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Technology News
Breaking news and analysis from the world of technology
A UC Berkeley math professor admitted using artificial intelligence (AI) to help edit an opinion article about students’ poor math skills. The article pointed to test-blind admissions as a cause for lower student preparedness, sparking debate on social media about the use of AI by academics.
Key Facts
Professor Zvezdelina Stankova wrote an op-ed claiming some math students are five to eight years behind and lack basic algebra skills.
She blamed UC California’s test-blind admission policy for allowing underprepared students into Berkeley’s math program.
Journalists suspected AI involvement and used software that found about 33% of the op-ed might have AI-generated content.
Stankova said AI was used only for editing and research help, with the analysis coming from human work and her team’s expertise.
The San Francisco Standard, which published the op-ed, expects human responsibility behind all published articles despite AI assistance.
The debate about using standardized tests like the SAT or ACT in UC admissions has grown, with the UC system reviewing whether to reinstate testing by 2028.
UC Berkeley has an AI council to help guide AI use but lacks clear rules on AI use in academic writing.
AI detection tools like Pangram claim high accuracy but may still produce false positives and lack nuance.
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NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies have canceled a mission to save the Swift gamma-ray telescope from falling out of orbit. The rescue satellite, Link, launched in July but lost control due to technical problems, making it unable to complete the rescue.
Key Facts
The Link satellite was launched on July 3 to attach to and boost the Swift Observatory to a higher orbit.
Link is about the size of a refrigerator and uses solar panels and electric thrusters powered by xenon gas.
Two of Link’s three reaction wheels, which help control its position, stopped working, causing the spacecraft to spin uncontrollably.
Link’s backup thrusters were not strong enough to regain control for the mission to succeed.
NASA gave Katalyst a $30 million contract to build and launch Link quickly—within nine months.
The mission aimed to test technologies like robotic arms and sensors for future satellite servicing, such as refueling and repairs.
Katalyst plans to use the mission’s remaining potential for testing and learning to improve future projects.
This mission helped advance U.S. capabilities in space technology and satellite servicing.
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An experimental vaccine for melanoma, a type of skin cancer, has shown good early results in reducing the chance that the cancer comes back or spreads. The vaccine is customized for each patient and uses artificial intelligence to improve its design.
Key Facts
The vaccine targets melanoma, a serious skin cancer.
It aims to lower the risk of the cancer returning or spreading.
Each vaccine is personalized for the individual patient.
Artificial intelligence (AI) helps optimize the vaccine for better results.
The vaccine is still experimental, meaning it is being tested and not widely available yet.
Dr. Jon LaPook reported details about the vaccine on CBS News.
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Meta is accused of creating Instagram and Facebook features that intentionally keep children and teens addicted, despite knowing these features could harm their mental health. Meta denies these claims and says it works to protect young users.
Key Facts
Meta owns social media platforms Instagram and Facebook.
Lawsuits claim Meta designed features to make children and teenagers spend more time on the apps.
These features are said to cause potential mental health problems for young users.
Meta spokesperson says the allegations are unproven.
Meta states it prioritizes protecting minors on its platforms.
The issue is being discussed in a significant trial covered by news outlets.
Bloomberg tech reporter Alexandra Levine provided insights on the case.
The focus is on how social media affects the mental health of young people.
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Amazon plans to expand its Prime Air delivery drone service to nearly 500 US cities and towns by the end of 2026. The company recently announced new service areas including Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta, Syracuse, and Boise, adding to its existing 10 cities. Other companies like Walmart, Zipline, and DoorDash are also growing their drone delivery services.
Key Facts
Amazon wants to increase Prime Air drone delivery to about 500 US neighborhoods by 2026.
Prime Air currently delivers within a 175-square-mile area in 10 cities across 7 states.
New launch areas for Prime Air include Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta, Syracuse, and Boise.
Walmart has made over 1 million drone deliveries from 66 stores and plans to expand to 270 stores by 2027.
Zipline, known for medical deliveries in Africa, partners with Uber to aim for 1 million daily drone deliveries by 2029.
DoorDash received FAA approval for its delivery drone program called DoorDash Air but is still in early development.
Delivery drones usually carry items weighing up to 5 pounds and operate best in good weather conditions.
Safety and noise concerns remain as drone deliveries expand, with some past incidents involving Amazon drones under government investigation.
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NASA's attempt to save its Swift telescope by sending a spacecraft to boost it to a higher orbit has failed. The rescue spacecraft lost control, so the telescope will fall back to Earth and burn up later this year after more than 20 years in space.
Key Facts
NASA paid $30 million to Katalyst Space Technologies to try to raise Swift to a safer orbit.
The Link rescue spacecraft spun uncontrollably after launch and could not capture Swift.
Swift has been losing altitude due to solar activity heating Earth's atmosphere, causing more drag.
The telescope was launched in 2004 and was designed for a two-year mission but lasted over 20 years.
Swift’s instruments were turned off earlier to slow its descent.
It is currently orbiting at about 216 miles and will drop to 186 miles in October.
Swift tracks high-energy events in space like gamma-ray bursts, which are some of the biggest explosions known.
NASA had planned to try a similar rescue for the Hubble Space Telescope, but Swift’s failure may affect those plans.
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Some AI companies are buying large numbers of books from used and independent bookstores. They scan these books to help teach their AI systems and then destroy the physical copies. A media group called 404 Media tracked a book to confirm this practice.
Key Facts
AI companies buy many books from used and small bookstores.
The books are scanned to train artificial intelligence models.
After scanning, the physical books are destroyed.
Bookstores noticed unusual large orders and became suspicious.
404 Media placed a tracking device in a book to follow its journey.
The investigation confirms that scanning and destruction of books is happening.
This practice raises concerns among bookstores and readers.
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A former Meta safety engineer testified in a federal trial that the company knew its social media platforms harmed children by promoting harmful content. The trial involves 29 US states accusing Meta of designing addictive products for young users and collecting data from children under 13 without permission. Meta denies the allegations and says it has tried to address these issues.
Key Facts
Arturo Béjar, a former Meta safety engineer, said Meta was aware its platforms pushed harmful content to children.
Béjar communicated concerns directly to CEO Mark Zuckerberg but received no response.
The trial is brought by 29 US state attorneys general against Meta for allegedly making addictive products that harm children.
The lawsuit also claims Meta collects data from children under 13 without parental consent, violating laws.
Meta says it has tools to address social media struggles and does not allow children under 13 to create accounts.
The trial is being held in Oakland, California, and is expected to last at least six weeks.
Potential damages could reach $200 billion, equal to Meta’s projected 2025 yearly revenue.
The case could force Meta to redesign its products to be safer for children, affecting its business model.
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A former engineer from Meta is testifying in a federal trial where Meta is accused of making its products addictive to children. Meanwhile, Apple is preparing to announce new products soon.
Key Facts
A former Meta engineer has taken the stand in a federal child endangerment trial.
The trial focuses on claims that Meta’s products caused children to become addicted.
The case is described as a landmark legal issue for Meta.
Apple plans to reveal new products in an upcoming announcement.
PCMag’s editor-in-chief, Wendy Sheehan Donnell, discussed these tech developments on CBS News.
The information was shared through a segment on CBS News and its app.
The trial and product announcement are current events in the technology industry.
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Data centers are large buildings filled with powerful computers that support internet use and AI development. They use a lot of electricity and water for cooling, which has caused public concern and protests in the U.S.
Key Facts
There are about 4,000 data centers in the U.S., with 3,000 more being built or planned.
Data centers are essential for streaming videos, emails, online games, and AI functions.
They consume a significant amount of electricity—globally about 1.5% in 2024, expected to rise to 3% by 2030.
U.S. data centers could use up to 15.3% of the country’s electricity by 2030.
They use about 17 billion gallons of water annually, mainly for cooling the servers.
Some newer data centers reuse water with closed-loop systems to reduce water use.
Public opposition to data centers is strong, with 70% of Americans opposing new ones.
The debate includes concerns about environmental impacts like fossil fuel use and air pollution.
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Moderna and Merck announced that their personalized mRNA cancer vaccine, Intismeran, lowered the chance of melanoma returning and spreading in a late-stage trial. The vaccine trains the immune system to fight cancer by targeting mutations in tumor cells.
Key Facts
Intismeran is a personalized mRNA vaccine developed to treat melanoma.
The vaccine showed success in reducing cancer recurrence and spread in a late-stage clinical trial.
Results released are interim; detailed data will be shared at a future medical meeting.
The vaccine was tested alongside Merck’s immunotherapy drug, Keytruda.
If approved, it could help thousands of melanoma patients who had tumors removed by surgery.
Melanoma affected over 1.5 million people in the US in 2023.
The vaccine works by training the patient’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
This is the first positive late-stage trial result for an mRNA vaccine against cancer.
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A BIOS update for Framework Laptop 13 models with AMD Ryzen 7040 processors is causing some laptops to stop working. Framework is investigating the problem and has started adding a new recovery feature to prevent future failures. They are also offering motherboard replacements in certain cases where the update caused damage.
Key Facts
Framework shipped Ryzen 7040-based Laptop 13 models and motherboards starting in 2023.
BIOS version 3.20 was released in June 2026 to support new hardware features and fix some battery-related issues.
Many users experienced the update stalling and their laptops becoming unbootable, also called “bricked.”
Framework admits a small number of BIOS updates caused non-bootable laptops and is investigating the cause.
Some users reported that Framework support initially refused free motherboard replacements if the device was out of warranty.
Framework now offers exceptions for replacements if the update caused the problem, even after warranty expiration.
The company is developing a “Crisis Recovery Mode” to help recover from failed BIOS updates in future releases.
Blogger Guanzhong Chen suggested the issue is a software bug related to how the BIOS flashes memory during updates.
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Google won an auction to buy a large set of Spirit Airlines employee data, including emails and workplace records. The data will be anonymized to hide personal details, but former Spirit flight attendants are concerned that their private information might still be revealed or misused.
Key Facts
Google purchased a large amount of Spirit Airlines employee data, but no customer personal information.
The data includes about 100 million employee emails, HR details, payroll, and work behavior data.
A court-appointed overseer will ensure any personal information is removed before Google receives the data.
Google promised not to try to re-identify the data or let third parties do so.
The data sale came after Spirit Airlines went bankrupt and auctioned off company data.
Former Spirit flight attendants and their union objected, fearing that the privacy protections focus only on customers, not workers.
Privacy groups worry that using this data for new purposes, like training AI, happens without worker consent.
Google won the auction with a $10 million bid and agreed to have a third party handle data scrubbing, beating rival bidders.
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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has removed the goal of providing gigabit-speed internet across the U.S., saying the target is unfair to slower internet technologies. Instead, the FCC now considers current internet speeds of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload as acceptable for judging broadband availability.
Key Facts
The FCC ended the previous goal of 1,000 Mbps (1 gigabit) download and 500 Mbps upload speeds for broadband.
This change was finalized on August 14 in the FCC’s broadband deployment report.
The FCC stated the gigabit goal was not "technologically neutral" because it favored fiber internet over slower services like satellite and wireless.
The updated benchmark for broadband speed is now 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload.
The FCC’s decision was supported by industry groups representing cable and wireless providers.
Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez disagreed, saying standards should remain high and consistent for all technologies.
The change does not affect government grant programs that require gigabit speeds for funded internet projects.
The FCC must report on whether internet is being deployed quickly enough nationwide and take action if it isn’t.
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A LinkedIn study found that women make up a small share of new hires for AI jobs in the U.S., even though these jobs pay much more than other technology roles. Women hold fewer leadership positions in AI globally and are more likely to work in jobs that AI may replace, highlighting a growing gender gap in the AI field.
Key Facts
Women made up just 26% of new hires for AI jobs in the U.S., compared to 50% in non-AI tech roles.
AI jobs typically offer salaries around $177,000, more than double the $80,000 average for non-AI tech roles.
Since 2023, the number of AI job postings on LinkedIn has doubled.
Globally, women hold only 13% of leadership roles in AI firms, lower than the 20% in broader tech leadership.
Women are more likely to have jobs at risk of being changed or replaced by AI, such as clerical and administrative work.
Most workers in AI-vulnerable roles (86%) are women, according to The Brookings Institution.
LinkedIn suggests that hiring based on skills instead of formal degrees could increase women's participation in AI jobs.
Online courses and public AI tools make it easier to gain AI skills without traditional education or job experience.
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NASA stopped trying to save the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, a space telescope losing its orbit. The mission to move the satellite to a safer orbit failed, but NASA will still gather information to improve future satellite rescue missions.
Key Facts
The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is a space telescope falling into an unstable orbit around Earth.
NASA tried to save it using a privately built spacecraft called LINK to grab and move it to a higher orbit.
LINK experienced control problems, leading NASA to cancel the rescue attempt.
Swift cannot raise its orbit by itself because it has no propulsion system.
Despite the failure, LINK will still approach Swift to learn about satellite relocation.
NASA sees value in the mission for future satellite servicing efforts.
Swift is expected to burn up in Earth's atmosphere later this year.
NASA will keep using other missions to monitor cosmic events while Swift is lost.
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NASA ended its effort to save the Swift space telescope after the rescue spacecraft, Link, had control problems. The telescope, which has studied cosmic explosions for over 20 years, will reenter Earth’s atmosphere and be destroyed later this year.
Key Facts
NASA hired Katalyst Space Technologies to send a rescue spacecraft called Link to boost the Swift telescope to a safer orbit.
The Link spacecraft launched in early July but began spinning uncontrollably soon after.
Despite efforts to control Link, it continued having problems with aiming and positioning in space.
NASA stopped the rescue attempt and said Swift will fall back to Earth and burn up.
Swift launched in 2004 and tracked phenomena like gamma ray bursts and exploding stars.
NASA paid $30 million for the rescue mission to extend Swift’s orbital life.
The mission was risky and done quickly, taking less than a year to prepare.
The Link spacecraft will still fly near Swift to test future space rescue techniques.
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, also losing altitude, might be the next candidate for an orbital boost rescue.
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China has made progress in reusable rocket technology with a company called LandSpace successfully landing the first stage of its Zhuque-3 rocket on land, 40 days after another Chinese rocket booster was recovered at sea. This marks China's first successful on-land recovery of an orbital-class rocket stage and shows growing activity in reusable rockets within China.
Key Facts
LandSpace successfully launched and landed the first stage of its Zhuque-3 rocket on August 19, 2026.
This was China’s first successful booster recovery on land using landing legs.
Another Chinese rocket, Long March 10B, had earlier achieved a successful booster recovery by catching it in a net on an offshore platform.
The Zhuque-3 rocket launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert.
The rocket is powered by nine methane-fueled engines and is made of stainless steel.
LandSpace made design changes after a previous crash landing to improve the landing phase and heat shield protection.
China has several companies, both state-owned and private, developing reusable rockets.
The success follows similar efforts by US companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin in reusable rocket technology.
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Hackers attacked French government computers in June and July, stealing data from tax and land registry systems. The stolen information includes financial and property details from hundreds of thousands of individuals and businesses. The French government is responding by improving cybersecurity and using artificial intelligence tools to protect against future attacks.
Key Facts
Two cyberattacks targeted the French tax authority’s systems in June and July 2026.
Over 678,000 tax accounts and 200,000 land registry accounts were compromised.
The stolen data includes names, income data, tax rates, and property ownership details.
A hacking group called ZeroBytes claimed responsibility and said they sold some stolen data for thousands of euros.
The hackers also claimed they obtained information on millions of students and tens of thousands of teachers.
France’s Prime Minister asked the National Cybersecurity Agency to create a new unit to fight cyberattacks.
The French government plans to use AI tools to test cybersecurity but will only work with domestic AI providers, excluding US companies like OpenAI.
Earlier in April, another large cyberattack affected the French identity document agency, impacting nearly 12 million people’s data.
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NASA says that experts and space enthusiasts have found the place where a rocket hit the Moon. They used images and data to pinpoint the exact crash site.
Key Facts
NASA is the U.S. space agency responsible for space exploration.
A rocket impacted the Moon, but its exact location was unknown at first.
Both professional scientists and amateur space fans helped find the impact spot.
They used photographs and other information to identify the site.
This discovery helps NASA learn more about the Moon and space missions.
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