Meta and Google Ink Massive $10 Billion Cloud Computing Deal for AI Expansion
Meta Platforms and Google have reportedly entered into a six-year cloud computing agreement valued at over $10 billion. This strategic partnership will see Meta leverage Google Cloud’s servers, storage, and networking services to power its expanding AI infrastructure. The deal comes as Meta plans to invest hundreds of billions in building large-scale AI data centers. This agreement marks Google’s second major cloud deal recently, following a similar one with OpenAI, highlighting the surging demand for robust cloud infrastructure to support advanced AI development. To help finance these ambitious projects, Meta is also seeking external partners and plans to offload $2 billion in data center assets.
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AI Developments: Apple Explores Gemini for Siri, Adobe Launches Acrobat Studio
In other AI news, Apple is reportedly considering integrating Google’s Gemini model to significantly enhance Siri’s capabilities as part of a major AI overhaul. The plan suggests a hybrid approach, combining Apple’s proprietary on-device models with powerful third-party AI systems.
Meanwhile, Adobe has launched Acrobat Studio, an AI-powered platform designed for enhanced productivity and document management. In the creative space, Netflix has released official guidelines for using generative AI in content production, stating that AI outputs are considered temporary drafts and will not replace union-covered roles without prior agreements. On the hardware front, Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has indicated its latest model, V3.1, is designed for compatibility with domestic AI chips, supporting the nation’s technological self-reliance goals. Finally, in AI safety, UCLA researchers have developed a new AI tool to detect errors in AI-driven digital pathology.
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Waymo Receives Historic Permit for Self-Driving Car Tests in New York City
Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous vehicle company, has been granted the first-ever permit to test its self-driving vehicles in New York City. The permit allows a limited number of vehicles to operate with a trained human safety driver behind the wheel at all times. Initial testing will occur in parts of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. This expansion follows Waymo’s successful operations in cities like Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. NYC Mayor Eric Adams hailed the move as part of a “tech-friendly administration” seeking innovative and safe transportation solutions. The initial testing period runs until late September 2025, after which Waymo can apply for an extension, though commercial robotaxi services remain prohibited under current city regulations.
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Abu Dhabi to Host Inaugural Autonomous Week in November 2025
Abu Dhabi is set to host the first-ever Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week from November 10-15, 2025. Organized by the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC), the six-day event will convene global leaders in smart mobility, autonomous systems, and advanced robotics. The week will feature several key events, including the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit, DRIFTx, RoboCup Asia-Pacific, and A2RL. This initiative is a cornerstone of Abu Dhabi’s strategy to become a global hub for autonomous technology, supported by strong government backing and a progressive regulatory framework. The emirate has already demonstrated its commitment with public trials of eVTOL passenger aircraft and level 4 autonomous shuttles.
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Kubernetes Releases Critical Patch Updates for v1.33, v1.32, and v1.31
The Kubernetes project has released new patch versions for its three most recent minor releases, providing important bug fixes and security updates. The new versions are v1.33.4, v1.32.8, and v1.31.12, released on August 12, 2025. The project maintains release branches for its three latest minor releases (1.33, 1.32, and 1.31), with versions 1.19 and newer receiving approximately one year of patch support. The next major release, v1.34.0, is anticipated for August 27, 2025. Users of affected versions are strongly encouraged to upgrade to the latest patches to ensure system stability and security.
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IonQ Strengthens Quantum Computing Lead, Surpassing 1,000 Patents
Leading quantum computing firm IonQ announced its intellectual property portfolio now exceeds 1,000 patents and patent applications, solidifying its leadership in trapped-ion quantum computing. Recently granted U.S. patents include innovations for portable quantum memory for long-distance networks and a self-aligned photonic fabrication process for 3D optical structures in quantum devices. This expansive patent portfolio covers a wide range of critical technologies, including improved gate operations, error mitigation techniques, and quantum circuit optimization. IonQ’s robust IP strategy is aimed at accelerating the development of scalable, high-performance quantum systems to achieve a commercial advantage.
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Microsoft’s August 2025 Patch Tuesday Fixes Over 100 Vulnerabilities, Including Zero-Day Flaw
Microsoft’s August 2025 Patch Tuesday updates address over 100 security vulnerabilities across its product line, including Windows, Exchange Server, and SharePoint Server. The release includes fixes for 13 critical vulnerabilities and one publicly disclosed zero-day flaw. The zero-day, tracked as CVE-2025-53779, is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Kerberos authentication protocol. Critical vulnerabilities patched include remote code execution flaws in the Windows Graphics Component and Windows GDI+. In addition to security fixes, the update for Windows 11 also introduces new AI features and recovery tools.
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EU Cyber Resilience Act: New Cybersecurity Rules to Impact Open-Source Software
The European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), enacted in December, will introduce mandatory cybersecurity requirements for commercial products with digital elements, significantly impacting the open-source software ecosystem. While the CRA does not directly target non-commercial individual developers, it will affect distributors of software that includes open-source components, such as Linux providers. These distributors will be subject to the law and must enhance their software development life cycles. As a result, open-source projects used in commercial products will face increased pressure to adopt more stringent security practices. The act is expected to be fully enacted in December 2027, with vulnerability reporting requirements for manufacturers beginning in September 2026.
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