TECH
OpenAI and Broadcom unveil Jalapeño, a chip optimized for LLM inference
The two companies announced the Jalapeño processor, a custom accelerator built from scratch for large language model inference. Developed in nine months with OpenAI’s models, early labs show it delivers substantially better performance per watt than current state‑of‑the‑art chips. Broadcom plans to scale the platform for gigawatt‑scale data centers by the end of 2026 as part of a multi‑generation roadmap.
Tesla faces wrongful‑death lawsuit after Texas crash kills grandmother
A Texas family has sued Tesla, claiming its Model 3 Full Self‑Driving system caused a crash that killed 76‑year‑old Martha Avila. The suit cites a sudden unintended acceleration defect and missing obstacle‑detection hardware, while Tesla and CEO Elon Musk say the driver manually overrode the system and the high‑speed impact shows the software was not at fault. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened its own investigation into the incident.
Google rolls out lower Play Store fees after Epic settlement
Google began implementing the fee reductions and external payment options agreed with Epic Games, starting June 30 for developers in the US, Europe and the UK. The new structure caps the service fee at 10% on the first $1 million of revenue and allows developers to direct users to outside billing, avoiding the standard 5% billing charge. Additional markets such as Australia, Japan and Korea will follow later, with a global rollout slated for September 2027.
Nature paper questions Microsoft’s claimed topological qubit breakthrough
A peer‑reviewed article in Nature by physicist Henry Legg argues that Microsoft’s Majorana 1 chip has not convincingly demonstrated a working topological qubit, suggesting the reported signatures could be quantum dots instead. Microsoft’s quantum team rebutted the critique, saying the data remain consistent with Majorana particles and defending their roadmap toward a scalable quantum computer. The Verge highlighted the dispute and alleged data cherry‑picking, while Microsoft emphasized scientific rigor and its commitment to the timeline.
Slate Auto unveils $24,950 electric pickup with 205‑mile range
Slate Auto announced its entry‑level electric pickup priced at $24,950, offering a 65 kWh LFP battery that provides about 205 miles of range, 181 hp, 2,000 lb towing capacity, and a modest eight‑second 0‑60 time. Ars Technica noted the truck feels solid despite its low price, includes one‑pedal regenerative braking and modular accessories, but lacks advanced driver‑assistance, a screen, and power windows, while supporting up to 120 kW DC fast charging and a 10‑year battery warranty.
Top AI researchers leave Google for rivals Anthropic and OpenAI
According to Bloomberg and TechCrunch, leading Google AI scientists Jonas Adler, Alexander Pritzel, Noam Shazeer and DeepMind director John Jumper have quit Google for competing firms Anthropic and OpenAI. Their departures follow the development of Google’s Gemini model and recent high‑profile AI IPO preparations, highlighting a growing talent war in the industry. Both outlets note that the moves may accelerate as rivals offer equity stakes to attract top talent.
Operation Endgame disrupts major cybercrime tools, seizes millions in stolen assets
International authorities and tech firms, led by Microsoft and Europol, launched Operation Endgame to simultaneously take down the Amadey malware‑as‑a‑service platform and the StealC infostealer‑as‑a‑service. The operation disabled over 200 command‑and‑control servers, reclaimed 27 million stolen credentials and $47 million in crypto, and disrupted related tools such as SocGholish. Participating countries included Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and the US.
FCC proposal would require ID for prepaid phones, raising privacy concerns
The FCC is seeking comments on a rule that would obligate carriers to collect and retain a customer's name, address, government ID number and alternate phone number before providing service, aiming to deter illegal robocalls. Privacy groups, domestic‑violence advocates, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation warn the mandate could shut down anonymous use of prepaid “burner” phones, endangering survivors, journalists and whistleblowers. An industry coalition argues the requirement would add cost and privacy risks without substantially curbing sophisticated robocall operations.
Companies curb AI token spending after budget overruns on routine tasks
TechCrunch reported that firms are now restricting employee use of AI after earlier encouraging "tokenmaxxing" to boost internal adoption. A leaked Accenture meeting shows the consulting giant is trying to prevent staff from draining token reserves on low‑value tasks such as converting PDFs, as CFOs question the unpredictable cost impact. The push comes amid a broader AI sell‑off that has hit memory‑chip makers and forced companies to justify AI spending.
Figma adds AI motion graphics, shader and code layer tools
Figma announced at its Config conference a suite of AI‑powered features that let designers generate animations, transitions and custom shader effects directly on the canvas. The updates include code layers for editing and syncing code without leaving the design view, AI‑driven motion graphics prompts, WebGPU‑based shaders, and expanded Weave workflow tools. Figma also introduced agent skills and generative plugins to streamline repetitive tasks for teams.