Daily Tech News Show – Tom Merritt .com

DTH-6-150x150 Apple has launched the new Creator Studio subscription bundle, Meta Shifts Reality Labs Focus, Cuts 1,000+ Jobs to Prioritize AI Wearables Over Metaverse, and FCC Revokes Rule Requiring Verizon to Unlock Phones After 60 Days

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Show Notes

Microsoft to Pay Full Electricity Costs for U.S. Data Centers

Microsoft has committed to covering the full electricity costs for operating its U.S. data centers to ease public concern that the AI infrastructure expansion will increase consumer utility rates. Announced by President Brad Smith as a matter of “civic responsibility,” the initiative also involves working with utility companies to secure power, boost efficiency, and reduce water usage. This pledge follows public comments from the U.S. president about ensuring “big Technology Companies” pay their own way for the AI boom’s necessary infrastructure.
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Apple Launches Creator Studio Subscription Bundle

Apple has launched the new Creator Studio subscription bundle, priced at $12.99 monthly or $129 annually, offering a collection of six creative applications, including Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage, along with premium content for iWork apps. The bundle, which will include Freeform later and offer a discounted rate for students and educators, will be available starting January 28 with a one-month free trial. Apple’s Eddy Cue highlights the bundle as a great value for creators, coinciding with new feature updates for many of the included apps and notably bringing Pixelmator Pro to the iPad.
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Meta Cuts Reality Labs Jobs, Shifts Focus Away From Metaverse

Meta Platforms is pivoting its Reality Labs strategy, cutting over 1,000 jobs (about 10%) to shift resources away from the costly and underperforming metaverse and virtual reality (VR) toward more promising areas like AI wearables and mobile features. According to an internal memo from CTO Andrew Bosworth, the change follows the better reception of AI-powered glasses and the high cost of the metaverse effort. While Meta will continue to invest in the metaverse and VR, its metaverse software, Horizon, will now focus almost exclusively on mobile devices to boost adoption, and the VR hardware division will operate as a smaller, more focused unit.
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Meta Launches “Meta Compute” AI Infrastructure Initiative

Meta has also announced the launch of Meta Compute, a new initiative to significantly expand the company’s AI infrastructure, including plans to build “tens of gigawatts” of energy capacity. This commitment follows Meta’s high capital expenditure projections to develop leading AI infrastructure and keep pace in the generative AI race. To lead this ambitious project, Zuckerberg appointed Santosh Janardhan for technical architecture and data center operations, Daniel Gross for long-term capacity strategy and partnerships, and Dina Powell McCormick for government relations regarding infrastructure financing.
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FCC Revises Verizon Phone Unlocking Rule After Fraud Concerns

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has revised a rule that uniquely required Verizon to unlock its mobile phones just 60 days after activation, a policy the company claimed cost hundreds of millions of dollars annually due to device fraud. Verizon sought the change because organized, global criminal networks were exploiting the quick unlock period—which differed from the industry standard—to steal and resell handsets on the dark web, particularly in countries like Russia, China, and Cuba. The FCC acknowledged the loophole was being used for illicit activity, including drug running and human smuggling, after Verizon reported losing 784,703 devices to fraud in 2023.
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Tesla Brings Back Seven-Seat Model Y for 2026

Tesla has brought back a seven-seat option for the 2026 Model Y in the US, available only on the Premium All-Wheel-Drive Long Range model for an extra $2,500. The third row, best for children, features fold-flat seats, mirroring the second row’s capability. This reintroduction comes as Tesla faces more competition and follows a period where the Model Y was only sold as a five-seater in the US. The Premium Model Y also includes minor updates, such as new 20-inch “Helix” wheels, a black headliner, a larger 16-inch display, and darker rear badging.
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India’s Smartphone Security Proposal Faces Privacy Backlash

India’s proposed security rules for smartphone manufacturers, which mandate source code sharing and one-year phone log retention, are drawing criticism from privacy advocates, tech experts, and companies like Apple and Samsung. Critics argue the measures, while intended to combat online fraud, grant the government excessive surveillance powers, erode trust due to source code requests, and raise conflict-of-interest concerns over the requirement to inform officials before security updates.
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Salesforce Makes AI-Powered Slackbot Generally Available

Salesforce has made its generative AI-powered Slackbot, a “super agent” capable of handling complex tasks like drafting, scheduling, and finding information, generally available to Business+ and Enterprise+ Slack customers. The new Slackbot can integrate with external apps like Microsoft Teams and Google Drive. Salesforce CTO Parker Harris is optimistic about its “product-market-fit” due to promising internal adoption, with future plans for voice interaction and internet browsing.
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iOS 26.3 Beta Hints at End-to-End Encryption for RCS

Apple appears to be nearing the rollout of end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages, a feature announced last March. Evidence of this was found in the iOS 26.3 beta 2, which contains a new carrier bundle setting that allows carriers to enable or disable E2EE for RCS, currently only noted for French carriers. Although the GSMA standard generally requires E2EE, it allows exceptions for local regulations, which explains the toggle. The discovery suggests E2EE support for RCS is coming soon, even if not immediately with iOS 26.3.
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AI Gets HIPAA With HealthCare – DTNS 5183

Daily Tech News Show/ Shows / January 12th, 2026

OpenAI and Anthropic make a play for the health industry, meanwhile, Apple had its best year ever.

Starring Tom Merritt and Robb Dunewood

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Show Notes

Anthropic Launches Claude for Healthcare – DTH

Daily Tech News Show/ Shows / January 12th, 2026

DTH-6-150x150 Anthropic announced new health and life sciences features called Claude for Healthcare, Cloudflare threatens to withdraw services from Italy following a fine from AGCOM, and Meta closes approximately 550,000 accounts in compliance with Australia’s social media ban for under-16s.

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Show Notes

Anthropic announced new health and life sciences features for its Claude AI. Claude for Healthcare provides HIPAA-ready infrastructure for healthcare providers, insurers, and consumers. Much like ChatGPT Health, which OpenAI launched last week, users can connect data from fitness apps to personalize conversations about health care issues. American Subscribers on the Pro and Max plans can now access the beta for Claude’s healthcare features, with the integration with Apple Health and Android Health Connect rolling out this week. Anthropic states data accessed through integrations is not stored or used to train any models.

Source: NBC News and Business Insider

Following an investigation by The Guardian in early January, demonstrating Google’s AI Overviews providing incorrect and misleading information in response to health queries, a specific snippet regarding liver tests has been removed. AI overviews no longer appear for “what is the normal range of liver blood tests”, but asking a variation of the question, like searching for “lft reference range”, brings back the AI overview. Other examples from The Guardian investigation, providing incorrect information about mental health and cancer, remain. A Google spokesperson said “We do not comment on individual removals within Search”.

Source: The Guardian

Reuters reports the Indian government proposed a requirement for smartphone manufacturers to share source code with the government, as well as make software changes, as part of a new package of security measures. A Reuters source notes Apple and Samsung oppose the proposal, though there has not been any public statements by the companies, nor from other firms. In December 2025, the Indian government backtracked on a demand for phone manufacturers to pre-install an unremoveable state-backed security app following complaints from privacy advocates, politicians, and tech companies.

Source: Reuters

As part of ongoing compliance with Australia’s social media ban for users under 16 years old, Meta closed approximately 550,000 accounts. This includes 330,000 Instagram, 173,000 Facebook, and 40,000 Threads accounts. In a post from Meta Australia’s Policy Blog, the company states the ban is merely “driving teens to less regulated apps and parts of the internet” and calls for the Australian government to better engage with industry to “find a better way forward” instead of blanket bans.

Source: Engadget

The United Kingdom’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) launched an investigation into social media platform X over concerns regarding the generated sexualised images created by the AI tool Grok, including images of children. Ofcom has the power to issue fines of up to 10% of a company’s global revenue or a flat cost of £18 million, whichever is greater. Ofcom can also pursue a court order to force ISPs to block X access within the United Kingdom. Malaysia and Indonesia blocked access to X over the weekend.

Source: BBC

Italy’s AGCOM fined Cloudflare 14.2 million euros under the country’s Privacy Shield law for refusing to block access to sites facilitating piracy through its 1.1.1.1 DNS service. Cloudflare will fight the penalty and argues filtering approximately 200 billion daily requests to its DNS system would negatively impact sites not covered under any piracy ban. In a statement on X, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince is also considering options like removing servers within the country and discontinuing millions in pro bono cybersecurity services for the Milano-Cortina Olympics.

Source: Ars Technica

CNBC’s Jim Cramer reports Apple entered a multi-year partnership with Google for Gemini models and cloud technology for future Apple foundational models. The Apple statement obtained by Cramer says “Google’s technology provides the most capable foundation”. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported Apple was in talks with Google in August 2025.

Source: CNBC

The current most popular paid app in China on the Apple Store is translated in English to “Are You Dead?”, a tool to check up on people living alone. Users must press a button in the app to ‘check in’ or the app will send a message to a designated emergency contact if no check ins are posted over two consecutive days. Though the app is aimed at younger people choosing to live alone instead of pursuing a family life, it is also popular with the elderly. The creator of the app, known as Lyu, said the name was not intended to sound “bad”, but “a reminder for us to cherish the present”.

Source: The Financial Times

¿Qué es real en el entorno digital? – NTX 442

Daily Tech News Show/ Shows / January 11th, 2026

Piden eliminar a Grok, intentan hackear a la UNAM y el CEO de Instagram se queja de la falsedad en internet.

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Temas
-Senadores piden eliminar la aplicación de Grok
-Universal Music Group firma acuerdo con Nvidia
-ChatGPT es usado para interpretaciones médicas sin supervisión
-Intentan hackeo a la UNAM
-CEO de Instagram se queja de tecnologías generativas

Análisis: ¿Qué es real en el entorno digital?

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Muchas gracias a Dan Lueders por la música.

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Show Notes
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Meta Strikes New Nuclear Power Deals – DTH

Daily Tech News Show/ Shows / January 10th, 2026

DTH-6-150x150 Amazon plans new 229,000-square-foot “mega store”, Indonesia temporarily blocks access to X’s Grok chatbot, Lego opens preorders for first Smart Play Star Wars sets.

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Show Notes
Meta lines up nuclear power for AI

Meta struck three nuclear power deals as data center demand climbs. Vistra will supply 2.1 GW from existing Ohio reactors and add 433 MW through upgrades in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Small modular reactor startups Oklo and TerraPower will provide 1.2 GW and 690 MW respectively, with options for another 2.8 GW from TerraPower. Oklo targets 2030, TerraPower 2032. SMR costs are unproven and Vistra’s supply is expected to be cheaper.

More: TechCrunch

Amazon tests a Walmart-style supercenter

Amazon won approval for a 229,000-square-foot “mega store” in Orland Park, Illinois, larger than the average Walmart Supercenter. The location will blend groceries, general merchandise, services, prepared foods, and pickup for online orders. Amazon is also piloting 1 hour “rush” pickup and fulfillment-only stores promising 30-minute delivery in parts of Seattle and Philadelphia.

More: Business Insider

Indonesia restricts access to Grok

Indonesia temporarily blocked access to X’s Grok chatbot over AI-generated sexualized images and non-consensual deepfakes involving minors. In the US, Sens. Ron Wyden, Ben Ray Luján, and Ed Markey urged Apple and Google to remove Grok from their app stores for similar policy concerns. X restricted some image-generation features for subscribers, though other creation tools remain accessible.

More: The Verge, Reuters

Lego debuts Smart Play Star Wars sets

Lego opened preorders for its first Smart Play Star Wars sets with the new Smart Brick adding lights, sounds, and character recognition via NFC. Three sets ship March 1, 2026 at $70, $90, and $160 and include Smart Bricks, Smart Tags, “smart” minifigs, and a wireless charger. Smart Bricks aren’t programmable but support app updates.

More: The Verge

Bose backs off bricking old speakers

Bose reversed plans to brick its 10-year-old SoundTouch Wi-Fi speakers after backlash. Cloud services will shut down in May, but an app update will preserve local streaming, AirPlay, Spotify Connect, remote controls, grouping, and setup over Wi-Fi or AUX. Some features and security updates will stop, and Bose will open source SoundTouch software and publish developer APIs.

More: Thurrott

UMG and Nvidia partner on AI music tools

Universal Music Group and Nvidia will collaborate on “responsible AI” for music discovery, creation, and rights compensation, including identifying copyrighted works used in AI. The partnership centers on Nvidia’s Music Flamingo model, which analyzes structure, harmony, lyrics, and other theory metrics.

More: Billboard

Dolby Vision 2 rolls out in 2026

Dolby Vision 2 boosts brightness in dark scenes, adapts to ambient light, improves color using new tone mapping, and adds “Authentic Motion” smoothing. Support lands this year on Hisense RGB MiniLED TVs, TCL’s X QD-Mini LED and C Series through an update, and TP Vision’s Philips OLED sets. Peacock will use Dolby Vision 2 for live sports with broader service support expected later in 2026.

More: Engadget

OpenAI broaches kids AI ballot deal in California

OpenAI and Common Sense Media reached a draft deal to merge competing California ballot initiatives on AI for minors, avoiding a costly fight. The proposal includes age checks, data-sale limits, parental controls, audits, and a ban on targeted ads to kids, with enforcement by the state Attorney General. The measure could start signature gathering next week.

More: Politico

Hyundai to deploy humanoid robots in factories

Hyundai plans to use Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robots in its Savannah, Georgia plants starting in 2028, arranging components before installation and scaling to more complex tasks by 2030. Google will integrate Gemini for testing in the coming months. Hyundai may produce up to 30,000 robots annually at a new US facility.

More: Bloomberg, Wired

Polymarket lands Golden Globes deal

Polymarket will serve as the Golden Globes’ exclusive prediction market partner, providing real-time odds for major categories during the CBS telecast and at the official viewing party. The partnership adds integrated branding and interactive modules across PMC properties, expanding Polymarket’s push into politics, business, and culture.

More: Variety

Glasses and Robots Were Everywhere At CES 2026 – DTNS 5182

Daily Tech News Show/ Shows / January 9th, 2026

FCC is about to approve changes that will make Wi-Fi advocates very happy, and Bose deserves a lot of credit for open sourcing its nearly end-of-life SoundTouch Wi-Fi speakers.

Starring Jason Howell and Huyen Tue Dao.

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Show Notes

Grok Image Restriction on X Deemed Superficial After Deepfake Controversy – DTH

Daily Tech News Show/ Shows / January 9th, 2026

DTH-6-150x150 EU Considering ‘Very Large Platform’ Status for WhatsApp, FCC to Vote on New “Geofenced Variable Power” Wireless Devices for 6 GHz Wi-Fi, and Internet connectivity in Iran experienced a near-total collapse on Thursday.

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Show Notes

X Restricts Grok Image Generation After Deepfake Controversy

The social medial platform X has partially restricted Grok’s image generation function via the @grok reply to paying subscribers only, following controversy over the creation of nonconsensual, sexualized deepfakes. This restriction, however, is superficial, as all X users, including free ones, can still easily access Grok’s image creation and editing tools through the “Edit image” button, the standalone Grok website, and app. Critics view this limited measure as a failure by X and xAI to genuinely block the creation of illegal and harmful content, especially when compared to the stricter content guardrails enforced by other AI developers like Google and OpenAI.

Read More:
The Guardian
The Verge

EU Considers Designating WhatsApp a “Very Large Platform”

The European Commission is actively considering designating Meta’s WhatsApp messaging service as a “very large platform,” which would significantly increase its legal responsibilities for tackling illegal and harmful content, a move signaled after the service published user numbers exceeding the Digital Services Act threshold in February 2025. This potential recategorization, according to a commission spokesperson, is under review and would mandate stricter adherence to content moderation policies.

Read More:
Reuters

FCC Moves to Approve More Powerful 6 GHz Wi-Fi Devices

The FCC is scheduled to vote on January 29th to approve a new category of “Geofenced variable power (GVP)” wireless devices for the 6 GHz Wi-Fi band, which can operate outdoors and at higher power levels. This move aims to support high-data-rate applications like AR/VR and automation while using geofencing to protect licensed services. Consumer advocates view this as a positive step for “better, faster Wi-Fi,” though a potential future auction of 6 GHz spectrum remains a concern. The FCC will also seek comment on increasing power for indoor-only devices.

Read More:
Ars Technica

Iran Experiences Near-Total Internet Blackout Amid Protests

Internet connectivity in Iran experienced a near-total collapse on Thursday, starting around 11:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (8 p.m. in Tehran), according to multiple web monitoring firms. This extensive internet blackout is attributed to the Iranian government, which is tightly controlling access amid a violent crackdown on nationwide protests that began in late December over currency devaluation, shortages, and dramatic price spikes. Experts described the country as “effectively completely offline.”

Read More:
TechCrunch

Nvidia Appoints Its First Chief Marketing Officer

Nvidia has hired former Google executive Alison Wagonfeld as its first Chief Marketing Officer, consolidating marketing and communications. Wagonfeld, who previously led marketing for Google Cloud, will report directly to CEO Jensen Huang starting in February. This new role addresses Nvidia’s growing marketing needs following unparalleled growth fueled by the demand for its AI chips since the release of ChatGPT in 2022, leading to a recent record $57 billion in sales.

Read More:
The Wall Street Journal

xAI Invests $20B in New Mississippi Data Center

xAI is investing over $20 billion to build a new data center in Southaven, Mississippi, to meet the high demand for generative AI and enhance its competition with rivals. Confirmed by Governor Tate Reeves and scheduled for a February 2026 launch, the facility is strategically located near a power plant and xAI’s existing Memphis data center. This expansion highlights the substantial capital costs for AI startups, with xAI having already spent $7.8 billion this year on hardware.

Read More:
Reuters

LG Energy Solution Posts Surprise Q4 Loss

South Korea’s largest battery maker, LG Energy Solution Ltd., announced a preliminary operating loss of 122 billion won ($83.8 million) for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31. This surprising loss, which missed analyst profit estimates of 33.1 billion won, darkens the outlook for the company due to the slow decline in electric vehicle demand across key markets. Despite missing estimates, the reported loss was an improvement compared to the 225.5 billion won loss recorded in the same period a year prior.

Read More:
Bloomberg

NASA Ends Crew-11 Mission Early Due to Medical Issue

NASA is prematurely ending the Crew-11 mission and returning the four astronauts immediately due to an unspecified medical issue with one crew member that requires Earth-based treatment. The decision, made late Thursday after a two-day spacewalk postponement, marks the ISS’s first medical evacuation. Officials confirm the astronaut is stable, the condition is not space-related, and privacy prevents identification. The station’s crew will drop to three until the expedited Crew-12 mission, underscoring the risks of long-duration spaceflight.

Read More:
The Register

Disney+ to Launch Short-Form Vertical Video Feed

Inspired by TikTok and Instagram Reels, Disney announced at CES 2026 it will launch short-form vertical video content on Disney+ in the U.S. this year. This strategy aims to increase daily engagement among younger users, mirroring similar features on the ESPN app and Netflix. Disney expects the personalized, dynamic experience featuring original content, repurposed clips, or scenes from shows/movies to establish Disney+ as a daily destination.

Read More:
TechCrunch

The Best of CES 2026 – DTNS 5181

Daily Tech News Show/ Shows / January 8th, 2026

David Katzmaier tells us what CNET awarded best overall, and Richard Gunther and Trisha Hershberger fill out the list with their faves.

Starring: Tom Merritt, Robb Dunewood, Sarah Lane, Trisha Hershberger, David Katzmaier, Richard Gunther, Roger Chang, Joe, Amos.

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Show Notes

https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-of-ces-2026-awards/ https://www.cnet.com/news-live/ces-2026-news-live-updates/ https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/willo-wireless-power-hints-at-cable-free-future-at-ces-2026/ https://mashable.com/article/best-of-ces-2026-awards-finalists https://lifehacker.com/tech/ces-2026-this-rideable-luggage-made-me-a-believer https://www.twice.com/industry/twice-residential-systems-and-techradar-pro-announce-picks-awards-winners-for-ces-2026 https://www.strutt.inc/news/strutt-wins-ces-2026-best-of-innovation-award-announces-strutt-day-press-event-and-confirms-grand-launch-of-first-product-at-ces-2026 https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/lego-smart-bricks-star-wars-set-ces-2026/ https://news.samsung.com/uk/ces-2026-an-entertainment-companion-for-every-moment-seen-and-heard https://arstechnica.com/google/2026/01/google-announces-ai-overviews-in-gmail-search-experimental-ai-organized-inbox/ https://www.axios.com/2026/01/07/chatgpt-health-tab-apple-fitness-apps https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/you-wont-be-able-to-buy-samsungs-household-ballie-robot-after-all-104529942.html https://www.aqara.com/en/pages/ces-2026/ https://aiper.com/us/aiper-irrisense2 https://about.att.com/story/2025/connected-life.html https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-08/china-to-approve-nvidia-h200-purchases-as-soon-as-this-quarter https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2026-01-08/eu-commission-has-ordered-x-to-retain-all-grok-documents-until-end-2026-spokesperson-says https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/07/alphabets-market-cap-surpasses-apples-for-first-time-since-2019.html https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/07/spotify-now-lets-you-share-what-youre-streaming-in-real-time-with-friends/ https://www.wsj.com/finance/banking/jpmorgan-chase-reaches-a-deal-to-take-over-the-apple-credit-card-4e214fb2

https://www.tomsguide.com/tvs/tcl-tv-lineup-2026-new-sqd-mini-led-enhancement-mini-led-tvs-and-an-rgb-mini-led-tv https://www.coolermaster.com/ https://ces.thermaltake.com/2026/chassis.html https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/gaming-headsets/hyperx-working-on-gaming-headset-packed-with-brain-wave-monitoring-eeg-tech-to-better-get-your-head-in-the-game/ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-08/china-s-humanoid-bots-were-everywhere-at-america-s-top-tech-show

ChatGPT Launches ChatGPT Health – DTH

Daily Tech News Show/ Shows / January 8th, 2026

DTH-6-150x150 ChatGPT adds a new tab specifically for health, Google and Character.AI are finalizing settlement agreements with families over harms caused by chatbots, and the European Commission orders X to retain data related to Grok.

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Show Notes

OpenAI is adding a tab for health in ChatGPT. Called ChatGPT Health, it enables connecting to sources for personal data from apps like Apple Health and MyFitnessPal. OpenAI states GPT Health data will not be used in model training and there is an option to use a temporary chat, which does not store data. Currently the feature is only testing with a small group, a waitlist for access to ChatGPT Health is now open, and the company expects to push it to wide release on web and iOS in the coming weeks.

Source: Axios

The European Commission ordered the social media platform X to retain all data and internal documents related to AI chatbot Grok until the end of 2026. The order follows widespread multinational condemnation of Grok creating images of undressed women and minors. This extends the retention order X has been under since 2025, which initially focused on algorithms and availability of illegal content, and does not mean it is a new formal EU Digital Services Act investigation.

Source: Reuters

Google and Character.AI are finalizing settlement agreements regarding several lawsuits by families of teens who harmed themselves or died following interaction with the chatbots run by the companies. Suits were filed in states including New York, Colorado, Texas, and Florida, and settlement details are not currently public. Lawsuits against OpenAI regarding ChatGPT and others against Meta chatbots remain ongoing.

Sources: The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal

CES 2026 featured a router from ASUS and a chip from Broadcom using WiFi 8, which is not currently a certified standard. WiFi 7 improved speeds compared to WiFi 6 and WiFi 8 focuses on improving power efficiency and reliability. Products using WiFi 8 may be launched by the end of 2026, still before it is expected to become a certified standard. A large percentage of devices operating today use WiFi 6.

Source: The Verge

Gmail is adding AI features to all personal account users previously locked behind Google AI Pro or Ultra subscriptions. “Help Me Write” drafts an email based on a prompt, with options to refine output with Formalize, Elaborate, Polish, and Shorten. Help Me Write is available on web, iOS, and Android. Suggested Replies will improve from generic responses to following a user’s tone and context. And long email threads can be summarized with an AI Overview card. The rollout begins today in the United States before expanding to the rest of the world.

Source: 9to5Google

Google also announced an AI Inbox view for Gmail, creating a personalized To Do list and presenting summaries of topics from existing emails. The demo video shows AI suggesting tasks like changing an appointment time, paying fees, and sending replies to unanswered emails. Tasks currently cannot be marked as completed, a feature Google is working on. AI features in Gmail can be turned off in settings, though this will also disable spell-checking.

Source: The Verge

Bloomberg’s sources say the Chinese government plans to approve purchases of Nvida H200 chips this quarter for select commercial use, but likely to prohibit purchase or use by military, sensitive government agencies, critical infrastructure, and state-owned companies.

Source: Bloomberg

Ubisoft closed its Halifax game studio, which previously employed 71 people, attributing the closure to ongoing measures to cut costs and increase efficiency. In December 2025 the Halifax studio was the first in North America to form a union. CWA Canada, an all-media union, will pursue Ubisoft for more detailed reasons regarding the studio’s shutdown.

Source: CBC