Top Stories
AI & Machine Learning
OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity are nearing authorization to host their AI technology directly for the U.S. government, potentially bypassing existing federal partners and signifying a major shift in government AI procurement. Fast Company
Klarna’s CEO projects a significant workforce reduction by 2030, partly attributing the change to AI advancements, reflecting broader concerns about technology’s impact on employment across industries. Fast Company
Hackers are leveraging mainstream AI assistants like xAI’s Grok and Microsoft Copilot as covert command-and-control relays for malware, exploiting trusted enterprise network access for stealthy operations. Cyber Security News
Big Tech & Digital Industry
Major social media platforms, including Meta, Snap, TikTok, and Google-owned YouTube, are facing bellwether lawsuits over claims that their designs contribute to teen addiction and mental health issues. The Verge
Cybersecurity & Cyberwar
A zero-day vulnerability in Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines, exploiting hard-coded credentials, has been actively exploited by a suspected China-nexus threat group since mid-2024. Dark Reading
The CRESCENTHARVEST campaign is reportedly targeting supporters of Iran’s ongoing protests with remote access trojan (RAT) malware for information theft and long-term espionage. The Hacker News
Critical security flaws have been identified in four widely used Microsoft Visual Studio Code extensions, collectively installed over 125 million times, posing risks of local file theft and remote code execution. The Hacker News
Tech Economy & Markets
A leading memory executive has warned that the ongoing RAM shortage could lead to product line reductions and even company failures in the latter half of 2026. The Verge
Federal Employee News
Federal agencies are increasingly implementing AI and consolidating back-office operations as a key strategy to achieve efficiency mandates. Federal News Network
Tech briefing automatically generated on 19 February 2026.