• California is investigating Grok over AI-generated CSAM and nonconsensual deepfakes

    January 15, 2026

    California authorities have launched an investigation into xAI following weeks of reports that the chatbot was generating sexualized images of children. “xAI appears to be facilitating the large-scale production of deepfake nonconsensual intimate images that are being used to harass women and girls across the internet, including via the social media platform X,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said in a statement. The statement cited a report that “more than half of the 20,000 images generated by xAI between Christmas and New Years depicted people in minimal clothing,” including some that appeared to be children. “We have zero tolerance…

  • OpenAI signs deal, worth $10B, for compute from Cerebras

    January 15, 2026

    OpenAI announced Wednesday that it had reached a multi-year agreement with AI chipmaker Cerebras. The chipmaker will deliver 750 megawatts of compute to the AI giant starting this year and continuing through the year 2028, Cerebras said. The deal is worth over $10 billion, a source familiar with the details told TechCrunch. Reuters also reported the deal size. Both companies said that the deal is about delivering faster outputs for OpenAI’s customers. In a blog post, OpenAI said these systems would speed responses that currently require more time to process. Andrew Feldman, co-founder and CEO of Cerebras, said just as…

  • Chery Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid: The family SUV that redefines value in Australia

    January 15, 2026

    SPONSORED For a long time in Australia, the family SUV equation has been pretty straightforward. If you want space, comfort and seven seats, you look at the usual Japanese or Korean suspects. If you want electrification, you either accept short electric-only range or prepare to spend serious money. And if you want premium features, you’re often nudged well north of $70,000, sometimes closer to $90,000, before on-road costs even enter the conversation. The Chery Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid disrupts that entire formula. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. This isn’t just another…

  • Mercedes-AMG E53 recalled | CarExpert

    January 15, 2026

    Mercedes-Benz Australia is recalling the Mercedes-AMG E53 luxury sports sedan as it could suddenly lose power. “Due to a manufacturing defect, the transmission wiring harness may chafe against the front drive shaft and become damaged,” the company says in its recall notice. “This could lead to a sudden loss of motive power whilst driving without warning. Additionally, the vehicle may experience reduced emissions performance. “A sudden loss of motive power whilst driving could increase the risk of an accident, causing injury or death to vehicle occupants and/or other road users.” CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click…

  • Verizon says its service is back after a 10-hour outage

    January 15, 2026

    Verizon’s network is experiencing technical issues that are impacting calls and wireless data. Verizon customers on X have reported seeing “SOS” rather than the traditional network bars on their smartphones, and even the network provider’s own status page struggled to load, likely due to the number of customers trying to access it. Based on the experience of Verizon users on Engadget’s staff, the services that are impacted appear to be calls and wireless data. Text messages continue to be delivered normally, at least for some users. On DownDetector, reports of a Verizon outage started growing around 12PM ET and numbered…

  • Mira Murati’s startup, Thinking Machines Lab, is losing two of its co-founders to OpenAI

    January 15, 2026

    Former OpenAI exec Mira Murati’s startup, Thinking Machines Lab, is saying goodbye to two of its co-founders, both of whom are headed back to OpenAI. Another former OpenAI staffer who went to work for Murati’s startup is also headed back to the company. On social media on Wednesday, Murati announced the departure of Barret Zoph, the company’s co-founder and CTO. “We have parted ways with Barret,” Murati said in a post on X. “Soumith Chintala will be the new CTO of Thinking Machines. He is a brilliant and seasoned leader who has made important contributions to the AI field for…

  • Mahindra Australia finally reveals sales figures after outpacing the market in 2025

    January 15, 2026

    Mahindra sales rose by 11.6 per cent last year, putting the Indian auto brand in the top 30. The company doesn’t supply its sales figures to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) for publication in monthly VFACTS reports, making it one of just a handful of brands – including Cadillac, Smart and Xpeng – which doesn’t supply this data. On the back of a strong year for the brand, however, it has published a press release detailing its sales. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. With 4653 sales, up…

  • BYD Seal 6: PHEV Toyota Camry, Skoda Octavia rival one step closer to Australia

    January 15, 2026

    BYD’s relentless model range expansion could include a mid-size sedan and wagon with plug-in hybrid power. The BYD Seal 6 has appeared in Australian Government approval documents, paving the way for its local launch. Four variants appear in the Australian Design Rule certification documents: two sedans and two Touring wagons. The entry-level version of each body style features a 70kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a 120kW electric motor, for a total system output of 130kW. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Top-spec Seal 6s use a more powerful 160kW electric…

  • Ryan Hurst cast as Kratos for live-action God of War show

    January 15, 2026

    Amazon’s upcoming God of War live-action TV adaptation has cast Ryan Hurst as its Kratos. Sony announced the casting today on X with a brief post and an image of both Hurst and Kratos in full scowl mode. Hurst is already sporting a very Kratos-style beard, so he’s already got the right vibe going for him. He has past credits on familiar shows such as Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead. The upcoming Amazon series also isn’t his first rodeo acting in this universe; Hurst voiced Thor in the video game God of War Ragnarok. But the most important…

  • India’s Emversity doubles valuation as it scales workers AI can’t replace

    January 15, 2026

    As AI automates parts of the workforce, Emversity, an Indian workforce-training startup, is building talent pipelines for roles it sees AI can’t replace, and has raised $30 million in a new round to expand job-ready training in the world’s most populous market. The all-equity Series A round was led by Premji Invest, with participation from Lightspeed Venture Partners and Z47, the Bengaluru-based startup announced on Thursday. The funding values Emversity at around $120 million post-money, sources confirmed to TechCrunch, up from about $60 million in its April 2025 pre-Series A round. Total funding now stands at $46 million. India has…