Daily archive

Tech News for Monday, August 17, 2026

121 stories from 47 outlets. Times show when each story first broke, in UTC.

Top stories

Ian King and Will Wade · Bloomberg Technology3 sources

OpenAI signs record Ohio data center lease with Nvidia backing up to $105 billion

<p><img alt="" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="1080" src="https://the-decoder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/partner-promo-pack-logo-lockup-openai-sbenergy-5590550_-press-1920x1080-1.png" style="height: auto; margin-bottom: 10px;" width="1920" /></p> <p> OpenAI has signed a 20-year lease for an 8-gigawatt data center in Ohio. Nvidia is guaranteeing up to $105 billion for the residual value of the facilities and becomes the exclusive chip supplier. According to the Wall Street Journal, nine tech companies now hold around $3 trillion in AI commitments that don't ap

Also covered by CNBC Technology, The Decoder

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Business 20

Gao Yuan and Jeanny Yu · Bloomberg Technology

CXMT rises to become China's most valuable firm, heralding a new tech era

CXMT Corp., a Chinese memory chip maker, has become the most valuable company in China's markets, signaling a shift from private-sector giants to hardware companies aligned with Beijing's strategic goals. The ascent reflects China's push for semiconductor self-sufficiency.

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Big Tech 12

Ben Lovejoy · 9to5Mac4 sources

Apple details eight changes to App Tracking Transparency in Europe to comply with EU rules

Apple has detailed eight changes to App Tracking Transparency (ATT) in Europe to comply with EU regulations, including new fee structures. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney slammed the new fees as 'junk fees', calling the changes insufficient. The EU welcomed the updates as a step toward resolution of the Digital Markets Act dispute.

Also covered by MacRumors, Engadget, Hacker News

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Marko Zivkovic · AppleInsider4 sources

macOS to remove hdiutil disk image tool in future release

macOS will deprecate and remove the long-standing hdiutil Terminal command for formatting and ejecting disk images in future releases. The change won't affect most users but could break some disk repair utilities. The removal was spotted in the macOS 27 Golden Gate beta.

Also covered by 9to5Mac, MacRumors, Hacker News

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Gadgets 11

Scharon Harding · Ars Technica

Petlibro accused of gaslighting users over smart pet feeder outage

Users report that Petlibro smart feeders failed to dispense food during an outage despite the company's claims that scheduled feedings work offline. Petlibro says feeders perform scheduled feedings offline; users report otherwise.

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Startups 11

AI 10

Francine Lacqua and Andrew D'Ercole · Bloomberg Technology2 sources

AI era demands more agile leaders, Harvard's Linda Hill says

Harvard Business School Professor Linda Hill argues that the next generation of CEOs must build flexible organizations as AI reshapes business. She emphasizes the need for agile leadership in the AI era.

Also covered by Hacker News

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Science 7

Security 7

Everything else 38

Eric Berger · Ars Technica3 sources

Watch Duty wildfire tracking app expands to nationwide flood coverage as disasters grow more extreme

Watch Duty, the nonprofit wildfire tracking app, is expanding its scope to include nationwide flood coverage as a first step toward becoming a broader disaster-warning platform. Ars Technica reports that satellite operators are in panic mode due to a worsening launch crisis, which could affect the availability of satellite data for such services.

Also covered by Fast Company Tech, Digital Trends

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Sara Harrison · MIT Technology Review

A look at how a child copes when their Moxie robot companion dies

When Moxie, a robot companion for kids, reaches end of life, families must say goodbye to a device that served as an emotional support. MIT Technology Review shares the story of a child whose bond with Moxie taught him coping skills.

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Natalie Lung · Bloomberg Technology

Serve Robotics expands DoorDash deal to two cities, adds Grubhub partnership

Serve Robotics CEO Ali Kashani explains the company's shift toward DoorDash and Grubhub, how delivery robots could cut last-mile costs, and why sidewalk delivery is just the beginning. The same AI technology could eventually transform hospitality and other industries.

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Dominic Preston · The Verge

How to take better photos of your pets

A guide offers tips for taking better pet photos, covering smartphone camera techniques and composition. The advice comes from a pet owner who regularly tests smartphone cameras.

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Bloomberg Technology

Anthropic's Revenue Jump, Wealthy Bet on SpaceX | Bloomberg Tech 8/17/2026

Bloomberg’s Ed Ludlow breaks down Anthropic's second-quarter revenue jump to more than $11.5 Billion, 14 times more compared to the same period a year ago. Plus, some family offices from around the world have built up billions of dollars of exposure to SpaceX and Bedrock Robotics launched the first fully autonomous excavator in the US. (Source: Bloomberg)

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Foster Wong · Bloomberg Technology

Alibaba Launches AI Music Generation Model HappyShrimp in Beta

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. launched the beta version of an artificial intelligence music-generation model that can turn a single text prompt into a fully produced song, expanding the Chinese technology giant’s push into generative AI.

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Andrew Webster · The Verge

New word game combines Wordle with Clippy-like assistant

Game designer Sam Rosenthal, creative director at The Game Band, creates a new word game that blends Wordle mechanics with a Clippy-like assistant, offering a fresh twist on daily puzzles.

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