Technology
Amazon scraps partnership with surveillance company after Super Bowl ad backlash
Amazon says no customer video from Ring ever went to Flock.
This San Diego AI giant wants to merge with its rival. Together, they’re worth $6 billion
San Diego‑based Seismic and Seattle‑based Highspot, two of the biggest AI‑powered sales software companies are...
Anthropic hits a $380B valuation as it heightens competition with OpenAI
Renaissance Capital counts Anthropic as third among the most valuable private firms.
WhatsApp says Russia has tried to fully block the messaging app
Russia has already blocked major platforms like Facebook since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Instagram chief says he does not believe people can get clinically addicted to social media
The question of addiction is a key pillar of the case.
No cell service? No problem. San Diego tech helps cars communicate
Qualcomm and Viasat aim improve "vehicle-to-everything" connectivity, ensuring service even when you're out of range.
New Mexico lawsuit accuses Meta of failing to protect children from sexual exploitation online
It's unclear whether Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify at trial.
Landmark trial accusing social media companies of addicting children to their platforms begins
Meta and Google’s YouTube face claims their platforms deliberately addict and harm children.
Security concerns and skepticism are bursting the bubble of Moltbook, the viral AI social forum
Many experts have expressed security concerns about the platform.
EU accuses TikTok of ‘addictive design’ that harms children, seeks changes to protect users
The European Commission believes TikTok should change its service's basic design.
Anthropic, OpenAI rivalry spills into new Super Bowl ads as both fight to win over AI users
This rivalry began when OpenAI leaders left to form Anthropic in 2021.
Musk vows to put data centers in space and run them on solar power but experts have their doubts
Scientists and industry experts say Musk faces formidable technical, financial and environmental obstacles.
China to ban hidden door handles on cars starting 2027
The new requirement will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
Paris prosecutors raid X offices as part of investigation into child abuse images and deepfakes
Alleged offenses include spreading child sexual abuse images and deepfakes.
Musk Inc.? Billionaire combines his rocket and AI businesses before an expected IPO this year
The deal will combine AI chatbot Grok, Starlink, and social media company X.
America’s leading laundry couple works out of a converted garage in Clairemont
Here is how San Diego's top Poplin laundry professional built her successful "work from home"...
Some companies tie AI to layoffs, but the reality is more complicated
It can be hard for economists, or individual employees, to know if AI is the...
Why Silicon Valley is raising billions while San Diego biotechs struggle
Venture capitalists are funding startups building AI. Meanwhile, life sciences venture capital in San Diego...
Google adds AI image generation to Chrome browser, side panel option for virtual assistant
The AI in Chrome relies on the Gemini 3 model that Google released late last...
Amazon cuts about 16,000 corporate jobs in the latest round of layoffs
These cuts are Amazon's biggest since 2023, when 27,000 jobs were cut.
TikTok faces app deletions, censorship claims and glitches in days after its ownership change
TikTok said the problems were caused by a data center power outage.
Amazon is closing all Amazon Fresh stores, including one in San Diego County. Here is why.
The change impacts San Diego County's only Amazon Fresh store, which opened in Poway on...
Pinterest will lay off 15% of its workforce as the platform pivots resources to AI
Pinterest's job cuts will impact hundreds of workers.
EU steps in to make sure Google gives rivals access to AI services and data
"Specification proceedings" were opened to ensure Google complies with the Digital Markets Act.
TikTok settles as social media giants face landmark trial over youth addiction claims
Details of the settlement with TikTok were not disclosed.
European Union opens investigation into Musk’s AI chatbot Grok over sexual deepfakes
Grok sparked backlash by using AI to undress people, including children, in images.
Meta pauses teen access to AI characters
Teens will not be able to access AI characters “until the updated experience is ready.”
What to know about the deal to keep TikTok in US
The algorithm powering the U.S. backend will be retrained on U.S. user data.
What weather apps sometimes miss about dangerous winter storm conditions
Your apps might not be as accurate as a human when the weather gets rough.
TikTok finalizes a deal to form a new American entity
The social video platform company signed agreements with major investors including Oracle, Silver Lake and...
This San Diego investment fund has too much money
While many investment firms are struggling to raise capital, San Diego–based Blueprint Equity pulled in...
Ryanair CEO dismisses Elon Musk’s idea of buying the airline as verbal feud escalates
Ryanair's CEO dismisses Elon Musk's idea of buying the airline and shrugs off his insults.
FTC says it will appeal Meta antitrust decision
The FTC said it continues to allege that Meta has illegally maintained a monopoly in...
Netflix intensifies bid for Warner Bros making its $72 billion offer all cash
Warner's leadership supports the merger with Netflix.
Qualcomm co-founder Harvey White loved his work, his family, his Padres and his hometown
1934-2025: The longtime Del Mar resident passed away Dec. 18 at the age of 90
Social media platforms removed 4.7 million accounts after Australia banned them for children
Platforms like Facebook, YouTube and X face hefty fines if they fail to comply.
YouTube relaxes monetization policy on videos with controversial content
The update allows creators to earn when they tackle sensitive issues in a nongraphic way.
ChatGPT’s free ride is ending: Here’s what OpenAI plans for advertising on the chatbot
OpenAI hasn’t yet rolled out ads but will start testing them in the coming weeks.
4 in 5 small businesses had cyberattacks last year and almost half of those were AI powered
Small businesses are raising prices to make up for losses from cybercrime.
Taiwan hails its ‘best’ trade deal with US, as China protests
Taiwan’s premier hailed a new trade deal with the United States, while an official in...
An app’s blunt life check adds another layer to the loneliness crisis in China
A new, wildly popular app among young Chinese people is called, simply, “Are You Dead?”
San Diego MTS issues proclamation against driverless cars
In a 12-1 vote, the MTS Board of Directors passed a resolution that calls for...
What you need to know about Grok and the controversies surrounding it
Grok has been controversial for echoing Musk's views on race, gender and politics.
Wikipedia inks AI deals with Microsoft, Meta and Perplexity as it marks 25th birthday
These companies are paying to access Wikipedia content, supporting its nonprofit mission.
Grok blocked from undressing images in places where it’s illegal, X says
The announcement followed a backlash over sexualized images of women and children, including bans and...
Verizon says hourslong outage that disrupted calling and data services has been resolved
The carrier hasn’t specified what caused Wednesday’s disruptions, but confirmed that the outage was resolved.
Microsoft’s Brad Smith pushes Big Tech to ‘pay our way’ for AI data centers amid rising opposition
Smith's comments come as data centers have faced opposition in towns where they want to...
Malaysia and Indonesia become the first countries to block Musk’s Grok over sexualized AI images
Both Southeast Asian countries cited concerns about nonconsensual and sexual deepfakes.
From climbing vacuums to cyber pets: Some highlights of CES 2026
Robots were everywhere on the CES floor, assisting and entertaining.
Musk’s Grok chatbot restricts image generation after global backlash to sexualized deepfakes
The chatbot, accessed through Elon Musk's platform X, had been granting malicious requests to modify...
China to probe Meta’s acquisition of artificial intelligence startup Manus
“Security has become the top concern for Chinese policymakers.”
Google adds new AI features to Gmail, turning it into a personal assistant
Gmail’s new AI options will only be available in English within the U.S. for now.
Elon Musk’s xAI to build $20 billion data center in Mississippi
xAI CFO Anthony Armstrong says it will house the world's largest supercomputer.
‘Worst in Show’ CES products include AI refrigerators, AI companions and AI doorbells
The “Worst in Show” awards highlighted products seen as invasive, fragile or wasteful.
Musk’s AI chatbot faces global backlash over sexualized images of women and children
Musk pitches his chatbot as an edgier alternative to rivals with more safeguards.
Trump Mobile’s golden phone remains nowhere to be found
A golden phone that President Donald Trump’s family business promised to release last year remains...
Big Tech’s fast-expanding plans for data centers are running into stiff community opposition
Once-sleepy municipal board meetings now feature crowded rooms of angry residents.
Hyundai and Boston Dynamics unveil humanoid robot Atlas at CES
The life-sized robot walked and waved to the crowd.
Tesla loses title as world’s biggest electric vehicle maker as sales fall for second year in a row
A Chinese rival took the crown from Musk's Tesla.
Meta buys Singapore startup Manus in latest move to advance its artificial intelligence efforts
Meta reportedly closed the deal at more than $2 billion.
Delete Act: How you can request your personal info be purged by data brokers in 2026
California legislative analysts concluded that data brokers offer valuable services, but also threaten people's rights...
Is there another option to get the nuclear waste out of San Onofre?
A recently passed resolution by San Diego County seeks partnerships with national labs and companies...
$8 gasoline, a convention center remake, robotaxis: San Diego business stories to watch in 2026
U-T business reporters say these are the key San Diego business stories they are tracking...
Waymos blocked roads and caused chaos during San Francisco power outage
The power outage affected 130,000 homes and businesses in San Francisco.
Instacart ends a program where users could see different prices for the same item at the same store
Instacart said these services were neither “dynamic pricing” nor “surveillance pricing.”
Starlink in the crosshairs: How Russia could attack Elon Musk’s conquering of space
NATO-nation intelligence services believe Russia is developing a weapon to target Starlink satellites.
TikTok signs deal to form new US unit with investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake
The deal is expected to close on Jan. 22.
Trump Media to merge with nuclear fusion company that wants to power AI
The companies say the all-stock deal is valued at more than $6 billion.
Vacancies for life science office space hit record highs. Here’s who’s taking advantage
Asking prices for rent have fallen for 13 consecutive quarters.
Podcast industry under siege as AI bots flood airways with thousands of programs
The slow encroachment of AI voices has sparked anger as well as curiosity.
Instacart is charging different prices to different customers in a dangerous AI experiment, report says
Instacart likely began experimenting with prices in 2022, when the platform acquired AI company Eversight.
Humanoid robots take center stage at Silicon Valley summit, but skepticism remains
Some robots with human elements are already being tested in workplaces.
Disney invests $1B in OpenAI in deal to bring characters like Mickey Mouse to Sora AI video tool
Fans can generate and share videos featuring Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars characters.
TED Talks to be based in San Diego, bringing jobs and new venues
TED eyes new employees and stages around San Diego for its flagship conference.
Open AI, Microsoft face lawsuit over ChatGPT’s alleged role in Connecticut murder-suicide
The lawsuit claims OpenAI designed a defective product that validated a user's paranoid delusions, leading...
AI slop ad backfires for McDonald’s
People aren’t lovin’ it.
OpenAI names Slack CEO Dresser as first chief of revenue as ChatGPT maker aims to make a profit
OpenAI faces competition from companies like Google and concerns about profitability.
Google facing a new antitrust probe in Europe over content it uses for AI
Regulators are examining whether Google used web publishers and YouTube content without permission or payment.
Trump approves sale of more advanced Nvidia computer chips used in AI to China
Trump’s announcement appeared to drive the stock slightly higher in after hours trading.
Trump says Netflix deal to buy Warner Bros. ‘could be a problem’ because of size of market share
Trump says he will be involved in the decision about whether federal regulators should approve...
One Tech Tip: Up your Christmas shopping game with AI tools
Shopping assistant chatbots were a novelty a year ago. Now, they’re everywhere.
Prospective employees, companies negotiate fast-changing new world of AI
Recent job cuts, especially by tech companies, have raised concerns about the impact of AI...
Netflix to acquire Warner Bros. studio and streaming business for $72 billion
The acquisition, announced Friday, would bring two of the industry’s biggest players in film and...
WhatsApp faces European antitrust investigation over artificial intelligence
Regulators are concerned about WhatsApp's move to limit access for third-party AI providers.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang visits Republicans as debate over intensifying AI race rages
Huang warns that any restrictions on AI will halt its advancement.
AI’s impact could worsen gaps between world’s rich and poor, a UN report says
The report likens the situation to the “Great Divergence” of the industrial revolution.
Lawsuit: Meta allowed sex-trafficking posts on Instagram as it put profit over kids’ safety
'Meta allowed its products to infiltrate classrooms, disrupt learning environments, and contribute directly to the...
Snapchat is nearing 1 billion monthly users. Why can’t it turn a profit?
The 14-year-old tech company is still losing money and has seen its share price tumble.
Funding for San Diego startups tumbles to smallest quarterly investment total in 8 years
The number of deals tells a similar sluggish story with 48 venture capital deals inked...
Is AI making some people delusional? Families and experts are worried
The evidence that AI could be detrimental to some people’s brains is growing.
9 more newspapers sue OpenAI, Microsoft, alleging stolen content used in AI apps
ByPat Maio
The L.A. Daily News, San Bernardino Sun and San Diego Union-Tribune are among those seeking...
NYC judge: OpenAI must turn over communication with lawyers about deleted databases
The judge is overseeing a massive consolidated class-action lawsuit against OpenAI, which includes the Daily...
France will investigate Musk’s Grok chatbot after Holocaust denial claims
France has strict Holocaust denial laws.
Google and US government battle over the future of internet advertising
The courtroom showdown will pit lawyers from Google and the U.S. Department of Justice against...
Opposition forms against Waymo’s robotaxis in San Diego
The autonomous vehicle company wants to deploy robotaxis in San Diego next year.
Bubble fears ease but investors still waiting for AI to live up to its promise
Some companies are relying more heavily on debt to fund their AI ambitions.
Verizon is cutting more than 13,000 jobs as it works to ‘reorient’ entire company
The jobs cuts began on Thursday, per to a staff memo.
Advocacy groups urge parents to avoid AI toys this holiday season
These toys, marketed to kids as young as 2, are often powered by AI models...
Nvidia earnings clear lofty hurdle set by analysts amid fears about an AI bubble
Nvidia's report has turned into a pulse check on the AI boom.
Ford recalls more than 200,000 Bronco and Bronco Sports for instrument panel failure
The recall includes 128,607 Ford Bronco Sports, model years 2025-2026 and 101,002 Ford Broncos, also...