Tech News — 2026-03-24#

Story of the Day#

OpenAI is unexpectedly killing off Sora, its highly hyped AI video generator, just months after signing a massive licensing deal with Disney. The shutdown signals a major strategic pivot as OpenAI focuses on enterprise and coding tools, effectively walking away from a $1 billion Disney investment and abruptly ending API access for developers.

Top Stories#

Arm Holdings, in Break From Past, Will Sell Its Own Computer Chips · The New York Times After 35 years of strictly licensing chip designs, Arm is building its own silicon for the first time. The company has developed a new “AGI CPU” designed specifically for handling agentic AI workloads in data centers, with Meta signing on as the co-developer and debut customer.

Meta Ordered to Pay $375 Million Over Child Safety Violations · The New York Times A New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay a $375 million penalty after finding the company willfully misled consumers about the safety of its platforms. Internal documents shown during the trial revealed that Meta executives ignored employee warnings and concealed knowledge of child sexual exploitation and mental health harms on their apps.

Anthropic’s Claude Code and Cowork can control your computer · The Verge Anthropic has updated its Claude AI to autonomously take over your computer to complete complex tasks. Now available in a research preview for Pro and Max subscribers on macOS, the agent can navigate web browsers, open files, and run developer tools simply by pointing and clicking on your screen.

Epic is laying off more than 1,000 workers, citing a downturn in Fortnite engagement · Engadget Epic Games is laying off over 1,000 employees—roughly 20% of its workforce—in response to weakening Fortnite engagement and rising operational costs. The cuts will also result in the closure of several Fortnite game modes, including Rocket Racing and Festival Battle Stage, as the company attempts to stabilize its finances.

Apple could give Siri a standalone app and an ‘Ask Siri’ button in iOS 27 · Engadget Apple is reportedly testing a standalone app for Siri and a conversational “Ask Siri” button for the upcoming iOS 27 and macOS 27 updates. Powered by Google Gemini, the revamped assistant is expected to feature deep system integration, allowing it to complete tasks using personal data and directly control other applications.

FCC bans import of new consumer routers made overseas, citing security risks · TechCrunch The FCC is banning the import of all new foreign-made consumer Wi-Fi routers, heavily targeting Chinese-made electronics that currently control an estimated 60% of the US market. The directive aims to mitigate severe cybersecurity vulnerabilities that state-sponsored hacking groups have exploited to attack households and disrupt networks.

NASA kills lunar space station to focus on ambitious Moon base · Ars Technica NASA is officially pausing its planned orbital Lunar Gateway project to fast-track the construction of a $20 billion permanent base on the Moon’s surface. Administrator Jared Isaacman framed the pivot as a geopolitical necessity to avoid ceding the Moon to China, detailing future plans for permanent habitats, long-range drones, and local manufacturing.

Also Worth Knowing#

• Apple confirms ads are coming to Apple Maps (Engadget): Apple will roll out sponsored business listings in its Maps search results and “Suggested Places” this summer, marking a major expansion of its advertising ecosystem.
• Self-propagating malware poisons open source software and wipes Iran-based machines (Ars Technica): A hacking group dubbed TeamPCP compromised the Trivy vulnerability scanner to spread a worm that specifically triggers a destructive data wiper on machines located in Iran.
• Google’s new version of Android Automotive will move beyond infotainment (Ars Technica): Google is expanding Android Automotive OS to control the non-safety “brain” of software-defined vehicles, taking over features like climate control, seating, and digital keys.
• Newly purchased Vizio TVs now require Walmart accounts to use smart features (Ars Technica): Following its acquisition by Walmart, Vizio is now mandating Walmart accounts to complete onboarding and access smart TV capabilities on new television sets.
• Nintendo cuts Switch 2 production amid weakening console sales (The Verge): Nintendo is slashing its quarterly production target for the upcoming Switch 2 from 6 million down to 4 million units due to weaker-than-expected hardware demand in the US.