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Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the Ban Flock Act on Friday to stop federal agencies from using automatic license plate readers. The bill aims to restrict data collection by local police and private companies. If passed, it would cut federal grants for governments that do not ban the surveillance technology soon.
Samsung Electronics projected a record quarterly profit of 107.4 trillion won on Thursday, driven by high demand for AI chips. This marks a nine-fold jump in earnings. Market analyst Kim Seok-hwan said, "The market's focus has shifted to whether the sharp earnings growth that started a year ago would be sustainable."
Mint is reintroducing its technology newsletter, Transformer, to help readers navigate the complex world of artificial intelligence. The publication aims to provide well-researched opinions amidst growing AI clutter. It explores how the transformer model, which started in 2017, now powers everyday tools and shapes India’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Indian startup funding saw growth stage deals rise 46% to $1.1 billion in Q3, while late stage funding fell 10% to $994 million in Q3 2026. Investors got cautious, favoring AI and cleantech. Meanwhile, food delivery startup Swish started Swish Go in Bengaluru to take on Zomato and Swiggy.
Amazon cut nearly 1,000 jobs globally, impacting retail teams in India, the US, and the UK. A spokesperson said, "We've adjusted parts of our Stores business because we believe this structure will better enable us to deliver on our priorities." Many employees got emails on Tuesday about their roles ending.
AMD said FSR 4 is coming to handhelds and laptops by the end of 2026. Jack Huynh, senior VP of AMD's Computing and Graphics division, said official FSR 4 support will come to a range of APUs, gaming laptops, and handheld gaming PCs. This update brings machine learning to mobile devices.
In 2021, Frances Haugen left Facebook with internal research that exposed the company’s dark side. These documents, known as the Facebook Files, showed how the platform ignored harm to protect growth. Now, director Aaron Sorkin uses this real story for his new film, The Social Reckoning, hitting screens this weekend.
OpenAI is gaining ground on Anthropic as the AI price war heats up. Data from OpenRouter showed spending between the two giants became even in September. David Zhu, CEO of Reevo, said, “The honeymoon phase of being tied to one model maker is gone.” Both companies now target public offerings.
AI helps businesses track resource use and identify inefficiencies to meet environmental goals. However, technical tools alone do not guarantee sustainability. The ET AI Awards 2027 recognise applied AI in sustainability and climate action. Companies must now provide credible evidence and measurable results to prove their environmental impact is real.
Microsoft announced the Surface Ultra laptop powered by Nvidia AI chips, starting at $2599 and shipping October 16. The company wants to advance hybrid intelligence and local AI computing. "The computer has to be revolutionized," Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said. This new device helps Microsoft compete in the personal computing market.
Lava, Optiemus, and other firms are eyeing India’s ₹62,500-crore Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme to build local smartphone brands. The government announced the scheme on 15 July. Rishi Padhi said, "Our incentives are substantial, and we expect to receive many applications once the Indian brand part of the scheme is officially opened."
The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) smart glasses launched at $449 as a small technical upgrade. While many features remain the same, Meta extended the battery life by one hour. Testing showed the glasses fell from 100% to 85% after an hour of music, suggesting a total of six hours.
Common Sense Media asked OpenAI to keep teenagers off ChatGPT on Wednesday. The group said the chatbot poses an unacceptable risk after tests showed gaps in safety. Tom Siegel said, "ChatGPT is not safe for kids to use." OpenAI started a teen version in August, but many safety concerns remain.