Apple has changed the label on Lake Ontario to "Lake America," according to an Axios review of Apple Maps on Tuesday afternoon.
Why it matters: Apple is the second major digital map provider to make the switch. Google did so over the weekend — at least for those in the United States.
The Information is launching a new, weekly live show focused on the technology behind the artificial intelligence boom, executives told Axios.
Why it matters: It's part of a broader video push by the outlet, which chief advertising officer Lindsay Meech says is pacing to become an eight-figure revenue business by 2027.
OpenAI said Tuesday that it plans to release its latest model — Astra — soon, but its most advanced cybersecurity features will be limited to a small group of testers.
Why it matters: Astra is the first model OpenAI has designated as reaching its "Critical" cybersecurity capability threshold, raising new questions about how to safely deploy models that can discover and exploit previously unknown vulnerabilities.
Anthropic on Tuesday released upgraded versions of its most powerful AI models, cut costs for some users, adjusted safety interventions and rolled out new privacy safeguards for business users.
Why it matters: This could be the new playbook for a release: it's not enough to have a more intelligent model, you also need new tools and updates that address customer concerns.
Aslan, a startup building AI agents that act as operatives in national security missions, is publicly launching today after raising $20.8 million in funding, the company first shared with Axios.
Why it matters: The company offers agents for the FBI and wider intelligence community that can pose as analysts in underground criminal forums.
Under current systems, AI labs can no longer guarantee that AI agents won't swarm and escape their testing environments.
Why it matters: The attack on Hugging Face by OpenAI agents was a warning shot — and researchers say better security controls alone won't prevent similar incidents as AI agents become more capable.
In premiering its "Grand Theft Auto VI" trailer exclusively as a Netflix livestream last Thursday, Rockstar Games proved that advertising can be must-see TV.
Why it matters: For decades, brands have relied on live TV to advertise around appointment viewing. Rockstar Games has turned that dynamic on its head.
Stripe's efforts to buy PayPal might have died the moment PayPal reported Q2 earnings, even if the bid remained active for another month.
The big picture: Stripe and private equity partner Advent International based their $60.50 per share bid on PayPal's value before the first news reports of a possible deal.
Easy Aerial, a New York-based developer of tethered drone systems for aerial surveillance, has raised $20 million in Series B funding from Insight Partners and Entrée Capital.
Why it matters: The startup was at the center of controversy earlier this year, when it was booted from the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Light, a Texas startup that enables businesses to offer customers bespoke, branded retail electricity plans, raised $46 million in Series A funding, the company told Axios.
Why it matters: It will support Light's expansion outside Texas into the massive PJM market and beyond as it challenges incumbent power giants.
Apple and OpenAI are escalating their legal fight over allegations that the ChatGPT maker used Apple employees to obtain closely guarded hardware secrets.
Why it matters: If the case makes it to the discovery process, two of the most secretive companies in tech could be forced to reveal sensitive information about how they recruit talent, develop hardware and protect confidential information.
Second quarter profits were huge. But they were still not big enough to put lingering questions about the AI boom to rest.
Why it matters: The giant results provided little proof that companies are capable ofgenerating a reasonable return on the biggest investment boom in recent memory.
For better or worse, Tim Cook's legacy is likely to be determined by something we don't really know the answer to yet: Apple's bet to build its AI strategy partly around other companies' models.
Why it matters: In the short term, the move could save substantial sums compared with building and operating a frontier-model business of its own, but it's left Apple dependent on Google for some of its most important AI capabilities.
Anthropic temporarily paused some AI training and cybersecurity evaluations, the company said in a blog post Monday detailing changes made after unauthorized actions by its agents earlier this year.
Why it matters: Rival OpenAI said it had paused some model work due to safety concerns. Now, we know Anthropic did the same — and it's reiterating the need for a broader pacing of frontier AI development.
