Meet Mico, Microsoft’s AI Assistant Revival

Microsoft has brought back the spirit of its old Office assistant with the launch of a new virtual character called Mico. The character is part of Copilot’s voice mode and responds in real-time with facial expressions when you talk to it. Mico will be available in the US at launch and features a memory function … Read more

Gboard Update Lets You Hide Comma Keys on Android

Google has made a change to the layout of its popular keyboard app, Gboard, for Android users. The latest update lets you hide the period and comma keys by default. This feature is now available in both beta and stable channels with version 16.0+. When turned off, the bottom row will display only ‘?’ and … Read more

Claude Chatbot Gains Memory Function for Improved User Experience

Claude’s AI chatbot will now remember past conversations without prompting. Anthropic has rolled out this update for Pro and Max subscribers, making the bot more useful and convenient. The new feature allows users to turn on Claude’s “memory” in their settings, enabling them to clearly see what details are being retained from previous chats. This … Read more

AWS Outage Raises Cyber Insurance Industry Concerns

A recent 15-hour outage at Amazon Web Services (AWS) has raised questions about systemic loss to the cyber insurance market, but losses from temporary lapses in cloud services are unlikely to be catastrophic. The incident is classified as “moderate” by cyber analytics provider CyberCube, which notes that it highlights the risk of concentration among cloud … Read more

Trump Pardons Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao Amid Crypto Controversy

US President Donald Trump has granted a pardon to Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange embroiled in controversy. This move comes after months of efforts by Zhao to boost the Trump family’s own crypto company, reportedly due to sympathy from the president towards arguments of political persecution. Source: https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/trump-binance-changpeng-zhao-pardon-7509bd63

CNBC Warns of Private Credit ‘Cockroaches’ Amid Contagion Fears

CNBC recently warned about the risks associated with private credit, labeling them as a potential threat to financial stability due to contagion fears. Here’s what you need to know: Private credit refers to loans and investments made without public disclosure or transparency. While they can offer attractive returns, CNBC suggests that these investments may pose … Read more

Target to Lay Off 1,800 Corporate Employees Amid Restructure

Target plans to reduce around 1,800 corporate roles as part of a major restructuring effort. The company aims to cut approximately 8% of its global corporate workforce, with the majority of layoffs (around 80%) affecting US-based employees. Target will also close around 800 open positions, resulting in roughly 3,700 job losses. Source: https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/target-to-cut-around-1-000-jobs-910556f2

Rigetti Computing CEO Denies Selling Stake After Stock Surge

Rigetti Computing’s CEO, Subodh Kulkarni, is holding onto his stake in the company despite a 150% surge in stock price this year. Rumors that he sold shares sparked concerns, but Kulkarni claims to have “no plans to reduce my stake.” The CEO holds 0.8% equity through stock options, with 1.6 million vested and 1.1 million … Read more

Microsoft Launches AI Companion Copilot with Personalized Features

Microsoft is changing the way we interact with technology by launching its AI companion, Copilot. The new release brings a more personal and human-centered approach to artificial intelligence, focusing on making it useful, supportive, and deeply connected to users. At its core, Copilot is built around the idea that technology should work in service of … Read more

Wall Street Warns of Lending Blow-Ups Amid Rising Risk

Wall Street is on high alert due to recent lending failures, prompting concerns about a broader credit market meltdown. Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase’s CEO, warned that seeing one “cockroach” (a failed lender) might indicate more problems are lurking. The auto lender Tricolor and car-parts-maker First Brands’ collapses have raised eyebrows, and investors are now scrutinizing … Read more