iPhone users having upgraded four months after release. This is compared to over 60% adoption for #iOS18 at the same time last year. The reasons for the slow adoption are unclear, but concerns about #batterylife, the #LiquidGlass #design, and Apple’s #delayedrecommendation could be factors. https://9to5mac.com/2026/01/08/most-iphone-users-are-still-running-ios-18-with-ios-26-adoption-slow-report/?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#Gmail is making #AI features like #HelpMeWrite, #SuggestedReplies, and #AIsummaries #free for all personal accounts. These features, previously requiring a subscription, are now rolling out to US users and will be available globally soon. https://9to5google.com/2026/01/08/gmail-ai-free-features/?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#Internetaccess in #Iran, particularly through mobile devices, appears to be #limited amid widespread #protests. #CloudflareRadar reports a significant drop in IPv6 traffic, a standard used for mobile infrastructure, while #NetBlocks confirms connectivity issues with various providers. This targeted internet disruption aims to hinder protest coordination. https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/01/08/iran-internet-blocked-ipv6/?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#OpenAI for #Healthcare introduces secure AI products to help healthcare organisations deliver high-quality #care, reduce #administrativework, and power custom #clinicalsolutions while protecting #healthdata. It’s built to support evidence-based reasoning and reduce administrative burden, and the OpenAI API, which powers many healthcare applications. https://openai.com/index/openai-for-healthcare/?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#Microsoft is launching #CopilotCheckout, enabling conversational #purchasing directly within #Copilot, and Brand Agents, an AI chat experience for Shopify sites trained on a brand’s product catalogue. These new features were showcased at the NRF 2026 conference. https://searchengineland.com/microsoft-launches-copilot-checkout-and-brand-agents-467175?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#DowningStreet condemned #XTwitter’s decision to restrict its #AIimagecreation tool to #payingsubscribers, calling it an “insulting” move that makes generating #unlawfulimages a #premiumservice. The government is considering its options, including leaving the platform, and supports #Ofcom’s actions. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/09/no-10-condemns-move-by-x-to-restrict-grok-ai-image-creation-tool-as-insulting?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#Meta has signed deals with three #nuclear companies to provide over 6 gigawatts of power to its #datacentres. The deals include 2.1 gigawatts from #Vistra’s existing reactors, 1.2 gigawatts from #Oklo’s small modular reactors, and 690 megawatts from #TerraPower’s reactors, with options for more. https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/09/meta-signs-deals-with-three-nuclear-companies-for-6-plus-gw-of-power/?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#AndreessenHorowitz raised $15 billion, bringing its total assets under management to over $90 billion. The firm’s #strategy, heavily weighted towards “#AmericanDynamism,” includes investments in #defence, #aerospace, and #manufacturing, aligning with Defence Department priorities. This strategy positions a16z as a key player in shaping the future. https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/09/the-venture-firm-that-ate-silicon-valley/?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#Anthropic has implemented technical #safeguards to prevent #thirdparty applications from accessing its #Claude #AImodels through unauthorised means, disrupting workflows for users of tools like OpenCode. This move aims to funnel high-volume automation towards sanctioned channels like the #CommercialAPI or #ClaudeCode. https://venturebeat.com/technology/anthropic-cracks-down-on-unauthorized-claude-usage-by-third-party-harnesses?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#LLMs like #OpenAI’s #GPT and #Google’s #Gemini #store portions of their #trainingdata, contradicting claims that they only learn #patterns. This “#memorisation” poses #legalrisks for AI companies, potentially leading to #copyrightinfringement lawsuits. The phenomenon also challenges the industry’s metaphor of #AI “#learning” and highlights the need for accurate descriptions of how these models function. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/2026/01/ai-memorization-research/685552/

The #AIrevolution is underway, with significant #investments pouring into #AIinfrastructure. While the potential of #AI is undeniable, there are concerns about the #sustainability of this #spending and the true #impact on the #economy. The debate centres around whether AI will lead to widespread #jobdisplacement or if it will create new #opportunities and #industries. https://post.substack.com/p/the-ai-revolution-is-here-will-the?eicker.news #tech #media #news

Global #adoption of #generativeAI tools reached 16.3% of the world’s #population in the second half of 2025, with a notable #divide between the Global #North and #South. The United Arab Emirates and Singapore lead in AI adoption. The rise of #DeepSeek, an open-source AI platform, also impacted global #AIdiffusion. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/topics/ai-economy-institute/reports/global-ai-adoption-2025/?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#Amazon is equipping managers with a new dashboard to #monitor employee #officeattendance, tracking hours spent in the office and flagging those who don’t meet expectations. The updated system, which began rolling out in December, categorises employees as “Low-Time Badgers,” “Zero Badgers,” or “Unassigned Building Badgers” based on their office attendance. https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-flags-employees-rto-office-2026-1?eicker.news #tech #media #news

A #databreach reportedly exposed the personal information of 17.5 million #Instagram users, including #usernames, #emailaddresses, and #phonenumbers. The leaked data, available for sale on the dark web, could lead to #phishing attempts or #accounttakeovers. https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/an-instagram-data-breach-reportedly-exposed-the-personal-info-of-175-million-users-192105616.html?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#Google announced the Universal Commerce Protocol (#UCP), an #openstandard for #AIagent #shopping. UCP allows agents to work across different parts of the customer buying process, including #discovery and #postpurchasesupport. Google will soon use UCP for eligible product listings in AI mode, enabling shoppers to check out directly from U.S.-based retailers. https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/11/google-announces-a-new-protocol-to-facilitate-commerce-using-ai-agents/?eicker.news #tech #media #news

The #partnership between #Apple and #TSMC, established in 2013, has been instrumental in shaping the modern #semiconductor industry. Apple’s significant investment in TSMC’s #20nm capacity, coupled with its consistent #dominance at node launches, has propelled both companies to new heights. https://newsletter.semianalysis.com/p/apple-tsmc-the-partnership-that-built?eicker.news #tech #media #news

#Wing, an #Alphabet owned company, is expanding its #dronedelivery service to 150 more #Walmart stores, building on existing services in Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta. The expansion, which will occur throughout this year and into 2027, suggests growing customer demand for the service. https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/11/wing-to-expand-drone-delivery-to-another-150-walmart-stores/?eicker.news #tech #media #news