Meta releases Muse Spark Open, a large open AI model built to run on Macs

Meta released Muse Spark Open, an open-weight model, meaning anyone can download it and run it themselves. It has 816 billion parameters, of which 42 billion are active at a time, and can take in up to 1 million tokens of text at once. Meta calls it the most capable US open-weight model and says its own tests show it beating other open models. Meta says it runs on two Apple Mac Studios with M5 Ultra chips using Apple's MLX software, and Engadget reports it needs at least 1 terabyte of memory. It is also available now through several API services. The license has limited commercial terms.

Anthropic gives outside AI safety group METR employee-level access to inspect it

Anthropic is giving six researchers from METR, a nonprofit that tests advanced AI models, roughly the same access as its own risk teams, including company laptops, office space and internal tools. METR will publish its own assessments of Anthropic's risks, incidents and practices. Anthropic has given up the right to block those reports, though it can require redactions in narrow categories such as customer data.

Amazon shows new Bee AI wearables that listen and take notes on your day

Amazon introduced new devices from Bee: a band you can wear on the wrist or as a pendant, and a card-sized device that clips magnetically to the back of a phone. They record audio passively and pull out to-dos and reminders. Amazon says the raw audio is processed in real time and then deleted, and transcripts are encrypted with keys your device controls. Amazon devices chief Panos Panay said he sees a future where such devices reduce the need for apps.

OpenAI's ChatGPT can now read your open Chrome tabs through its browser extension

OpenAI says that with its Chrome extension installed, ChatGPT can view your open browser tabs when you tag Chrome in ChatGPT's web or desktop app. The update comes after OpenAI's own ChatGPT Atlas browser was shut down.

Some Anthropic investors now discuss a $1.5 trillion IPO value, down from $2 trillion

According to Reuters' sources, some current and prospective investors in Anthropic's upcoming stock market listing have discussed a valuation of about $1.5 trillion. They had expected about $2 trillion. The change follows disclosures showing that Anthropic's revenue grew more slowly in the third quarter.

Security firm Proofpoint agrees to buy data security company Varonis for about $6.3B

Proofpoint, a cybersecurity company owned by the investment firm Thoma Bravo, will buy data security firm Varonis Systems in an all-cash deal valued at about $6.3 billion. Both companies announced the deal on Thursday.

Memory maker SK Hynix denies tying a US chip factory to more equipment for China

A report said SK Hynix's Solidigm unit was asking US approval to send more chipmaking equipment to its factory in Dalian, China, and was weighing a new 3D NAND factory in the US in return. NAND is the type of memory used in SSDs and phone storage. SK Hynix has denied playing hardball with the US government over the factory.

Researchers find targeted online ads were used to plant spyware without a single tap

Citizen Lab, a security research group, reports that targeted digital ads were turned into a way to deliver zero-click spyware. Zero-click means the victim doesn't need to tap or open anything. Ars Technica says this is likely the first confirmed case of mercenary spyware, sold to paying clients, being delivered through targeted ads. The Guardian reports that an Israeli firm is involved.

Officials disagree on whether the White House limited Ukraine's use of SpaceX's Starshield

Ukraine uses Starshield, SpaceX's satellite system, for battlefield communications and drone operations. Two US officials and a Western official told Reuters that the order to limit Ukraine's access came from inside the White House. A senior US official told Bloomberg that President Trump did not order any limits. Elon Musk said any limits are ultimately decided by the president.

Everything else