Author: Frank Salvato
Instagram has publicly stated that its systems were not compromised even as millions of users reported unsolicited password-reset emails that sparked widespread concerns about a potential data breach. Meta confirmed the issue stemmed from a bug that allowed an external party to trigger password reset requests, which the company says it has since fixed, and assured users their accounts remain secure; however, cybersecurity firms and external reports suggest that data possibly scraped from an Instagram API earlier this month — including email addresses and usernames — may be circulating on hacking forums, intensifying debate over the platform’s security. Sources: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/11/instagram-says-theres-been-no-breach-despite-password-reset-requests/…
Meta Platforms has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former senior advisor and deputy national security adviser to President Donald Trump and longtime Wall Street executive, as president and vice chairman of the company, positioning her to help guide overall strategy and execution, particularly around the company’s expanding artificial intelligence and infrastructure investments. The move represents a notable shift for the tech giant, blending deep political experience with corporate leadership at a time when Meta is aggressively pursuing AI development and broader strategic partnerships with government and global actors. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg touted Powell McCormick’s extensive background in finance and…
Walmart is dramatically scaling its drone delivery service in partnership with Wing, an Alphabet-owned company, announcing plans to bring on-demand aerial deliveries to an additional 150 Walmart stores across major U.S. cities over the next year. This expansion, building on successful operations in Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta, will extend service to areas such as Los Angeles, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Miami, with Houston slated to launch mid-January. Once complete, Walmart and Wing aim to operate more than 270 drone delivery hubs by 2027, potentially giving more than 40 million Americans access to ultra-fast deliveries of groceries, over-the-counter medicines, and everyday…
Google has introduced a new open standard called the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) designed to let artificial intelligence agents handle the full consumer shopping journey—from discovery and purchase to support—across platforms including Google Search and its Gemini AI chatbot. The protocol was developed with major partners like Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart to create a shared language that eliminates the need for bespoke integrations between AI agents, retailers, and payment systems. UCP will power new checkout experiences directly within Google’s AI interfaces, allow merchants to offer branded virtual agents, and enable features like personalized discounts and seamless checkout using…
Apple and Google have agreed to a multi-year partnership under which Apple will incorporate Google’s Gemini AI models and cloud technology into Apple’s own foundational models to power future Apple Intelligence features, including an overhauled Siri scheduled to launch in 2026. This marks a significant departure from Apple’s historically vertically integrated strategy and reflects recognition that Google’s AI capabilities currently outpace Apple’s internal developments. The collaboration addresses longstanding criticism of Siri’s limitations and positions Apple to compete more effectively in generative AI while maintaining a focus on user privacy. Sources reported that Apple may pay significant fees for access to…
Meta Platforms has signed a series of long-term nuclear energy agreements with American power companies Vistra, TerraPower, and Oklo, securing up to 6.6 gigawatts of clean electricity to power its expanding AI data center infrastructure by 2035 — a capacity roughly equivalent to the electricity needs of millions of homes and critical to supporting its Prometheus supercluster computing systems in Ohio. These 20-year agreements cover power purchase contracts from operating Vistra nuclear plants and funding for the construction of new advanced reactors with TerraPower and Oklo, making Meta one of the largest corporate buyers of nuclear power in the United…
The Television Academy has finalized a slate of rule changes for the 2026 Emmy Awards that officially address the role of artificial intelligence in content creation, asserting that the organization “reserves the right to inquire about the use of AI in submissions” even as AI-assisted productions remain eligible; the updates also include renaming the Outstanding Television Movie category to “Outstanding Movie” and expanding eligibility and technical category definitions across casting and music categories in a bid to modernize the awards while reaffirming human creative priorities. Sources: https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/859549/emmy-awards-2026-ai-rules https://nextbestpicture.com/78th-emmy-awards-new-categories-expanded-eligibility-and-rules-updates/ https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/emmy-rules-on-ai-rollout Key Takeaways • The Emmys will still allow AI-assisted productions to…
A new analysis indicates that workers under age 30 may be better positioned than older cohorts to adapt to artificial intelligence-driven disruptions because they can more readily pivot career paths and acquire AI-related skills, according to insights from Goldman Sachs analysts cited in Semafor. At the same time, older workers — especially those holding significant equity stakes — could face outsized earnings losses and wealth risk if AI-related market corrections emerge. This perspective contrasts with independent economic studies showing real declines in employment for young workers in highly AI-exposed jobs, such as software development or customer service, while employment for…
a surprising tech trend is gaining serious attention: AI-enhanced collectibles that blend physical figurines with artificial intelligence to create interactive experiences for fans and hobbyists. Two startups—HeyMates by Olli and Buddyo—are leading the charge, offering platforms that turn collectible figures into chatty companions with personalities powered by large language models and smart hardware bases. HeyMates plans to launch AI-equipped figurines that can discuss topics like science or humor, while Buddyo’s AI Pod system works with existing collectibles like Funko Pops and Nintendo Amiibo to generate backstories and voices through an app and AI processing. These innovations arrive amid concerns over…
In a striking shift for 2026, the traditional dominance of major technology companies is facing significant new challenges fueled by artificial intelligence — from legal liability for AI-generated content to fierce competition and economic headwinds that could undercut Big Tech’s long-held market advantages. A recent Semafor Technology article highlights how controversies over AI tools like xAI’s Grok producing harmful deepfake content are spurring lawsuits and potential regulatory actions that wouldn’t have applied to legacy platforms under earlier user-content protections and could signal the end of “invincibility” for dominant tech firms. Broader industry analysis suggests that 2026 will also bring a…