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PERPLEXITY LAUNCHES A $200 MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION PLAN

Perplexity Max offers unlimited access to Labs, a report-generating tool, and early access to Comet, its forthcoming AI-powered browser.

ORACLE, OPENAI EXPAND STARGATE DEAL FOR MORE US DATA CENTERS

OpenAI will rent 4.5 gigawatts of data center power from Oracle across multiple US states - enough electricity to power millions of homes - as part of a $30 billion cloud deal as part of the $500 billion Stargate initiative.

COULD GOOGLE'S VEO 3 BE THE START OF PLAYABLE WORLD MODELS?

Google's latest video-generating model, Veo 3, could potentially be used for video games. World models are different from video-generation models - video-generation models synthesize realistic video sequences while world models simulate the dynamics of real-world environments. Veo 3 isn't quite a world model yet, but it could be used for cinematic storytelling and narrative prototyping. Google has plans to turn its multimodal foundation model, Gemini 2.5 Pro, into a world model.

AI MODELS REQUIRING $10M+ TO TRAIN NOW LAUNCH TWICE PER MONTH

Epoch AI tracked 201 models exceeding 10²³ FLOPs in 2024, up from just two in 2017, with training costs for the largest models now reaching tens of millions of dollars at the 10²⁵ FLOP threshold first crossed by GPT-4.

BUILDING REWARD FUNCTIONS FOR CHEMICAL AI: A TALE OF REWARD HACKING

FutureHouse researchers detail the months-long battle against their chemistry reasoning model, ether0, which kept finding creative ways to game their reward systems—from proposing reactions that just "add water and call it a reaction" to generating explosive peroxide chains. Their iterative fixes using bloom filters and structure alerts reveal why domain expertise, not just ML engineering, has become critical for training reasoning models.

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OPTIMIZING CHECKPOINTING WITH PYTORCH DCP

PyTorch engineers reduced checkpoint sizes by 22% using a modular compression approach in Distributed Checkpointing (DCP). This post outlines practical integration steps and design choices to streamline storage and bandwidth during distributed training.

GEMINI 2.5 FOR ROBOTICS AND EMBODIED INTELLIGENCE

Gemini 2.5 models advance robotics with enhanced coding, reasoning, and multimodal capabilities rooted in spatial understanding. Developers can use Gemini 2.5 for complex scene queries, robot control through spatial reasoning, and interactive applications using the Live API for real-time voice commands. Trusted testers like Boston Dynamics showcase its potential in robotics.

GNNS WITH TRANSFORMERS FOR NEURAL PREDICTORS

A new predictor combines GNNs and transformers with a sibling-aware token mixer and a bidirectional graph isomorphism feed-forward network to better model DAG-based neural architectures.

GRAPH REGRESSION WITH CONTRASTIVE LEARNING

Extending causal graph learning techniques to regression tasks, this work adapts intervention strategies via contrastive learning to better handle confounders in graph-level regression.

THE PATH TO MEDICAL SUPERINTELLIGENCE

Microsoft AI's Diagnostic Orchestrator beats expert physicians by diagnosing 85% of New England Journal of Medicine cases four times more accurately. It achieved this faster and more cost-effectively through sequential diagnosis, mimicking real-world clinical decision-making. This advancement is supported by Microsoft AI's new Sequential Diagnosis Benchmark, which transforms complex medical cases into interactive diagnostic challenges.

NYT TO START SEARCHING DELETED CHATGPT LOGS AFTER BEATING OPENAI IN COURT

OpenAI's request to overturn a court order requiring it to retain all ChatGPT logs 'indefinitely' has been denied. The company's user agreement specifies that its data can be retained as part of legal processes. OpenAI plans to keep fighting the order, but it seems to have few options left. In the meantime, it is negotiating a process that will allow news plaintiffs to search through the retained data.

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GOOGLE PROMOTES ‘AI MODE' ON HOME PAGE 'DOODLE'

Google promoted "AI Mode" via its homepage Doodle, exposing users to its latest AI search product.

CHINA HOSTS FIRST FULLY AUTONOMOUS AI ROBOT FOOTBALL MATCH

Humanoid robots competed in an AI-powered three-a-side football match in China, highlighting the challenges they face in agility and coordination.

OPENAI SAYS IT HAS NO PLAN TO USE GOOGLE'S IN-HOUSE CHIP

OpenAI clarified it's only doing early testing with Google's TPUs with no plans to deploy them at scale, contradicting reports from two days earlier that suggested the ChatGPT maker was turning to its competitor's AI chips to meet growing demand.

ROBINHOOD STOCK HITS RECORD FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT OF OPENAI AND SPACEX TOKENS

OpenAI distanced itself from Robinhood's new tokenized share offering, stating "these 'OpenAI tokens' are not OpenAI equity" and that it didn't partner with or approve any equity transfer.

BIT DIGITAL DUMPS BITCOIN FOR $163M ETHEREUM TREASURY PIVOT

Bit Digital raised $162.9 million through a public share offering to expand its Ethereum treasury, marking a full pivot away from Bitcoin mining. The Nasdaq-listed firm plans to convert its 417 BTC into ETH and build on its 24,434 ETH holdings, which were already worth nearly $60 million at the end of Q1. The move reflects a growing trend among public companies using treasury strategies for leveraged exposure.

BLACKROCK'S BITCOIN ETF GENERATES MORE REVENUE THAN S&P 500 FUND

BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust generated an estimated $187.2 million in annual fees on $52 billion AUM at a 0.25% management fee, narrowly outpacing the $187.1 million earned by its flagship iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) despite IVV's $624 billion AUM and 0.03% fee. Launched in January 2024, IBIT has recorded net inflows every month except one, making it the largest spot bitcoin ETF. The fund's higher fee reflects the added complexity of custody, regulatory compliance, and infrastructure required for bitcoin exposure.

CIRCLE LAUNCHES GATEWAY FOR CROSS-CHAIN USDC LIQUIDITY

Circle's Gateway is a new interoperability layer that allows users to access a unified USDC balance across multiple chains in real time. Instead of relying on bridges, users can deposit USDC into a non-custodial contract that syncs liquidity across supported networks like Avalanche, Base, and Ethereum (testnets launching July). The move follows Circle's IPO and banking license application, signaling deeper integration into traditional finance.

STABLE LAUNCHES “STABLECHAIN” BUILT FOR USDT PAYMENTS

Stable has launched a dedicated Layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for stablecoin payments, branding itself as the first “Stablechain.” Powered by USDT as native gas, the chain offers gas-free peer transfers, ultra-low fees, sub-second finality, and EVM compatibility. Aimed at users, businesses, and developers, Stable seeks to simplify cross-border payments and unlock stablecoin utility with tools like a social-login wallet, USDT-linked debit cards, and enterprise-grade infrastructure.

THE DIGITAL ASSET OVERTON SHIFT

Crypto's fat protocol era, built on public goods and vague token value, is collapsing under its own weight as institutional players embrace profitable, product-first models. Whereas before we had crypto-native builders clinging to tokens and memes, now there is a new class of "Digital Asset" firms deploying practical zk tech, real-world asset protocols, and CEX-native products. The call is clear: pivot from crypto idealism to pragmatic digital asset infrastructure or risk irrelevance.

THE REAL THREAT TO HYPERLIQUID

Coinbase plans to launch fully compliant perpetual-style futures for BTC and ETH in the U.S. on July 21, challenging HyperLiquid's de facto American perps monopoly by leveraging its 10 million monthly users versus HyperLiquid's 500,000. However, Coinbase's existing global perps volume and its recent Deribit acquisition still trail HyperLiquid, and its track record of entering new markets raises questions about execution. Decentralized frontends have also begun bridging US traders to HyperLiquid despite regulatory uncertainty, but the biggest looming rival is Robinhood, which boasts 15 million MAUs, deep options-trading experience, and a history of successfully launching new products.

SOLANA BOTS AND PUMP.FUN FACE DEEP FREEZE

Trading bot volumes across Solana have plummeted ~75% from May highs, with visible outflows of 100K+ SOL last week and cumulative holdings down 5.26% in two weeks. Simultaneously, Pump.fun volumes continue a multi-month slide, dipping below $100M over the weekend. The once-frenzied onchain trading meta is entering a clear cooldown phase.

COINBASE BUYS TOKEN MANAGER LIQUIFI

Coinbase's acquisition of token management platform Liquifi marks its fifth purchase in 2025, following deals for Spindl, Iron Fish's team, Roam, and the industry-record $2.9 billion Deribit takeover. Liquifi, backed by a $5 million 2022 seed led by Dragonfly and used by Uniswap Foundation, OP Labs, Ethena, and Zora, offers cap table tracking, token vesting distribution, and tax withholding tools like Carta. The move advances Coinbase's goal of an end-to-end token lifecycle platform, positioning it closer to Binance-style launchpad offerings and expanding beyond simple trading.

VELODROME LAUNCHES NATIVE CROSS-CHAIN SWAPS ON OPTIMISM SUPERCHAIN

Velodrome's SuperSwaps is a tool that enables native cross-chain token swaps across Optimism Superchain networks without bridges, wrappers, or external liquidity.

ARIZONA GOVERNOR VETOES BILL TO CREATE RESERVE FUND FROM SEIZED CRYPTO

Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed HB 2324, a bill that would have established a Bitcoin and Digital Assets Reserve Fund to manage crypto seized through criminal forfeiture.

STRIPE AND TRUELAYER KICK OFF PAY BY BANK WARS IN GERMANY

Stripe and TrueLayer have launched Pay by Bank in Germany, marking a pivotal escalation in direct bank payments across Europe.

RIPPLE APPLIES FOR FEDERAL BANK TRUST CHARTER

Ripple has applied to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a national banking license to expand its crypto services under federal oversight.

FIGMA MOVES CLOSER TO A BLOCKBUSTER IPO THAT COULD RAISE $1.5B

Figma has filed an initial S-1, revealing strong financials including $749 million in revenue for 2024 and 91% gross margins, signaling readiness for a major IPO that could raise up to $1.5 billion. Despite a temporary loss from stock compensation expenses, the company returned to profitability and faces strong investor interest, though it acknowledges rising competition from AI-driven design tools as a potential risk.

NOTHING'S OVER-EAR HEADPHONES ARE ALL ABOUT THE BUTTONS

Nothing has launched its first over-ear headphones, the Headphone 1. The design emphasizes tactile control through uniquely shaped physical buttons paired with Nothing's signature semi-transparent aesthetic. Offering high-end features like active noise cancellation, spatial audio, and KEF-developed drivers, the headphones boast 35 hours of battery life and aim to stand out in the premium audio market.

RIBENA'S CLASSY NEW LOOK PROVES THE POWER OF THE SUBTLE REBRAND

Ribena has unveiled a subtle yet impactful rebrand in collaboration with design agency Elmwood, aiming to modernize its image while preserving its heritage. The updated design features a refined wordmark by typographer Luke Ritchie, a new "juicy droplet" icon, and more vibrant packaging that emphasizes freshness and indulgence. This refresh demonstrates how small, thoughtful adjustments can effectively revitalize a legacy brand without losing its identity.

CLS IS THE NEW PAGE SPEED: WHY DESIGNERS NEED TO CARE MORE THAN DEVELOPERS

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), a Core Web Vital that measures visual stability, has become a critical UX metric that designers must address, not just developers. Modern design decisions, such as undefined image heights, custom fonts without fallbacks, and unplanned dynamic content, directly cause layout shifts that frustrate users and harm search rankings. Designers need to adopt CLS-conscious workflows by reserving space for loading content, planning font fallback behavior, and creating stable layouts that survive real-world loading conditions.

CHALLENGES IN RETHINKING USER INTERFACE DESIGN FOR AGE OF AI

AI interface design faces critical challenges as it moves beyond traditional visual patterns to prompt-based systems. Designers must address cognitive overload from learning prompts, explainability issues where users struggle to understand AI reasoning, and hallucination problems where AI generates convincingly incorrect answers. Solutions include integrating traditional UI elements with prompts, providing citations and confidence scores, building transparency through source access, and carefully elevating existing workflows rather than replacing them entirely.

FRESH EYES EFFECT

When we stop questioning routines and operate on autopilot, we lose creativity—something that can be reignited by inviting "fresh eyes" to challenge long-held assumptions and flip familiar processes, like how we hire, market, or support customers. This “power of 180” shows that breakthrough ideas often come not from deep domain expertise, but from outsiders unburdened by norms capable of spotting overlooked problems and offering surprising, valuable perspectives.

LET AN AI EMPLOYEE BUILD YOUR NEXT WEBSITE

Mysite is an AI-powered website builder that lets you instantly create, edit, and publish your site.

DEVICES AND BRANDING MOCKUPS (FIGMA PLUGIN)

Elevate your design projects with high-quality, realistic mockups. Create customized mockups by simply drawing your angle, effortlessly turning your designs into stunning presentations.

COPY ROTATION (FIGMA PLUGIN)

A user-friendly rotation copy tool for creating precise circular arrays with real-time previews, customizable angles, copy counts, and spacing—ideal for designs like clock faces, radial patterns, and circular layouts.

DESIGNING USER-CENTRIC FORMS: FOUR GREAT FORM EXAMPLES

Effective form design requires balancing business needs, user experience, and visual design through stakeholder alignment and the use of progressive disclosure techniques. Research shows that multi-step forms with conversational language can increase completion rates by up to 214% compared to traditional approaches. Companies like Intuit and Mailchimp demonstrate how human-centered design, comprehensive testing, and strategic microcopy transform forms from interrogations into engaging conversations that drive both user satisfaction and business growth.

CRAFTING YOUTHFUL BRANDS: MOMA'S PLAYFUL VISUAL IDENTITY

Athletics developed a vibrant and accessible brand identity for MoMA's School & Teacher Programs, aiming to make modern art feel welcoming and exciting for young learners. The new design encourages self-expression, curiosity, and a lasting connection to art by combining playful visuals, student-friendly language, and hands-on materials.

HOLLYWOOD'S PIVOT TO AI VIDEO HAS A PROMPTING PROBLEM

Asteria is a production house that utilizes "ethical" AI video models trained exclusively on licensed material.

ARTIST GIL BRUVEL CRAFTS SPECTACULAR 3D WOODEN SCULPTURES

Gil Bruvel creates wooden sculptures from hundreds of precisely cut sticks that transform into serene faces when viewed from a distance, intentionally incorporating imperfections and gaps to explore themes of vulnerability and human incompleteness.

QANTAS CONFIRMS MAJOR DATA BREACH LINKED TO THIRD-PARTY VENDOR

Qantas confirmed a data breach on July 1 after attackers accessed a third-party call center platform, potentially exposing records of up to 6 million customers, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and frequent flyer numbers. The attack is linked to the hacking group Scattered Spider, which has targeted airlines like Hawaiian Airlines and WestJet using social engineering to trick staff into system access. While no financial data, passwords, or passports were compromised, the incident underscores airline vulnerability during peak travel and the rising threat of supply chain attacks on aviation.

FORMINATOR PLUGIN FLAW EXPOSES WORDPRESS SITES TO TAKEOVER ATTACKS

The WordPress Forminator plugin (versions up to 1.44.2) contains a critical vulnerability (CVE-2025-6463, CVSS 8.8) that affects 600,000+ sites. Attackers can exploit insufficient input validation to delete critical files like wp-config.php, forcing sites into setup mode for complete takeover. Version 1.44.3 patches this flaw—immediate updates are essential.

CYBERATTACK TARGETS INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

The International Criminal Court (ICC) was hit by a "sophisticated and targeted cyber security incident" last week, marking the second major attack in two years. The intrusion was quickly detected and contained. The timing coincides with NATO leaders meeting in The Hague and ongoing high-profile cases involving arrest warrants for Putin, Netanyahu, and Hamas leaders.

WHY EVERY COMPANY NEEDS A TRAVEL SECURITY PROGRAM

ESCAPEROUTE: BREAKING THE SCOPE OF ANTHROPIC'S FILESYSTEM MCP SERVER (CVE-2025-53109 & CVE-2025-53110)

Cymulate Research Labs discovered critical vulnerabilities in Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP) Filesystem Server. Two high-severity flaws (CVE-2025-53110 and CVE-2025-53109) allow attackers to escape sandboxes, access any host files, and execute arbitrary code through directory containment bypass and symlink exploitation.