Techmeme
May 14, 2025, 3:15 PM

Top News

Google DeepMind:
Google DeepMind unveils AlphaEvolve, a Gemini-powered AI coding agent that designs and optimizes advanced algorithms using an evolutionary framework  —  New AI agent evolves algorithms for math and practical applications in computing by combining the creativity of large language models with automated evaluators
Belle Lin / Wall Street Journal:
Databricks agrees to acquire cloud database startup Neon for ~$1B, set to close in Databricks' Q2 2025; Neon's platform is based on the open-source PostgreSQL  —  The deal is aimed at making it easier for businesses to build artificial intelligence agents with their own data, Databricks CEO says
Jennifer Maas / Variety:
Tom Warren / The Verge:
Microsoft extends security updates for Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10 until October 10, 2028, after previously planning to end support on October 14, 2025  —  Microsoft 365 apps will continue to get security updates on Windows 10 for another three years.
Richard Leadbetter / Eurogamer.net:
Natalie Lung / Bloomberg:
Uber debuts Route Share, a pooled rides option that is similar to a bus and up to 50% cheaper than UberX, available during commuting hours in SF, NYC, and more  —  In contrast, its existing pooled rides option cuts costs as much as only 20%.  But there's a catch: Route Share pickups run every 20 minutes …
Financial Times:
The US Commerce Department issues guidance stating that “using Huawei Ascend chips anywhere in the world violates US export controls” as they likely use US tech  —  Commerce department guidance aims to toughen export controls on tech used by China to make AI processors
Bloomberg:
Sony reports Q4 revenue down 24% YoY to ~$17.7B, PlayStation 5 units sold in FY 24 down 11% YoY to 18.5M, and expects a ~$700M impact from US tariffs in FY 25  —  Silicon Valley Is Coming for the Pentagon's $1 Trillion Budget  —  The Trump administration wants startups to remake the US military …
Ian King / Bloomberg:
Lauren Feiner / The Verge:
Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal reintroduce the Kids Online Safety Act, mandating platforms like Meta to mitigate harms; Apple supports KOSA  —  Sens. Blackburn and Blumenthal are reintroducing the sweeping bill that failed in the eleventh hour last year.
Wired:
The CFPB withdraws its proposal for new rules to more tightly regulate US data brokers and their ability to sell sensitive information about Americans  —  Russell Vought, acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has canceled plans to more tightly regulate the sale of Americans' sensitive personal data.
Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple is developing a Vision Pro feature that lets users scroll content with their eyes, as part of visionOS 3  —  The eye-scrolling capability is being tested as part of visionOS 3, an upcoming version of the Vision Pro's operating system, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
Reuters:
At a JP Morgan event, Intel CFO David Zinsner says committed volumes of chips using Intel's 18A and 14A processes for customers are currently “not significant”  —  The volume of processors Intel (INTC.O) is set to produce for external customers using its upcoming manufacturing technology …
Jessica Lyons / The Register:
The EU's Vulnerability Database project, announced in June 2024, is now fully operational, while the US' NVD struggles with a vulnerability submission backlog  —  EUVD comes into play not a moment too soon  —  The European Vulnerability Database (EUVD) is now fully operational …
Stephanie Palazzolo / The Information:
Sources: Anthropic has new versions of Claude Sonnet and Opus, set to come out in the upcoming weeks, that can switch back to “reasoning” mode if they get stuck  —  The race to develop reasoning models that “think” harder is at full force.  At Anthropic, which arrived later …
Arjun Kharpal / CNBC:
Tencent reports Q1 revenue up 13% YoY to ~$25B, above ~$24.3B est., net profit up 14% YoY to ~$6.6B, below ~$7.3B est., driven by its gaming business' growth  —  Tencent on Wednesday reported an annual rise in its top and bottom line in the first quarter fuelled by accelerated growth in its key gaming business.
New York Times:
US SEC filing: GD Culture Group, a struggling China-linked company that has only eight staff, plans to buy $300M in BTC and $TRUMP, creating ethical conflicts  —  The firm, which produces content for TikTok, recorded no revenue last year, but it announced this week that a mysterious stock sale …
Reed Albergotti / Semafor:
Meta releases the Open Molecules 2025 dataset and the Universal Model for Atoms family of models to accelerate the development of new drugs and materials  —  THE SCOOP  —  Meta released a massive trove of chemistry data Wednesday that it hopes will supercharge scientific research …
Grant Stoner / IGN:
Sources, including former AbleGamers staff, detail abuse, financial mismanagement, and other issues at the nonprofit dedicated to promoting gaming accessibility  —  20 Years after AbleGamers' founding, new reports detail abuse fostered by management, mismanaged funds, and leadership that failed to protect employees.

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More News

Lauren Feiner / The Verge:

Earlier Picks

Tina Nguyen / The Verge:
Jennifer Elias / CNBC: