The lunch briefing.
Mid-day check: OpenAI and Anthropic are reportedly in a price war, while countries move to ban social media for children. Plus, solar energy surpasses coal in the US.
AI Market Dynamics. A brewing price war between OpenAI and Anthropic signals intensifying competition in the frontier model space. OpenAI is reportedly considering significant token price cuts to attract customers from its rival, as both companies vie for market share. This comes as European tech funding rebounds, with mega-rounds like THEKER's €73 million Series A for AI robotics deployment showcasing continued investor confidence in specialized AI ventures. The focus remains on scaling and deployment, driving down costs and expanding capabilities.
AI Tools & Adoption. The proliferation of AI is evident in new user-facing and developer tools aimed at improving daily interactions and system security. Deezer launched a free AI music detector, allowing users across platforms to identify AI-generated tracks in their playlists. Meanwhile, GitHub is enhancing secret scanning trustworthiness by using context-aware LLM reasoning to reduce false positives, and AWS introduced Agent-EvalKit for systematic AI agent evaluation. DoorDash is also integrating AI, allowing users to order with natural language prompts and photos.
Policy & Digital Safety. Governments worldwide are increasingly addressing digital safety, particularly for younger users, with countries like Australia and Canada moving to ban social media for children under 16. Concurrently, a critical US warrantless wiretap law, Section 702 of FISA, is set to expire after Congress failed to pass an extension, raising questions about surveillance capabilities. Cybersecurity threats persist, with hackers exploiting TikTok videos to spread malware and North Korea accounting for nearly half of all tech industry cyber intrusions.
Hardware & Sustainability. The tech industry continues to grapple with hardware innovation and environmental impact. A teardown revealed the "Trump phone" is essentially a rebranded HTC U24 Pro, highlighting the trend of white-label devices. On the sustainability front, solar energy has for the first time generated more power than coal in the US, marking a significant shift in the energy landscape. Microsoft is also partnering with Alt Carbon, signaling India's growing role in carbon removal efforts, underscoring the increasing focus on green tech solutions.
OpenAI mulls slashing prices as it competes with Anthropic for users
OpenAI is reportedly considering drastic price cuts to its AI models to attract customers from rival AI company Anthropic. This move comes as competition intensifies in the market for large language models.
Barcelona-based THEKER raises €73 million Series A to accelerate AI robotics deployment
THEKER, an AI robotics company based in Barcelona, announced a €73 million ($85 million) Series A round. The funding will accelerate deployments with industrial operators and expand its AI and robotics stack.
Free Deezer tool lets users on any streaming service check their playlists for AI music
Deezer has launched a free AI music detector that allows users on any major streaming platform to identify AI-generated songs in their playlists. This tool helps consumers distinguish between human-created and AI-generated content.
Making secret scanning more trustworthy: Reducing false positives at scale
GitHub has improved its secret scanning capabilities by using context-aware LLM reasoning to reduce false positives. This enhancement makes security alerts more trustworthy and actionable for developers.
DoorDash’s new AI chatbot lets you order with prompts and photos
DoorDash introduced "Ask DoorDash," a new AI chatbot that enables users to search for items and order using natural language prompts and photos. This aims to streamline the ordering process by eliminating the need to scroll through menus.
These are the countries moving to ban social media for children
Australia was the first country to issue a ban on social media for children in late 2025, aiming to reduce risks like cyberbullying and addiction. Canada has also tabled a bill to stop under-16s from accessing social media.
A warrantless wiretap law is about to expire — but surveillance networks aren’t actually ‘going dark’
Congress failed to pass a three-week extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), allowing the controversial warrantless wiretapping authority to lapse. Proponents warn of a "nightmare scenario," but US surveillance capabilities are not entirely lost.
Hackers are using TikTok videos offering 'free Spotify Premium' to spread malware and steal passwords
Cybercriminals are leveraging TikTok videos advertising free Spotify Premium subscriptions to lure victims into downloading malware. This tactic uses command-line tools to install malicious software and steal user credentials.
Valve is officially done with Steam physical gift cards thanks to fraudsters
Valve will no longer resupply physical Steam gift cards once current stock runs out, citing widespread fraud. This decision comes as scammers have increasingly exploited these cards, impacting consumers.
Teardown finds that the Trump phone is practically the same as an HTC handset
An iFixit teardown revealed that the "Trump Phone" is functionally identical to an HTC U24 Pro, with the only difference being the battery. This highlights the practice of rebranding existing hardware.
iOS 27 gives Apple Mail my most wished for feature upgrade
Apple's Mail app in iOS 27 is expected to introduce a significant feature upgrade, specifically improved search functionality that "just works." This enhancement addresses a long-standing user request for better email management.
Solar generates more energy in US than coal for first time
For the first time, solar power has generated more electricity in the United States than coal. This marks a significant milestone in the country's transition towards renewable energy sources.
Waymo launches a loyalty program with 10% cash back and free cancellations
Waymo introduced "Waymo Premier," a $29.99 per month loyalty program offering perks like priority pickups, 10% cash back on trips, and free cancellations. The invite-only service targets frequent robotaxi users.
MiMo Code Is Now Released and Open-Source
MiMo Code has been released as an open-source project, making its codebase publicly available. This initiative allows developers to contribute to and utilize the software freely.