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Amazon releases compact model that ranks options with confidence scores
Amazon has released Strands Decider 2B, an open-source decision model inspired by TypeSafe’s Jev model. This reflects a growing trend of AI developers creating smaller, specialised models designed for automation tasks rather than general-purpose language generation. The model offers a faster, more cost-effective alternative to large language models for workflows that only need to choose…
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Suspected Chinese spies spoofed an Anthropic exec, ex-White House official in AI phishing
A suspected Chinese espionage group has impersonated senior AI policy figures in phishing campaigns targeting American experts at universities, think tanks, and law firms, according to security researchers at Proofpoint. The group, tracked as TA419, aimed to harvest login credentials from AI policy specialists working on issues of strategic importance to Beijing. This campaign represents…
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AI defeats Stratego champion by exploiting clues from hidden pieces
A research team from Carnegie Mellon, MIT, New York University and Stanford has built Ataraxos, an AI that defeated leading Stratego player Pim Niemeijer 15 games to one, with four draws. The result matters because Stratego’s hidden pieces, bluffing and long games have made it unusually difficult for computers to master, despite earlier successes in…
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AWS open-sources Rust library to check AI agents’ tool calls
AWS has released Dogwood Local Engine (DLE), an open-source Rust library designed to control AI agents by checking their tool calls against user-defined temporal rules before they execute. The release addresses growing concerns about AI agents going out of control and taking unintended actions, providing what AWS describes as a safety “leash” for agent behaviour…
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Engadget highlights its top-rated phones and laptop of 2026 so far
Engadget has gathered its highest-rated products of 2026 so far, drawing on more than 150 reviews planned for the year. The selection spans device categories and includes products scoring 90 or above for Editors’ Choice, alongside category leaders in the high 80s. The article highlights Google’s Pixel 11 for its three rear cameras, useful software…
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Microsoft reshapes Copilot into an AI platform for work and home
Microsoft is reshaping Copilot into an “OS for work”, combining consumer and business experiences and adding coding, Office and AI agent features. CEO Satya Nadella is betting that the assistant can change workplace habits as profoundly as Microsoft Office did, while making it useful and appealing enough for both home and work. The redesigned app…
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UK 30-year bond yield hits 6% amid global market turmoil
Global bond markets have experienced a sharp sell-off, with UK long-term borrowing costs reaching a 28-year high as fears about the US deficit and persistent inflation concerns spook investors. The yield on Britain’s 30-year bonds hit 6% for the first time since 1998, a development that adds pressure on Chancellor John Healey ahead of the…
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Windows 11 26H2 enables settings backup by default on eligible devices
Microsoft has released Windows 11 26H2, which turns on Windows settings backup by default for eligible devices unless an administrator has opted out. The change matters because organisations that previously had to enable the feature will now need to check whether its cloud transfers fit their policies. The feature saves device settings and a list…
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Canada backs three firms to develop a sovereign rocket launch industry
Canada’s government is backing development of a domestic space launch industry, marking a significant shift toward sovereignty driven by deteriorating relations with the United States. Following Trump Administration tariffs and rhetoric, the Canadian government announced its first awards to three companies—NordSpace, Reaction Dynamics, and Canada Rocket Company—under the “Launch the North” initiative. This move reflects…
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Chesky says AI agents need reliable software infrastructure for travel apps
Airbnb chief executive Brian Chesky says AI agents will need reliable software infrastructure, and that Airbnb is working to make its service more compatible with them. The company has introduced AI-powered search, but Chesky argues that chat alone is poorly suited to browsing and shopping, particularly when travel planning is part of the enjoyment. He…