ICE bought vehicles equipped with fake cell towers to spy on phones
The federal contract shows ICE spent $825,000 on vans equipped with “cell-site simulators” which allow the real-world location tracking of nearby phones and their owners.
The Download: The startup that says it can stop lightning, and inside OpenAI’s Pentagon deal
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. This startup claims it can stop lightning and prevent catastrophic wildfires Startup Skyward Wildfire says it can prevent catastrophic fires by stopping the lightning strikes that ignite them. So far, it hasn’t publicly…
Mastodon is taking cues from Bluesky with plans for its own starter ‘Packs’
Mastodon is planning to make it easier for newcomers to discover curated collections of users to follow by launching a new starter packs feature.
Anthropic plans to open India office, eyes tie-up with billionaire Ambani
Anthropic’s next big bet is India — one of its fastest-growing markets worldwide.
North Korean hackers stole over $2 billion in crypto so far in 2025, researchers say
Blockchain monitoring firm Elliptic said this year’s total is already an all-time record for the North Korean regime.
Anthropic and IBM announce strategic partnership
Anthropic’s Claude large language model family will be incorporated into some of IBM’s software development products.
The Barrier That’s Blocking Billions of People From the AI Economy’s Biggest Opportunities
How building resilient AI in low-data environments can unlock inclusion for underserved populations.
ChatGPT Can Now Run Apps Like Zillow and Spotify: ‘A Big Deal’
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says ChatGPT now has 800 million weekly users, up from 700 million in August.
Startup Battlefield company ÄIO invented a method to make edible fat from ag waste like sawdust
This process could be a way to reduce the world’s dependency on the ecologically destructive palm oil industry.
The iPhone Air is so light, I forgot it was in my pocket
Apple’s iPhone Air is refreshing to use. But its battery and single camera is not for most people.
One startup’s paper-thin stainless steel could change how bridges are built
By coating regular rebar with a thin layer of stainless steel, Allium Engineering could reduce the amount of concrete needed to build a bridge while also prolonging its life.