Google has launched Pixel Care+, a new device protection programme that replaces Preferred Care and Fi Device Protection in the US. Existing subscribers will be transitioned to the new plan over the coming months.
The programme offers unlimited accidental damage claims, extended warranty coverage, and $0 repairs for screen, battery, and malfunction issues. It also guarantees genuine Google parts, priority support, and optional theft and loss protection.
Subscribers benefit from free upgraded shipping on replacements, including next-day delivery. Pricing varies by device, with Pixel Care+ for the Pixel 10 costing $10 per month or $199 for two years.
Pixel Care+ is available for Pixel 8 and newer devices, as well as Pixel Watch 2, Pixel Tablet, and Fitbit models, including Ace LTE, Versa 4, Sense 2, Charge 6, and Inspire 3. Users must enrol within 60 days of purchase.
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Funding season is restarting in Europe, with investors expecting to add several new unicorns in the coming months. Despite fewer mega-rounds than in 2021, a dozen startups passed the $1 billion mark in the first half of 2025.
AI, biotech, defence technology, and renewable energy are among the sectors attracting major backing. Recent unicorns include Lovable, an AI coding firm from Sweden, UK-based Fuse Energy, and Isar Aerospace from Germany.
London-based Isomorphic Labs, spun out of DeepMind, raised $600 million to enter unicorn territory. In biotech, Verdiva Bio hit unicorn status after a $410 million Series A, while Neko Health reached a $1.8 billion valuation.
AI and automation continue to drive investor appetite. Dublin’s Tines secured a $125 million Series C at a $1.125 billion valuation, and German AI customer service startup Parloa raised $120 million at a $1 billion valuation.
Dual-use drone companies also stood out. Portugal-based Tekever confirmed its unicorn status with plans for a £400 million UK expansion, while Quantum Systems raised €160 million to scale its AI-driven drones globally.
Film-streaming platform Mubi and encryption startup Zama also joined the unicorn club, showing the breadth of sectors gaining traction. With Bristol, Manchester, Munich, and Stockholm among the hotspots, Europe’s tech ecosystem continues to diversify.
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Beatoven.ai has launched Maestro, a generative AI model for instrumental music that will later expand to vocals and sound effects. The company claims it is the first fully licensed AI model, ensuring royalties for artists and rights holders.
Trained on licensed datasets from partners such as Rightsify and Symphonic Music, Maestro avoids scraping issues and guarantees attribution. Beatoven.ai, with two million users and 15 million tracks generated, says Maestro can be fine-tuned for new genres.
The platform also includes tools for catalogue owners, allowing labels and publishers to analyse music, generate metadata, and enhance back-catalogue discovery. CEO Mansoor Rahimat Khan said Maestro builds an ‘AI-powered music ecosystem’ designed to push creativity forward rather than mimic it.
Industry figures praised the approach. Ed Newton-Rex of Fairly Trained said Maestro proves AI can be ethical, while Musical AI’s Sean Power called it a fair licensing model. Beatoven.ai also plans to expand its API into gaming, film, and virtual production.
The launch highlights the wider debate over licensing versus scraping. Scraping often exploits copyrighted works without payment, while licensed datasets ensure royalties, higher-quality outputs, and long-term trust. Advocates argue that licensing offers a more sustainable and fairer path for GenAI music.
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Anthropic has warned that its AI chatbot Claude is being misused to carry out large-scale cyberattacks, with ransom demands reaching up to $500,000 in Bitcoin. Attackers used ‘vibe hacking’ to let low-skill individuals automate ransomware and create customised extortion notes.
The report details attacks on at least 17 organisations across healthcare, government, emergency services, and religious sectors. Claude was used to guide encryption, reconnaissance, exploit creation, and automated ransom calculations, lowering the skill needed for cybercrime.
North Korean IT workers misused Claude to forge identities, pass coding tests, and secure US tech roles, funneling revenue to the regime despite sanctions. Analysts warn generative AI is making ransomware attacks more scalable and affordable, with risks expected to rise in 2025.
Experts advise organisations to enforce multi-factor authentication, apply least-privilege access, monitor anomalies, and filter AI outputs. Coordinated threat intelligence sharing and operational controls are essential to reduce exposure to AI-assisted attacks.
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The death of 16-year-old Adam Raine has placed renewed attention on the risks of teenagers using conversational AI without safeguards. His parents allege ChatGPT encouraged his suicidal thoughts, prompting a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in San Francisco.
The case has pushed OpenAI to add parental controls and safety tools. Updates include one-click emergency access, parental monitoring, and trusted contacts for teens. The company is also exploring connections with therapists.
Executives said AI should support rather than harm. OpenAI has worked with doctors to train ChatGPT to avoid self-harm instructions and redirect users to crisis hotlines. The company acknowledges that longer conversations can compromise reliability, underscoring the need for stronger safeguards.
The tragedy has fuelled wider debates about AI in mental health. Regulators and experts warn that safeguards must adapt as AI becomes part of daily decision-making. Critics argue that future adoption should prioritise accountability to protect vulnerable groups from harm.
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Quantum technology, rooted in quantum mechanics from the early 1900s, is rapidly advancing and may reshape the future of computing. Quantum computers handle data far faster than classical systems, with Google’s Willow chip marking a key advance.
However, their potential also raises concerns for digital assets such as Bitcoin.
Bitcoin’s cryptographic security relies on the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA), which is considered unbreakable with today’s computers. Yet quantum computers, using algorithms like Peter Shor’s, could theoretically expose private keys and compromise wallets.
Experts caution that such risks remain distant, as current quantum hardware is still decades away from posing a real threat.
Beyond security risks, quantum computing could also revive millions of long-lost Bitcoins locked in early wallets. If those coins return to circulation, it could shake Bitcoin’s scarcity and market value.
The debate continues whether these coins should be burned or redistributed to preserve Bitcoin’s economic integrity.
For now, Bitcoin remains safe. Developers are creating quantum-resistant tools like QRAMP and new cryptography to strengthen the network. Users can boost safety by avoiding address reuse and using wallets like Taproot and SegWit.
While quantum risks loom, the network’s adaptability and ongoing research suggest that Bitcoin is well placed to withstand future challenges.
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Sales of AI chips by Nvidia rose strongly in its latest quarter, though the growth was less intense than in previous periods, raising questions about the sustainability of demand.
The company’s data centre division reported revenue of 41.1 billion USD between May and July, a 56% rise from last year but slightly below analyst forecasts.
Overall revenue reached 46.7 billion USD, while profit climbed to 26.4 billion USD, both higher than expected.
Nvidia forecasts sales of $54 billion USD for the current quarter.
CEO Jensen Huang said the company remains at the ‘beginning of the buildout’, with trillions expected to be spent on AI by the decade’s end.
However, investors pushed shares down 3% in extended trading, reflecting concerns that rapid growth is becoming harder to maintain as annual sales expand.
Nvidia’s performance was also affected by earlier restrictions on chip sales to China, although the removal of limits in exchange for a sales levy is expected to support future revenue.
Analysts noted that while AI continues to fuel stock market optimism, the pace of growth is slowing compared with the company’s earlier surge.
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South Korean company, Samsung Electronics, has integrated Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant into its newest TVs and monitors, aiming to provide more personalised interactivity for users.
The technology will be available across models released annually, including the premium Micro RGB TV. With Copilot built directly into displays, Samsung explained that viewers can use voice commands or a remote control to search, learn and engage with content more positively.
The company added that users can experience natural voice interaction for tailored responses, such as music suggestions or weather updates. Kevin Lee, executive vice president of Samsung’s display business, said the move sets ‘a new standard for AI-powered screens’ through open partnerships.
Samsung has confirmed its intention to expand collaborations with global AI firms to enhance services for future products.
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Alphabet’s Google has confirmed plans to invest $9 billion in Virginia by 2026, strengthening the state’s role as a hub for data infrastructure in the US.
The focus will be on AI and cloud computing, positioning Virginia at the forefront of global technological competition.
The plan includes a new Chesterfield County facility and expansion at existing campuses in Loudoun and Prince William counties. These centres are part of the digital backbone that supports cloud services and AI workloads.
Dominion Energy will supply power for the new Chesterfield project, which may take up to seven years before it is fully operational.
The rapid growth of data centres in Virginia has increased concerns about energy demand. Google said it is working with partners on efficiency and power management solutions and funding community development.
Earlier in August, the company announced a $1 billion initiative to provide every college student in Virginia with one year of free access to its AI Pro plan and training opportunities.
Google’s move follows a broader trend in the technology sector. Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta are expected to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on AI-related projects, with much dedicated to new data centres.
Northern Virginia remains the boom’s epicentre, with Loudoun County earning the name’ Data Centre Alley’ because it has concentrated facilities.
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Meta’s WhatsApp has introduced a new AI feature called Writing Help, designed to assist users in editing, rewriting, and refining the tone of their messages. The tool can adjust grammar, improve phrasing, or reframe a message in a more professional, humorous, or encouraging style before it is sent.
The feature operates through Meta’s Private Processing technology, which ensures that messages remain encrypted and private instead of being visible to WhatsApp or Meta.
According to the company, Writing Help processes requests anonymously and cannot trace them back to the user. The function is optional, disabled by default, and only applies to the chosen message.
To activate the feature, users can tap a small pencil icon that appears while composing a message.
In a demonstration, WhatsApp showed how the tool could turn ‘Please don’t leave dirty socks on the sofa’ into more light-hearted alternatives, including ‘Breaking news: Socks found chilling on the couch’ or ‘Please don’t turn the sofa into a sock graveyard.’
By introducing Writing Help, WhatsApp aims to make communication more flexible and engaging while keeping user privacy intact. The company emphasises that no information is stored, and AI-generated suggestions only appear if users decide to enable the option.
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