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Tech News

Geopolitics / Diplomacy:
- TikTok US deal finalized: TikTok has signed a deal to sell its U.S. entity to a joint venture controlled by Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, with ByteDance retaining ~20% ownership. The deal, expected to close on January 22, 2026, includes retraining the recommendation algorithm on U.S. user data and Oracle overseeing data protection. 👉 axios.com 👉 theverge.com 👉 cnn.com 👉 bloomberg.com^$.
Technology / AI:
- AI's environmental impact: A new study estimates AI systems in 2025 consumed as much electricity as New York City emits in carbon pollution (32.6-79.7 million tons annually) and used hundreds of billions of liters of water, driven by data centers and cooling needs. Researchers warn the real impact is likely higher due to poor transparency from tech companies. 👉 theverge.com 👉 tomshardware.com.
- Claude AI vending machine experiment: Anthropic's Claude AI, running a vending machine in the Wall Street Journal newsroom, lost over $1,000 after journalists manipulated it into giving away inventory for free, including a PlayStation 5 and a live fish. The experiment, called Project Vend, revealed vulnerabilities in AI decision-making and human manipulation tactics. 👉 wsj.com^$ 👉 techcrunch.com.
- OpenAI valuation: OpenAI is in talks to raise up to $100 billion at a valuation of around $830 billion, marking a significant jump from its reported $500 billion valuation in October. The company aims to complete the fundraising round by the end of Q1 2026. 👉 wsj.com^$ 👉 bloomberg.com^$.
- GPT-5.2-Codex: OpenAI released GPT-5.2-Codex, an advanced agentic coding model designed for professional software engineering and defensive cybersecurity. The model improves on long-horizon work through context compaction and stronger performance on large code changes. 👉 openai.com 👉 blockchain.news.
Business / Markets:
- Trump Media merges with TAE Technologies: Trump Media & Technology Group agreed to merge with TAE Technologies, a nuclear fusion company, in a $6 billion deal. The merger aims to combine Trump Media’s access to significant capital with TAE’s leading fusion technology to supply power for the AI boom. 👉 wsj.com^$ 👉 fortune.com 👉 bloomberg.com^$.
- Lovable AI coding startup: AI coding startup Lovable raised $330 million at a $6.6 billion valuation, up from $1.8 billion after a $200 million raise in July. The company aims to empower non-developers to become software builders. 👉 nytimes.com^$ 👉 techcrunch.com.
Cybersecurity / Privacy:
- Cisco unpatched zero-day: Cisco warned of an unpatched zero-day flaw in AsyncOS software actively exploited by a China-nexus APT actor. The flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on affected appliances. 👉 tools.cisco.com 👉 thehackernews.com.
- France arrests Latvian for malware: French authorities arrested a Latvian crew member of an Italian passenger ferry suspected of infecting the ship with malware that could enable remote control of the vessel. The suspect allegedly installed a remote access tool on behalf of a foreign power. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com 👉 reuters.com.
- Clop ransomware targets Gladinet: The Clop ransomware gang is targeting Internet-exposed Gladinet CentreStack file servers in a new data theft extortion campaign. The attack exploits vulnerabilities in the exposed servers to steal data. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com.
Legal / Regulatory:
- YouTube terminates AI trailer channels: YouTube terminated two prominent channels, Screen Culture and KH Studio, which used AI to create fake movie trailers. The channels had over 2 million subscribers and more than 1 billion views combined. 👉 deadline.com 👉 arstechnica.com.
- Vizio source code ruling: A California judge signaled support for forcing Vizio to provide the full source code for its SmartCast TV software under the GPL license. The ruling could strengthen users' rights to modify GPL-licensed software embedded in consumer electronics. 👉 theregister.com 👉 sfconservancy.org.
Entertainment / Media:
- Netflix hires ESPN anchor: Netflix hired ESPN anchor Elle Duncan as its first on-air sports host in a multiyear deal. Duncan will also cover other live events for the company. 👉 variety.com 👉 deadline.com.
Health / Science:
- AI's environmental impact: AI systems in 2025 consumed as much electricity as New York City emits in carbon pollution (32.6-79.7 million tons annually) and used hundreds of billions of liters of water. 👉 theverge.com 👉 tomshardware.com.
Economy / Markets:
- Xbox US sales drop: Xbox Series console sales fell 70% YoY to an all-time low in November, compared to the PS5's 40% YoY drop and Switch 1 and 2's combined 10% YoY fall. 👉 ign.com 👉 bloomberg.com^$.
Technology / Hardware:
- Amazon Alexa+ on web: Amazon rolled out Alexa+ on the web to early access users, featuring chat functionality, smart home controls, file management, and cross-device conversations. 👉 geekwire.com 👉 engadget.com.
Cybercrime / Malware:
- North Korea crypto theft: North Korea-linked hackers stole a record $2.02 billion in cryptocurrency in 2025, a 51% YoY rise, taking their cumulative stolen total to $6.75 billion. Individual wallet hacks hit 158,000. 👉 chainalysis.com 👉 fortune.com.
Privacy / Surveillance:
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling: Pennsylvania's Supreme Court ruled that police can get Google search data without a warrant, potentially encouraging warrantless searches nationwide. 👉 therecord.media 👉 wpxi.com.
Financial / Regulation:
- Instacart FTC settlement: Instacart will pay $60 million to settle FTC allegations that it used deceptive tactics in its subscription signup and satisfaction guarantee advertising. 👉 cnbc.com 👉 techcrunch.com.
Legal / Regulatory:
- FCC Chairman Brendan Carr: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr told a Senate committee that the FCC "is not an independent agency," prompting concerns about how President Trump might use the agency. 👉 axios.com 👉 nytimes.com^$.
Technology / AI:
- Meta developing AI models: Meta is developing a new image and video-focused AI model codenamed Mango, expected to be released in H1 2026 along with its new LLM dubbed Avocado. 👉 wsj.com^$ 👉 theinformation.com.
Cybersecurity / Privacy:
- AI toys with concerning responses: A plush AI toy marketed for children as young as three years old delivers detailed instructions on sharpening knives and lighting matches, and makes politically charged statements. The Miriat Miiloo toy responds to questions in ways that reflect Chinese Communist Party values. 👉 nbcnews.com.
Cybersecurity / Malware:
- North Korean infiltrator at Amazon: A North Korean imposter was uncovered working as a sysadmin at Amazon U.S. after their keystroke input lag raised suspicions. Amazon has foiled more than 1,800 DPRK infiltration attempts since April 2024. 👉 tomshardware.com 👉 bloomberg.com^$.
Cybersecurity / Privacy:
- France probes ferry malware: French authorities arrested two crew members of an Italian passenger ferry suspected of infecting the ship with malware that could have enabled them to remotely control the vessel. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com 👉 france24.com.
Cybersecurity / Privacy:
- Nirvana raises $100M: Nirvana, which uses real-time driving telematics to build insurance policies for truckers, raised a $100M Series D at a $1.5B valuation. 👉 news.crunchbase.com 👉 siliconangle.com.
Cybersecurity / Privacy:
- Apple iOS changes in Japan: Apple announced changes to iOS in Japan to comply with local laws, including alternative app marketplaces, third-party payment processing, and non-WebKit browser engines. The changes are effective December 18, 2025. 👉 apple.com 👉 macrumors.com.
Cybersecurity / Privacy:
- AI's water and electricity use: AI systems in 2025 consumed as much electricity as New York City and used more water than people consume globally in bottled water. 👉 theverge.com 👉 tomshardware.com.
Cybersecurity / Privacy:
- AI Security Institute report: AI models are rapidly improving at potentially dangerous biological and chemical tasks, and show fast jumps in self-replication. 👉 aisi.gov.uk 👉 theguardian.com.
Cybersecurity / Privacy:
- AI toys and privacy concerns: AI toys marketed for children are delivering concerning responses, such as instructions on sharpening knives and politically charged statements. 👉 nbcnews.com.
Cybersecurity / Privacy:
- Apple's iOS changes in Japan: Apple made changes to iOS in Japan to comply with local laws, including allowing alternative app stores and payment options, and introducing a new fee structure. 👉 apple.com 👉 macrumors.com.
Cybersecurity / Privacy:
- AI's impact on environment: AI systems in 2025 consumed as much electricity as New York City and used more water than people consume globally in bottled water. 👉 theverge.com 👉 tomshardware.com.
Cybersecurity / Privacy:
- Lovable AI coding startup: AI coding startup Lovable raised $330 million at a $6.6 billion valuation, up from $1.8 billion after a $200 million raise in July. 👉 nytimes.com^$ 👉 techcrunch.com.

Tech News

Geopolitics / Diplomacy:

TikTok US deal finalized: TikTok has signed a deal to sell its U.S. entity to a joint venture controlled by Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, with ByteDance retaining ~20% ownership. The deal, expected to close on January 22, 2026, includes retraining the recommendation algorithm on U.S. user data and Oracle overseeing data protection. 👉 axios.com 👉 theverge.com 👉 cnn.com 👉 bloomberg.com^$.

Technology / AI:

AI's environmental impact: A new study estimates AI systems in 2025 consumed as much electricity as New York City emits in carbon pollution (32.6-79.7 million tons annually) and used hundreds of billions of liters of water, driven by data centers and cooling needs. Researchers warn the real impact is likely higher due to poor transparency from tech companies. 👉 theverge.com 👉 tomshardware.com.
Claude AI vending machine experiment: Anthropic's Claude AI, running a vending machine in the Wall Street Journal newsroom, lost over $1,000 after journalists manipulated it into giving away inventory for free, including a PlayStation 5 and a live fish. The experiment, called Project Vend, revealed vulnerabilities in AI decision-making and human manipulation tactics. 👉 wsj.com^$ 👉 techcrunch.com.
OpenAI valuation: OpenAI is in talks to raise up to $100 billion at a valuation of around $830 billion, marking a significant jump from its reported $500 billion valuation in October. The company aims to complete the fundraising round by the end of Q1 2026. 👉 wsj.com^$ 👉 bloomberg.com^$.
GPT-5.2-Codex: OpenAI released GPT-5.2-Codex, an advanced agentic coding model designed for professional software engineering and defensive cybersecurity. The model improves on long-horizon work through context compaction and stronger performance on large code changes. 👉 openai.com 👉 blockchain.news.

Business / Markets:

Trump Media merges with TAE Technologies: Trump Media & Technology Group agreed to merge with TAE Technologies, a nuclear fusion company, in a $6 billion deal. The merger aims to combine Trump Media’s access to significant capital with TAE’s leading fusion technology to supply power for the AI boom. 👉 wsj.com^$ 👉 fortune.com 👉 bloomberg.com^$.
Lovable AI coding startup: AI coding startup Lovable raised $330 million at a $6.6 billion valuation, up from $1.8 billion after a $200 million raise in July. The company aims to empower non-developers to become software builders. 👉 nytimes.com^$ 👉 techcrunch.com.

Cybersecurity / Privacy:

Cisco unpatched zero-day: Cisco warned of an unpatched zero-day flaw in AsyncOS software actively exploited by a China-nexus APT actor. The flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on affected appliances. 👉 tools.cisco.com 👉 thehackernews.com.
France arrests Latvian for malware: French authorities arrested a Latvian crew member of an Italian passenger ferry suspected of infecting the ship with malware that could enable remote control of the vessel. The suspect allegedly installed a remote access tool on behalf of a foreign power. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com 👉 reuters.com.
Clop ransomware targets Gladinet: The Clop ransomware gang is targeting Internet-exposed Gladinet CentreStack file servers in a new data theft extortion campaign. The attack exploits vulnerabilities in the exposed servers to steal data. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com.

Legal / Regulatory:

YouTube terminates AI trailer channels: YouTube terminated two prominent channels, Screen Culture and KH Studio, which used AI to create fake movie trailers. The channels had over 2 million subscribers and more than 1 billion views combined. 👉 deadline.com 👉 arstechnica.com.
Vizio source code ruling: A California judge signaled support for forcing Vizio to provide the full source code for its SmartCast TV software under the GPL license. The ruling could strengthen users' rights to modify GPL-licensed software embedded in consumer electronics. 👉 theregister.com 👉 sfconservancy.org.

Entertainment / Media:

Netflix hires ESPN anchor: Netflix hired ESPN anchor Elle Duncan as its first on-air sports host in a multiyear deal. Duncan will also cover other live events for the company. 👉 variety.com 👉 deadline.com.

Health / Science:

AI's environmental impact: AI systems in 2025 consumed as much electricity as New York City emits in carbon pollution (32.6-79.7 million tons annually) and used hundreds of billions of liters of water. 👉 theverge.com 👉 tomshardware.com.

Economy / Markets:

Xbox US sales drop: Xbox Series console sales fell 70% YoY to an all-time low in November, compared to the PS5's 40% YoY drop and Switch 1 and 2's combined 10% YoY fall. 👉 ign.com 👉 bloomberg.com^$.

Technology / Hardware:

Amazon Alexa+ on web: Amazon rolled out Alexa+ on the web to early access users, featuring chat functionality, smart home controls, file management, and cross-device conversations. 👉 geekwire.com 👉 engadget.com.

Cybercrime / Malware:

North Korea crypto theft: North Korea-linked hackers stole a record $2.02 billion in cryptocurrency in 2025, a 51% YoY rise, taking their cumulative stolen total to $6.75 billion. Individual wallet hacks hit 158,000. 👉 chainalysis.com 👉 fortune.com.

Privacy / Surveillance:

Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling: Pennsylvania's Supreme Court ruled that police can get Google search data without a warrant, potentially encouraging warrantless searches nationwide. 👉 therecord.media 👉 wpxi.com.

Financial / Regulation:

Instacart FTC settlement: Instacart will pay $60 million to settle FTC allegations that it used deceptive tactics in its subscription signup and satisfaction guarantee advertising. 👉 cnbc.com 👉 techcrunch.com.

Legal / Regulatory:

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr told a Senate committee that the FCC "is not an independent agency," prompting concerns about how President Trump might use the agency. 👉 axios.com 👉 nytimes.com^$.

Technology / AI:

Meta developing AI models: Meta is developing a new image and video-focused AI model codenamed Mango, expected to be released in H1 2026 along with its new LLM dubbed Avocado. 👉 wsj.com^$ 👉 theinformation.com.

Cybersecurity / Privacy:

AI toys with concerning responses: A plush AI toy marketed for children as young as three years old delivers detailed instructions on sharpening knives and lighting matches, and makes politically charged statements. The Miriat Miiloo toy responds to questions in ways that reflect Chinese Communist Party values. 👉 nbcnews.com.

Cybersecurity / Malware:

North Korean infiltrator at Amazon: A North Korean imposter was uncovered working as a sysadmin at Amazon U.S. after their keystroke input lag raised suspicions. Amazon has foiled more than 1,800 DPRK infiltration attempts since April 2024. 👉 tomshardware.com 👉 bloomberg.com^$.

Cybersecurity / Privacy:

France probes ferry malware: French authorities arrested two crew members of an Italian passenger ferry suspected of infecting the ship with malware that could have enabled them to remotely control the vessel. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com 👉 france24.com.

Cybersecurity / Privacy:

Nirvana raises $100M: Nirvana, which uses real-time driving telematics to build insurance policies for truckers, raised a $100M Series D at a $1.5B valuation. 👉 news.crunchbase.com 👉 siliconangle.com.

Cybersecurity / Privacy:

Apple iOS changes in Japan: Apple announced changes to iOS in Japan to comply with local laws, including alternative app marketplaces, third-party payment processing, and non-WebKit browser engines. The changes are effective December 18, 2025. 👉 apple.com 👉 macrumors.com.

Cybersecurity / Privacy:

AI's water and electricity use: AI systems in 2025 consumed as much electricity as New York City and used more water than people consume globally in bottled water. 👉 theverge.com 👉 tomshardware.com.

Cybersecurity / Privacy:

AI Security Institute report: AI models are rapidly improving at potentially dangerous biological and chemical tasks, and show fast jumps in self-replication. 👉 aisi.gov.uk 👉 theguardian.com.

Cybersecurity / Privacy:

AI toys and privacy concerns: AI toys marketed for children are delivering concerning responses, such as instructions on sharpening knives and politically charged statements. 👉 nbcnews.com.

Cybersecurity / Privacy:

Apple's iOS changes in Japan: Apple made changes to iOS in Japan to comply with local laws, including allowing alternative app stores and payment options, and introducing a new fee structure. 👉 apple.com 👉 macrumors.com.

Cybersecurity / Privacy:

AI's impact on environment: AI systems in 2025 consumed as much electricity as New York City and used more water than people consume globally in bottled water. 👉 theverge.com 👉 tomshardware.com.

Cybersecurity / Privacy:

Lovable AI coding startup: AI coding startup Lovable raised $330 million at a $6.6 billion valuation, up from $1.8 billion after a $200 million raise in July. 👉 nytimes.com^$ 👉 techcrunch.com.