Welcome back to your daily memorandum talking tech, business, AI, markets, and more. 🗞️

In today’s edition, we are tackling the following:

🛡️ Hackers breached Microsoft SharePoint via zero-day flaw, hitting 100+ orgs globally.
🧠 DeepMind’s Gemini Deep Think scored gold at the International Math Olympiad.
📱 Chrome for iOS now allows seamless switching between personal and work accounts.
✈️ Alaska Airlines grounded 200+ flights after major hardware failure at Sea-Tac.
📊 Stellantis warns of $2.7B loss due to tariffs and drops 900 jobs in response.

TECHNOLOGY

• Microsoft server software comes under widespread cyberattack

  • Hackers exploited a zero‑day flaw in Microsoft server software targeting SharePoint and compromising sensitive credentials globally.

  • Cyber espionage operation reportedly hit around 100 organizations, including governments and businesses across the US and Europe.

  • Microsoft issued an urgent patch for SharePoint Server 2019 and Subscription Edition while working on updates for 2016.

• Advanced version of Gemini with Deep Think achieves gold‑medal standard

  • DeepMind’s Gemini Deep Think solved five of six IMO problems end‑to‑end in natural language within the 4.5‑hour limit.

  • Achieved a gold‑medal score of 35 out of 42 points, surpassing last year’s silver‑level AI performance.

  • Model used parallel reasoning and reinforcement‑learning techniques and will soon be available to trusted mathematicians.

• Chrome for iOS makes it easier to switch between work and personal Google accounts

  • New managed‑account browsing mode separates work and personal spaces, maintaining distinct tabs history and passwords per account.

  • Seamless one‑tap switching introduced to cater to employees using personal devices for work, improving privacy controls.

  • Onboarding flow notifies users about managed experience while IT admins can control browsing data handling per organization.

BUSINESS

• X slams French criminal probe over alleged algorithm ‘manipulation’

  • X denounced the French probe as politically motivated, citing concerns about user privacy and legal overreach.

  • Prosecutors demanded access to X’s algorithm and user data using organized-crime investigation powers.

  • The company refused to comply, claiming it violated legal protections and undermined platform integrity.

• Alaska Airlines ground stop cancels dozens of flights at Sea‑Tac

  • A hardware failure forced Alaska Airlines to halt operations for three hours, affecting hundreds of flights.

  • Over 13,500 passengers were impacted as 200 flights were canceled and many more delayed.

  • The airline is replacing damaged systems and expects residual delays while recovery continues.

• Jeep maker Stellantis says it will lose $2.7 billion due partly to tariffs

  • Stellantis warned of a $2.7 billion hit, citing U.S. auto tariffs and weak regional demand.

  • North American production dropped 25% after import duties disrupted supply chains and plant operations.

  • The automaker laid off 900 workers and suspended key facilities to mitigate rising costs.

MARKETS

WORLD

• At least 19 killed, scores injured as Bangladesh air force jet crashes into college campus

  • A training jet suffered mechanical failure after takeoff and crashed into a college building in Dhaka, causing an explosion and fire.

  • The pilot diverted the aircraft from populated areas but could not avoid impact, hitting a two‑storey campus building.

  • At least 19 people died, 164 were injured, and authorities have launched a formal investigation into the accident.

• Ukraine drones disrupt flights at Moscow airports

  • Ukrainian long‑range drones struck Moscow overnight, triggering temporary closures at major airports due to potential safety risks.

  • Dozens of flights were diverted or canceled, leaving crowds stranded amid chaos at terminals and runway operations.

  • Russian air defences intercepted the attack, and airport authorities scrambled to restore disrupted services and passenger schedules.

• Iran to hold nuclear talks with European governments after sanctions threat

  • Iran will meet deputy-level envoys from Britain, France and Germany in Istanbul this Friday to resume stalled nuclear talks.

  • Europe has warned it may reimpose UN ‘snapback’ sanctions by end‑of‑August unless Tehran delivers verifiable progress.

  • Iran insists these talks are independent of the US and seeks guarantees against future military strikes as part of talks.

CONTENT

• 5 new tools from Google AI to make money/be productive

  • Google unveiled Gemini, Flow, Notebook LM, Stitch, and Mariner—AI tools that streamline creation and automated web tasks.

  • Gemini’s Pro version adds video generation, daily digests, and personalized context powered by your Google data.

  • Flow and Mariner let users create films or run web tasks with prompt-based inputs, enabling real human–AI collaboration.

• Surge CEO & Co-Founder, Edwin Chen: Scaling to $1BN+ in revenue with no funding

  • Surge hit $1B revenue without funding, while rival Scale.ai raised $1.3B to reach $850M ARR.

  • With no sales team or PR, Surge scaled via execution, lean ops, and just 120 employees.

  • Chen critiques big tech waste and believes AGI will take longer—possibly until 2040 or beyond.

• Anthropic co-founder: AGI predictions, leaving OpenAI, what keeps him up at night

  • Ben Mann left OpenAI with the safety team to start Anthropic, focused on aligned AI.

  • He predicts AGI between 2027–2028 and warns of 20% job loss if safety isn’t prioritized.

  • Anthropic’s Claude is shaped by safety-first design, balancing capabilities with human alignment safeguards.

FUTURISM

• OpenAI says ChatGPT users send over 2.5 billion prompts every day

  • ChatGPT is now processing over 2.5 billion daily prompts, up from around 1 billion eight months ago.

  • Approximately 330 million of those daily prompts originate from users in the U.S.

  • This usage surge translates to nearly 913 billion annual prompts, underscoring rapid global adoption.

• 72 % of U.S. teens have used AI companions, study finds

  • A survey found that 72 % of American teens tried AI companion bots, with over half using them regularly.

  • While some teens gain social practice, 34 % felt uncomfortable with bot behavior at times.

  • Experts recommend stronger age checks, improved moderation, AI literacy education, and further impact research.

• Instacart’s former CEO is taking the reins of a big chunk of OpenAI

  • Fidji Simo, formerly CEO of Instacart, will join OpenAI on August 18 as CEO of Applications.

  • She will oversee roughly one‑third of OpenAI’s operations, reporting directly to Sam Altman.

  • Her role focuses on scaling ChatGPT‑based tools and expanding their mainstream use cases.

EXTRAS

• Google solves its Pixel 10 leaks by just showing us the phone

  • Google officially showcased the base Pixel 10’s design ahead of its August 20 event by releasing teaser clips.

  • The device resembles previous models but introduces a third back camera, likely a telephoto lens.

  • The phone comes in a new gray‑blue finish and closely mirrors leaked renders and rumors.

• Wells Fargo exit ban revives fears about doing business in China

  • A Wells Fargo executive has been barred from leaving China due to her involvement in a criminal investigation.

  • The bank has suspended employee travel to China amid concerns about opaque exit‑ban use.

  • The move underscores risks foreign firms face operating in China and growing diplomatic unease.

• FDA names former pharma executive as new top drug regulator

  • Dr George Tidmarsh, former pharma CEO, will lead the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

  • His appointment aligns with commitments to review abortion pills, antidepressants, and hormone therapies.

  • With ongoing staff cuts, his leadership comes as expedited approval efforts and safety reviews gather momentum.

AND MORE

• S&P 500 and Nasdaq notch record‑high closes lifted by Alphabet rally.

• U.S. stocks advance while Treasury yields soften and earnings loom.

• Wall Street stocks climb as tariff talks and earnings top priorities.

• Gold prices hit five‑week high as dollar and bond yields ease.

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• Yen strengthens following Japanese upper‑house election result.

• European Central Bank sets stage to pause rate cuts after eight straight reductions.

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