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LLAMA DOES NOT LOOK GOOD 4 ANYTHING

The new Llama models released on Saturday are so disappointing people thought they were misconfigured.

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GOOGLE IRONWOOD TPU

With improvements on podsize, bandwidth, memory, and overall flops, the 7th generation of Google's TPUs is a step change improvement over any chip on the market.

CLAUDE'S MAX PLAN

The new Max plan for Claude offers expanded usage with priority access to features and models, supporting users with demanding projects. It provides two levels: Expanded Usage for $100/month with 5x usage and Maximum Flexibility for $200/month with 20x usage. The plan is ideal for those who frequently work with substantial documents and complex data.

GROK API

Grok 3 has an API for its models, including multiple reasoning modes. This link includes pricing, which is reasonable given the assumed size of the model itself.

OMNI SVG

By treating SVGs as a foreign language, a pretrained Qwen model can generate novel SVGs based on text and images. It is easily the state-of-the-art model. An open release is coming soon.

OLMOTRACE

There is a debate in the language modeling world about how much a model actually learns and how much it just memorizes. This feature, in the AI2 Playground, searches through billions of input documents, in real time, to figure out if the output of a model is just regurgitated or if it is novel. It includes the source of the utterance from multiple documents.

AI SCIENTIST V2 (PDF)

Sakana AI had a research paper accepted to an ICLR workshop that was fully generated, executed, and written by a language model system. They improved their system by using VLMs, more general purpose search, and more.

EFFICIENT MOE INFERENCE

HybriMoE is a new framework for hybrid CPU-GPU inference on Mixture of Experts models that tackles instability and overhead with smarter scheduling and caching strategies.

DYNAMIC KNOWLEDGE CIRCUITS

This research explores how LLMs structurally internalize new knowledge by analyzing computational subgraphs. It reveals patterns in knowledge acquisition, optimization phases, and potential strategies for improving continual pre-training.

PROTEIN BACKBONE GENERATION

ReQFlow sets a new benchmark in protein backbone generation, delivering state-of-the-art results while being significantly faster than existing models. It is 37x faster than RFDiffusion and 62x faster than Genie2 for sequences of length 300.

COGITO V1 PREVIEW: INTRODUCING IDA AS A PATH TO GENERAL SUPERINTELLIGENCE

The Cognito team has released open-source LLMs ranging from 3B to 70B parameters, all of which outperform top open models of similar sizes, with the 70B model surpassing Llama 4 109B MoE. These models are trained using Iterated Distillation and Amplification (IDA), support both direct and reflective answering, and are available on Hugging Face, Ollama, Fireworks AI, and Together AI.

GENERATIVE MEDIA UPGRADES IN VERTEX AI

Google Cloud has added enhanced generative tools to Vertex AI, including new capabilities in text-to-music (Lyria), video editing (Veo 2), voice customization (Chirp 3), and image inpainting (Imagen 3).

INTRODUCING FIREBASE STUDIO

Firebase Studio is launching as a cloud-based development environment for building, testing, and deploying AI applications. It combines tools like Project IDX, Genkit, and Gemini within a unified platform, offering rapid AI prototyping and a customizable coding workspace. Developers can leverage features such as natural language prototyping, instant device previews, and easy collaboration to accelerate app development.

fuel explosive growth. Last day at $0.55 per share.

HUGGING FACE AND CLOUDFLARE PARTNERSHIP

Developers can now easily build real-time voice and video apps using FastRTC, with enterprise-grade WebRTC infrastructure provided by Cloudflare and simple access via Hugging Face tokens.

GITHUB COPILOT INTRODUCES NEW LIMITS, CHARGES FOR 'PREMIUM' AI MODELS

GitHub Copilot users will face rate limits on AI models beyond the base GPT-4o model, with premium requests capped for paid tiers.

SHOPIFY CEO DECLARES AI PROFICIENCY A BASELINE EXPECTATION FOR EMPLOYEES

Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke announced that reflexive AI usage is now a fundamental expectation for all employees.

BITCOIN HAS TWO ‘FAVORABLE ADVANTAGES' IN THIS MARKET

Bitcoin is showing strength in a cautious market because of its status as a defensible store of value and its deep integration with traditional capital through ETFs. However, if Bitcoin sells off further, altcoins could face sharper losses given their higher volatility and lack of strong demand catalysts.

MAGIC EDEN ACQUIRES SLINGSHOT

Magic Eden has acquired Slingshot, a chain-abstracted trading app that lets users trade any crypto asset across any blockchain using a single, universal USDC balance – no bridging or wallet switching needed. The move aims to simplify on-chain trading and bring Magic Eden closer to offering a seamless, user-friendly platform that competes with centralized exchanges.

TAURUS LAUNCHES INTERBANK DIGITAL ASSET NETWORK

Taurus has launched an interbank digital asset network designed to streamline settlement and collateralization processes by enabling members to pledge funds or assets for instant credit within the network.

BINANCE TO LAUNCH LDUSDT, A SECOND 'REWARD-BEARING MARGIN ASSET'

Binance's LDUSDT is a reward-bearing margin asset that allows users to convert their locked USDT from Binance's Simple Earn Flexible Product into a margin asset for futures trading, enabling them to earn passive rewards while engaging in futures trading.

STABLECOINS: PAYMENTS WITHOUT INTERMEDIARIES

Stablecoins are a transformative alternative to traditional payment systems that eliminate middlemen, reduce transaction fees, and enable near-instantaneous cross-border transfers. While legacy financial networks, with high costs, delays, and regulatory hurdles, hinder global commerce and exclude billions from efficient financial access, stablecoins are gaining adoption for real-world applications like treasury management and faster payouts and have the potential to disrupt both B2B and B2C transactions.

TESTNET APPROVALS WON'T AFFECT YOUR REAL ASSETS

Approving tokens on testnets like Sepolia or Goerli won't put your real crypto at risk since testnets are separate networks used for safe experimentation with no real monetary value involved.

AI AND VERIFIABILITY

This deep dive explores the growing importance of verifiable AI in decentralized ecosystems, highlighting the technical frameworks ensuring AI outputs are accurate, secure, and trust-minimized. From Zero-Knowledge ML and Proof-of-Sampling to privacy-preserving TEEs, it showcases how protocols like EigenLayer, Mira, Atoma, Fortytwo, and ORA are paving the way for a future where AI can be both powerful and provable.

THE INTENT VALUE CHAIN

The ‘Intent Value Chain' is a new way to understand how user actions in crypto, like swapping or bridging tokens, move from simple expressions of intent to complex, cross-chain transactions handled by specialized solvers. This post explores how the model aims to simplify crypto's multi-chain chaos, the risks of centralization, and the emerging tools and standards working to ensure a more open, decentralized future.

ROMANTICIZING CRYPTO IN A TARIFFED WORLD

In a world where tariffs and nationalism shape economies, crypto offers a parallel ecosystem – one built on permissionless access, global collaboration, and economic freedom that isn't dictated by borders or bureaucrats.

WHERE MONEY MOVES - EDITION #2

It is clear that stablecoins are becoming foundational to modern economic infrastructure.

KAITO'S INFOFI VISION

Kaito is pioneering a new paradigm called InfoFi, which blends AI's semantic understanding with crypto's financial coordination to monetize information itself, enabling sovereign data ownership, market-driven truth, and open info markets.

BITCOIN MINERS ACCELERATING IMPORTS TO AVOID TARIFFS

To avoid tariffs, U.S. Bitcoin miners are rushing to import over $860M in mining equipment, with some even chartering $2–3.5M flights before new trade policies take effect that will potentially raise equipment prices by 22–36%.

FIGMA UNVEILS NEW FEATURES FOR STREAMLINED DESIGN SYSTEMS

Figma has rolled out several updates to streamline the design workflow, including a shortcut for quick access to main components and the ability to hide or show variables for a cleaner workspace. Designers can now copy and duplicate styles more easily, saving time during updates. Additional enhancements include improved UI descriptions, draggable variable models, auto-saving variables, tooltips for easier navigation, and interface fixes like button alignment and text overflow.

ADOBE DROPS 1,500 NEW FONTS IN GAME CHANGING EXPANSION FOR CREATIVES

Adobe has announced a significant expansion of its Creative Cloud applications, introducing 1,500 new fonts. This addition aims to improve users' choice, consistency, and creative freedom, making it easier to access and use high-quality fonts. The new fonts include iconic favorites from Monotype and a diverse selection of project-ready typefaces, providing a seamless creative experience. This development is expected to benefit creatives and professionals in various industries.

GOOGLE USES AI WIZARDRY TO RECREATE ‘THE WIZARD OF OZ' IN FULLY IMMERSIVE 3D

In collaboration with Warner Bros. and Sphere Entertainment, Google will use advanced AI techniques to transform the classic film "The Wizard of Oz" into a fully immersive 3D experience for a unique LED display at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Launching in August, the project will enhance the original film with new scenery and characters using sophisticated models and methods to fit the 160,000-square-foot curved screen. While the AI-rendered version shows promising results, the creators acknowledge there is still work to be done before the opening.

WHERE DESIGN FINDS (AND LOSES) ITS SOUL

The narrative that “UX is dead” stems from clickbait and thought leaders who misrepresent design by prioritizing frameworks and strategy over creativity and craft. This shift has led to a generation of designers trained to follow the rules instead of challenging them, resulting in safe, uninspiring work. To bring back the power of design, we must embrace intuition, artistic conviction, and bold ideas, balancing process with creativity and letting design be a human and emotional expression again.

DESIGN SYSTEMS ARE GETTING READY FOR AGENTIC EXPERIENCES

Agentic AI uses language models, pattern recognition, and automation to act independently, setting goals and adapting to context. Unlike traditional automation, it handles ambiguity, making design systems smarter. It monitors consistency, updates documentation, and offers contextual suggestions. This shift enhances human capability, enabling faster decisions and more effective problem-solving in complex environments.

THE SHAPE OF DESIGN TO COME

Smaller teams with broader skills move quickly thanks to AI and no-code tools. Full-stack designers, design engineers, and democratized systems are rising. Expertise, creativity, and business thinking remain essential for standing out. Tools reshape workflows, but human judgment and distinct visual craft define impactful, future-ready design teams.

GENERATE A MIND MAP WITH AI

Mind Map Wizard is a free open-source tool that uses AI to generate comprehensive mind maps based on any topic. Quickly view, edit, and share beautifully crafted mind maps in seconds.

AI PRESENTATION MAKER FOR THE WORKPLACE

Generate beautiful pitches and slide decks fast with AI trained on design rules. Just add content and your slides will adapt like magic.

CREATE A BEAUTIFUL PORTFOLIO AND AUTOMATICALLY BACK UP YOUR WORK

Authory aggregates everything you've ever written or recorded and generates a beautiful portfolio page so you can showcase, share, and save your life's work.

HOW B12 USES AI TO GENERATE AND LAUNCH COMPLETE WEBSITES—LIVE IN UNDER 60 SECONDS

B12 uses AI to create functional websites from a brief business description instantly. Users can easily customize content and images without coding. Key features like payments and scheduling work out of the box. B12 promotes transparency to ensure the AI-generated content reflects each brand accurately.

TESTED: THE FREEPIK AI IMAGE AND VIDEO GENERATOR IS SLICK AND BIG, AND FILLED WITH MORAL DILEMMAS

Freepik's AI image and video generator blends stock library features with advanced generative tech, offering fast, high-quality visuals from text prompts. Though powerful, it raises ethical concerns about AI in creativity. It supports multiple engines, styles, and pricing tiers—but can't replace real photographers' artistry.

MICROSOFT'S NEW WINDOWS 11 START MENU IS BIGGER AND FIXES A MAJOR PAIN POINT

The new redesign features a single scrollable page with up to 8 app pins per row, easier app access, and an option to disable the recommended feed.

SOFT BRUTALISM: THE HOTTEST INTERIOR DESIGN TREND YOU DIDN'T SEE COMING

A contemporary design trend, soft brutalism blends raw materials like concrete and steel with cozy textures and warm lighting, creating stylish, livable spaces that balance the industrial edge with inviting comfort.

TYPOGRAPHIC VIBES: CREATIVE LETTERING POSTERS BY NICK UGRE

Nick Ugre's vibrant poster designs combine bold typography and modern art with minimalism, bold storytelling, and striking visual appeal.

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FAKE MICROSOFT OFFICE ADD-IN TOOLS PUSH MALWARE VIA SOURCEFORGE

Kaspersky researchers discovered a threat actor that is using a SourceForge project page to host malware masquerading as the Microsoft Office-Addin-Scripts project. The page prompts users to download a password-protected zip file that contains an MSI file, which drops two RAR archives and downloads a batch script from GitHub. The batch script scans for antivirus and analysis tools, unpacks the archives, and runs another batch script, which sets up persistence, C2, and runs a cryptocurrency infostealer and crypto miner.

CENTRESTACK RCE EXPLOITED AS ZERO-DAY TO BREACH FILE SHARING SERVERS

Gladinet has warned of a vulnerability in its CentreStack file-sharing software that has been under active exploitation since March. The vulnerability is a deserialization vulnerability stemming from using a hardcoded machineKey. Galdinet has recommended that customers apply patches immediately or rotate the machine keys if immediate patching is not possible.