Tech News — Apr 11, 2026

Tech News — Apr 11, 2026 | Trace

The day in brief

What connected the day

15 topics

01
4 sources · 5 updates
Molotov Cocktail Attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman
A Molotov cocktail was thrown at the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman early Friday morning, causing minimal damage but no injuries. The attack, which occurred at 3:45 a.m., has prompted Altman to reflect on the impact of his public statements regarding AI and the need for a more democratic approach to its governance.
- A 20-year-old man was arrested shortly after the attack for making threats outside OpenAI's Mission Bay offices.
- Surveillance footage captured the incident, which occurred just before 7 a.m. ET.
02
2 sources · 2 updates
Google Unveils Gemma 4 and Redesigned AI Mode
Google has launched Gemma 4, a new on-device AI processing technology that enhances user privacy by ensuring data remains on smartphones. Additionally, the Google AI Mode has received a significant redesign, expanding its restaurant booking capabilities to eight new international markets.
- Gemma 4 can process text, images, and audio without relying on cloud services, supporting over 140 languages.
- The redesigned AI Mode now features a bottom sheet interface with large buttons for easier navigation.
03
2 sources · 2 updates
Artemis II Successfully Returns from Lunar Mission
NASA's Artemis II mission has concluded with the Orion spacecraft safely splashing down in the Pacific Ocean after a successful 10-day journey that included orbiting the Moon. The crew, consisting of three Americans and one Canadian, returned in green condition and witnessed a total solar eclipse during their mission.
- The Orion spacecraft traveled 252,760 miles from Earth during its mission.
- NASA plans to launch Artemis III in mid-2027, targeting a lunar lander rendezvous.
04
2 sources · 2 updates
Apple Faces Backlash Over Unionized Store Closure
Apple is closing its first unionized retail store in Towson, Maryland, citing declining sales, a move that has sparked accusations of union-busting from the local labor organization. This closure marks a significant moment in Apple's evolving relationship with its unionized workforce, raising concerns about the company's commitment to labor rights.
- The union disputes Apple's claim of declining sales, alleging the closure is retaliatory.
- This incident highlights tensions between Apple and its unionized employees amid broader labor movements.
05
2 sources · 2 updates
Microsoft Simplifies Windows 11 Testing Process
Microsoft has announced significant changes to its Windows Insider Program, allowing Windows 11 testers to unlock experimental features directly through the Settings app without the need for ViVeTool. The program has been streamlined into two channels: Experimental and Beta, enabling users to switch between them without reinstalling the operating system.
- The new Experimental channel combines the previous Canary and Dev channels for easier access to testing features.
06
2 sources · 2 updates
YouTube Raises Premium Subscription Prices Amid Ad Issues
YouTube has announced a price increase for its Premium subscription, raising the monthly fee to $15.99 for individuals and $26.99 for family plans, effective June 7, 2026. This change comes as users report encountering 90-second unskippable ads, which YouTube claims are due to a bug rather than a planned feature. Additionally, the Premium Lite subscription will now cost $8.99 per month, up from $7.99.
- The price increase marks the first adjustment since 2023.
- YouTube is currently rolling out a fix for the bug causing the misleading ad timers.
07
1 sources · 2 updates
Mac mini and Mac Studio Models Sold Out at Apple
Apple's higher-end Mac mini and Mac Studio models are now completely sold out, preventing any new orders. Notably, the M4 Mac mini with 32 GB RAM and the M4 Max Mac Studio with 128 GB RAM are among the unavailable configurations, with shipping delays for remaining models estimated at 4-5 months.
- The M3 Ultra Mac Studio with 256 GB RAM is also now unavailable after previously being backordered to August or September.
- Current delivery estimates for other models range from one month to three months.
08
1 sources · 1 updates
Nvidia-backed SiFive hits $3.65 billion valuation for open AI chips
SiFive, a startup known for its open-source chip designs, has raised $400 million in an oversubscribed funding round, elevating its valuation to $3.65 billion. This funding, led by Atreides Management and supported by Nvidia and other prominent investors, marks a significant shift for SiFive as it transitions from smaller embedded systems to CPUs designed for AI data centers, leveraging Nvidia's ecosystem.
- SiFive raised $400 million in an oversubscribed funding round.
- The company is now valued at $3.65 billion, up from $2.33 billion in March 2022.
09
1 sources · 1 updates
Google says Polymarket bets showing up in News was an ‘error’
Google has clarified that the appearance of Polymarket betting links in Google News was an error, stating that the platform is intended to feature only credible news sources. This misstep led to links directing users to betting markets related to current events, which were quickly removed after being reported. Speculation had arisen about a potential integration with Polymarket, but Google has confirmed that this was not the case.
- Google News displayed Polymarket bets alongside news articles due to an error.
- The issue was identified and corrected after reports surfaced on social media.
10
1 sources · 1 updates
AI models are terrible at betting on soccer—especially xAI Grok
A recent study by General Reasoning revealed that AI models, including those from Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic, lost money when betting on soccer matches during the 2023–24 Premier League season. Despite being equipped with extensive historical data, these AI systems struggled to adapt to the dynamic nature of real-world events, with xAI's Grok 4.20 failing completely and going bankrupt in all attempts.
- Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.6 had an average loss of 11%.
- xAI Grok 4.20 went bankrupt on all attempts, finishing with £0.
11
1 sources · 1 updates
OpenAI says to update Mac apps including ChatGPT and Codex as security precaution
OpenAI is advising users of its Mac applications, including ChatGPT and Codex, to update to the latest versions following a security concern linked to a third-party developer tool, Axios. The company reassured users that there is no evidence of data breaches or system compromises, but is taking precautionary measures to ensure the legitimacy of its software.
- OpenAI's update affects four Mac apps: ChatGPT, Codex, Atlas, and Codex CLI.
- Users must update by May 8 to avoid issues with older app versions.
12
1 sources · 1 updates
Elon Musk’s xAI faces fresh opposition after landing permit for Mississippi power plant
Elon Musk's xAI, now part of SpaceX, is facing legal challenges from environmental groups in Mississippi over a permit to build a large methane gas power plant in Southaven. Opponents argue that the permit process was flawed and rushed, potentially worsening local air quality and public health by increasing harmful pollutants. The facility is intended to supply electricity for xAI's data centers in Memphis and Southaven, as the company seeks to expand its operations in the competitive AI landscape.
- Environmental groups claim the permit process for xAI's plant was rushed and flawed.
- The power plant is expected to worsen local air quality and increase pollutants.
13
1 sources · 1 updates
Vance, Bessent questioned tech giants on AI security before Anthropic's Mythos release
In a recent call, Vice President JD Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent engaged with top tech CEOs to discuss the security of AI models and responses to potential cyber threats, just before Anthropic launched its Mythos model. Key figures from companies like Google, OpenAI, and Microsoft participated, highlighting the administration's proactive stance on AI cybersecurity as concerns about advanced cyber tools grow.
- Vice President JD Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent led discussions with major tech CEOs.
- Anthropic's Mythos model was released to select partners, including Google and Microsoft.
14
1 sources · 1 updates
Bank of Canada, Major Lenders Met on Anthropic AI Cyber Risk
On April 10, 2026, the Bank of Canada convened with major banks and financial institutions to address cybersecurity risks associated with Anthropic PBC's latest AI model, Mythos. This meeting follows a similar urgent gathering of U.S. policymakers, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who met with leaders from firms like Citigroup and Goldman Sachs earlier that week.
- The meeting involved major banks including Citigroup and Goldman Sachs.
- This follows a similar urgent discussion among U.S. policymakers earlier in the week.
15
1 sources · 1 updates
Amazon Luna axes third-party game purchases
Amazon Luna has announced a significant policy shift that will restrict players to games available within their subscription, eliminating the ability to purchase third-party titles. Starting June 10, 2026, previously bought games will be removed from the platform, although players can still access them via their respective EA, GOG, or Ubisoft accounts. This change also includes the discontinuation of subscriptions to Ubisoft Plus and Jackbox Games, alongside the removal of the 'Bring Your Own Library' feature.
- Players will lose access to previously purchased games on June 10, 2026.
- Amazon Luna will discontinue subscriptions to Ubisoft Plus and Jackbox Games.

The archive

What moved

The Verge

Your article about AI doesn’t need AI art

The New Yorker uses AI art for Sam Altman profile.

Read source

TechCrunch

Nvidia-backed SiFive hits $3.65 billion valuation for open AI chips

SiFive secures $400 million funding, reaching $3.65 billion valuation.

Read source

The tech day has moved on.

What connected the day

Molotov Cocktail Attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman

Google Unveils Gemma 4 and Redesigned AI Mode

Artemis II Successfully Returns from Lunar Mission

Apple Faces Backlash Over Unionized Store Closure

Microsoft Simplifies Windows 11 Testing Process

YouTube Raises Premium Subscription Prices Amid Ad Issues

Mac mini and Mac Studio Models Sold Out at Apple

Nvidia-backed SiFive hits $3.65 billion valuation for open AI chips

Google says Polymarket bets showing up in News was an ‘error’

AI models are terrible at betting on soccer—especially xAI Grok

OpenAI says to update Mac apps including ChatGPT and Codex as security precaution

Elon Musk’s xAI faces fresh opposition after landing permit for Mississippi power plant

Vance, Bessent questioned tech giants on AI security before Anthropic's Mythos release

Bank of Canada, Major Lenders Met on Anthropic AI Cyber Risk

Amazon Luna axes third-party game purchases

What moved

Your article about AI doesn’t need AI art

Nvidia-backed SiFive hits $3.65 billion valuation for open AI chips

You've seen the record. See the live version.

Google's Gemma 4 puts free agentic AI on your phone and no data ever leaves the device

You've seen the record. See the live version.

'Not as bullish': Big banks are entering Q1 earnings season on less certain footing than in January

Is the ‘Holy Grail of batteries’ finally ready to bless us with its presence?

Vibe check from inside one of AI industry's main events: 'Claude mania'

At least for now, Liquid Glass in Pixelmator Pro remains a Creator Studio exclusive

These Android phones support AirDrop sharing with iPhone and Mac

The operator behind the AI agent that defamed an open-source developer calls it a "social experiment"

Overworld's Waypoint-1.5 brings AI-generated 3D worlds to Mac and Windows on consumer hardware

Hands-on: SkyDex turns your daily weather check into a Pokémon adventure

AI models are terrible at betting on soccer—especially xAI Grok

Google says Polymarket bets showing up in News was an ‘error’

Battles brew over in-state tuition for undocumented students

Elon Musk’s xAI faces fresh opposition after landing permit for Mississippi power plant

OpenAI says to update Mac apps including ChatGPT and Codex as security precaution

Bank of Canada, Major Lenders Met on Anthropic AI Cyber Risk

Californians sue over AI tool that records doctor visits

Stalking victim sues OpenAI, claims ChatGPT fueled her abuser’s delusions and ignored her warnings

TSMC Q1 revenue rockets 35% on strong AI demand

Ken Fisher’s Top AI Stock Pick in 2026: ASML (ASML)

US Government Pitches Gamers a Career as Air Traffic Controllers

How scared of AI should we be? A new documentary film from an Oscar winner seeks answer

Suspect Arrested for Allegedly Throwing Molotov Cocktail at Sam Altman’s Home