Friday, April 3, 2026

OpenAI buys TBPN tech podcast

OpenAI has acquired TBPN, a popular tech talk show and podcast, in a deal valued in the low hundreds of millions. The show, which has gained a dedicated following among startup founders and tech investors, is projected to generate over $30...

• TBPN averages 70,000 viewers per episode and has approximately 58,000 subscribers on YouTube.
• The acquisition follows OpenAI's previous major purchase of Jony Ive's startup for $6.4 billion.

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Google Vids Unveils AI-Driven Video Creation Tools

Google has launched significant upgrades to its Vids platform, introducing customizable AI avatars and the new Veo 3.1 model, which enhances video realism. Users can now generate up to 1,000 video clips monthly with paid subscriptions and s...

• Free users can create up to 10 video clips per month using Veo 3.1.
• Custom music generation is available for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.

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Google Launches Gemma 4 AI Models with Open Licensing

Google has unveiled its latest AI models, Gemma 4, now available under the Apache 2.0 license, allowing for greater developer flexibility. The models, which include sizes up to 31 billion parameters, are optimized for local processing and s...

• Gemma 4 features four models with parameter sizes of 2B, 4B, 26B, and 31B.
• The 31B Dense model ranks 3rd on the Arena AI Text Leaderboard, demonstrating its competitive performance.

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Claude AI Takes Control of Desktops

Anthropic has launched a new feature allowing its AI assistant, Claude, to take control of Mac and Windows desktops, enabling it to perform tasks such as opening applications and filling out spreadsheets. This capability, available to Pro a...

• The desktop control feature is part of a research preview in Claude Cowork and Claude Code.

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Amazon Introduces 3.5% Fuel Surcharge for Sellers

Amazon has announced a new 3.5% fuel surcharge for sellers utilizing its Fulfillment by Amazon service, effective April 17. This decision comes as rising energy costs, driven by the ongoing Iran war, impact logistics and fulfillment expense...

• The surcharge will average an additional 17 cents per unit for Fulfillment by Amazon shipments.
• This marks the second time Amazon has implemented such a surcharge, previously occurring during the 2022 Ukraine crisis.

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Trump Fires Pam Bondi as Attorney General

President Donald Trump has dismissed Pam Bondi from her position as Attorney General, effective immediately, following dissatisfaction with her management of the Department of Justice files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Bondi's firing comes a...

• Todd Blanche has been appointed as the acting attorney general following Bondi's dismissal.
• The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena for Bondi to testify regarding the DOJ's handling of the Epstein fil...

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‘Liberation Day’ 1 Year Later: How This Tiny AI Play Turned Into a 3,350% Winner

AXT has emerged as a standout performer in the semiconductor market, achieving a staggering 3,353.6% return over the past year, primarily driven by surging demand for its indium phosphide wafers used in AI data centers. While the company fa...

• AXT's revenue from indium phosphide wafers reached $8 million in Q4 2025.
• The company's backlog exceeded $60 million, driven by AI data center demand.

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OpenAI shifts to usage-based pricing for Codex in ChatGPT business plans

OpenAI is transitioning to a usage-based pricing model for its Codex tool within ChatGPT Business and Enterprise plans, enabling organizations to pay solely for actual usage without upfront licenses. This strategy aims to lower barriers for...

• Eligible Business customers can receive up to $500 in promotional credit.
• OpenAI reports over two million developers use Codex weekly.

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How the Apple Watch defined modern health tech

The Apple Watch Series 4 fundamentally transformed the landscape of health technology by introducing FDA-cleared atrial fibrillation detection, a groundbreaking feature that shifted smartwatches from fitness trackers to essential health too...

• The Series 4 introduced FDA-cleared atrial fibrillation detection, a first for wearables.
• Apple's health features are grounded in scientific research and user feedback.

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Scott Forstall among many former Steve Jobs-era Apple execs at Apple Park this week

Scott Forstall, a former top executive under Steve Jobs, joined several other key figures from Apple's past at Apple Park this week to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. This reunion marked a significant moment as many of these execu...

• Scott Forstall, fired in 2012, attended Apple's 50th anniversary event.
• Other notable attendees included Jon Rubinstein and Ron Johnson, key figures from Apple's past.

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Meta, Google under attack as court cases bypass 30-year-old legal shield

Meta and Google are facing a wave of lawsuits that threaten their long-standing legal protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Recent court rulings have found Meta liable for child safety issues, while lawsuits again...

• Meta was found liable for child safety issues in a New Mexico trial.
• Recent lawsuits aim to bypass Section 230, targeting platform design and user safety.

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Japan's Sakura Internet jumps 20% as Microsoft plans $10 billion AI push with SoftBank

Shares of Sakura Internet soared by 20.2% after Microsoft revealed plans to invest $10 billion in AI infrastructure in Japan over the next three years. This partnership with SoftBank aims to enhance AI computing capabilities and train one m...

• Microsoft plans to invest $10 billion in AI infrastructure in Japan by 2029.
• The partnership aims to train 1 million engineers and developers by 2030.

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SpaceX tries to convince FCC that Amazon put satellites into wrong altitude

SpaceX has formally accused Amazon of breaching orbital debris regulations by launching its Leo satellites at altitudes deemed too high, which could lead to increased collision risks with existing satellites. In response, Amazon maintains t...

• SpaceX claims Amazon's satellites were launched 50-90 km higher than authorized.
• Amazon asserts its launch altitudes comply with FCC regulations and safety standards.

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Microsoft takes on AI rivals with three new foundational models

Microsoft AI has announced the launch of three foundational AI models designed to generate text, voice, and images, marking a significant step in its strategy to compete with other AI labs. The models, developed by the MAI Superintelligence...

• MAI-Transcribe-1 transcribes speech in 25 languages at 2.5 times the speed of Azure Fast.
• MAI-Voice-1 generates 60 seconds of audio in just one second, allowing custom voice creation.

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New Rowhammer attacks give complete control of machines running Nvidia GPUs

Recent research has unveiled two new Rowhammer attacks that target Nvidia's Ampere generation GPUs, allowing malicious users to gain complete control of host machines. By exploiting vulnerabilities in GDDR memory, these attacks can induce s...

• The GDDRHammer attack achieved an average of 129 bit flips per memory bank.
• The GeForge attack induced 1,171 bit flips on the RTX 3060, compromising host memory.

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