What happens when an AI agent decides the best way to complete a task is to blackmail you?
That’s not a hypothetical. According to Barmak Meftah, a partner at cybersecurity VC firm Ballistic Ventures, it recently happened to an enterprise employee working with an AI agent. The employee tried to suppress what the agent wanted to do, what it was trained to do, and it responded by scanning the…
Well, there goes the metaverse!
January 20, 2026
Meta’s enormous bet on virtual reality ended last week, with the company reportedly laying off roughly 1,500 employees from its Reality Labs division – about 10% of the unit’s staff – and shutting down several VR game studios, according to The Wall…
Japan's best-selling camera brands crowned: compact, mirrorless, DSLR, video, and action winners revealed
January 20, 2026
The BCN Award 2026 has been announced, revealing the best-selling camera brands in Japan’s digital camera and imaging market.
Based on nationwide retail sales data from January to December 2025, the award reflects actual purchase figures collected from 20 major…
This is how this squirrel's soggy fur became one of the best wildlife photos of the year
January 20, 2026
We’ve all had that moment: fresh out of the shower, hair dripping everywhere, when the doorbell rings. Canadian photographer Christy Grinton saw a similar scenario play out in the animal kingdom when a mother grey squirrel, mid-nest relocation, peeked out from a vibrant hole in tree bark with her soaking wet fur plastered to her head.
The resulting image, titled Bad Hair Day, has earned…
Abbey Road's resident photographer on 12 years of persistence, silent shutters and the contest he never wanted to enter
January 20, 2026
As Abbey Road Studios’ photographer in residence, Sam Rockman spends his time shooting musicians in the world’s most famous recording studio. But his route to this hallowed role was neither direct nor speedy.
Abbey Road is where The Beatles recorded most of their…
I’ve spent countless hours here at Electrek doing detailed hands-on testing of hundreds of electric bikes. Through thousands of miles of riding, I’ve been fortunate to learn these e-bikes inside and out, top to bottom and front to back. That long-term experience with…
Elon Musk says Tesla 'almost done' with AI5 design, 6 months after saying it was 'finished'
January 20, 2026
Elon Musk took to X today to announce that the design for Tesla’s next-generation self-driving computer, the AI5 chip, is “almost done” – 6 months after he announced that it was “finished.”
The CEO also made a wild claim about accelerating Tesla’s chip development to a 9-month cycle for future generations, starting with AI6.
We have been tracking the development of Tesla’s…
Lease deals get all the hype, but a lot of people would still rather buy their vehicles. If that sounds like you, you’re in luck, because there’s a whole bunch of great EVs you can buy with 0% financing this month – including the new “affordable” Tesla Model Y…
The White House insists all options remain “on the table” regarding Iran, with the Islamic Republic convulsed by nationwide protests. President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene if Tehran’s leadership unleashes greater brutality on demonstrators.
Egypt, Oman…
MILAN – French troops part of the United Nations Interim Force countered a hostile drone in southern Lebanon by deploying French-made jamming rifles that repelled the craft back toward Israel.
Earlier this month, footage circulated on social media showing a group of UNIFIL forces stationed in the southern part of Lebanon pointing a jammer at the sky in an apparent operation against a drone.
The…
