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The head of Instagram has defended his platform against claims it caused mental health damage to minors, arguing in a California court that even seemingly excessive use of social media does not equal an addiction. Adam Mosseri, who has led Instagram for eight years, testified in the landmark trial that began this week in Los Angeles, making him the first high-profile executive to appear. It is expected to last six weeks, and serve as a test of legal arguments aimed at holding tech firms accountable for impacts on young people. BBC
The world is in peril,” warned the former head of Anthropic’s Safeguards Research team as he headed for the exit. A researcher for OpenAI, similarly on the way out, said that the technology has “a potential for manipulating users in ways we don’t have the tools to understand, let alone prevent.” They’re part of a wave of artificial intelligence researchers and executives who aren’t just leaving their employers — they’re loudly ringing the alarm bell on the way out. CNN
Decades after the first demonstration of brain computer interfaces, we have reached a “tipping point” in creating the first reliable devices that can read our thoughts, according to the man who pioneered the technology. Professor John Donoghue, who developed BrainGate – the first “brain chip” – at Brown University in Rhode Island, has just shared in the Queen Elizabeth Prize, the world’s preeminent engineering award, in recognition of his work to “unlock” the minds of people with paralysis. Sky News
The person behind an anonymous social media account that posts AI videos of UK politicians has been identified as a man who has spent time in prison for multiple hate crimes directed towards Jewish people. Joshua Bonehill-Paine was identified by Channel 4 News as the owner of Crewkerne Gazette, a satirical X account that created AI videos depicting politicians such as Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Andy Burnham apparently singing popular songs from artists such as Amy Winehouse, Barry Manilow and Elton John with altered, politically themed lyrics. Guardian
Ring’s new Search Party feature has once again drawn backlash for the company. A 30-second ad that aired during Sunday’s Super Bowl showed Ring cameras “surveilling” neighborhoods to locate a lost dog. In the current political climate, a prime-time ad celebrating neighborhood surveillance struck a nerve. People voiced concerns across social media that the AI-powered technology Ring uses to identify dogs could soon be used to search for humans. Combined with Ring’s recent rollout of its new facial recognition capability, it feels like a short leap for a pet-finding feature to be turned into a tool for state surveillance. The Verge
Apple has just released iOS 26.3 to iPhones everywhere, and as expected, it’s a relatively small update. With iOS 26.4 already on the horizon, and rumored to introduce substantial changes, including a Gemini-powered Siri, this release is more about incremental improvements that set the stage for big upcoming changes. That said, iOS 26.3 still introduces a few notable additions, especially when it comes to device switching, privacy, and new capabilities for users in the EU. Read on as we break down everything new in iOS 26.3. MacWorld
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