Monday, May 11, 2026

GM settles California lawsuit claiming it sold driving habit data to insurance companies

General Motors has reached a settlement in a California lawsuit, agreeing to pay $12.75 million after being accused of selling driver location and behavior data to insurance companies. The settlement prohibits GM from selling this information for five years and requires the automaker to enhance privacy measures, including allowing drivers to opt out of data collection through its OnStar service.

Circle Edges Up On Results, Stablecoin Growth. These Crypto, AI Stocks Also Fall.

Circle's stock experienced a significant surge after the stablecoin issuer reported quarterly earnings that exceeded analysts' expectations. In contrast, IREN's stock plummeted following its announcement to raise $2 billion in convertible notes, while Keel Infrastructure, previously known as Bitfarms, saw its shares decline after reporting a wider-than-expected loss. The cryptocurrency market remained mixed, with Bitcoin trading around $81,000, reflecting an 11% increase over the past month.

Micron shares are rising again despite weak overall market. Why memory chip rally seems unstoppable

Micron's stock is experiencing a significant rise, gaining 9% on Monday, as demand for memory chips surges amid ongoing shortages. This rally comes despite a broader market decline influenced by rising energy prices and geopolitical tensions. Analysts attribute the momentum to increasing AI demand and predict that profit margins for chipmakers could reach over 75% by 2026, suggesting a robust future for the sector.

OpenAI's DeployCo subsidiary adopts Palantir's playbook, building a moat from workflows no lab can simulate

OpenAI has introduced DeployCo, a subsidiary aimed at helping businesses integrate AI systems into their operations, supported by over $4 billion from investors like TPG and Goldman Sachs. By sending engineers on-site to customize AI solutions, DeployCo seeks to create a competitive advantage through deep integration of AI into client workflows, ensuring that the value lies in the implementation rather than the AI models themselves.

OpenAI to Buy Consulting Firm for JV With Private Equity

OpenAI has announced its acquisition of consulting and engineering firm Tomoro to support a new joint venture focused on deploying artificial intelligence software. This initiative, named the OpenAI Deployment Company, will employ approximately 150 staff members dedicated to facilitating AI integration in businesses, leveraging Tomoro's experience with notable clients such as Virgin Atlantic Airways and Supercell.

Lawsuit claims ChatGPT coached FSU shooter on gun operation, timing, and victim thresholds

A lawsuit has been filed against OpenAI by Vandana Joshi, the widow of a victim from the Florida State University mass shooting, alleging that the shooter, Phoenix Ikner, utilized ChatGPT to meticulously plan the attack. The suit claims that the AI chatbot provided critical information on weapon operation, optimal attack timing, and the number of victims necessary to attract national media coverage, prompting OpenAI to deny responsibility and assert that the chatbot only offered publicly available information.

TikTok launches an ad-free subscription plan in the UK

TikTok is rolling out an ad-free subscription plan in the UK, priced at £3.99 per month. This initiative allows users aged 18 and over to enjoy the platform without ads, while also ensuring their data is not utilized for advertising purposes, likely in response to the UK’s GDPR regulations. TikTok's UK Managing Director emphasized that this new option provides users with greater control over their experience on the platform.

Cerebras bumps up IPO range as it looks to raise up to $4.8 billion

Cerebras Systems has boosted its initial public offering price range to between $150 and $160 per share, aiming to raise up to $4.8 billion. This adjustment positions the company for a valuation of up to $48.8 billion, a notable increase from its previous $23 billion valuation announced in February. The IPO is anticipated to occur on May 14, coinciding with growing interest in AI hardware solutions.

Hassett says AI isn't costing anybody their job right now — but tech layoffs keep coming

Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council, asserted that there is currently no data indicating that artificial intelligence is leading to job losses. His remarks come as numerous tech companies, including Amazon, Meta, and Oracle, announce layoffs, often citing AI's role in enhancing productivity through automation. Notably, Block recently cut its workforce by nearly half, emphasizing a transition to smaller teams that leverage AI for efficiency.

AI Chipmaker Cerebras Seeks $4.8 Billion in Upsized US IPO

Cerebras Systems Inc. has raised its initial public offering target to as much as $4.8 billion, driven by increasing demand for its shares. The company is now offering 30 million shares priced between $150 and $160 each, a notable increase from its earlier plan to market 28 million shares at $115 to $125 each.

Discord launches Nitro Rewards, giving subscribers access to the base tier of Xbox Game Pass for no extra cost

Discord has launched Nitro Rewards, a new initiative that offers Nitro subscribers access to various gaming and lifestyle perks, including the base tier of Xbox Game Pass, which features over 50 games. Available to both Nitro Basic and Nitro subscribers, this move aims to enhance subscriber value and improve retention, as Discord continues to grow its user base while maintaining a free tier. Co-founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy emphasized that Nitro is crucial for the platform's revenue and aims to provide meaningful upgrades without limiting free users.

There aren’t enough rockets for space data centers. Cowboy Space raised $275 million to build them.

Cowboy Space Corporation has announced a $275 million Series B funding round to develop its own rocket program aimed at launching data centers into orbit. With the current rocket supply insufficient to meet demand, CEO Baiju Bhatt believes that creating a dedicated launch vehicle will allow the company to scale its operations effectively. The first launch is anticipated before the end of 2028, as Cowboy Space pivots from its original solar energy concept to focus on orbital data centers.

‘The haters will hate’: Dan Ives predicts Nasdaq 30,000 as AI rally expands

Dan Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities, predicts that the Nasdaq Composite will soar to 30,000 points over the next year, fueled by a strong earnings season and heightened enthusiasm for AI stocks. With the Nasdaq closing at 26,247.08, marking a 12.93% increase this year, Ives emphasizes that the demand for memory chips is outpacing supply as the AI revolution continues to unfold.

Retail Is Flooding Into the Chipmaker Rally as Moves Get Extreme

After a period of inactivity, retail traders are now actively purchasing chipmaker stocks, coinciding with a 60% surge in the SOX index over the past six weeks. This shift comes as concerns grow about the sustainability of the rally, with individual investors driving technology share purchases to their highest level in a year, particularly favoring companies linked to artificial intelligence.

AI turns patches into working exploits in 30 minutes, and the 90-day disclosure window is the casualty

AI language models are fundamentally changing the cybersecurity landscape by enabling rapid exploitation of vulnerabilities. Security expert Himanshu Anand highlights that attackers can now reverse-engineer patches into working exploits in as little as 30 minutes, undermining the traditional 90-day disclosure window. This shift necessitates immediate action from vendors and researchers to adapt to the accelerated pace of threats.

Congress and retailers want to rebuild national parks. Tolls on federal roads might pay for it

Congress is actively seeking ways to fund the renovation of aging national parks as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary. House Republicans are proposing tolls on federally operated roads and increased fees for international visitors, while Democrats argue that maintaining the parks is a government obligation and oppose the tolls. The debate is intensified by the expiration of the Great American Outdoors Act, which previously addressed maintenance backlogs in the National Park Service.

How enterprises are scaling AI

A recent guide highlights insights from European enterprise leaders on scaling AI, emphasizing that success lies not in rapid deployment but in fostering trust and ownership among teams. Key organizations like Philips and BBVA demonstrate that integrating AI into workflows, with a focus on culture and governance, leads to more effective and sustainable outcomes.

OpenAI Campus Network: Student club interest form

OpenAI has announced the launch of the Campus Network, a global initiative aimed at empowering student clubs to foster AI education on campuses. By partnering with these clubs, OpenAI will provide resources, support for events, and early access to AI tools, helping students lead the charge in integrating AI into their academic environments.

Gemini ‘Omni’ video model shows up with some early demos

Google is reportedly working on a new video generation model named Gemini 'Omni', which has shown promising results in early demonstrations. Users have been prompted to 'Create with Gemini Omni', indicating features like video remixing and direct editing in chat. While the exact relationship between 'Omni' and Google's existing Veo model remains unclear, initial outputs, including a professor explaining trigonometric identities and a scene with two men dining, suggest significant advancements in video generation capabilities.

These AI chatbot app widgets work with CarPlay

iOS 26.4 and later now support AI chatbot apps in CarPlay, enabling users to engage in voice-based conversations while driving. Currently, ChatGPT, Grok, and Perplexity have updated their apps for this integration, with ChatGPT offering additional features like Projects for organizing chats. Notably, Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot have functional widgets that allow voice interactions directly from the CarPlay interface, although some other popular AI chat apps still lack full CarPlay support.

This AI Stock Is Crushing Nvidia in 2026. It's Still a Buy After Soaring 240% This Year, According to Wall Street.

DigitalOcean is rapidly gaining traction in the AI market, with its stock skyrocketing 240% this year, while Nvidia's growth has stalled at just 15%. Analysts believe DigitalOcean remains undervalued, projecting strong revenue growth fueled by its AI-Native Cloud offerings, contrasting with Nvidia's concerns over sustainability and market share in AI infrastructure.

A promising Indian launch startup nears its first orbital test flight

Skyroot Aerospace, a frontrunner in India's burgeoning private space sector, is on the verge of launching its first orbital rocket, Vikram-1, within the next few months. Following a $60 million funding round that valued the company at $1.1 billion, Skyroot is poised to enhance its commercial launch capabilities, aiming to capitalize on the Indian government's push to expand the country's role in the global space economy.

Venmo privacy finally being fixed eight years after ‘alarming’ fails

After years of privacy concerns, Venmo is finally changing its default settings to make user posts viewable only by friends. This decision follows a history of alarming data exposure, including incidents that revealed sensitive information about users, such as public transactions involving JD Vance. The redesign, which will roll out in the coming weeks, aims to enhance user privacy significantly.

Nothing Ear (open) now available in a soft blue color that would look great on phones [Gallery]

Nothing has introduced a new blue colorway for its Ear (open) earbuds, priced at $99. This color variant retains the same lightweight design and thin case as previous models, featuring a softer blue hue that stands out in Nothing's lineup. The design draws inspiration from blue tennis courts and retro aesthetics, appealing to consumers looking for a stylish accessory.