Tech News — May 9, 2026

Tech News — May 9, 2026 | Trace

The day in brief

What connected the day

20 topics

01
4 sources · 4 updates
Musk's Lawsuit Against OpenAI Intensifies
Elon Musk's ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI has escalated, with Musk seeking $134 billion in damages, claiming he was misled into donating $38 million. Testimonies revealed Musk's desire for absolute control over OpenAI's for-profit arm and his attempts to recruit CEO Sam Altman for a new AI lab at Tesla.
- Brockman testified that Musk pushed for a for-profit structure and sought majority equity in OpenAI.
- Witnesses criticized Musk's lack of technical skills and described his hot temper as detrimental to team dynamics.
02
3 sources · 3 updates
Google's 'Preferred Sources' Feature Criticized
Google has introduced a 'Preferred Sources' feature that allows users to manually select news outlets for their search results, raising concerns about the potential decline in search quality. This shift of responsibility from Google to users comes as the company reports a significant increase in ad revenue from its own products, growing from $66.885 billion in Q1 2025 to $77.253 billion in Q1 2026. The feature is under scrutiny due to its implications for compliance with the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act in Europe.
- Google's ad revenue from its own products increased by $10.368 billion year-over-year.
- Revenue from third-party ads is declining as Google's own ad revenue grows.
03
3 sources · 4 updates
SoftBank Reduces OpenAI Loan Amid Valuation Concerns
SoftBank has cut its margin loan target for its stake in OpenAI from $10 billion to $6 billion due to lenders' concerns over the valuation of the AI company. The loan, structured as a margin loan with a two-year term, will use SoftBank's OpenAI stake as collateral. This decision follows SoftBank's initial investment in OpenAI in September 2024 and a $40 billion bridge loan secured in March 2026.
- The loan reduction comes as creditors express hesitation about the backing of the loan due to uncertainty in valuing OpenAI.
- SoftBank's partnership with OpenAI began in September 2024, coinciding with their collaboration on the Stargate AI infrastructure project.
04
3 sources · 3 updates
Apple's Camera-Equipped AirPods Near Production
Apple is advancing towards the production of its new AirPods equipped with cameras, which are currently in the design validation test stage. These innovative AirPods will feature cameras designed to enhance user interaction with Siri by capturing environmental context, although they are not intended for photography or videography.
- Prototypes are undergoing advanced testing, indicating readiness for market introduction.
- The AirPods will include a small LED light to signal when visual data is being processed.
05
2 sources · 2 updates
Hantavirus Outbreak on MV Hondius Claims Lives
The MV Hondius, a luxury expedition cruise ship, has reported an outbreak of hantavirus, resulting in eight cases and three fatalities among passengers and crew. Currently carrying 147 individuals, the ship is en route to the Canary Islands while health officials monitor 30 former passengers who disembarked prior to the outbreak's identification.
- 37.2 million passengers were serviced by the global cruise industry in 2025, marking a record year.
- Interest in Antarctic trips surged by 34% year-over-year in early 2026.
06
2 sources · 3 updates
Google Launches Fitbit Air with Preorder Incentives
Google has announced the launch of the Fitbit Air, a new screenless fitness tracker, set to hit the market on May 26th for $99.99. Customers who preorder from Amazon or Best Buy will receive a free additional band, while those ordering from the Google Store will benefit from $35 in store credit for a custom band. The Fitbit Air will track basic health metrics without a subscription, with optional AI features available for $9.99 monthly.
- Google will still sell you the Fitbit Sense 2 or Versa 4 after launching ‘Air’. Google retains Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4 despite new model.
- These Fitbit features won’t be available in the Google Health app: Badges, sleep animals, more. Several Fitbit features will not transition to Google Health.
07
2 sources · 2 updates
Amazon Unveils TikTok-like Clips Feature for Prime Video
Amazon has introduced a new feature called Clips in its Prime Video app, allowing users to view short video snippets from shows and movies. Initially available to select users in the U.S. on iOS, Android, and Fire tablets, Clips aims to enhance content discovery by enabling users to add titles to their watchlists or share clips with friends. The feature was first tested during the NBA season and will see a broader rollout this summer.
- Clips will refresh content based on individual viewing history, tailoring suggestions to user preferences.
- Users can share clips via text, email, or social media, but recipients must have the Prime Video app to view them.
08
2 sources · 2 updates
AI Model Mythos Exposes Cybersecurity Risks
Anthropic's AI model Mythos has revealed thousands of software vulnerabilities, causing alarm among global banks and tech giants. The findings have heightened panic over potential AI-enabled attacks, prompting the Trump administration to consider new oversight for AI technologies. Notably, similar vulnerabilities could also be identified using existing models from Anthropic and OpenAI.
- Mythos identified thousands of vulnerabilities, but older models can achieve similar results.
- The Trump administration is exploring new government oversight for AI following the Mythos release.
09
2 sources · 2 updates
AWS Data Center Outage Disrupts Major Trading Platforms
An outage at an Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center in Virginia began Thursday night, significantly disrupting trading on platforms like FanDuel and Coinbase. The outage, caused by overheating, is expected to take several hours for full recovery, leading to lost bets for FanDuel users and a nearly seven-hour trading halt for Coinbase.
- FanDuel users experienced lost bets due to inaccessibility during the outage.
- Coinbase resumed trading after a nearly seven-hour outage affecting all transactions.
10
2 sources · 2 updates
Nvidia and Corning Forge AI Manufacturing Alliance
Nvidia has announced a partnership with Corning aimed at revitalizing American manufacturing through enhanced optical connectivity. This collaboration will see Corning increase its optical manufacturing capacity in the U.S. tenfold, creating over 3,000 jobs in Texas and North Carolina.
- Corning plans to construct three new facilities to support the expansion.
- Nvidia shares rose 6% while Corning's stock surged 12% following the announcement.
11
1 sources · 2 updates
New macOS App Enhances Apple Business Tools
Apple has launched ASBMUtil, a native macOS app designed to simplify device management for enterprises. This new tool allows Mac administrators to manage devices through a user-friendly interface rather than relying on terminal commands, streamlining the process significantly.
- ASBMUtil supports bulk device assignments and offers detailed filtering options for easier management.
- The app is kept up-to-date with Apple's API changes, including support for AppleCare lookups.
12
1 sources · 1 updates
Nvidia embraces role of AI investor, pushing past $40 billion in equity bets this year
Nvidia has rapidly expanded its role as an AI investor, surpassing $40 billion in equity bets this year. The company is strategically investing in firms across the AI infrastructure spectrum, including a recent commitment of up to $3.2 billion in Corning and $2.1 billion in IREN. This aggressive investment strategy aims to solidify Nvidia's dominance in the AI market, which has already seen its stock value increase dramatically over the past few years.
- Nvidia has committed up to $3.2 billion to Corning and $2.1 billion to IREN this week.
- The company's investments this year have already surpassed $40 billion.
13
1 sources · 1 updates
ByteDance Targets 25% Rise in AI Infrastructure Spending: SCMP
ByteDance Ltd. has announced a significant increase in its artificial intelligence infrastructure spending for this year, raising its budget by 25% to 200 billion yuan ($29.4 billion). This decision comes as the TikTok owner responds to rising memory chip costs and aims to enhance its AI capabilities, with a notable shift towards investing in domestic AI chip production.
- ByteDance's AI infrastructure spending is now set at 200 billion yuan ($29.4 billion).
- The budget increased from 160 billion yuan due to rising memory chip costs.
14
1 sources · 3 updates
Wayve CEO Highlights AI's Role in Self-Driving Cars
Wayve CEO Alex Kendall has emphasized the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the development of autonomous vehicles. The company is leveraging onboard intelligence and real-world learning to enhance self-driving technology and believes that AI licensing could enable faster scaling than competitors like Tesla and Waymo.
- Wayve focuses on end-to-end AI solutions for autonomous driving.
- Srikanth Thirumalai leads Waymo's onboard software development, integrating advanced AI systems for vehicle navigation.
15
1 sources · 2 updates
AST SpaceMobile's Stock Soars 6,000%
AST SpaceMobile, a lesser-known competitor to SpaceX, has seen its stock price skyrocket by 6,000% thanks to a surge of enthusiasm from online investors. The rally was significantly driven by an anonymous figure known as the Kook, who galvanized support on social media platforms.
- 6,000% increase in AST SpaceMobile's stock price attributed to online investor enthusiasm.
- The surge was largely influenced by a stock guru known as the Kook, who rallied the investor community.
16
1 sources · 1 updates
Uber partner Avride is under investigation for self-driving crashes
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating Avride, a robotaxi company partnered with Uber, following the identification of 16 crashes attributed to its self-driving system. These incidents, which occurred while under the supervision of safety monitors, have raised concerns about the system's ability to navigate lane changes and respond to other vehicles and stationary objects. Avride has stated that it is implementing measures to address the issues identified in these crashes.
- The NHTSA identified 16 crashes involving Avride's self-driving vehicles, with one minor injury reported.
- All incidents occurred while vehicles were monitored by a safety driver, raising questions about intervention protocols.
17
1 sources · 1 updates
The Tech Download: Meta, Google enter AI agent race as ‘agentic wars’ heat up
The race to develop AI agents is intensifying as both Meta and Google announce their plans to create advanced AI tools. Following the viral success of OpenClaw, which was praised as the 'next ChatGPT,' Meta is working on a personalized assistant for daily tasks, while Google is developing a 24/7 agent powered by Gemini. Despite the commercial potential, significant challenges around security and trust persist in the AI agent landscape.
- Meta is creating a highly personalized AI assistant for everyday tasks.
- Google is developing a 24/7 personal agent powered by Gemini.
18
1 sources · 1 updates
Why Microsoft Stock Soared 10.2% Higher Last Month and Has Kept Rallying in May
Microsoft's stock experienced a significant rebound in April, climbing 10.2% as tech investments regained favor following a challenging start to the year. The company's quarterly earnings report revealed adjusted earnings of $4.27 per share on sales of $82.89 billion, surpassing analyst expectations, although forward guidance was less optimistic, contributing to mixed investor sentiment.
- Microsoft reported non-GAAP earnings per share of $4.27 on sales of $82.89 billion.
- Despite strong quarterly results, Microsoft’s forward guidance fell short of analyst expectations.
19
1 sources · 1 updates
Tesla is recalling its cheaper Cybertruck because the wheels might fall off
Tesla is recalling its RWD Cybertruck Long Range after discovering that faulty brake rotors could lead to the wheels detaching from the vehicle. The recall affects all 173 units sold, with Tesla stating that while it has identified three warranty claims potentially linked to the issue, there have been no reported injuries or collisions. This is the 11th recall for the Cybertruck, which has faced various issues since its launch.
- All 173 RWD Cybertrucks sold are affected by the recall.
- Tesla has identified three warranty claims linked to the brake rotor issue.
20
1 sources · 1 updates
Anthropic approaches $1 trillion valuation as revenue grows fivefold
Anthropic is on the verge of a significant financial milestone, approaching a valuation of nearly $1 trillion as it prepares for a $50 billion funding round. The company's annualized revenue has skyrocketed to almost $45 billion, a fivefold increase since late 2024, largely due to the success of its new products, Claude Code and Cowork. Despite facing capacity constraints that have affected customer operations, investor interest is high as the company considers an IPO later this year.
- Anthropic's annualized revenue has increased to nearly $45 billion, up from $9 billion in late 2024.
- The company is planning a $50 billion funding round, potentially valuing it at $900 billion.

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The tech day has moved on.

What connected the day

Musk's Lawsuit Against OpenAI Intensifies

Google's 'Preferred Sources' Feature Criticized

SoftBank Reduces OpenAI Loan Amid Valuation Concerns

Apple's Camera-Equipped AirPods Near Production

Hantavirus Outbreak on MV Hondius Claims Lives

Google Launches Fitbit Air with Preorder Incentives

Amazon Unveils TikTok-like Clips Feature for Prime Video

AI Model Mythos Exposes Cybersecurity Risks

AWS Data Center Outage Disrupts Major Trading Platforms

Nvidia and Corning Forge AI Manufacturing Alliance

New macOS App Enhances Apple Business Tools

Nvidia embraces role of AI investor, pushing past $40 billion in equity bets this year

ByteDance Targets 25% Rise in AI Infrastructure Spending: SCMP

Wayve CEO Highlights AI's Role in Self-Driving Cars

AST SpaceMobile's Stock Soars 6,000%

Uber partner Avride is under investigation for self-driving crashes

The Tech Download: Meta, Google enter AI agent race as ‘agentic wars’ heat up

Why Microsoft Stock Soared 10.2% Higher Last Month and Has Kept Rallying in May

Tesla is recalling its cheaper Cybertruck because the wheels might fall off

Anthropic approaches $1 trillion valuation as revenue grows fivefold

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AI-powered scam calls are getting more convincing—and more common: 'It was her voice, I know her scared cry'

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Nvidia embraces role of AI investor, pushing past $40 billion in equity bets this year

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