Today's tech news digest covers Kalshi's CEO responding to criminal charges, BMW's reintroduction of the i3 as an electric sedan, and the discovery of a new iOS 18 hacking tool impacting iPhones. Also included are Meta's new creator payment program, Mistral's enterprise AI platform, and Tencent's increased AI investments. The Turing Award for quantum cryptography innovators and Pimco's warning about AI's impact on software are also highlighted.
Kalshi CEO Rejects Arizona Criminal Charges
Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour has publicly addressed the criminal charges filed against the company in Arizona, characterizing them as a "total overstep." In an interview with Bloomberg Technology, Mansour staunchly defended the prediction market's operational framework, asserting that its business model does not constitute gambling. The charges against Kalshi indicate an ongoing legal dispute regarding the classification and legality of prediction markets.
BMW Reintroduces i3 as New Electric Sedan
BMW is reintroducing its i3 model, this time as an all-electric sedan built on its new "Neue Klasse" EV platform. According to Wired, the top-tier i3 50 xDrive model is projected to offer an impressive 560-mile WLTP range. The vehicle will also feature an 800-volt architecture, which is expected to improve charging speeds by a third, and will include vehicle-to-grid capabilities. This move signals BMW's strategic focus on electrifying its core models.
New iOS 18 Hacking Tool Discovered, Impacts Millions of iPhones
Researchers from Google, iVerify, and Lookout have identified a sophisticated iPhone hacking tool dubbed "DarkSword," which specifically targets devices running older versions of iOS 18. Wired reports that this tool is capable of stealing sensitive personal data, including passwords, message logs, and crypto wallet credentials. Apple has acknowledged the vulnerability, stating that maintaining updated software protects users from this threat.
Meta Offers Payments to Attract Top Creators to Facebook
Meta has launched a "Creator Fast Track" program designed to attract popular social media personalities to Facebook. As reported by CNBC, the initiative offers guaranteed monthly payments for a three-month period. Creators with over 100,000 followers on other platforms can receive $1,000 per month, while those boasting over one million followers are offered $3,000 per month. This program is part of Meta's broader strategy, as the company states it paid creators nearly $3 billion in 2025, a 35% increase from the previous year.
Mistral Challenges OpenAI With Enterprise Custom AI Platform
French AI startup Mistral has unveiled Mistral Forge, a new platform designed to enable enterprises to develop custom AI models using their proprietary data. Introduced at Nvidia's GTC conference, TechCrunch reports that Forge allows companies to train models from the ground up. Mistral anticipates its annual recurring revenue will surpass one billion dollars this year, intensifying competition in the corporate AI market.
Tencent Doubles AI Spending After Strong Games Growth
Tencent intends to significantly increase its investment in artificial intelligence, planning to more than double its spending to over 36 billion yuan (approximately $5.2 billion) in 2026. This substantial increase, according to Bloomberg, is supported by robust growth in the company's gaming and advertising divisions, which experienced a 13 percent revenue increase in the last quarter. Tencent aims to finance this AI push partly by reducing its stock buyback program.
Turing Award Recognizes Quantum Cryptography Innovators
The Turing Award, often referred to as the Nobel Prize of computing, has been granted to pioneers in the field of quantum cryptography this year, according to The New York Times. This recognition underscores the increasing importance of developing secure communication methods. The award highlights foundational work crucial for protecting information against advanced computational threats that are expected to emerge.
Pimco Warns AI Will Create Losers in Software Sector
Pimco President Christian Stracke has issued a warning regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on the software industry. In an interview with Bloomberg, Stracke stated that the proliferation of AI will inevitably lead to significant losses for certain segments within the software sector. He emphasized that AI-driven disruption is poised to create "losers in the software space."