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Implement Multimodal Vector Search with BigQuery

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META'S NEW FAIR DIRECTOR

Meta has appointed Robert Fergus, previously a research director at DeepMind, to head its FAIR lab after a period of leadership changes and talent departures.

OPENAI AND MICROSOFT NEGOTIATE PARTNERSHIP TERMS TO ENABLE FUTURE IPO

OpenAI and Microsoft are renegotiating their multibillion-dollar partnership in a critical deal that could determine the AI leader's future. Microsoft, which has invested over $13 billion in OpenAI, is offering to exchange some of its equity stake for access to technology beyond their current contract's 2030 expiration.

DEEP RESEARCH NOW SUPPORTS GITHUB REPO ANALYSIS IN CHATGPT

ChatGPT's Deep Research agent can now scan GitHub repositories, reading source code and PRs to deliver detailed, cited reports. Users can query repositories directly through the Deep Research → GitHub integration.

OPTIMIZING GEMM WITH THREAD BLOCK CLUSTERS

Thread block clusters and 2-SM UMMA instructions on Blackwell GPUs enable higher arithmetic intensity and more efficient memory transfers in GEMM workloads using CUTLASS.

CHATGPT'S CARBON FOOTPRINT IS NEGLIGIBLE COMPARED TO DAILY ACTIVITIES

ChatGPT queries consume far less energy than commonly believed. Updated estimates suggest just 0.3 Wh per typical query - ten times lower than previous calculations. While AI's aggregate energy demand requires attention, individual text-based AI usage shouldn't trigger climate guilt, especially compared to higher-impact activities like transportation or heating.

OPEN SOURCE PROJECT CURL BATTLES WAVE OF AI-GENERATED FALSE VULNERABILITIES

curl's project founder, Daniel Stenberg, has reached a breaking point with the flood of AI-generated false vulnerability reports submitted through platforms like HackerOne. While HackerOne maintains that AI can enhance reporting quality when used responsibly, Stenberg is pushing for stronger infrastructure and tools to combat what he describes as effectively a DDoS attack on maintainers' time and attention.

META ASSETGEN 2.0

Meta's AssetGen 2.0 is a set of new diffusion-based models for generating detailed 3D meshes and textures from text and image prompts that improve consistency, fidelity, and view-aware texture resolution over its predecessor.

FLOW-GRPO FOR RL-TUNED DIFFUSION MODELS

Flow-GRPO integrates reinforcement learning into flow matching by converting ODEs into SDEs and using denoising reduction to enhance sample efficiency and alignment.

DEERFLOW

Bytedance's DeerFlow is an open source research assistant that employs a multi-agent architecture with search engines, web crawlers, and Python capabilities to deliver Deep Research-style reports and podcasts.

GEMINI 2.5 VIDEO UNDERSTANDING

Gemini 2.5 Pro has shown state-of-the-art performance on video benchmarks like YouCook2 and QVHighlights, outperforming GPT-4.1 and rivaling fine-tuned specialist models under equal evaluation settings.

CANADIAN PHARMACIST EXPOSED AS KEY FIGURE BEHIND WORLD'S LARGEST EXPLICIT DEEPFAKE SITE

Investigative journalists have identified Toronto-area pharmacist David Do as a central figure behind MrDeepFakes.com. The site permanently shut down following the revelations. It had 650,000 users and generated over 2 billion views since 2018. The site hosted tens of thousands of non-consensual AI-generated explicit videos of celebrities, influencers, and private citizens. While non-consensual deepfakes remain legal in Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged to criminalize it following the practice of countries like the UK and Australia.

SINGLE-IMAGE TO 3D AVATARS

SVAD combines video diffusion and 3D Gaussian Splatting to generate high-quality animatable avatars from a single image, achieving real-time rendering.

OPENAI TO ACQUIRE CODING TOOL WINDSURF FOR $3 BILLION

OpenAI has reached an agreement to acquire AI-assisted coding platform Windsurf (formerly Codeium) for approximately $3 billion.

SOUNDCLOUD'S QUIET TERMS UPDATE

SoundCloud reportedly changed its terms of service to permit AI training on user-uploaded content, prompting concerns over transparency and consent.

FUTUREHOUSE RELEASES AI TOOLS IT CLAIMS CAN ACCELERATE SCIENCE

FutureHouse, backed by Eric Schmidt, has launched AI tools to aid scientific research, including Crow, Falcon, Owl, and Phoenix.

BLACKROCK MEETS WITH SEC CRYPTO TASK FORCE TO DISCUSS ETF STAKING

BlackRock has met with the SEC's crypto task force to explore incorporating staking rewards and options strategies into its proposed spot crypto ETFs. The firm aims to enhance yield generation and hedging capabilities, signaling a shift beyond passive exposure toward active performance within ETF structures.

COINBASE IS BUYING BITCOIN, JUST DON'T CALL IT A TREASURY STRATEGY

Coinbase has acquired $150 million in crypto assets, primarily Bitcoin, increasing its long-term investment portfolio to $1.3 billion – roughly 25% of its net cash position. CFO Alesia Haas emphasized that the move is not intended as a MicroStrategy-style treasury strategy focused on Bitcoin, but rather reflects Coinbase's position as an operating company investing alongside the broader crypto ecosystem. CEO Brian Armstrong framed the investment as a testament to the company's conviction in crypto's transformative potential within financial services.

COINBASE UNVEILS 24/7 BITCOIN AND ETHEREUM FUTURES

Following the acquisition of Deribit, Coinbase has rolled out 24/7 Bitcoin and Ethereum futures trading on its Advanced platform. The launch targets global retail and institutional demand for non-stop access to crypto derivatives, with contracts sized for accessibility and integrated into Coinbase's regulated framework.

REDISTRIBUTION: THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF SLASHING

EigenLayer is introducing a Redistribution upgrade to its Slashing mechanism, enabling AVSs to redirect slashed funds to designated recipients instead of burning them. By repurposing penalties, AVSs can build advanced use cases like lending and insurance with enhanced liquidity and risk controls while offering operators and stakers clearer insight into protocol risk-reward profiles.

THE 10 TYPES OF CRYPTO VCS YOU'LL MEET, A SATIRICAL SURVIVAL GUIDE

This satirical thread highlights the most recognizable (and exasperating) crypto VC archetypes, from ghosting “founder-friendly” firms to ex-TradFi operators trading on past credentials. It candidly critiques behaviors, such as demanding board seats while panic selling or introducing unqualified affiliates into deals. Beneath the parody lies a serious takeaway: exceptional investors are rare, and choosing poorly can jeopardize a project's success.

STRIPE, STABLECOINS, AND THE $100B RACE TO REBUNDLE FINANCE

Stripe's stablecoin pilot, enabled by its $1.1 billion Bridge acquisition, signals a broader shift in financial services. By unbundling traditional banking functions, such as value storage and transfers, and rebundling them around programmable, on-chain money, Stripe is reshaping infrastructure. Merchant acquirers can now offer global treasury solutions, real-time cross-border payments, and embedded yield. Consumer wallets are evolving into full-service digital banks with payroll, cards, and peer-to-peer capabilities. The next $100 billion financial leaders will be those who control distribution channels and integrate stablecoin rails.

THE CASE FOR ETH FLIPPING BTC

While Bitcoin established the store-of-value narrative, it primarily functions as an institutional asset with limited real-world utility. Ethereum, by contrast, powers a dynamic ecosystem of decentralized applications, spanning stablecoins, DeFi, NFTs, and identity protocols, that actively drive user adoption. As these applications grow and increasingly lock up ETH, its utility and distribution may position it to surpass Bitcoin in both use cases and overall value.

HAVE WE BEEN BUILDING BLOCKCHAINS WRONG?

Current blockchains require participants to download and validate every transaction and state update, forcing dependence on trusted servers or powerful hardware. By combining shared block propagation with succinct proofs, lightweight devices like phones can securely verify large blocks with minimal bandwidth. This approach decouples block size from verification costs, enabling larger blocks, increased decentralization, and optional privacy without compromising security.

SENATE DEMOCRATS DEMAND ANSWERS ON TRUMP'S CRYPTO TIES

Senate Democrats have formally requested details on Donald Trump's ties to the crypto industry, including financial connections to Binance and campaign fundraising via NFTs.

EIP-7251 ARRIVES: ETHEREUM VALIDATORS BEGIN EXCEEDING 32 ETH CAP

Over 117 Ethereum validators now hold more than the previous 32 ETH cap, with five reaching the new 2048 ETH maximum enabled by EIP-7251.

AAVE HITS NEW ATH

Aave has hit a record $25 billion in total value locked (TVL), surpassing its 2021 peak and reaffirming its status as the leading decentralized lending protocol.

LIDO'S EMERGENCY DAO VOTE TO ROTATE KEYS

A hacker compromised an old private key linked to Lido's Chorus One oracle, draining just 1.4 ETH before being detected by a low-balance alert.

ADOBE QUIETLY REBRANDS, TWEAKING ITS ICONIC LOGO

A refresh of Adobe's brand, led by Mother Design, modernized its iconic identity using a bold red palette, simplified logotype, and a new 'Adobe lens' framing device. Inspired by Marva Warnock's original 'A' design, the update enhances flexibility and coherence while spotlighting the Adobe name more confidently across platforms.

INTRODUCING WEBFLOW CLOUD: BRING FULL-STACK WEB APPS TO YOUR WEBSITE EXPERIENCE

Webflow Cloud expands Webflow into full-stack development, enabling teams to build dynamic apps, programmatic SEO pages, and internal tools—all within one platform. Powered by Cloudflare, it supports frameworks like Next.js and Astro, streamlining collaboration between developers and designers. Now in private beta, it unifies infrastructure, workflows, and brand experiences seamlessly.

SEE LOVEFROM'S NEW BRANDING FOR ONE OF THE BEST BOOKSTORES IN THE U.S.

As William Stout Architectural Books neared its 50th anniversary under the Eames Institute, the lack of a logo led neighbor design firm LoveFrom to craft a new identity. Using a custom typeface, branding, and interactive website illustrations, LoveFrom kept the bookstore's spirit while expanding its digital presence.

FIGMA SITES: WHEN ACCESSIBILITY IS AN AFTERTHOUGHT

Figma Sites excited users with fast, expressive web design but raised concerns over poor accessibility. Though it offers alt text and semantic tools, the final content is wrapped in generic div elements, showing a shift toward speed and looks over inclusivity and ethics.

SPICY(?) TAKES ON AI, DESIGN TESTS, AND COWARDICE

THE COMMERCIALISATION OF THE WORKING-CLASS CREATIVE

Pentagram designer Harriet Richardson shifted from commercial design to performance art, influenced by her working-class roots and northern education. She critiques the class divide where southern privilege allows risk while northern students focus on jobs. She urges structural change to help working-class creatives explore art safely.

FOLLOW THE PATH (FIGMA PLUGIN)

A Figma plugin that automatically arranges objects along a vector path with customizable spacing and orientation options.

CONVERT TEXT TO DETAILED 3D MODELS

Bevelify's AI-powered Text to 3D generator lets you create stunning 3D models from simple text prompts in just a minute.

AUTO DOCUMENTATION (FIGMA PLUGIN)

Document all your Figma color styles and turn them into adjustable components. You can create your template or use the auto-generated one.

HOW&HOW DELIVERS SCRAPPY NEW IDENTITY FOR BIG CARTEL

Big Cartel, a longtime e-commerce platform for artists and makers, has rebranded with design agency How and How. It embraced an indie style with hand-drawn illustrations, a custom wordmark, and bold visuals to stand out in a crowded market. The rebrand reinforces Big Cartel's mission to empower creatives and reject polished tech norms.

IN DEFENSE OF THE 'PIXEL-PUSHER': WHY TINY DETAILS DEFINE GREAT DESIGN

Small design choices can create a powerful emotional impact. Pixel-Pusher should be celebrated, as its attention to detail, intuition, and human creativity brings uniqueness and authenticity in an AI-driven world. These micro-decisions, like precise spacing or subtle color shifts, are the breadcrumbs that guide users, elevate experiences, and keep the magic of design human and meaningful.

GET READY FOR THE NEXT WAVE OF VISUAL DESIGN: WALLPAPER FORGED WITH FIGMA'S PROGRESSIVE BLUR

This minimalist yet visually rich mobile wallpaper, created using Figma's innovative Progressive Blur feature, showcases a luminous gradient, and soft shapes to illustrate a new design aesthetic that promises to inspire a fresh wave of digital creativity.

THE AM DASH

A new punctuation mark called the “am dash” is being introduced as a symbol of authentic human thought and creativity in writing in response to AI's widespread use of the em dash.

NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO SEE WES ANDERSON'S PHYSICAL DESIGNS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Over 600 items from Wes Anderson's archive will be displayed in a landmark London exhibition, showcasing his iconic films, handmade props, costumes, and detailed set designs.

WHY EVERY COMPANY IS HITTING ‘CTRL+B' ON ITS LOGO

Major brands like Amazon, Walmart, and OpenAI have embraced a minimalist rebrand trend—slightly thicker logos, subtle tweaks, and bold typefaces—sparking debate over design effort versus visual impact.

M&A SWEET SPOT

2025 has seen a surge in mid-sized tech acquisitions like ServiceNow buying Moveworks ($2.9B) and Coreweave acquiring Weights & Biases ($1.7B). Most deals fall in the $1B-$5B range—a critical insight for startups raising capital.

RISE OF THE AI WRAPPERS

Big AI companies are practically giving away their best models, and smart founders are cashing in. The pattern is spreading to design, video editing, and beyond. There's tension here: model providers want you to use more AI, while wrapper companies try to minimize those costs. For now, both sides win. The smart play isn't building your own AI but moving fast, capturing your market, and collecting data that becomes valuable later.

THE FINTECH POWER RANKINGS

This ranking reveals which fintech revenue models investors value most: SaaS and payments at the top, followed by AUM fees, trading, debit interchange, float, insurance, and lending at the bottom. Companies like Stripe earn 20x multiples by stacking multiple types.

HOW TO USE 1ST PARTY AND 3RD PARTY SIGNALS IN ABM

BUILDING UNDER CONSTRAINT: THE $10M/EMPLOYEE PLAYBOOK

Startups built today can design around AI from scratch, but what about existing companies with 50+ employees? This case study from Swan shows what's possible - building a $30M ARR business with just three co-founders by setting a radical constraint: $10M ARR per employee. The company's "agentic swarm" of AI tools handles everything from content creation to lead qualification, allowing one person to run its entire GTM motion.

BURN THE OLD PLAYBOOK

Sales tactics that worked yesterday are dead today—call connect rates have dropped from 15% to 1%, and buyers research products without reps. You can't grow by spamming people anymore, even with fancy AI tools.