Apple drops commission rates in China without a fuss
Apple dropped its App Store commission rates to 25% in China, and commissions on auto-renewed subscriptions down to 12%.
Roundtables: A Conversation With the Creator of AI-Designed Viruses
Friday, October 16, 2026 Can AI design new life forms? In 2025, Stanford University PhD student Samuel King came up with a preliminary answer when he used a generative AI model to propose genetic blueprints for microscopic viruses. It isn’t yet an example of AI-generated life, but that could be next. Join senior AI reporter…
The FBI is investigating malware hidden inside games hosted on Steam
The FBI believes a series of video games published on Steam in the last two years were embedded with malware by the same hacker.
Gen Z Parents Are ‘Career Co-Piloting’ Their Kids — Joining Interviews, Contacting Employers, and Negotiating Salaries
A survey of 1,001 Gen Z workers reveals the surprising extent of parental involvement in early career decisions, from resumes to workplace visits.
Meta Is Delaying Its ‘Superintelligent’ AI Model After Performance Issues
Mark Zuckerberg has invested billions in AI, but Meta’s latest model isn’t keeping pace with OpenAI and Google.
Peacock expands into AI-driven video, mobile-first live sports, and gaming
Peacock is betting on new AI-powered video experiences, vertical clips, and mobile games to help its growth.
Google Maps Makes Its Biggest Navigation Update in Over a Decade — What This Means for Your Next Drive
The company is adding AI-powered ‘Ask Maps’ and ‘Immersive Navigation’ to your travel experience.
Real Estate Market Transparency Hasn’t Made Housing More Affordable — Here’s the Problem (and How to Solve It)
As transaction costs remain opaque and misaligned, the next wave of real estate tech is being shaped by pricing clarity and fairer economic models.
The Least Expensive ‘Business Card’ You’ll Ever Have: $19 EmailSignatures for Life
Look like a pro from day one with this deal.
Motional robotaxis join the Uber app in Vegas two years after major reset
The launch comes just two years after a major reboot at Hyundai-owned Motional. The service will start with a safety monitor, which Motional hopes to remove by year’s end.
The Download: how AI is used for military targeting, and the Pentagon’s war on Claude
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. Defense official reveals how AI chatbots could be used for targeting decisions The US military might use generative AI systems to rank targets and recommend which to strike first, according to a Defense Department…