AI, software, security and the apps you use every day, written for business owners and everyday people. New stories through the day, zero clickbait.
A leftover update checker from an unofficial Popcorn Time app may still run on your Mac, and researchers say it could have let attackers install harmful software.
Read more: Old Popcorn Time app may have left up to 350,000 Macs open to attackVisa and Tencent will make cross-border payments easier for travelers and explore AI tools that shop and pay for you, which could matter if you visit or sell in China.
Read more: Visa and Tencent team up on AI-assisted shopping and travel paymentsShopify's Shop Pay is adding card network technology so AI agents can complete purchases without seeing your card, keeping your rewards and protections.
Read more: Shopify lets AI shopping helpers pay without ever seeing your cardSamsung says year-end deals are coming and the Galaxy S27 models will each feel more distinct, which could matter if you are thinking about buying a Samsung phone.
Read more: Samsung hints at a bigger Galaxy S27 lineup and new foldable phonesAs AI moves from writing answers to doing tasks on its own, business leaders say control over data and systems may decide who earns the money.
Read more: As AI starts taking action, who controls it may decide who profitsA report in Inc. follows California business owners caught in merchant cash advance debt, a warning for anyone tempted by funding that arrives fast.
Read more: Fast Business Cash Advances Can Trap Small Owners in DebtAttackers and defenders both use AI that works on its own, and security leaders say that is opening new weak spots for businesses to manage.
Read more: Hackers and defenders both use AI to move faster than people canMicrosoft is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 workers, a sign that AI is changing how many people big companies plan to employ.
Read more: Microsoft offers buyouts to 60,000 workers as AI reshapes its staffThe FTC and eight states say Toast promised free trials, then signed customers up for subscriptions that were hard to cancel. Business owners should check their accounts.
Read more: FTC and Eight States Sue Toast Over 'Free Trial' SubscriptionsMastercard says AI shopping agents should pay with a secure stand-in for your own card, so your rewards and spending controls could carry over.
Read more: Mastercard Wants AI Shopping Helpers to Pay With Your Real CardIllinois says General Motors will pay $220 million over sharing drivers' private data. If your car is connected, here is what that means for you.
Read more: GM to pay $220 million over sharing drivers' private dataMozilla and Google both released browser updates fixing 167 and 52 security flaws, and some could let attackers run harmful code on your computer.
Read more: Firefox and Chrome both need updating now to fix over 200 security holesA Charles Schwab executive says AI agents will pay off most by improving customer service, not by cutting costs. Customers may soon expect the same from every business.
Read more: Schwab Exec Says AI's Big Payoff Is Better Customer Service, Not SavingsMastercard's CEO says AI shopping agents are already adding transactions and he expects more this holiday season, but many merchants are not ready to be found.
Read more: Mastercard expects AI shopping agents to drive more purchases this holiday seasonGoogle's Gemini Notebook now offers hundreds of free textbooks that students can turn into study guides, quizzes and flashcards, with answers that point back to the page.
Read more: Google now lets students add free textbooks to its Gemini study toolA free open-source project called YourOwnWeigh lets some Withings scale owners send weight data to Apple Health without paying for Withings Plus.
Read more: Free tool lets Withings scale owners send their data anywhereSecurity firm Socket found 319 Chrome add-ons that quietly swapped users' search engine and sent searches through tracking servers to earn ad money.
Read more: 319 Chrome add-ons secretly redirected searches for 13.4 million usersGoogle's Gemini app can now create, preview and edit PDFs, Docs, Sheets and slides inside the chat, so you can fix a file without leaving it.
Read more: Gemini can now build and edit your documents inside the chatOnline holiday spending rose 6.8% last season, and J.P. Morgan says busy weeks give card thieves more cover and put sellers in a bind.
Read more: Holiday shopping season gives online card fraud more places to hideHoliday shoppers are focused on price, and Walmart is getting the most criticism, so the same item may cost different amounts depending on when and where you look.
Read more: Shoppers are watching prices closely this holiday season, and Walmart is feeling itNew York State Sen. Andrew Gounardes has proposed new AI safety and transparency rules, which could mean more checks and more disclosure for the AI tools people use.
Read more: New York state senator proposes new rules for AI safety and opennessUBS says staff use more than 12,700 personal AI agents, a sign that banks are moving AI into daily work that can touch your accounts and advice.
Read more: UBS staff now use more than 12,700 personal AI helpers at workThe FTC ordered Walmart, Target and seven other companies to explain whether personal data changes the prices people see. Here is what shoppers should know.
Read more: FTC demands answers from Walmart and Target on pricingUber says new driver features will help earnings and safety, but the details are not confirmed yet. Drivers and riders should check Uber's own announcement.
Read more: Uber announces new driver features aimed at earnings and safety
