AI, War, and Gaming: This Week’s Tech‑Politics‑Frontier Clash

News

UK politics & society

• Boy thrown from Tate Modern can now run, jump and swim – BBC News
• Epping migrant sex offender will be deported ‘this week’, says Justice Secretary Lammy – BBC News
• Justice secretary highlights Sky News reporting – as he says migrant release mistake ‘totally unacceptable’ – Sky News
• A colossal reputational repair job is desperately needed after Kebatu debacle – Sky News
• ‘Mansion tax’ not part of ‘coherent strategy’, former Bank of England governor says – Sky News
• Reform MP’s comments about adverts ‘racist’, says Streeting – BBC News
• Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf defends MP accused of ‘racism’ – Sky News
• Juror jailed after web search halts murder trial – BBC News
• We will not ‘be held to ransom’ by striking doctors, says minister – BBC News
• Viable device found during security alert – BBC News

Business & economy

• Start‑ups warn Reeves over Budget tax bombshell – Sky News

World & international affairs

• Key city in Sudan on brink of falling to paramilitary group – Sky News
• Rebel group claims capture of key city in Sudan – BBC News
• Israel allows Red Cross and Egyptian teams into Gaza as search for bodies of hostages widens – Sky News
• US and China agree framework of trade deal ahead of Trump‑Xi meeting – BBC News
• Will Trump’s ‘peace deal’ solve Thailand‑Cambodia dispute? – BBC News
• Russia says it has tested nuclear‑powered Burevestnik missile – BBC News

Sport

• Xu wins singles and doubles titles at Wrexham Open – BBC News

AI

AI and the Web

• From human clicks to machine intent: Preparing the web for agentic AI - VentureBeat – AI
• When your AI browser becomes your enemy: The Comet security disaster - VentureBeat – AI

AI and Automation / Robotics

• Amazon and the media: Robotics event shows disconnect on AI and jobs - GeekWire – AI

AI Research, Climate & Ethics

• Stand Up for Research, Innovation, and Education - Technology Review – AI
• The Download: carbon removal’s future, and measuring pain using an app - Technology Review – AI
• An AI app to measure pain is here - Technology Review – AI
• What’s next for carbon removal? - Technology Review – AI

AI Models & Scaling

• Thinking Machines challenges OpenAI’s AI scaling strategy: ‘First superintelligence will be a superhuman learner’ - VentureBeat – AI
• Inside Ring-1T: Ant engineers solve reinforcement learning bottlenecks at trillion scale - VentureBeat – AI

AI Platforms & Enterprise

• Mistral launches its own AI Studio for quick development with its European open source, proprietary models - VentureBeat – AI
• OpenAI launches company knowledge in ChatGPT, letting you access your firm’s data from Google Drive, Slack, GitHub - VentureBeat – AI
• Microsoft Copilot gets 12 big updates for fall, including new AI assistant character Mico - VentureBeat – AI
• Microsoft Copilot gets long‑term memory, group chats, and new ‘Mico’ persona in latest update - GeekWire – AI

AI Funding & Startup Trends

• YC‑Backed Crustdata Raises $6M to Power AI Agents With Live Data - Just AI News
• Tensormesh Raises $4.5M to Cut AI Inference Costs by 10x - Just AI News
• Bricklayer AI Raises $5M Seed Led by Tech Square - Just AI News
• 9% of US News Articles Contain AI‑Generated Content - Just AI News
• What will happen when the AI bubble bursts? - GeekWire – AI

AI in Agriculture & Climate Tech

• Carbon Robotics raises $20M as LaserWeeder maker plans secretive new “AI robot” for farms - GeekWire – AI

Technology

Tech & Policy

• Trump’s TikTok Deal Will Supposedly Close on Thursday – Gizmodo
• Trump and Xi will ‘consummate’ TikTok deal on Thursday, treasury secretary says – TechCrunch
• CBP will photograph non‑citizens entering and exiting the US for its facial‑recognition database – Engadget
• Apple is reportedly getting ready to introduce ads to its Maps app – Engadget

Gaming & Entertainment

• Unlock Borderlands 4 Power: Try These Active SHiFT Codes ASAP – CNET
• Hideo Kojima’s ‘P.T.’ Demo is Helping Japanese Kids Learn English – Gizmodo
• Expect ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ in ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Next Year – Gizmodo
• I had elevenses with a Took, cooked my finest taters, and built my own smial, but Tales of the Shire still left me feeling flat – TechRadar

Audio Gear

• The 4 best all‑new headphones I listened to at the Paris Audio Show 2025 – TechRadar

Apple Device Updates

• Cutting Edge Cooling Is Probably Coming to the iPad Pro – Gizmodo
• The next iPad Pro could be the first to get vapor chamber cooling – Engadget

Conferences & Events

• TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 begins in less than 24 hours — catch our last ticket deals – TechCrunch
• TechCrunch Mobility: The ‘robot army’ argument – TechCrunch

Streaming & Media

• Looney Tunes finds new success on Tubi after being booted from HBO Max – Mashable
• Wildwood first look teases LAIKA studios stunning new film – Mashable

E‑commerce Sales

• Amazon has a massive holiday sale with Black Friday favorites – 60% off Ninja, Apple, Nespresso, and Shark – TechRadar

Gaming

Corporate & Industry News

• Our biggest competition isn’t another console, it’s everything from TikTok to movies,” says Xbox president – Eurogamer
• PUBG and InZoi publisher Krafton declares itself an “AI-first company”, “placing AI at the centre of problem solving” – Eurogamer
• Twitch CEO admits it “failed” after TwitchCon streamer assault, “both in allowing it to occur, and in our response” – Eurogamer
• After EA’s buyout and creator exodus, The Sims team wants you to know their “values and commitment remain the same” – Rock Paper Shotgun

Development & Publisher Insights

• Europa Universalis lead Johan Andersson says Paradox’s DLC model has been “pretty f***ing great”: “You decide what’s going in, you decide the scope, you decide exactly when you can release” – PC Gamer
• Before Paradox became king of grand strategy, it made a Baldur’s Gate‑inspired RPG doomed by ‘bugs, many and diverse, some more interesting than the gameplay’ – PC Gamer
• ‘They Complained, Then Left With the Best Exclusivity Deal of All Time’ – The Story of PS2’s Blockbuster GTA Deal – IGN

Game Releases, Updates & Delays

• Old School RuneScape is getting its first new skill since it launched, and so the XP grind begins anew – Rock Paper Shotgun
• Switch 2 Elden Ring Tarnished Edition delayed to 2026 to “allow time for performance adjustments” – Eurogamer
• Nivalis catches yet another delay, this time into 2026, but it sounds like it’s for fair reasons – Rock Paper Shotgun
• Call of Duty: Warzone’s focus on the year ahead is Battle Royale, Resurgence, and “the future of the game” – Eurogamer
• The Paranormal Activity games gets a slightly new name and a scarily underwhelming first gameplay trailer – Rock Paper Shotgun
• Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka announces first‑ever U.S. tour and “immersive live performance experience” – Eurogamer

Release Strategies & Timing

• Dispatch’s superheroic efforts have changed my mind about its episodic release schedule – PC Gamer

Legal & Litigation

• Roblox’s Steal A Brainrot creator sues copycat Fortnite Creative game, Stealing Brainrots – Eurogamer

Nostalgia & Retro

• 25 years ago Red Alert 2 serenaded us with the greatest opening movie of all time. We need that nonsense back – Eurogamer
• Break open a dead MMO and find what goofs and horrors await in Gorgon’s Garden – Rock Paper Shotgun