TLDR 2025-03-18

Modern bots are smarter than ever—executing JavaScript, storing cookies, rotating IPs, and even cracking CAPTCHAs with AI. As attacks grow more sophisticated, traditional detection just isn't enough.Enter WorkOS Radar—your all-in-one bot defense solution. With just a single API, you can instantly secure your signup flow against brute force attacks, leaked credentials, and disposable emails. Stop bots in their tracks and keep your real users safe.

Start protecting your app today with WorkOS Radar.

Apple plans to launch its first foldable in 2026. Market expectations for iPhone sales are lower due to the delay of the new Siri experience, but the launch of a foldable may help the company recover from weak demand for iPhones. At least one new foldable is targeted to enter mass production in the second half of 2026. The first foldable iPhone may cost more than $2,000 and look like an iPad mini when unfolded. Apple is also working on a foldable device with an 18-inch screen that could end up becoming a new Mac or iPad.

OpenAI plans to start testing ways for business customers to connect apps to ChatGPT. It will soon begin beta testing a new feature called ChatGPT Connectors that will allow ChatGPT Team subscribers to link workspace Google Drive and Slack accounts to ChatGPT so the chatbot can answer questions informed by content across those accounts. None of the data synced from the apps will be used for training. The company plans to expand the feature to other platforms like Microsoft SharePoint and Box in the future.

A team of Korean researchers has engineered a bacterial strain that can make useful polymers starting with nothing but glucose for fuel. The system can be tweaked to incorporate a huge range of chemicals into a variety of polymers. The resulting plastic can be tuned across many properties. There are still some issues, as the process doesn't allow complete control over what gets added into the polymer - the scientists couldn't stop enzymes from mixing random chemicals from the cells' metabolism into the polymers - and the polymers still need to be purified from the rest of the cell components before being used in manufacturing.

BYD has a new EV architecture that will enable charging parity with gas station visits. The Super E-Platform promises 1,000 kW charge speeds - double the current industry leaders. Most fast chargers on the market can only reach about 350 kW and many of them are usually more in the 200s. BYD has launched new Han L and Tang L models that use the new fast-charging platform. The company plans to implement over 4,000 ultra-fast charging stations around China.

There are many beliefs about the limits, usefulness, and potential of large language models. Every piece of software needs to be 'correct', which means that the software conforms to the intent of the creator. The creator has to verify such conformance - it cannot be offloaded. Verifiability is the limit that tells us what we can't implement via large language models, and it cannot be solved with agentic approaches.

The new Discord Social SDK is a free toolkit that allows developers to enhance their games' social and multiplayer experiences by leveraging Discord's social infrastructure. Developers will be able to improve their in-game experiences for players regardless of whether they have a Discord account. The social integrations include a unified friends list and deep-linked game invites that enable players to invite their friends to directly join their party or lobby. The SDK is compatible with C++, Unreal Engine, and Unity and supports Windows 11+ and macOS - support for console and mobile is coming.

Generative AI chat interfaces are changing how consumers act online. Adobe has issued a report that shows how generative AI sources are directing a significant surge of traffic to US websites. Generative AI has been embraced by users as a shopping assistant. Shoppers say AI-powered chat interfaces help shorten the time required for them to receive information that is personalized to their needs. The technology is causing businesses to rethink customer engagement, especially as future AI agents will be able to handle more complex tasks and make highly tailored recommendations.

HR company Rippling has launched a lawsuit against Deel, another big player in the industry, alleging racketeering, misappropriation of trade secrets, tortious interference, unfair competition, and aiding and abetting a breach of fiduciary duty. Deel has denied the allegations, saying the lawsuit was an attempt to shift attention away from Rippling after it was accused of violating sanctions law in Russia. A lot of the evidence for Rippling's claims is based on Slack activity.

The model can also reportedly generate celebrity images.

Ejectable apps allow users to 'eject' at any time and switch to self-hosting (or vice versa).

Amazon's devices chief Panos Panay is adding a premium tier to the next generation of artificially intelligent Alexa gadgets.

CloudKitchens appears to be aiming to eventually deliver AI-perfected meals directly to customers.

Alphabet is in advanced talks to acquire Wiz at a price of around $30 billion.

xAI has acquired Hotshot, a startup working on AI-powered video generation tools similar to OpenAI's Sora.