Horizon Lens Newsroom
Michael Polansky is training an AI model on skin that’s still alive
Michael Polansky — better known publicly as Lady Gaga's partner and a former top deputy to Sean Parker — has quietly spent years building an AI-driven startup that keeps living human skin tissue alive for weeks outside the body to discover new skincare compounds, and is only now going public about it.
Japanese space tech startup Letara expands beyond satellite thrusters with $16M
Japanese space startup Letara is betting its hybrid rocket technology can move beyond small satellite thrusters into a broader market for space, defense and security, after raising ¥2.6 billion ($16 million).
Anthropic’s Opus 4.6 is a smut-machine
Anthropic forbids its Claude models from generating sexually explicit content. But a series of tests conducted by TechCrunch found that it didn't take much to get past the restriction.
Nvidia partners with data center developer Cloverleaf
Nvidia continues to pour money into data center development — just as AI data centers bring lots of money into Nvidia.
How AI accounting startup Rillet raised $100M and became a unicorn in 48 hours
Rillet CEO Nicolas Kopp shared growth numbers at a board meeting and set off a fundraising frenzy from Iconiq, Sequoia and others. Without even trying.
Apple is reportedly cutting hundreds of jobs from Siri, Vision Pro teams
Apple has admitted that some roles are being impacted as it shifts its focus away from certain initiatives.
The $225 Pebble Time 2 is a refreshingly fun smartwatch
The $225 Pebble Time 2 pairs quirky watch faces and apps with physical buttons, an e-paper display, weeks of battery life, and a playful hacker spirit.
Nvidia just showed that the harness, not the AI model, is now the real hero
Nvidia research shows that AI agents can perform well, and not go off the deep end, through fine-tuning, even if the AI model isn't that great at the task.
Tesla’s solar roof is dead — here’s what went wrong
Tesla's solar roof was an experiment that never really caught on for the company. But does that mean the concept of roof-integrated solar is dead?
Waymo hands over documents in NHTSA’s child collision probe
The responses to NHTSA's questions so far are redacted entirely, citing "confidential business information."
Why is the DOJ investigating Andreessen Horowitz’s board seats?
Andreessen Horowitz has two partners sitting on the boards of companies that now compete with each other: Ben Horowitz at Databricks and Martin Casado at Fivetran. Nothing too scandalous on the surface, except the Department of Justice has reportedly been investigating the arrangement for almost a year, dusting off a 112-year-old antitrust law that’s rarely used against VCs. Board conflicts aren’t&#
US government lab is probing Chinese lidar for security vulnerabilities
The security review is being performed by the Idaho National Laboratory, and the research is being funded by a company -- or a group of companies -- in the electric and autonomous vehicle industries.
Starcloud raises $250 million for orbital data centers as launch options dry up
There's about to be a big fight to secure access to space.
Tesla recalls 3 million cars as part of China-wide push to stop hidden door handles
Tesla and eight other automakers will install warning labels that help occupants identify the often hard-to-find manual door releases.
Private equity firm Apollo confirms data breach amid hacking wave targeting financial giants
The private equity giant confirms a breach, weeks after Google researchers said hackers were targeting financial companies.
Senator asks US government watchdog to review how feds use hacking tools
Senator Ron Wyden sent a letter to the U.S. federal watchdog requesting a comprehensive review of how the FBI, DEA, ICE's HSI, and the Secret Service use hacking tools and spyware against Americans.
HoverAir’s transforming modular drone has already been halted in the US
I am so sorry, fellow US gadget fans: the FCC's drone ban appears to have struck again. The HoverAir Versa - a baby steadycam with snap-on propeller wings that transform it into a drone - has already stopped taking US orders just three days after its Indiegogo debut, and may be forced to abandon shipping […]
TikTok will pay $400 million to settle DOJ child privacy lawsuit
The US Department of Justice announced on Friday that TikTok will pay $400 million to settle a lawsuit filed in 2024 over allegedly violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). In the lawsuit, the DOJ alleged that TikTok collected data from children without notifying parents or obtaining consent and did not delete the accounts […]
Over 1 million people have clicked LinkedIn’s AI slop button
LinkedIn actually announced a "Seems like AI slop" button on July 30th, and the company says that a lot of people have already used it. According to a Thursday post from chief product officer Hari Srinivasan, "over a million people" have clicked on the button, which is accessible from the three dots menu on a […]
Apple is laying off staffers working on the Vision Pro and Siri
Apple is laying off staff on the Siri and the Vision Pro teams, according to Bloomberg. The cuts include "largely shutting down" a Vision Pro gaming team and "reducing the size" of the team that makes Vision Pro immersive content, the publication says. More than 200 jobs were cut. Apple said in a statement to […]
$100 Best Buy gift cards will be $60 at stores Saturday
The best gift card deal we’ve spotted this year is happening Saturday, August 22nd, at Best Buy stores for one day only. In celebration of the retailer’s 60th anniversary, you can purchase a $100 Best Buy gift card for $60. The deal is only good for as long as supplies last at your local store, […]
Pixel 11 gets in on the digicam trend
I recently looked back at a photo I'd taken on a smartphone in 2014, and I was struck by just how good it looked. The details were soft, the shadows were dark. It was the kind of photo I felt like I hadn't seen out of a phone in years. That might be changing, though. […]
Google’s Pixel 10A is a great deal at 15 percent off
This week, all of Google’s Pixel 11 phones launched, including the $899 Pixel 11, the $1,099 Pixel 11 Pro (with the same processor and starting 12GB RAM as the standard model, but with better cameras), and the $1,899 Pixel 11 Pro Fold. They’re good phones, but if you don’t mind missing out on their new, […]
Trump's space transportation policy calls for new spaceport on federal land
"We probably need another site that's capable of heavy and super heavy launch capability."
Hidden Zillow listings created fake supply shock, raising NYC rents, lawsuit says
Renters say hidden Zillow listings make it harder to afford living in New York City.
Chinese regulators tell Tesla to fix nearly 3 million cars
Chinese safety regulators have cracked down on doors that don't open in a crash.
Fighter jets help destroy Russian drone boat near European offshore gas platform
Romania blew up drone boat to protect lives of several hundred rig workers.
Waymo doubles spending on lobbying in robotaxi battle with Uber
Alphabet-owned company is seeking to persuade US regulators to clear a path for fully autonomous taxi services.
As demand for Meta AI glasses explodes, it’s harder to avoid creepy recordings
Ars looks at Zuckoff, the latest free app detecting Meta AI glasses amid privacy backlash.
Rocket Report: SpaceX makes its mark on the Moon; ULA names new boss
Taiwan's effort to develop its own satellite launcher hit a setback this week.
US distributor of China’s most popular humanoid robots pivots after US ban
FCC ban on foreign-made robots accelerated RoboStore’s US manufacturing plans.
Europe cancels planned upgrades for Ariane 6 rocket
Arianespace hasn’t publicly disclosed the cost for an Ariane 6 launch.
They survived 9/11; 25 years later, their bonds remain unbroken
Survivors reconnect with those who saved them in National Geographic's 9/11: Reunited.
Roblox must make changes after failing to block adults creeping on kids
Roblox is first platform to submit to independent audits under the Online Safety Act.
SpaceX’s orbital data centers would create a new category of e-waste
The yeetcycling math resembles asteroid mining in reverse.
Reverse-lookup service exposed millions of photos of people’s faces
People-search tool ClarityCheck left database containing more than 9M image files exposed.
Grok exfiltrates user data when malicious instructions are encrypted
Cryptographic Context Injection is only the latest way to break an LLM safety guardrail.
Introducing AI Futures
Introducing AI Futures, a new OpenAI blog exploring how transformative AI could reshape power, governance, the economy, and individual freedom.
From Atari to EVE Online: Building on 15 Years of AI Research in Games
Google DeepMind partners with game studios to prototype breakthrough AI gameplay.
Bring the Fire: Play Games on GeForce NOW With New Firefox Browser Support
It’s a new way into the cloud. GeForce NOW welcomes Firefox support to the cloud, opening up another way to jump into high-performance PC gaming straight from the browser, starting today. Whether on a school laptop or everyday PC, it’s now even easier to play supported PC games without downloading a dedicated app. Plus, discover […]
This company’s plans to deploy space mirrors could jeopardize the night sky for many
Reflect Orbital’s proposed giant beams could shine as bright as 10,000 full moons and scatter light over tens of kilometres, according to MIT Technology Review.
When AI designs a drug, who gets the credit?
MIT Technology Review examines the scientific and ownership questions raised when AI systems contribute to drug design.
Bitcoin macro rally and institutional bid discussed by approved X accounts
@CredibleCrypto described a macro bottom and targets above $100,000, while @RaoulGMI linked the move to Treasury buybacks and long-end yield relief. These are commentator views, not independently verified market facts.
SpaceX launch and Starship test updates from the official X account
@SpaceX posted updates on a Starlink launch and a six-engine Starship static-fire test; the posts are primary company communications and should be labelled accordingly.
AI agents moving into business workflows, with safety and oversight concerns
Approved X-account discussion highlighted agents handling research, negotiation and tool use, alongside prompt-injection, autonomy and oversight risks. The cited posts are commentary and examples, not independently verified reporting.
Humanoid robotics framed as an early physical-economy investment theme
@RaoulGMI compared humanoid robotics with early Bitcoin as an asymmetric opportunity and argued that cheaper, more capable AI could transfer into physical systems. This is investor commentary.