Articles[tech] (Page 88)

tech 5

Karnataka installs 25-qubit quantum computing system at IIIT-Dharwad, IIIT-Raichur under LEAP initiative

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-11 14:54)

The Karnataka government announced the installation of a 25-qubit quantum computing system, QpiAI Indus, at the Quantum Computing Centre of Excellence at IIIT-Dharwad and IIIT-Raichur. This initiative, part of the state's Local Economy Acceleration Programme (LEAP) and Quantum Roadmap, aims to strengthen the regional quantum technology ecosystem.

The system is intended to expand quantum computing access for both academia and industry. It will support educational activities like curriculum development and student training, as well as commercial research and experimentation for real-world applications.

Officials stated this deployment marks a significant milestone for applied science in Karnataka and India's broader quantum ambitions. It represents the company's second installation in the state, reflecting a strategic push to build advanced technology infrastructure and foster innovation.

tech 5

WhatsApp is launching parent-linked accounts for pre-teens

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-11 15:00)

WhatsApp has launched parent-managed accounts for users under 13, which are currently rolling out in select regions. These accounts allow only messaging and calling, exclude ads and features like Status or Meta AI, and give parents oversight through a secure PIN.

Parents can receive alerts for various activities, such as contact changes and group participation, and must authenticate the setup. All chats remain end-to-end encrypted, with additional safety measures like blurred images from unknown contacts and locked message requests.

The main topics covered are the launch and features of parent-supervised accounts, the safety and privacy controls for pre-teens, and the broader context of Meta's youth safety initiatives amid growing regulatory pressure.

tech 5

Canva’s new editing tool adds layers to AI-generated designs

(The Verge / 2026-03-11 15:02)

Canva has launched a public beta for a new feature called Magic Layers, which automatically separates flat image files (like PNGs and JPEGs) into layered, editable designs. This allows users to individually select and edit components such as objects and text within AI-generated or standard images without needing to reprompt an AI or start over.

The tool is positioned as an advancement over competitors, offering more comprehensive automatic layer separation than current features in other creative software. It aims to streamline the editing process but may also blur the line between AI-generated and human-created designs by removing the flat-file hallmark of AI outputs.

Main topics: Canva's Magic Layers feature launch, its function for editing flat/AI images, competitive comparison, and potential implications for distinguishing AI-generated work.

tech 5

WhatsApp launches parent-managed accounts for pre-teens amid safety concerns

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-11 15:05)

WhatsApp is introducing parent-managed accounts for children under 13, featuring restricted messaging and calling. The accounts include strict default settings and parental controls, allowing guardians to manage contacts, group memberships, and privacy.

This move responds to global concerns about social media's impact on youth and follows incidents of hacking on messaging platforms. Several countries are considering stricter regulations, similar to Australia's social media ban for teenagers.

The main topics covered are WhatsApp's new child accounts, parental controls, and the global regulatory context concerning children's online safety and mental health.

tech 5

Meta’s Moltbook deal points to a future built around AI agents

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-11 15:11)

Meta's acquisition of Moltbook, a social network for AI agents, was primarily an "acqui-hire" to gain the talent behind it for its AI labs. The strategic goal is to build infrastructure for an "agentic web," where AI agents representing businesses and consumers interact autonomously.

Key topics include Meta's potential to expand its advertising business by facilitating and orchestrating interactions between these AI agents. This future depends on whether consumers adopt and trust autonomous AI agents to act on their behalf.

tech 5

Meta didn’t buy Moltbook for bots — it bought into the agentic web

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-11 15:11)

Meta's acquisition of Moltbook, a social network for AI agents, was primarily an acqui-hire to gain the talent behind it for its AI labs. The strategic goal is to develop an "agent graph" that enables AI agents from businesses and consumers to find, connect, and transact with each other autonomously.

This infrastructure could transform Meta's advertising business by shifting it from targeting humans to facilitating negotiations between AI agents, which would shop and make purchases based on complex user preferences. The success of this vision hinges on widespread consumer adoption and trust in autonomous AI agents acting on their behalf.

The main topics covered are: Meta's acquisition strategy (acqui-hire), the vision for an "agentic web" and "agent graph," and the potential transformation of the digital advertising landscape through AI agent interactions.

tech 5

China issues new safety rules for OpenClaw. Here are the dos and don’ts

(Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-11 15:13)

China's National Vulnerability Database has issued new safety guidelines for users of OpenClaw, outlining specific recommended and prohibited practices. The "dos" include using the official latest version, minimizing internet exposure, and granting minimal permissions.

The "don'ts" warn against using outdated or third-party versions, exposing AI instances to the internet, and installing unverified skill packs. The advisory aims to address cybersecurity risks amid the tool's rapid adoption.

The main topics covered are cybersecurity guidelines, risk mitigation for AI tools, and specific user recommendations and prohibitions.

Image for Iran threatens Nvidia, Microsoft, other tech companies with strikes over alleged attack on Tehran bank — says that economic centers and banks are now considered legitimate targets

tech 6

Iran threatens Nvidia, Microsoft, other tech companies with strikes over alleged attack on Tehran bank — says that economic centers and banks are now considered legitimate targets

(Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-11 15:18)

Iran has threatened to target economic centers and banks linked to the U.S. and Israel, following an alleged Israeli strike on a bank in Tehran. It specifically named tech companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Google, accusing them of developing military technology.

The threat expands the conflict to include corporate infrastructure, with warnings for people to stay away from potential targets. This escalation raises significant concerns for tech companies with regional data centers, as war-related damages are typically not covered by insurance.

tech 5

Spain to deploy tool to track social media hate speech

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-11 15:23)

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a new tool called "Hodio" to systematically track and measure hate speech on social media platforms using academic criteria. The Spanish Observatory of Racism and Xenophobia will implement it, publishing a ranked report on platform performance every six months to force public accountability.

This initiative is part of Sánchez's broader criticism of major tech companies, whom he labels "techno-oligarchs." His government's recent actions include a proposal to ban social media for under-16s and a request for prosecutors to investigate X, Meta, and TikTok over AI-generated child pornography.

The main topics covered are the launch of a hate speech monitoring tool, the push for social media accountability, and the Spanish government's wider regulatory actions against major tech platforms.

tech 5

EV startup Harbinger reveals a smaller work truck with electric and hybrid variants

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-11 15:29)

Harbinger, an EV startup, has unveiled a new medium-duty work truck, the HC Series Cab, available as an all-electric or a hybrid model with up to 500 miles of range. The company is diversifying its business beyond truck chassis, having recently begun selling energy storage products and acquiring autonomous vehicle software company Phantom AI.

Financially, Harbinger has raised significant capital, including a $160 million Series C round in late 2025, and has attracted commercial customers like FedEx. CEO John Harris emphasizes a strategy of vertical integration and revenue diversification to build a stable company resilient to market swings, arguing that commercial fleets benefit from EVs due to lower total ownership costs.

The main topics covered are: the launch of a new vehicle, the company's business diversification and financial backing, and its strategic rationale focusing on the commercial EV market.

tech 5

NIH director launches "Scientific Freedom" lectures with non-scientist

(Ars Technica / 2026-03-11 15:33)

The NIH is launching a "Scientific Freedom Lectures" series, an initiative tied to its director, Jay Bhattacharya, who believes his pandemic views were censored. The inaugural speaker is not a scientist but former journalist Matthew Ridley, known for fringe views on COVID-19 lab origins and climate change.

Bhattacharya, a co-author of the controversial Great Barrington Declaration, has pursued legal action over alleged censorship and now advocates for major reform in the scientific community. The choice of speaker has raised questions about the series' intent, as it begins with a figure promoting disputed theories rather than a scientist whose work was demonstrably suppressed.

The main topics covered are the NIH's new lecture series on scientific freedom, Director Jay Bhattacharya's personal motivations and controversial pandemic stance, and the selection of a non-scientist with fringe views as the inaugural speaker.

tech 5

Here’s the Memo Approving Gemini, ChatGPT, and Copilot for Use in the Senate

(404 Media / 2026-03-11 15:41)

The U.S. Senate's Sergeant at Arms office has approved three generative AI platforms—OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and Microsoft's Copilot—for official use by Senate employees. Each employee will receive a free license for one of these tools, which are intended to assist with drafting documents, research, summarization, and preparing briefing materials.

While approved, questions remain about the use of these AI tools by staffers handling sensitive or classified information. The move signifies the growing adoption of AI chatbots within government operations, though the extent of their actual use in the Senate is still unclear.

The main topics covered are the official approval of specific AI platforms for Senate use, the intended applications for routine work, and the unresolved concerns regarding data security and classified information.

tech 5

Alternative app store AltStore PAL is joining the fediverse

(The Verge / 2026-03-11 16:00)

AltStore PAL, an alternative iOS app store available in the EU and Japan, is integrating with the fediverse. Users on platforms like Mastodon, Threads, and Bluesky can now interact with apps federated on its website, with social interactions appearing within AltStore PAL itself.

The store's creator states the goal is to improve app discoverability by making them shareable on the social web, with a future aim of apps becoming native ActivityPub objects. This move coincides with AltStore PAL adding three fediverse-focused apps to its store and follows its launch enabled by new digital market regulations in Europe and Japan.

The main topics covered are: AltStore PAL's fediverse integration, its goals for app discoverability, and its expansion driven by regulatory changes.

tech 4

Neobank Fi Money shuts down banking services

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-11 16:11)

Fi Money, a neobanking startup, is discontinuing its banking services offered in partnership with Federal Bank. Customers' savings accounts with Federal Bank remain active and safe, but must now be accessed directly through the bank's own channels instead of the Fi app.

The partnership termination is part of a business realignment by Fi, which is shifting its focus away from consumer products toward artificial intelligence and enterprise technology. This strategic pivot has previously involved layoffs in its consumer-facing divisions.

The move highlights challenges in the neobanking sector, where companies without independent licenses rely on traditional bank partnerships, limiting their autonomy.

Main Topics: Fi Money shutting down banking services; Partnership termination with Federal Bank; Fi's strategic pivot to AI and B2B technology; Challenges in the neobanking sector.

tech 5

Rivian spin-out Mind Robotics raises $500M for industrial AI-powered robots

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-11 16:12)

Mind Robotics, a robotics startup spun out of Rivian, has raised $500 million in Series A funding, bringing its total funding to $615 million and its valuation to approximately $2 billion. The company, founded by Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, aims to develop more dexterous and adaptable industrial AI robots using data from Rivian's factories, focusing on practical applications over humanoid designs.

It plans to deploy a large number of robots by year's end and may collaborate with Rivian on custom semiconductor chips. This marks the second company Rivian has spun out, following the electric mobility company Also.

The main topics covered are the startup's funding and valuation, its origin and relationship with Rivian, its technological focus on adaptive industrial robotics, and its near-term deployment and collaboration plans.

Articles tech