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🚨 UK porn law triggers massive 1,400% VPN surge

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Greetings! Your latest quick tech update is here:

ā˜€ļø On this day: On July 26, 1926, Joseph Engelberger was born. Known as the ā€œFather of Robotics,ā€ Engelberger co-developed the first industrial robot, Unimate, and founded Unimation. His work revolutionized manufacturing and laid the foundation for today’s robotics and automation industries.

What’s happening:

  • āš ļø Intel slashes 24,000 jobs amid major global retreat

  • 🚨 UK porn law triggers massive 1,400% VPN surge

  • šŸ›‘ Petition slams Mastercard & Visa for censoring content

  • šŸŽ„ Musk revives Vine as an AI-powered video app

  • ⚔ Breakthrough AI slashes cancer drug design time

  • + šŸ“Š Daily poll and results

  • + šŸ“ˆ Trending tools and resources

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Hand-picked news:

āš ļø Intel slashes 24,000 jobs amid major global retreat ā†—ļøLINK

  • What: Intel will lay off 24,000 employees in 2025, reducing its core workforce by ~25%. The company is halting major projects in Germany and Poland, ending assembly operations in Costa Rica, and slowing factory construction in Ohio.

  • Why: CEO Lip-Bu Tan cites overbuilding, fragmented factories, and weak AI market positioning as drivers for aggressive restructuring. Intel is cutting costs and refocusing on demand-driven growth and accountability in chip design.

  • Impact: The $1.9B restructuring cost adds to a $2.9B quarterly loss. Intel aims to save $17B this year, but the cuts could damage global presence and morale. Future chip launches remain on track, with strategic shifts expected soon.

🚨 UK porn law triggers massive 1,400% VPN surge ā†—ļøLINK

  • What: Proton VPN saw a 1,400% spike in signups on July 25, the day the UK's age verification law took effect, requiring explicit content sites to verify users’ ages via methods like facial recognition or bank details.

  • Why: Many users are turning to VPNs to bypass what they see as invasive privacy measures under the UK’s Online Safety Act, now enforced by Ofcom. Similar spikes were seen in France when Pornhub pulled out due to a similar law.

  • Impact: The surge shows strong public resistance to government-mandated age checks. Proton VPN suggests concern levels rival those seen during civil unrest, raising questions about digital privacy and censorship in democracies.

šŸ›‘ Petition slams Mastercard & Visa for censoring content ā†—ļøLINK

  • What: Mastercard and Visa face backlash after a viral petition accused them of censoring legal adult-themed fiction, including games and books, under pressure from activist group Collective Shout. The petition urges these companies to stop acting as cultural gatekeepers.

  • Why: Collective Shout, an Australian feminist group, has pushed to ban games depicting rape, incest, and other controversial content. Critics argue this leads to censorship of legal, adult material based on moral agendas.

  • Impact: The controversy raises questions about corporate control over digital content and payment access. It spotlights tensions between free expression, activist influence, and platform policy.

šŸŽ„ Musk revives Vine as an AI-powered video app ā†—ļøLINK

  • What: Elon Musk announced that X (formerly Twitter) is bringing back Vine in "AI form," nearly nine years after the original short-form video app was shut down. No technical or launch details were disclosed.

  • Why: Vine’s original six-second format aligns well with current AI video tools, which are best suited for short clips due to cost and complexity. Musk has teased a Vine revival multiple times since acquiring Twitter in 2022.

  • Impact: An AI-powered Vine could challenge TikTok and Reels by merging nostalgia with generative tech. Success depends on execution, creator appeal, and whether X can scale AI-generated video content effectively.

⚔ Breakthrough AI slashes cancer drug design time ā†—ļøLINK

  • What: Scientists at Denmark's Technical University developed an AI platform that designs custom cancer-killing proteins in weeks instead of years. These "minibinders" attach to T cells, helping them hunt down and destroy cancer cells.

  • Why: The system combines three AI models, including AlphaFold2, to rapidly design and virtually test proteins for both common and patient-specific cancer markers—speeding up development and reducing safety risks.

  • Impact: This leap forward accelerates personalized medicine, enabling fast, targeted therapies. It signals a new era where AI could routinely design safe, custom treatments tailored to each patient’s unique cancer profile.

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Reader’s opinion:

ā€œWhat's the point of using AI in place of traditional Search Engines if you have to double check the results. Google search results are not perfect, but AI hallucinations are dangerous.ā€

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