Politico
In an open letter published Friday, more than 20 major technology companies, including Microsoft, Meta, Nvidia, Dell, and Palantir, urged the Trump administration to preserve access to open-weight AI models, warning that restricting them would weaken U.S. competitiveness and push businesses toward lower-cost Chinese alternatives. The coalition argued that open-weight models foster innovation, competition, and adoption. The appeal comes as the White House considers banning Chinese open-weight models over national security and alleged AI distillation attacks.
From "Big Tech Defends Open-Weight AI Models"
Politico (07/24/26) Katherine Long
View Full Article
CNN
A Russian cyber-espionage group has spent the past year targeting U.S. nuclear scientists, defense contractors, government agencies, and other organizations, according to cybersecurity researchers and intelligence agencies. The campaign focused on email systems linked to nuclear fusion research and the defense sector, likely seeking strategic information on technology and military decisions. Hackers exploited a rare email vulnerability that could steal months of communications and organizational data without requiring victims to click links.
From "Russian Operatives Target Emails of U.S. Nuclear Scientists, Defense Contractors"
CNN (07/23/26) Sean Lyngaas
View Full Article
South China Morning Post
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a version of the National Defense Authorization Act that would prohibit the Pentagon from procuring, leasing, or operating humanoid robots made by companies linked to foreign adversaries, including China. The measure reflects growing U.S. concerns over national security and data privacy as Chinese firms dominate the global humanoid robotics market.
From "U.S. Eyes Ban on Chinese Humanoid Robots"
South China Morning Post (07/23/26) Richard Chen
View Full Article
Financial Times
U.S. technology companies have eliminated nearly 140,000 jobs since the start of 2026, even as they dramatically increase spending on AI. According to an analysis of company filings and data from executive outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas, the tech sector accounts for more than one-third of all announced U.S. layoffs. The broader U.S. labor market remains relatively strong, and AI-focused companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic continue hiring aggressively.
From "U.S. Tech Companies Cut 140,000 Jobs So Far This Year"
Financial Times (07/24/26) Rafe Rosner-Uddin; Clara Murray
View Full Article - May Require Paid Subscription
WSJ Pro Cybersecurity
The pandemic sparked a surge in cyberattacks on remote-work systems. With about a third of U.S. employees still working in hybrid arrangements, cybercriminals again are targeting remote-work tools such as virtual private networks (VPNs), this time armed with AI. “VPNs are supposed to be a locked tunnel into the corporate fortress,” said Ram Varadarajan, CEO of cybersecurity firm Acalvio. “Attackers have simply realized it’s cheaper to walk through the front door than to storm the walls.”
From "Hackers Target Remote Work Tools, Again"
WSJ Pro Cybersecurity (07/24/26) Angus Loten
View Full Article - May Require Paid Subscription
Associated Press
The European Commission concluded TikTok failed to adequately protect the privacy of minors by allowing adults to view the accounts of underage users, exposing children to risks. Regulators said TikTok’s default privacy settings for users aged 13 to 17 are insufficient under the EU’s Digital Services Act, noting that younger users can easily switch accounts from private to public while older teens’ private accounts remain widely visible. TikTok said it would review the findings and “continue to engage constructively with the Commission.”
From "EU Finds TikTok Fails to Protect Privacy of Minors"
Associated Press (07/24/26) Sam McNeil
View Full Article
