Technology
An A.I. Start-Up Says It Wants to Empower Workers, Not Replace Them
Founded by researchers from Anthropic, Google and xAI, the new company, Humans&, is already valued at $4.48 billion.
All Bets Are On: The Rise of Prediction Markets
Billions of dollars are trading hands on sites like Polymarket and Kalshi, where people bet on everything from Taylor Swift’s wedding date to election outcomes.
Musk, With a $10 Million Donation, Signals He’s Back for the Midterms
Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, backed Nate Morris, a Republican businessman, in the primary race to succeed Senator Mitch McConnell in Kentucky.
OpenAI Starts Testing Ads in ChatGPT
The company said on Friday that it would start serving ads in the free version of its chatbot over the next several weeks.
Life Resembles ‘The Addams Family’ With Thing-Like Robotic Hand
The very capable robotic picker-upper can grasp things on both sides and roam around freely.
An A.I. Attack Ad Shows Texas Rivals Dancing the ‘Washington Waltz’
A video from Ken Paxton, a Republican primary challenger to Senator John Cornyn of Texas, depicted A.I.-generated imagery of the senator twirling with Jasmine Crockett, a Democratic Senate candidate.
Trump and States Aim to Stop A.I. From Inflating Energy Bills
Demand from centers that power artificial intelligence has driven up electricity bills, frustrating consumers.
Jonathan Haidt Strikes Again + What You Vibecoded + An Update on the Forkiverse
“If we can’t win on social media, then we definitely can’t win on A.I.,” says Haidt.
Inside the Fight to Keep Iran Online
Activists spent years preparing for a communications blackout in Iran, smuggling in Starlink satellite internet systems and making digital shutdowns harder for the authorities to enforce.
State and Federal Lawmakers Want Data Centers to Pay More for Energy
Despite many proposals, there is little consensus among governors, lawmakers and tech executives about exactly how much the companies behind data centers should pay for electricity.
The Biggest U.S. Crypto Company Asserts Its Power in Washington
The top executive of the crypto exchange Coinbase scuttled a planned Senate committee vote on a major cryptocurrency bill after voicing his concerns, a sign of the company’s clout.
Elon Musk’s X Restricts Ability to Create Explicit Images With Grok
Bowing to pressure, the company said it would restrict X users from generating explicit images of real people in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.
A.I. Has Arrived in Gmail. Here’s What to Know.
Google’s A.I. assistant, Gemini, can create a to-do list based on recent emails, among other new tricks. There are implications for your privacy.
OpenAI Signs Another Deal With a Computer Chip Maker
The agreement with the start-up Cerebras is the latest in a series intended to expand the A.I. company’s computing power.
California Investigates Elon Musk’s xAI Over Sexualized Images
The state will examine whether xAI, which owns the social media platform X and created the A.I. chatbot Grok, violated state law.
Can A.I. Generate New Ideas?
Systems like OpenAI’s GPT-5 are accelerating research in math, biology and chemistry. But there is a debate over whether it can do that work on its own.
2026 May Be the Year of the Mega I.P.O.
If SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic go public, they will unleash gushers of cash for Silicon Valley and Wall Street.
Starlink Users in Iran Get Free Internet Access, Nonprofits Say
Under a near-total communications blackout, users of Elon Musk’s satellite service have gotten online without paying, organizations that work on tech issues said.
Microsoft Pledges to Pay More for Electricity, Drawing Praise From Trump
The tech giant is responding to concerns that data centers are driving up electricity costs in some communities.
Can We Build a Better Social Network?
A “Hard Fork” and “Search Engine” collaboration.
Meta Plans to Cut Around 10% of Employees in Reality Labs Business
The layoffs are set to be announced this week and would affect Meta’s work on the metaverse, as the company spends heavily on building artificial intelligence.
Apple Teams Up With Google for A.I. in Its Products
Apple was facing increasing questions about its plans for artificial intelligence as other big tech companies invested tens of billions in the technology.
Britain Investigates Elon Musk’s X Over Grok’s Sexualized A.I. Images
A British regulator said it had started a formal investigation into Mr. Musk’s chatbot over the spread of illegal images.
Follow Ian McKellen Into the Mixed Reality Future in ‘An Ark’
Audiences can embark on a very different type of theatrical experience in a new play at the Shed, blending the physical world with digital content.
Stewart Cheifet, Host of TV’s ‘Computer Chronicles,’ Dies at 87
He spent two decades hosting the PBS series, during the formative years of personal computing. It was seen in more than 300 cities at its peak.
Volkswagen Suffers More Than Rivals From Auto Industry Woes
The German automaker’s sales in the United States plunged last year, hit by tariffs and the end of tax credits for electric vehicles.
Google Guys Say Bye to California
Sergey Brin is joining his Google co-founder, Larry Page, in reducing ties to the state where they built their fortunes.
Google’s Former C.E.O. Wants to Build a Cosmic Search Engine
Eric and Wendy Schmidt are backing a start-up-like approach to building a giant space telescope and powerful ground observatories.
Elon Musk’s A.I. Is Generating Sexualized Images of Real People, Fueling Outrage
Late Thursday, Mr. Musk’s chatbot, Grok, limited requests for A.I.-generated images on X to paid subscribers of the social media site amid an outcry from victims and regulators.
