OpenAI released its new GPT-5.5 model, called "Spud," which is faster and better at handling complex tasks with less help from users. It is available now for paid ChatGPT and Codex users, and businesses may benefit from lower costs thanks to Nvidia's new chips.
Key Facts
GPT-5.5 is faster and more capable than the previous GPT-5.4 model.
The model can handle multi-step tasks more independently, needing less detailed instructions.
It is available now to paid users of ChatGPT and Codex, with API access coming soon.
OpenAI tested the model with Nvidia employees before release.
The model works well for coding, office work, and early scientific research that need long-term reasoning.
Nvidia’s new computer chips reduce the cost of running AI models like GPT-5.5 by up to 35 times per token (a token is a piece of text).
OpenAI aims to increase use of GPT-5.5 by businesses and has made a plan with Nvidia to simplify company adoption.
OpenAI views computing power as central to the future economy, with AI playing a key role.
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Over 200,000 people have signed petitions asking the UK government to stop contracts with Palantir, a US tech company involved in NHS, police, and military work. Palantir’s software is used in several public services, but critics worry about privacy and ethical issues linked to its work with US immigration enforcement and the Israeli military.
Key Facts
Two petitions gathered 229,000 signatures calling for the UK government to end all public contracts with Palantir.
One petition specifically asks the health secretary to cancel a £330 million contract between Palantir and the NHS.
Palantir is in talks with the Metropolitan police to use its AI software to analyze intelligence for criminal investigations.
The company has about £600 million in contracts with UK public bodies, including a £240 million deal with the Ministry of Defence.
Palantir’s UK CEO, Louis Mosley, publicly responded to criticisms and challenged some inaccurate claims on social media.
Critics say Palantir’s technology is used by controversial groups like US immigration enforcement ICE and the Israeli military.
Campaigners want the government to use contract break clauses to stop deals with Palantir quickly.
Palantir states its software helps improve NHS operations, cancer diagnosis speed, and supports Royal Navy missions.
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Anthropic announced a new AI model called Claude Mythos, which can find and exploit hidden security flaws in computer systems. The company has not released it publicly but is working with select partners to fix these problems before hackers can use them.
Key Facts
Claude Mythos can discover unknown security weaknesses and exploit them autonomously.
Anthropic is sharing the AI only with a few American organizations and the UK’s AI Security Institute for testing.
British officials warned AI will make cyber-attacks faster and easier, and many businesses are not prepared.
Mythos has helped Mozilla find and fix many flaws in the Firefox browser.
The US government previously labeled Anthropic a security risk but is now working with the company again.
AI tools like Mythos may turn hidden cyber risks into bigger, systemic threats that are easier to find and exploit.
There is concern about relying on private companies for control of critical cybersecurity infrastructure.
Without global rules, the internet may split into separate secure zones rather than remain a single global system.
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A Utah startup named Paterna Biosciences says it has created fully developed human sperm from stem cells taken from testicular tissue. They used these lab-grown sperm to fertilize eggs and produced embryos that looked healthy, though the results still need independent confirmation and further testing.
Key Facts
Paterna Biosciences developed human sperm from sperm-forming stem cells outside the body.
The process used a small sample of testicular tissue and simulated natural sperm development in a lab dish.
They applied computer models to identify the molecular signals needed at each stage of sperm growth.
The lab-grown sperm successfully fertilized eggs, creating embryos that appear healthy so far.
This advancement could help 10-15% of infertile men who produce no sperm but have stem cells that could mature under the right conditions.
The method is not yet ready for medical use and requires more studies on fertilization rates, embryo quality, and genetic safety.
Clinical trials to attempt pregnancies with lab-grown sperm could start as early as next year if further tests are positive.
Experts warn that fertility treatment costs and limited insurance coverage might restrict who benefits from this technology.
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Apple's M4 Mac mini and Mac Studio desktop computers are becoming harder to buy, with many models showing long wait times or being marked as unavailable. This likely signals that updated versions will come out later this year, as Apple reduces current inventory before launching new products.
Key Facts
The base M4 Mac mini model costing $599 is now listed as "currently unavailable" on Apple’s website.
Many M4 Mac mini models have delivery times of 5 to 12 weeks, depending on their memory and storage options.
Mac Studio models with 128GB or 256GB of RAM are also currently unavailable.
These stock shortages are not seen in the M4 iMac or certain MacBook Pro models, which ship in a few weeks.
The delays differ from the shorter, stable wait times seen for the popular MacBook Neo.
Apple usually reduces stock before releasing new versions of its products to avoid having outdated items.
Demand may also be higher because these desktops are well-suited for running local AI programs, which require strong memory and processing power.
Apple Silicon’s design allows both the processor and graphics chip to share large amounts of fast memory, making these machines attractive for AI tasks.
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The UK Biobank project collects health and genetic information from 500,000 British volunteers to help research diseases. Recently, some of this data was found for sale online on a Chinese website, raising concerns about privacy and data security.
Key Facts
The UK Biobank started in 2003 and collected data from 500,000 volunteers aged 40 to 69 between 2006 and 2010.
Participants provide genetic data, health info, biological samples, and lifestyle details, with ongoing follow-ups.
Researchers use anonymized UK Biobank data to study causes and treatment of many diseases.
The project includes scans of brains, hearts, and other organs from 100,000 people to help detect diseases early.
Data from the project led to discoveries about alcohol’s effect on the brain, diabetes and heart structure, and COVID-19 brain damage.
Recently, anonymized UK Biobank data was listed for sale on the Chinese website Alibaba.
UK Biobank says personal identifying details were not included and no sales are believed to have happened.
The project plans to increase security by limiting how much data researchers can export and will conduct a full investigation.
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Apple fixed a security bug that allowed deleted Signal messages to be stored in a way law enforcement could access them on iPhones. The bug affected push notifications, which sometimes kept message content even after the app was deleted. Users can now update their devices to remove these stored notifications and improve privacy.
Key Facts
Apple had a bug that saved parts of Signal messages in push notifications for up to a month.
This happened even after users deleted the messages and the Signal app from their iPhones.
The FBI said they could extract these messages from the iPhone’s notification database.
The bug was discovered after a case involving people charged with “Antifa” activities, which President Trump had labeled as terrorism.
Apple fixed the issue by updating iOS to stop retaining deleted notification content.
Signal praised Apple for quickly fixing the bug and said users only need to update their devices to be protected.
Users on social media advised turning off message previews in notifications for extra privacy.
The problem was due to Apple accidentally saving notifications in logs when the app was no longer on the device.
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NASA has finished building the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, and it will launch in September, eight months early and under budget. The telescope has a wide view and powerful imaging tools that will send back large amounts of data to help study space, especially in infrared light.
Key Facts
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (NGRST) is ready for launch in September.
It was completed eight months earlier than planned and stayed under budget.
The telescope has a wide-field view about 100 times bigger than Hubble’s.
It will send back about 1.4 terabytes of data to Earth every day.
NGRST uses hardware from two surplus spy satellites offered by the National Reconnaissance Office.
The telescope will study the universe in infrared light, which is hard to observe from Earth.
It has 18 detectors, each capturing very high-resolution images.
A filter system allows it to study different wavelengths of light and perform spectroscopy to analyze light from celestial objects.
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IT service companies are changing how they charge for work because artificial intelligence (AI) enables smaller teams to do more work faster than before. Traditional pricing based on the number of people and hours spent no longer matches the results delivered, so companies are exploring new ways to price based on the actual outcomes or results.
Key Facts
IT firms used to charge based on the number of staff and hours worked.
AI allows smaller teams to produce much more work, speeding up projects.
This breaks the old link between effort (people and time) and results.
Clients now expect prices to reflect the actual value and results delivered.
Shifting to outcome-based pricing means providers are paid for success, not time spent.
Moving to new pricing models requires clear agreement on what success means for each project.
Providers and clients both need to change how they measure and share value.
The IT industry has wanted to move away from time-based pricing for years, but AI is speeding up this change.
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A new Hulu docuseries called "The Cult of NatureBoy" follows a social media influencer named NatureBoy and his followers as they look for a perfect, ideal place to live. ABC’s "Good Morning America" shared a first look at this series.
Key Facts
The show is a docuseries on the streaming service Hulu.
It focuses on a person known as NatureBoy, who is popular on social media.
The series follows NatureBoy and his followers on a journey to find a utopia, which means a perfect place.
ABC’s program "Good Morning America" presented a preview of the series.
The docuseries explores themes of community and ideal living.
It was first shown on April 23, 2026.
The article provides a look, not a full review or opinion, just a preview of the show.
NatureBoy’s influence and his followers’ quest are the central topics of this series.
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BMW is updating its 7 Series sedan for the 2027 model year with major changes inside and out. The new version borrows design and technology from BMW's electric vehicle family, adding a new battery, improved screens, and advanced driver assistance features.
Key Facts
The 2027 BMW 7 Series refreshes the current seventh-generation G70 model introduced in 2023.
It incorporates styling and technology from BMW’s Neue Klasse electric vehicles like the iX3 and i3.
The front and rear bumpers have a cleaner design, and the hood features new ridges.
The car keeps BMW’s large twin-kidney grille design, which also houses sensors for Level 2 driver assistance.
Inside, it has a new Panoramic iDrive Display that stretches across the dashboard with multiple touchscreens.
The doors have automatic open/close functions with sensors to ensure safety and flush handles.
The BMW Operating System X supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and offers over-the-air software updates.
BMW’s new electrical system reduces wiring by about 2,000 feet, improving efficiency and allowing future software improvements.
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New natural gas projects are being built to provide power for data centers supporting big AI companies like OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft, and xAI. These projects could produce more greenhouse gas emissions than some countries, raising concerns about the environmental impact of the growing AI industry.
Key Facts
Eleven data center campuses in the U.S. have new gas projects that could emit over 129 million tons of greenhouse gases annually.
These gas projects mainly supply power directly to data centers, a trend called "behind-the-meter" power.
Behind-the-meter power lets data centers avoid using the regular power grid, often due to delays or cost concerns.
xAI’s data centers in Memphis and Southaven could each emit over 6.4 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.
xAI’s turbines have faced protests from local communities worried about air pollution, and the NAACP recently sued the company.
Microsoft is considering buying power from a Chevron-backed gas project in West Texas that could emit more gases annually than Jamaica.
Officials warn that these emissions increases may reverse progress made in reducing pollution from energy sources.
Companies say they are also investing in cleaner energy but see behind-the-meter power as needed where the grid cannot keep up.
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Researchers at the University of Bristol are using special equipment to measure viewers’ brain activity, heart rate, and eye movements while they watch films. This helps them find which parts of a movie make audiences most focused and engaged, and the data is used to help filmmakers improve their work.
Key Facts
The University of Bristol has a unique cinema set up with sensors to track brain and heart activity, eye movement, and small physical reactions.
The goal is to find moments in films when audience members are highly engaged and immersed in the story.
Researchers collect both biometric data and verbal feedback from viewers to understand their emotional responses.
The experiment was tested using the short sci-fi film "Reno," shown in different versions to see how changes affect audience engagement.
Director Rob Hifle uses this data to refine the film’s final cut and better connect with viewers.
The technology could be useful not only during editing but also earlier in the filmmaking process.
Some experts note that audience preferences vary widely and success may depend more on reaching the right viewers than on universal appeal.
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The article explains that people find it difficult to understand very large numbers because our brains did not evolve to handle such amounts easily. This creates challenges when dealing with data and information involving big numbers.
Key Facts
Humans find it hard to grasp very large numbers.
Our natural intuition is not designed for large numerical values.
This difficulty can affect how we process and understand data.
The article highlights a gap between human thinking and numerical information.
Understanding big numbers is important in many modern contexts like data analysis.
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Personal data of over 300,000 European travellers who bought Interrail passes from Eurail was hacked and posted for sale on the dark web. Some affected travellers have been told to cancel their passports to prevent fraud, causing concern and extra costs. Eurail is advising customers to be cautious and update their passwords while investigating the incident.
Key Facts
Eurail, a Dutch company selling Interrail passes, was hacked in December.
More than 300,000 travellers' personal data was accessed, including passport numbers and contact details.
A sample of the stolen data was published on the messaging app Telegram, and the data is being sold on the dark web.
The UK Passport Office and other agencies have told some travellers to cancel their passports to avoid fraud.
Replacing passports can cost over £100 and cause delays for upcoming travel plans.
Eurail advised customers to watch for suspicious communications and to change passwords for email, social media, and banking.
Some affected customers are asking Eurail for compensation to cover the costs of new passports.
Eurail apologized for the incident and said protecting customer data remains their top priority.
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British and international cybersecurity agencies warn that hackers supported by China are using everyday internet-connected devices like wifi routers to secretly attack companies. These hackers take control of vulnerable devices to spy on targets and steal data, using methods that make it hard to trace where attacks come from.
Key Facts
China-linked hackers are targeting devices such as wifi routers, printers, and webcams for cyber-attacks.
These devices are often older or have not been updated with the latest software, making them easier to hack.
The hacked devices form "covert networks" or "botnets," which act like hidden bases for spying and theft.
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and agencies in nine other countries issued a warning about this threat.
China’s intelligence and military agencies are highly advanced in cyber operations.
The hackers use compromised devices to hide their location, similar to how a virtual private network (VPN) works.
Companies are advised to map their IT systems, use multifactor authentication, and limit network connections to protect against these attacks.
Some covert networks are run by private Chinese companies and have infected hundreds of thousands of devices worldwide.
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The UK Biobank’s health data of 500,000 members was found for sale on a Chinese website called Alibaba. The data did not include personal details like names or addresses, and the listings were removed after being discovered. The UK and Chinese governments, along with Alibaba, are working together to investigate the issue.
Key Facts
Health data of 500,000 UK Biobank members was listed for sale online in China.
The data did not have personally identifying information such as names, addresses, or phone numbers.
The UK Biobank is a project used to improve research on diseases like dementia and cancer.
The data breach was reported to the UK government on Monday by the UK Biobank charity.
The listings appeared on Alibaba, a major Chinese e-commerce platform.
The UK government says no sales were made from the data listings.
The listings were removed, and the Chinese government cooperated in the investigation.
The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office said medical data is very sensitive and must be handled carefully according to law.
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Sony’s AI robot named Ace has defeated top table tennis players in a new experiment. This event marks a significant achievement in the development of robots that can compete with humans in fast, skill-based sports.
Key Facts
Sony created an AI robot called Ace.
Ace played table tennis against elite human players.
Ace won these matches, demonstrating advanced skills.
The experiment is viewed as a major step forward in robotics.
Table tennis requires quick reflexes and precise movements, which the robot managed successfully.
This breakthrough shows how AI and robotics can improve in handling complex physical tasks.
The event was reported on April 23, 2026, by France 24.
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Spotify started in 2008 and changed how people listen to music by offering legal streaming online. It now has over 750 million users and offers music, podcasts, and audiobooks worldwide, except in a few restricted countries. Big artists like Taylor Swift and Drake have gained huge audiences through Spotify, which also helps artists from different languages and cultures reach fans globally.
Key Facts
Spotify was founded in 2006 and launched in 2008, expanding to the U.S. in 2011.
It offers more than 100 million songs, 7 million podcasts, and 500,000 audiobooks.
The platform has 751 million users, growing 11% each year.
Taylor Swift is Spotify’s most-streamed artist, with 26.6 billion streams in 2024.
Spotify supports artists worldwide, with 16 languages reaching its Global Top 50 in 2025.
The U.S. and Europe make up over half of Spotify’s users and two-thirds of its revenue.
Popular music genres on Spotify that earn over $100 million in royalties include Brazilian funk, K-pop, urban Latino, and reggaeton.
Spotify introduced an AI-generated DJ feature in 2025 to create personalized music experiences.
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