Tech news digest for Wednesday, June 24, 2026

OpenAI Unveils Custom Jalapeño Chip for AI Inference

OpenAI has launched its first custom chip, Jalapeño, developed in collaboration with Broadcom, specifically designed for AI inference tasks. This chip, which took just nine months to develop, aims to significantly enhance performance per watt compared to existing alternatives and reduce OpenAI's dependence on Nvidia's GPUs.

• Engineering samples of Jalapeño are already running machine learning workloads, including the GPT-5.3-Codex-Spark model.

Slate Auto Launches Affordable Electric Pickup Truck

Slate Auto has opened pre-orders for its new electric pickup truck, priced at $24,950, with plans to achieve profitability by next year. The company aims to produce 150,000 units annually, with a break-even point at 80,000 vehicles and has raised over $1.3 billion in funding from notable investors like Jeff Bezos and Mark Walter.

• The electric truck features a 63 kWh battery and an estimated range of 205 miles.
• Customization options include a 2,000 lbs tow hitch and various aesthetic upgrades.

OpenAI's Codex Sees Explosive Growth Amid AI Adoption

OpenAI's DeployCo has significantly expanded its AI integration in enterprises, acquiring British consulting firm Tomoro and adding 150 engineers to its team. The user base for Codex has surged to four million weekly users, with Germany experiencing a remarkable 720% growth in adoption since January 2026, making it a leading market for OpenAI's offerings.

• Samsung has lifted AI restrictions for employees, resulting in a nearly 800% increase in Codex users in Korea since February 2026.
• OpenAI's Codex now supports both technical tasks like coding and non-technical tasks such as document drafting and workflow automation.

Claude Tag Automates Code Generation in Slack

Anthropic has launched Claude Tag, a new AI integration for Slack designed to enhance task management and team collaboration. This tool is capable of generating 65 percent of the product team's internal code, significantly improving workflow efficiency and allowing for asynchronous task tracking without real-time human input.

• Claude Tag replaces the previous 'Claude in Slack' app, requiring migration within 30 days.
• The integration utilizes Anthropic's Opus 4.8 engine to autonomously execute tasks across corporate systems.

Facebook rolls out an AI companion app for creators

Facebook has introduced a standalone AI companion app for creators, reimagining its Creator Studio tool to help users grow their audiences on the platform. Currently in testing with select creators, the app integrates Meta's AI creator assistant, which offers personalized recommendations based on content style, performance, and audience engagement. This initiative aims to keep creators active on Facebook amid competition from platforms like TikTok and YouTube, while also reducing their reliance on third-party tools for content ideation and performance analysis.

• The app includes features like an AI-powered comment tool for drafting replies.
• Meta has recently launched other apps, including Forum and Instants.

NTSB launches probe into fatal Texas Tesla crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has initiated an investigation into a fatal crash involving a Tesla in Katy, Texas, where 76-year-old Martha Avila was killed after a driver, Michael Butler, crashed into her home. Butler allegedly claimed to be using Tesla's Autopilot feature prior to the incident, but Tesla has countered that data shows he pressed the accelerator to the floor, overriding the Full Self-Driving software and reaching a speed of 73 mph. The NTSB's inquiry will likely involve reviewing logs from the vehicle's onboard systems to clarify the circumstances of the crash.

Accelerating Transformers Fine-Tuning with NVIDIA NeMo AutoModel

NVIDIA's NeMo AutoModel significantly enhances the fine-tuning process for Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) models, achieving a training throughput increase of 3.4-3.7 times compared to the previous Transformers v5 framework. This improvement is coupled with a reduction in GPU memory usage by 29-32%, allowing for more efficient training of large models. NeMo AutoModel builds on Transformers v5 by adding features like Expert Parallelism and DeepEP fused dispatch, while maintaining API compatibility with HuggingFace Transformers, requiring only a single import line for users.

What to do if your iPhone is stolen – more detailed advice from Apple

Apple has enhanced its support page with detailed instructions for users whose iPhones are stolen, emphasizing the importance of security measures. Notably, the company warns against displaying contact information on the lock screen, as this could facilitate scams by thieves. Users are encouraged to activate Lost Mode immediately, which enforces biometric authentication for sensitive actions and prevents unauthorized access. Additionally, Apple cautions against removing the device from the Find My list, as this action disables Activation Lock, making it easier for thieves to erase and resell the phone.

Amazon's Zoox unveils redesigned robotaxi ahead of upcoming expansion

Amazon's Zoox has unveiled a redesigned version of its toaster-shaped robotaxi, featuring enhanced rider comfort with upgraded touchscreens and more comfortable seating. The company is preparing for a wider rollout in the U.S. later this year, including plans to charge for rides. Key updates include relocated bidirectional reflectors to improve visibility for passengers and others. Since launching in Las Vegas last September, Zoox has provided over 500,000 rides, but it remains behind competitors like Waymo, which recently surpassed 500,000 weekly paid rides across multiple cities.

• The redesigned robotaxi features higher-quality touchscreens and improved seating.
• The company is awaiting approval from the NHTSA for commercial operations with 2,500 vehicles.

Apple’s new MacBook lineup could be its biggest ever this fall

Apple's upcoming MacBook Ultra could make this fall its largest MacBook lineup ever, expanding to four distinct models. Currently, the lineup includes the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and the newly launched MacBook Neo, which debuted earlier this year with M5 chips. The MacBook Ultra is rumored to feature a touchscreen, an M6 chip family, an OLED display, and a Dynamic Island interface, marking a significant design shift. This expansion reflects Apple's broader strategy to diversify its product offerings and reach more customers across various price points.

Samsung is preparing Android 17 updates for these Galaxy devices

Samsung is advancing its Android 17 updates, having released the first beta build in May 2026. Currently, the One UI 9 beta is exclusive to the Galaxy S26 series, with expectations for its public rollout alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8, rumored to launch in late July. The update is in development for a broad array of devices, including the Galaxy S24 series and various mid-range Galaxy A models, indicating Samsung's commitment to updating both flagship and budget devices.

• Unreleased devices with Android 17 builds include Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Tab S12 Ultra.

GM just ‘unlocked’ over 200 Android Automotive apps, including YouTube, for its Google built-in vehicles

General Motors has announced the addition of over 200 new Android Automotive apps for its Google built-in vehicles, enhancing the in-car entertainment experience. This update allows users to access popular streaming services such as YouTube, Disney+, and Hulu on their vehicle screens, including backseat displays in select models. GM's newer vehicles, which no longer support Android Auto and CarPlay, rely entirely on this built-in system, making the availability of these apps crucial for passenger entertainment during travel.

• Compatible vehicles include 2025 and newer models of Chevrolet Tahoe, Cadillac Escalade, and GMC Yukon.
• The rollout of new apps is automatic via Google Play for eligible vehicles.

Google Wallet will let you know if you can sign up for Touchless ID with TSA PreCheck

Google Wallet has introduced a feature enabling users to sign up for Touchless ID with TSA PreCheck, allowing for a smoother airport security experience. To utilize this feature, users must add a boarding pass to the app, be approved for TSA PreCheck, and create a local ID Pass on their device. Once these criteria are met, a 'get started' button will appear on the boarding pass, facilitating the sign-up process. While the verification is conducted outside of the Google Wallet app, this integration aims to simplify the often cumbersome process of accessing quicker screening options at airports.

• Touchless ID is currently available at select airports and airlines.