The Brutalist Report - tech
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- Sources: Recursive Superintelligence, a four-month-old start-up developing self-teaching AI and founded by ex-DeepMind and OpenAI engineers, has raised $500M+ (Financial Times) [2d]
- White House says a meeting between Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Dario Amodei had been "productive and constructive"; source: Scott Bessent joined the meeting (Axios) [2d]
- A deep dive into Dwarkesh Patel's interview with Jensen Huang, including Huang's takes on Nvidia's moat and chip sales to China, and reactions to the interview (Zvi Mowshowitz/Don't Worry About the Vase) [2d]
- Bill Peebles, the researcher behind Sora, is leaving OpenAI as the company consolidates around enterprise AI and its forthcoming "superapp" (Rebecca Bellan/TechCrunch) [2d]
- Cerebras files to go public on Nasdaq and reports $510M in 2025 revenue, up 76% YoY, with a net income of $87.9M, up from a $485M net loss in 2024 (Jordan Novet/CNBC) [2d]
- Kevin Weil, OpenAI's former CPO who became VP of OpenAI for Science, is leaving the company; Prism, a web app for scientists launched in Jan., will be shuttered (Maxwell Zeff/Wired) [2d]
- Sources: Meta intends to conduct a first wave of sweeping layoffs planned for this year on May 20, laying off ~10% of its global workforce, or ~8,000 employees (Reuters) [2d]
- Figma stock drops ~7% after Anthropic launched Claude Design, a dedicated app powered by its latest model Claude Opus 4.7 (Jon Keegan/Sherwood News) [2d]
- In disclosures due to Broadcom CEO Hock Tan's presence on the Meta board, Meta says it paid Broadcom $2.3B in 2025; Tan is leaving the board (Martin Peers/The Information) [2d]
- Sources: Cursor is in advanced talks to raise about $2B co-led by a16z at a valuation of more than $50B, not including the investment, with Nvidia participating (Bloomberg) [2d]
- A profile of wealth manager Iconiq, which, sources say, has $100B AUM, with $26B specifically for VC investing; Iconiq invested $3B into AI startups in 2025 (Natasha Mascarenhas/Bloomberg) [2d]
- World expands its Tinder partnership and partners with Zoom and others to verify human users, as it continues its pivot from crypto to identity verification (Maxwell Zeff/Wired) [2d]
- Ad buyers say ad rates for ChatGPT are falling from $60 CPM to as low as $25 and the minimum spend to advertise is down to $50K from $250K at launch (Krystal Scanlon/Digiday) [2d]
- Netflix plans to launch a vertical video feed, to help with content discovery, this month, and plans to use AI for content creation and recommendations (Ivan Mehta/TechCrunch) [2d]
- China's smartphone shipments declined 4% YoY in Q1 amid memory shortages; Huawei's shipments grew 2% YoY for a 20% market share, iPhone grew 20% for a 19% share (Ivan Lam/Counterpoint Research) [2d]
- Sources: xAI plans to let Cursor train Composer 2.5 AI coding model using tens of thousands of xAI's GPUs, a new strategy for xAI in a competitive AI landscape (Grace Kay/Business Insider) [2d]
- Anthropic launches Claude Design, a new experimental product that lets users create visuals like prototypes, slides, one-pagers, and more using Claude (Aisha Malik/TechCrunch) [2d]
- Sources: DeepSeek is in talks to raise outside capital for the first time, seeking at least $300M at a valuation of at least $10B (The Information) [2d]
- Sources: some shareholders are questioning whether Sam Altman should lead OpenAI through the turbulence of an IPO and have floated Bret Taylor as a successor (Wall Street Journal) [2d]
- India drops a proposal to require Apple, Google, Samsung, and others to pre-install the country's biometric identification app Aadhaar on phones (Reuters) [2d]
- Bluesky says a sophisticated DDoS attack is to blame for continued app outages but it has not seen any evidence of unauthorized access to private data (Sarah Perez/TechCrunch) [2d]
- Loop, which uses AI to predict supply chain disruptions, raised a $95M Series C co-led by Valor Equity Partners and the Valor Atreides AI Fund (Sean O'Kane/TechCrunch) [2d]
- An interview with Dario Amodei, who says the negative narrative around AI is dominant because the industry hasn't yet fully delivered the benefits it promises (John Thornhill/Financial Times) [2d]
- Kraken parent company Payward agrees to acquire Bitnomial, a digital asset derivatives platform, for up to $550M in cash and stock (Will Canny/CoinDesk) [2d]
- Cyber experts say the EU's age verification app has glaring privacy and security problems; after saying it was ready, EU officials say the app is a "demo" (Politico) [2d]
- China fines leading food delivery apps, including Alibaba and Meituan, a combined ~$528M, the largest fine for the sector since the 2015 food safety law (Luz Ding/Bloomberg) [2d]
- Charles Schwab unveils its long-awaited crypto investing product, Schwab Crypto, with a 0.75% fee on trades and plans to launch in the coming weeks (Tanaya Macheel/CNBC) [2d]
- Docs: US tech companies successfully lobbied the EU to hide data centers' environmental toll; one of their demands was written almost verbatim into EU rules (The Guardian) [2d]
- Counterpoint: India's smartphone shipments fell 3% YoY in Q1 2026, a six-year low, as price hikes weigh on sales; 80+ smartphone models saw price hikes of ~15% (Abhinav Parmar/Reuters) [2d]
- SynMax: ~40% of US data centers due in 2026 are facing delays, with major sites for Microsoft, OpenAI, and others likely set back by more than three months (Financial Times) [2d]
- Sources: Dario Amodei is set to meet with WH Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on Friday, a breakthrough in Anthropic's effort to resolve its fight with the Pentagon (Axios) [2d]
- Uber agrees to pay ~€270M for an additional 4.5% stake in German food delivery rival Delivery Hero from Prosus, which would bring its total stake to ~7% (Financial Times) [2d]
- Sources: Sequoia raised ~$7B for a new fund, the first fundraising round under its new leadership; the firm's last expansion fund was a $3.4B vehicle in 2022 (Bloomberg) [2d]
- Physical Intelligence says its new model, π0.7, can direct robots on tasks they weren't trained on, an "early sign" of generalization, surprising researchers (Connie Loizos/TechCrunch) [2d]
- OnlyFans is in advanced talks to sell Architect Capital a below 20% stake at a $3B+ valuation, down from a previously reported ~60% stake at a ~$5.5B valuation (Financial Times) [2d]
- Sources: China mobilizes multiple agencies to probe Meta's $2B Manus deal; some officials worry aggressive measures may send chilling signals to the tech sector (Financial Times) [2d]
- Hangzhou-based Manycore shares rose 187% early in its Hong Kong debut after raising $156M in its IPO; it is pivoting to selling AI training data to robot makers (Bloomberg) [2d]
- Mozilla launches Thunderbolt, an open-source AI client for users and businesses who want to run their own self-hosted AI infrastructure, available on GitHub (Kyle Orland/Ars Technica) [2d]
- Q&A: Ronan Farrow on his Sam Altman profile in The New Yorker, how Altman changed in 18 months of reporting, OpenAI's board drama and enterprise shift, and more (Nilay Patel/The Verge) [3d]
- Sources: Cerebras plans to make its IPO public as soon as Friday, aiming to raise $3B+ at a $35B+ valuation, a 60% premium to its $22B February valuation (The Information) [3d]
- Sources: OpenAI agrees to pay Cerebras $20B+ to use its server chips, double the amount previously associated with the deal, and may receive equity in Cerebras (The Information) [3d]
- Roblox agrees to pay $12.5M and implement age verification for all users as part of a settlement with Nevada over claims it failed to protect young users (Jessica Hill/Associated Press) [3d]
- Sources: SpaceX told employees that it has moved up the scheduled date for when shares awarded to employees become eligible for sale from May to April (Bloomberg) [3d]
- Alibaba unveils Qwen3.6-35B-A3B, an open-weight MoE model with 35B total and 3B active parameters, saying it rivals larger dense models in agentic coding tasks (Qwen) [3d]
- I swapped my phone for a cycle computer after a crash — but a tiny, underrated device was the real safety upgrade [2d]
- 'Global, 24/7, all-weather reconnaissance coverage': China deployed "Eye of Sauron" satellite that can track ships — and the US Navy — from its safe sky abode [2d]
- NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, April 18 (game #776) [2d]
- Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, April 18 (game #1545) [2d]
- NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, April 18 (game #1042) [2d]
- 'Essentially no human intervention': Chinese AI solves 12-year-old math problem in just 80 hours — and even proves it [2d]
- 'We can lose three [computers] and still ride through’: Inside the 8-CPU brain of NASA’s Artemis II that ‘votes’ on every move [2d]
- ‘The face thing is probably going to break’ — Sam Altman-backed firm warns AI will soon outgrow facial recognition, but says its ‘proof of human’ system World ID could be part of the solution [2d]
- UGreen NASync iDX6011 Pro NAS review: An AI-powered NAS combines workstation-class hardware with genuinely useful local AI [2d]
- 'A blast from the past': The Maxell Wireless Cassette Player is a magic carpet ride of audio nostalgia [2d]
- This excellent value Chromebook has everything you need for work and everyday use for under $250 [2d]
- 'A transformative moment': Research shows AI could become the "King of Babel" as LLMs master rare, obscure languages [2d]
- 'So we've got a proper four wall bedroom situation': I asked Alexa+ to help redecorate my apartment, and she has a great eye for design [2d]
- 'I’ve waited seven years!': Tesla owners in Europe demand $7,500 refund as Full Self-Driving is locked out for older vehicles [2d]
- 'They mopped the floor with me and pulled every childish game they could': Disgruntled researcher releases second major Windows zero-day — claims Microsoft 'would ruin my life, and they did' [2d]
- Hbada X7 Smart review: Excuse me, but since when do office chairs heat, massage, and cool you at the touch of a button? [2d]
- Marvel Rivals now finally lets us play as Black Cat, but her awful posture makes me worry for her back — 'I just know her spine is killing her!' [2d]
- YouTube watchers praise ‘awesome’ new option to disable annoying Shorts — here’s how to do it [2d]
- ‘Go to hell’: Bernie Sanders unites labor leaders in huge push for AI protections and a halt to data center construction – growing national anti-data center sentiment results in protests, bans, and project cancellations [2d]
- The LG C5 is our top-rated TV and Amazon's best-selling OLED display — get the 42-inch model for only $999 [2d]
- TCL is adding three more new mini-LED and QLED models to its 2026 TV lineup, and one of my favourite budget models I tested last year is continuing [2d]
- 'This is not fun and games…’: OpenAI exec says AI 'doomers' are holding back the ‘incredible economic opportunities’ the tech can provide for ‘families and for society writ large’ [2d]
- 'They're leaning into this being completely absurd' — Street Fighter 2026 movie trailer praised by gamers for 'overwhelming nostalgia' and 'over the top silliness' [2d]
- 'As threats evolve, Gemini keeps our defenses one step ahead': Google claims its AI helped it block over 8.3 billion malicious ads in 2025 [2d]
- Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is a great, atmospheric Lovecraftian game — but one frustrating feature might make me rage quit for good [2d]
- Age rating leak suggests Starfield might really come to Nintendo Switch 2 [2d]
- I tested Jackery's super-compact portable power station — and the Explorer 240D is ready for on-the-go adventures with a built-in cable that's more than just a cable [2d]
- 'We hear you': After years of feedback, Canva finally brings offline mode [2d]
- “I think generative AI is going to get much faster and much better ” — The Fallout creator might be optimistic about the technology's impact on games, but I'm not so sure [2d]
- The 12 best home office deals to level up your workspace in Best Buy’s Ultimate Upgrade Sale [2d]
- Victrola’s latest turntable is a Record Store Day exclusive — and it wouldn’t be anything without the watchful eye of rock icon Jack White [2d]
- Cisco tells Webex users to patch critical security flaws immediately, as experts find its Wi-Fi boxes may be filling their disks with undeletable data every day [2d]
- The Tor Project takes a major step toward launching its mobile VPN with successful Cure53 audit [2d]
- You might soon be able to buy luxury Gucci-branded Android XR smart glasses, and we dread to think what they’ll cost [2d]
- Legendary strategy franchise Heroes of Might and Magic is back in the first new entry in over a decade — 'This is one of those generational games' developer says [2d]
- 7 new movies and TV shows to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, and more this weekend (April 17) [2d]
- How to watch The Murder Line online from anywhere — it's *FREE* [2d]
- Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream devs say there was 'a big debate' about whether Miis should fart — 'We really obsessed over getting the sound just right' [2d]
- A Starlink outage left dozens of unmanned US Navy vessels stranded off the California coast — and exposed the Pentagon's worrying reliance on Elon Musk [2d]
- Samsung finally explains why it stopped making small phones — and has a suggestion for fans of compact handsets [2d]
- Microsoft experts warn North Korean attackers target macOS users with 'a highly reliable infection chain' to steal passwords, financial data and more — here's how to stay safe [2d]
- It's marathon season, and Amazon is slashing prices on best-selling running shoes and watches — up to 55% off Hoka, Nike, Garmin, and Apple [2d]
- ‘This was inevitable’: Meta blames RAM crisis for Quest 3 and Quest 3S price hikes, but fans still think they’re still a good deal [2d]
- Why doesn't Canva just use GPT, Claude, Gemini...? [2d]
- 'Fresh' or 'hideous'? Insta360's first mirrorless camera has leaked again — and photographers can't decide if they love it or hate it [2d]
- I've picked out 6 superb turntables at all price points for Record Store Day — here’s how to level up your vinyls [2d]
- 'The serious audiophile Record Store Day deck': this elite new turntable unnerves me almost as much as it piques my interest [2d]
- The 4TB SanDisk Extreme is one of the best rugged portable SSDs we've ever tested — and it’s over $300 off right now [2d]
- 'Codex can now operate your computer alongside you' OpenAI takes major shot at Claude Code with major workplace updates [2d]
- The first-gen AirPods Max drop to a record-low price following AirPods Max 2 launch [2d]
- 'Genuinely might be the worst trailer I've ever seen': new Netflix movie Ladies First slammed by outraged fans as woman dominated world becomes man's 'worst nightmare' [2d]
- Samsung issues warning about fake SSDs in Europe — as the PC crisis sparks a massive slump in CPU sales [2d]
- n8n vs OpenClaw: What are the differences and where should you use either of them? [2d]
- 007 First Light has its own Bond theme by award-winning singer Lana Del Rey [2d]
- Solving the shadow IT crisis in travel [2d]
- Agentic swarms will change how everyone uses AI – but how can organizations deploy them securely? [2d]
- Claude wants your passport as identity verification to access 'certain capabilities' — but promises it isn't using your face to train its models [2d]
- Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Ultra SFF Gen 2 review: A massive workstation smashed inside a mini PC [2d]
- A new ‘Pixel Glow’ feature might be the Google Pixel 11’s secret weapon [2d]
- 'Jesus!': 10,000 drones flock in Texas to tell the story of Jesus of Nazareth — and crush four world records [2d]
- Speed isn’t strategy: Human judgement must be central to AI-led decisions [2d]
- 'Why gate-keep it?' — Frustrated Marvel fans hit out at the comic book giant as new trailer for Avengers: Doomsday shown behind closed doors at CinemaCon 2026 [2d]
- Two of my favorite prepaid carriers are offering $500 off the Galaxy S26 series right now — but which is the best? [2d]
- AI agents aren’t lacking intelligence – they’re lacking context [2d]
- Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50q QC mini PC review: A simple and spectacular business machine that lacks the power for heavy workloads [2d]
- Surfshark fixes broken post-quantum VPN protocol after TechRadar investigation [2d]
- Saros will have PSSR 2 on PS5 Pro for 'an even clearer higher resolution image at 60fps' but story cinematics will still run at 30fps 'for quality over quantity' [2d]
- Beyond technology spend: Redefining ROI [2d]
- Europol launches Operation PowerOFF — warns 75,000 DDoS users and takes down 53 domains [2d]
- 'Don’t fear the dead, and don’t fear me' — AI brings a digital Val Kilmer back to the screen [2d]
- Hacks season 5 episode 2 has the most hilarious Handmaid's Tale cameo possible — and it'll make you think of spinoff The Testaments in an entirely different way [3d]
- I test coffee machines for a living and I can't recommend this De'Longhi model at half price highly enough [3d]
- The Pitt season 3 shock cast changes are unlikely to hit this fan favorite character — as star confirms they want to 'keep rolling until the wheels fall off' [3d]
- One Rumored Color for the iPhone 18 Pro? A Rich Dark Cherry Red [2d]
- AI Trusted Less Than Social Media and Airlines, With Grok Placing Last, Survey Says [2d]
- This New Air Purifier Filter Can Remove Cannabis Smoke Odor, Just in Time for 4/20 [2d]
- Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 18, #572 [2d]
- Today's NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for April 18 #776 [2d]
- Today's NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 18, #1042 [2d]
- Today's Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for April 18, #1764 [2d]
- OpenAI Has a New AI Model Built for Biology and Science [2d]
- Apple and Google Broke Their Own Rules by Promoting 'Nudify' Apps, Report Says [2d]
- Could Your Next Phone Be a Foldable? New Tech and a Possible Apple Model Makes It More Likely [2d]
- Ray-Ban and Oakley Meta AI Smart Glasses Are Now HSA and FSA Eligible [2d]
- Was This Game Just On Sale? Steam May Show Price Shifts Over the Past 30 Days [2d]
- Casely Is Recalling Wireless Power Pods Over Fire and Burn Risks, Again [2d]
- The Race for Fashion Smart Glasses Is On [2d]
- There's Good (and Very Bad) Coffee at the Grocery Store. I Tested 20 Bags to Find the Best [2d]
- YouTube Will Let You Turn Off Shorts, but Only on Mobile [2d]
- Anthropic Introduces First Design Tool to Claude [2d]
- Micro RGB TVs Were Everywhere at CES, but TCL's QM8L Could Put Them to Shame [2d]
- One Month With the MacBook Neo and Feeling the Limits [2d]
- Tyrese Maxey Has a Second Job to Help Make Watching the NBA Playoffs Easier [2d]
- Coachella Week 2: How to Watch Justin Bieber, Karol G for Free This Weekend [2d]
- Smartphone Prices Are Still Climbing. Here Are 3 Ways to Get Around That [2d]
- I Wore the Whoop Band and the Apple Watch for Months and Found the Best Fit [2d]
- One Month With MacBook Neo: Yes, I Feel the Limits video [2d]
- Uber Eats Will Now Handle Your Returns. Here's How to Use the Feature [2d]
- AT&T Revamped Its Unlimited Phone Plans. Here's How They Compare [2d]
- The Hidden iPhone Feature You Need to Enable for Crystal-Clear Calls [2d]
- Today's NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, April 17 [2d]
- Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 17, #571 [2d]
- Opera Adds Browser Connector Feature to Integrate AI Chatbots Into Browsers [3d]
- Roblox Will Pay $12 Million to Settle Nevada Child Safety Lawsuit [3d]
- Thousands of Computer Viruses Are Created Every Day. Here’s How to Protect Your Computer From Cyberattacks [3d]
- Learn How to Protect Your Phone From Viruses and Other Threats [3d]
- The latest Android Canary build is hitting older Pixel phones, foldables, and tablets [2d]
- Save 27% as the Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station drops to a 2026 low [2d]
- Planning to watch WrestleMania 42 this weekend? YouTube TV users might have a problem [2d]
- Google Meet is cleaning up video quality for your nice, high-res monitor [2d]
- T-Mobile insists T-Force support team is still human, not AI [2d]
- Are you seeing Gemini’s UI changes? Google’s update is starting to roll out [2d]
- This MagSafe power bank was recalled a year ago but people are still getting hurt [2d]
- Get the 1MORE S50 Fit earbuds at all-time low price! [2d]
- OPPO Find X10 leak hints at familiar screen but game-changing battery [2d]
- First Samsung Galaxy A27 renders hint at a long-overdue design refresh [2d]
- Samsung’s new cases turn your Galaxy Buds 4 into a tin of sardines, and I absolutely want one [2d]
- Lenovo’s new teaser gives the best look yet at the next Legion gaming phone [2d]
- It’s not just Apple: Android users are more loyal than ever [2d]
- This mobile browser just brought back free YouTube background playback [2d]
- Samsung’s Galaxy S25 free AI upgrade is no longer a rumor — it’s in the build [2d]
- One of T-Mobile’s travel perks just became a lot less exciting [2d]
- Get blazing Wi-Fi 7 speeds with a record price drop on the ASUS RT-BE82U Dual-Band Router [2d]
- Valve’s Proton gets a big upgrade, and it could improve PC gaming on Android [2d]
- Valve’s Proton gets a big upgrade, and it could improve PC gaming on Android [2d]
- Google’s price tracker will let you know when your favorite hotel has a great deal [2d]
- Samsung’s next major update: Leaked build shows new widgets and ‘Tap to Share’ feature [2d]
- Your Android gaming handheld can now run Steam games, but there’s a catch [2d]
- Samsung’s latest Galaxy Tab for your kids could outlast their childhood [2d]
- The DJI Osmo Pocket 4 is here, but its “Pro” sibling is still waiting in the wings [2d]
- I hated this Android texting feature for seven years — but Android 17 finally fixed it [2d]
- Experience vs specs: Our readers have spoken, and benchmarks aren’t everything [2d]
- Android gaming handhelds take another hit as Thor, Odin 3 make more spec sacrifices [2d]
- I tried the new Gemini Mac app — and Google dropped the ball with two essential features [2d]
- Samsung addresses the ‘burden’ of AI, and why it won’t make small phones anymore [2d]
- 5 reasons why I refuse to pay for YouTube Premium [2d]
- YouTube is killing a video sharing feature and $1,000 side hustles along with it [2d]
- Google tests Play Store UI change that should help picky gamers save time [2d]
- Strategy proposes semi-monthly dividends on its popular STRC preferred stock [2d]
- Sam Altman’s World project launches major upgrade to fight deepfakes and bots [2d]
- Beaten-down digital asset treasury names lead crypto stock surge as bitcoin hits $78,000 [2d]
- Don’t get AI agents and stablecoin transfers? Enroll in CoinDesk University [2d]
- Back in the black: Strategy’s returns to profit on bitcoin holdings after $76,000 surge [2d]
- CoinDesk 20 performance update: Stellar (XLM) gains 1.5%, leading index higher [2d]
- Bitcoin rises past $76,000, aiming at major breakout as oil plunges on Iran cooldown [2d]
- France's finance minister calls for more euro stablecoins in sign of government policy shift [2d]
- Kraken's parent company Payward to acquire derivatives exchange Bitnomial for $550 million in cash and stock [2d]
- Bitcoin’s ceasefire boost is starting to fizzle out as investors look for real-world results [2d]
- Bitcoin stalls below $76,000 as sell wall caps rally despite rising derivatives activity [2d]
- The 4.5 signal: Why Glassnode’s RHODL ratio says the bitcoin bottom may be in [2d]
- Russia-linked Grinex exchange halts operations after $13 million ‘state-backed’ hack [2d]
- Ethereum just had its busiest quarter ever, capping a three-year comeback [2d]
- This simple indicator has called every bottom since 2015. It hasn't triggered yet [2d]
- The U.S. government moves $606,000 in bitcoin linked to the 2016 Bitfinex hack to Coinbase [2d]
- XRP leads bitcoin and ether on weekly gains, but muted volume keeps breakout in check [2d]
- Bitcoin bulls target $125,000 as U.S.-Iran peace talks trigger risk-on mood [2d]
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