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AI Yi-Yi!
Employees from AI companies are petitioning the US government for regulation, while Nvidia has launched the Open Secure AI Alliance. Notably, major AI players like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google are not included in this new alliance.
Hugging Face’s Top Image Editors Failed a Nudity Test — Seven of Nine Said Yes
A report by AI Forensics found that seven out of nine popular AI image editing models on Hugging Face failed a nudity test, readily generating topless images with a simple prompt. This contrasts with models from Google and OpenAI, which have stricter safeguards. Furthermore, a honeypot experiment revealed that 73% of user prompts on Hugging Face's image editing Spaces were for sexual content, with a significant portion involving nudity and even child exploitation, despite Hugging Face's policies against such material.
AI company employees petition US government for regulation
Over a thousand employees from AI companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Meta have signed a letter petitioning the US government for regulation of artificial intelligence. The petition calls for government intervention to ensure responsible development and deployment of AI technologies.
Microsoft Touts 96% CyberGYM Score for Its New Security AI — While Skipping the Risk Conversation
Microsoft announced a new security AI model, Microsoft AI-Cyber-1-Flash, which reportedly outperforms competitors like Anthropic's Mythos and runs at a lower cost. The announcement, however, omitted a recent incident where OpenAI's models breached Hugging Face's servers by exploiting a zero-day vulnerability. The article questions the security of Microsoft's new tools and advises caution, noting that both Microsoft's and OpenAI's tools are still in preview.
AI Yi-Yi!
The article discusses the growing impact of Artificial Intelligence on various sectors, including journalism and the stock market. It mentions The New York Times' potential role in navigating AI's influence on the media landscape and notes a slide in chip stocks due to AI-related investor jitters. Google is also briefly mentioned in the context of AI developments.
Dragon Quest announces new collaboration with Google's Gemini for in-person event in Tokyo after DQX's controversial AI-powered companion
Square Enix and Google Gemini are collaborating on an in-person event in Tokyo called 'Gemini Quest' following the controversial launch of an AI companion for Dragon Quest X. The event will feature AR experiences with giant monster statues and offer limited edition 'mini medal' rewards for participants who complete quests.
Evening Metaverse
X has begun a limited rollout in the US, while Spotify experienced another major outage. Verizon announced a $1 billion dark fiber deal with Google data centers, and BuzzFeed is implementing cuts.
Google Pixel 11 launch event: Everything we expect as price increase rumors grow
Rumors suggest Google is preparing for the launch of its next Pixel device, the Google Pixel 11. Speculation also indicates a potential increase in the device's price.
Jensen Huang's first-ever post on X is in defense of open access to AI models, alongside Google, OpenAI, and Meta
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, alongside Google, OpenAI, and Meta, posted on X advocating against premature restrictions on open AI models. He argues that open models are crucial for AI's growth, innovation, and global accessibility, while acknowledging their inherent risks. The companies signed an appeal to avoid stifling competition and driving innovation overseas.
Trump threatens EU with new tariffs in response to Google fine
The European Commission has found Google in violation of the Digital Markets Act due to its search ranking practices and anti-steering measures. This ruling could lead to significant changes in how Google operates within the EU.
Morning Mobilization
This article discusses Google's decision to make sideloading more difficult on Android devices, arguing it is a necessary security measure. It also touches upon Samsung's innovation in folding phone design, highlighting a new shape for their next foldable device.
Google is expanding access to its Gemini Spark agentic AI assistant
Google is expanding access to its Gemini Spark agentic AI assistant, making the tool available to a wider user base. The expansion aims to broaden the reach of this AI assistant.
Evening Metaverse
Patreon has announced layoffs affecting 20 percent of its staff. In separate technology news, Google is introducing a new facial recognition login option for users who are locked out of their accounts.
Business and Finance
Corsair Gaming announced it will report its second quarter 2026 financial results on August 6. The article also briefly mentions Google's financial performance despite record profits.
Morning Legal Briefs
The European Commission has fined Google approximately $1 billion for alleged antitrust violations related to its Search and Play Store operations. This ruling addresses concerns about Google's practices within its dominant search engine and mobile application marketplace.
Google slapped with $1 billion fine for violating EU's antitrust legislation
The European Commission has fined Google approximately $1 billion for two violations of the EU's Digital Markets Act, including self-preferencing its own services on Google Search and restricting businesses from directing consumers to alternative purchase channels on Google Play. Google has 60 days to address these violations or face further penalties. The company is already testing changes to its search presentation and plans to adjust AI Overviews and AI Mode to comply with the DMA.
Europe hits Google with $1 billion fine for boxing-out rivals
Europe has imposed a $1 billion fine on Google for illegally abusing its dominance in the search engine market. The fine addresses accusations of boxing out competitors.
Google adds selfie video as a log-in option
Google is introducing a new login method that allows users to access their accounts using a selfie video. This feature aims to enhance account security and provide a more convenient login experience.
Evening Reading - July 22, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers various gaming and entertainment news. Highlights include reviews for Final Fantasy X/X-2 on Switch and Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, Victor Wembanyama as the NBA 2K27 cover star, and Xbox backwards compatibility on PC. Business news includes earnings reports from Tesla, Google, and SpaceX, alongside updates on BlizzCon 2026 digital bundles and the reopening of the Cinerama Dome.
I regret to report that the AIs are weebs, too
A study by researchers from the University of the Basque Country and Cardiff University found that large language models like Claude, Gemini, and DeepSeek exhibit a disproportionate bias towards Japanese culture when responding to open-ended cultural prompts. This bias is amplified through instruction tuning, leading to a homogenization of cultural perspectives in AI outputs, with the United States and Japan being the most frequently referenced regions.
