Speed Becomes the Product as OpenAI and Google Sell Faster AI
OpenAI and Google released faster AI models this week, positioning speed as a core product feature. OpenAI introduced an Ultrafast tier currently available as a preview to a limited group.
Engineered microbe speeds CO₂ capture and recovers critical metals
A genetically engineered bacterium rapidly breaks down feldspar, one of Earth's most abundant minerals, to simultaneously remove atmospheric carbon dioxide and recover critical elements for electric vehicle batteries. The engineered microbe accomplishes this through a single biological process rather than requiring separate industrial steps.
OpenAI Appoints Former Wiz Executive Dali Rajic as Chief Revenue Officer
Dali Rajic, a former Wiz executive, became OpenAI's chief revenue officer and will lead the global revenue organization. Rajic will build the revenue operating system to scale for the next generation of AI models.
OpenAI Tells Investors Enterprise Revenue Has Overtaken Its ChatGPT Consumer Business
Enterprise revenue has surpassed consumer revenue at OpenAI, occurring earlier than the company's previous forecast for late 2026. Finance chief Sarah Friar disclosed this crossover at an August 14, 2026 investor meeting, with the enterprise operation now generating more income than the ChatGPT consumer business.
Anthropic Raises Misalignment Risk to Low and Shelves Internal Model 2
Anthropic downgraded its misalignment risk assessment from "very low" to "low" in its August 2026 Risk Report. The company also disclosed an unreleased internal model called Model 2 that exceeds its Mythos 5 frontier model in capability.
Anthropic Explains the Mechanics of Claude’s Text Watermark
Anthropic detailed how Claude's text watermark functions using a technique based on Google DeepMind's 2024 SynthID-Text method published in Nature. The watermarking requirement stems from EU AI Act compliance effective August 2, 2026, which mandates AI-generated content marking for European market providers.
Justin Sun Addresses Binance HTX Blacklist: Are Your Funds Actually Affected?
Binance implemented HTX restrictions affecting users in the UK and EU, according to Justin Sun's statement. Binance's official notice did not specify which countries were impacted by the blacklist.
OpenAI CFO tells shareholders enterprise revenue has overtaken ChatGPT
Enterprise revenue has surpassed consumer revenue at OpenAI, with the company's annualized run rate reaching $40 billion. This milestone occurred months ahead of the company's previous forecast and represents roughly double the revenue from a year earlier.
Banks Find the Big Money in FinCEN’s $4.9 Billion Smuggling Data
Financial institutions flagged nearly $4.9 billion in suspicious activity through FinCEN reporting. Banks are now recognizing value in coordinating their detection of illicit financial movements across institutions rather than monitoring individually.
Blockchain Firm Figure Reports Q2 Results
Figure Technology Solutions reported second quarter net revenue of $226 million, a 113% increase from the prior year. The company's consumer loan marketplace processed $4.3 billion in volume during the quarter.
Goldman Sachs Mobilizes Investors for Nvidia’s $500 Billion AI Infrastructure Push
Nvidia announced a $500 billion artificial intelligence infrastructure financing initiative, which Goldman Sachs is now helping to fund by approaching banks, asset managers, insurers, and private credit firms. Goldman Sachs' investment bank is working to place the debt with these potential investors.
Citi CEO Wants ‘Good’ Crypto Clarity Act To Get Passed
Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser stated the bank supports passing a crypto Clarity Act, though some improvements are needed to the bill. Citigroup positions itself as a leader in digital assets and wants safe technology adoption.
Tesla says a flying car is coming. BYD already has one that makes sense
Tesla plans to demo a next-generation Roadster with cold gas thrusters that can drive upside down on a magnetized ramp and hover in the air. BYD has shipped a real flying car since February 2024 designed to jump 20 feet over obstacles.
What we know about the alleged Iranian hacks on US water utilities
Hackers have broken into systems at several US water treatment plants over recent weeks in attacks allegedly carried out by Iran. The specific number of affected facilities and the extent of operational disruption remain unclear.
OpenAI on Track to Double Revenue Ahead of IPO
OpenAI is projected to generate more than $40 billion in annualized revenue, doubling its end-of-2025 run rate. Growth from paying ChatGPT users, enterprise adoption, and the Codex coding assistant is driving the increase, while computing power costs remain a significant challenge.
Volunteer Develops Machine-Learning Tool to Identify Rare Clouds
A volunteer has created a machine-learning tool to identify rare clouds that are appearing more frequently and at lower altitudes than previously observed. The tool assists the NASA-supported Space Cloud Watch project, which collects cloud images from people worldwide to help scientists understand factors driving these atmospheric changes.
Bitcoin Treasury Firm Metaplanet Makes Entry into Japan’s Yen Bond Market with BitBonds Issuance
Metaplanet, a Tokyo-listed Bitcoin treasury firm, launched BitBonds, a continuous corporate bond program in Japan's domestic market. The company completed its first issuance under this framework on August 13, 2026.
Tyson Foods beef plant closures come as severe drought makes U.S. cattle shortages worse
Tyson Foods closed or sold three beef facilities due to severe U.S. cattle shortages linked to drought affecting 53% of the nation's cattle inventory. More than three-quarters of beef cattle specifically faced drought conditions in July according to agriculture forecasting company Terrain.
Kalshi Ordered by Washington Court to Suspend Most Prediction Markets Offerings in the US State
A Washington court ordered Kalshi to suspend most prediction market offerings in the state, finding the company likely violated state gambling and consumer protection laws. The King County Superior Court judge issued this ruling after determining Kalshi's operations breached the Washington Gambling Act.
Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indosat and NVIDIA Open Indonesia’s First University AI Center to Develop Local AI Talent
Indonesia's first university-based AI technology center opened at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta through a partnership between the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, Indosat, and NVIDIA. The UGM Indosat NVIDIA AI Technology Center aims to develop local AI talent in the country.
NASA’s COFFIES Uses AI to Predict Storm-Causing Active Regions on Sun
A machine learning model predicts which solar active regions will produce major flares and coronal mass ejections by analyzing magnetic field data from the Sun's surface. The system uses deep learning to identify storm-causing patterns in solar magnetic configurations.
Costco tariff refunds: Warehouse club is one of the few retailers saying it will pay customers back. How and when?
The Supreme Court struck down Trump's tariffs five months ago, and Costco has said it will return tariff refunds to members, though details remain unclear. The warehouse club faces a class-action lawsuit demanding it pass along government refunds to customers.
UK FCA “Baring its Teeth” in Enforcement Action Againts HTX Crypto Exchange, Formerly Huobi
The UK Financial Conduct Authority initiated enforcement action against HTX crypto exchange over alleged sanctions violations related to Russian activity. HTX, formerly known as Huobi and controlled by Justin Sun since 2022, faced these regulatory sanctions allegations in May.
Gambit Security’s “AI Across the Intrusion Lifecycle” Shows How AI Is Moving Deeper Into Real-World Cyberattacks
AI is being integrated into multiple stages of cyberattacks, from initial exploitation to data analysis, according to Gambit Security's report examining three unrelated threat actors. The report shows attackers using AI to build custom scripts, create exploitation tools, and analyze stolen business data during intrusions.
Texas Rising: Migration from High Tax, Big Regulation States Continues to Fuel Economic Growth for the Lone Star State – Launch of TXSE is Emblematic
Texas has no state income tax and ranks first nationally for low overall tax burden, attracting firms and population migration seeking business-friendly jurisdictions. The state's economic growth is being fueled by this migration from high-tax, heavily regulated states.
Liverpool owner FSG seals £1.65bn sale of 30% stake to consortium including Jeff Bezos
Fenway Sports Group sold a 30% stake in Liverpool to a consortium for £1.65 billion, valuing the club at £5.5 billion total. Amit Bhatia will become vice-chairman on an expanded board, with backing from the Mittal Family Trust, Bezos's K5 Sports fund, and Saverin's EE Capital.
A judge just told Google to stop making rival app stores hard to install
A judge ordered Google to stop making rival app stores difficult to install on Android devices during an August 13 compliance hearing in San Francisco. A jury had previously found Google held an illegal monopoly over Android apps nearly three years ago, and the judge set this remedy in October 2024.
Samsung health AI models analyse wearable biosignal data
Samsung Research America developed two AI foundation models that analyze biosignal data from smartwatches, including heart activity, sleep, and physical activity measurements. The company presented this work at the Health Forum during Galaxy Unpacked in July 2026 as part of its Connected Care vision.
Immune cells flood into the aging brain, Stanford scientists discover
Large numbers of immune cells from the blood enter the brain beginning in middle age and transform into microglia, the brain's specialized immune cells. This discovery challenges the previous assumption that the brain's immune cells remain largely separate from the body's immune system throughout life.
Scientists detect a nuclear reactor’s ghostly afterglow for the first time
Scientists detected antineutrino radiation from a shut-down nuclear reactor for the first time, with the signal matching predictions of radioactive decay from the fuel and spent-fuel pools. This finding suggests antineutrino detectors could potentially monitor offline reactors in the future.