IT industry

OpenAI has decided not to release its next AI model, citing safety issues. The move, reported by the Financial Times, is drawing attention as one of the first times a major AI lab has publicly pulled a planned release on safety grounds, prompting debate about how cautious companies should be and what the decision means for competition in the industry.

Donald Trump is reportedly considering restricting or banning exports of diesel from the United States. A move of that kind would aim to keep more fuel at home for American consumers, but it could tighten global diesel supply, push up prices abroad and draw pushback from refiners who rely on overseas sales. Officials and industry groups are watching closely for a final decision.

OpenAI says it has decided not to release its newest AI model, citing unresolved safety concerns. The announcement, reported by The New York Times, is drawing attention because it is unusual for a leading AI lab to withhold a finished model, and it is fueling debate about how companies weigh competitive pressure against safety risks.

Toyota plans to launch an electric version of the Corolla, the world's best-selling car. The move would put one of the most recognizable nameplates in automotive history into the rapidly growing EV market, where Toyota has so far lagged behind rivals. Industry observers are weighing what an electric Corolla could mean for mass-market EV adoption and Toyota's electrification strategy.

A documentary about Elon Musk is being denied advertising on several major platforms, with TikTok and X reportedly barring promotional ads for the film. YouTube and Meta were also named in the report. The rejections raise questions about platform ad policies and whether Musk's ownership of X, and his prominence across the tech industry, is influencing which films can be marketed to users.

SpaceX is attempting the first-ever orbital launch of its Starship megarocket today, September 28, with the mission available to watch live. The test flight from Texas marks a major milestone for the vehicle that SpaceX intends to use for missions to the Moon and Mars. Space enthusiasts and industry watchers are closely following coverage of the attempt and its outcome.

China has introduced new travel regulations that are causing concern among major technology companies and skilled workers, particularly in fields like artificial intelligence. Observers say the rules could complicate international travel for tech employees and make it harder for firms to attract and retain top expertise, adding fresh uncertainty to China's push to remain a hub for advanced technology talent.

NVIDIA has released OpenShell, a Rust-based runtime designed to let autonomous AI agents run in a safe and private environment. The project is described as addressing security and privacy concerns around agents acting with limited human oversight. Early reaction among developers has been positive, with attention focused on the choice of Rust and what it signals about NVIDIA's broader AI agent ambitions.

A Hacker News discussion thread asks who still runs DOS machines that their business genuinely depends on. The prompt invites stories of legacy computing: factories, labs, or offices keeping decades-old MS-DOS or PC DOS systems alive because critical software or hardware was never ported to modern platforms. Commenters typically share examples of industrial controllers, embedded equipment, and the challenges of maintaining obsolete hardware, with debate over why such systems persist and how risky they are.

France's literary world is in turmoil after an award-winning author was accused of using artificial intelligence in their work. The allegations have sparked fierce debate in French publishing circles about authorship, creativity and whether AI-assisted writing should disqualify books from literary prizes. The BBC reports on the uproar, which comes amid growing scrutiny of AI's role in creative industries worldwide.

Germany has for the first time formally committed to phasing out fossil fuels, setting a target date of 2045. The pledge marks a significant step in the country's climate policy, aligning its energy transition goals with an explicit exit from coal, oil and gas. Reaction has focused on how Europe's largest economy will deliver the shift while keeping industry competitive and energy supply secure.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine says the state will hold prediction market operator Kalshi accountable for operating illegally, following a court ruling on the matter. The move signals an escalation in the ongoing dispute over whether Kalshi's sports event contracts constitute unlicensed gambling in Ohio, a fight playing out across multiple states as regulators challenge the fast-growing prediction market industry.

Insurers including UnitedHealth, Medicare Advantage plans, Cigna and Humana are increasingly using artificial intelligence algorithms to approve or deny coverage for medical care, according to a Vox report. Critics warn the tools can wrongly override doctors' judgments and delay or deny needed treatment, while the industry argues AI speeds up claims processing. Patients and physicians are pushing back as regulators scrutinize how these systems make coverage decisions.

Dutch chipmaking equipment giant ASML has no sales of its lithography machines within Europe, an executive said, despite the company being one of Europe's most valuable tech firms. Its customers are overwhelmingly concentrated in Asia, notably Taiwan and South Korea, with US fabs also important buyers. The admission highlights Europe's limited domestic chip manufacturing capacity even as the bloc pushes to expand semiconductor production.

Germany is placing military rearmament at the centre of its economic strategy, with defence spending framed as a new engine for industrial growth. Observers are debating whether this pivot can revive Europe's largest economy while meeting NATO pressure and security concerns tied to the war in Ukraine.

Singapore restaurant group Crystal Jade, known for its Xia Long Bao and Chinese dining brands, is facing restructuring after its holding companies entered receivership. The move puts the future ownership of the widely popular chain in question, though its restaurants continue to trade while the process unfolds, drawing attention from diners and industry watchers across the region.

Zynga founder Mark Pincus says he came close to buying Finnish mobile games studio Supercell for $400 million before it became one of the industry's biggest success stories. The claim, reported by Mobilegamer.biz, is drawing attention from games industry watchers given Supercell's later multibillion-dollar valuation and hits like Clash of Clans.

Boeing, fresh from building the F-47 for the US Air Force, has been selected to develop the Navy's F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter, according to Air & Space Forces Magazine. The award hands Boeing another major next-generation combat aircraft program, positioning it as the Pentagon's key fighter maker alongside Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.

Mercedes-Benz is extending its severance programme as the Stuttgart carmaker continues cutting costs and restructuring operations. Under the voluntary scheme, employees can leave the company with a compensation package, a key tool in the group's efforts to shrink its workforce without forced layoffs. Details of the extension have been reported by German media, drawing attention amid ongoing job cuts across the German auto industry.

Prediction market operator Kalshi is moving into sports betting, a shift that is raising questions about how US regulators classify and govern prediction markets versus traditional sportsbooks. The expansion tests whether event contracts on game outcomes fall under existing betting rules, and regulators, rivals and legal experts are watching closely to see how the boundaries are drawn.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued the first US construction permit for a BWRX-300 small modular reactor, a GE Vernova Hitachi design, at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Clinch River site. The move marks a regulatory milestone for next-generation nuclear power in the United States, and observers are weighing what it means for the future of smaller, faster-to-build reactors.

OpenAI has launched GPT-6.1 Sol, a new AI model described as delivering near-flagship performance at roughly one-fifth of the cost of its top-tier systems. The release signals a push to make high-end AI capabilities accessible to a much wider range of developers and businesses, and the pricing is drawing attention across the tech industry.

SpaceX carried out its Transporter-18 mission, the latest in its series of dedicated smallsat rideshare flights that carry dozens of satellites from multiple customers into sun-synchronous orbit on a single Falcon 9 launch. The Transporter missions have become a staple of the small satellite industry, and the new flight drew attention from space watchers tracking payloads and launch cadence.

AI researcher Timnit Gebru says she does not believe artificial intelligence poses an existential threat to humanity. In an interview with WIRED, she argues that talk of AI doom is driven largely by tech founders seeking to make money rather than by genuine safety concerns, positioning her critique against prominent warnings from industry leaders.

The US federal EV tax credit ended a year ago, and NPR is asking whether the electric vehicle market can keep its momentum without federal subsidies. The question has drawn fresh attention as the industry assesses sales, pricing and consumer demand in the first full year without the incentive.

Experts say a plan backed by Donald Trump to license Patriot missile production for Ukraine, rather than supply the systems directly, could take years to implement. Setting up licensed manufacturing would require technology transfers, industrial agreements and training, raising questions about whether such an arrangement could help Ukraine's air defenses in the near term.

Nvidia has announced a watchdog chip designed to sit alongside every AI agent, monitoring the systems' behaviour in real time. The move reflects growing concern in the tech industry over autonomous AI systems acting unpredictably or beyond their intended scope. The announcement, reported by CNBC, is drawing attention among developers and security researchers who see safety hardware as a potential requirement for deploying agentic AI at scale.

The chair of the US Federal Trade Commission argued that companies developing AI should be held legally responsible for the conduct of their AI agents, pushing back on the idea that such agents should be treated as independent actors. The comments, reported by Reuters, signal a regulatory stance that could shape how AI firms design, deploy and insure autonomous systems in the United States.

Tensions between Washington and Ottawa over trade are drawing renewed attention, with discussions focusing on tariffs, cross-border goods and the economic impact on both countries. Observers are weighing how the dispute could affect industries and consumers on either side of the border and what steps each government may take next in the ongoing standoff.