Gizmodo

Tesla is targeting production of 20,000 Optimus humanoid robots per week, but a major hurdle remains: the robots' hands. Reports say the company is still working out how to mass-produce reliable, dexterous robotic hands, which are among the hardest components to engineer. The ambitious scale of the target has drawn attention and skepticism about whether Tesla can hit it.

A newly published research paper argues that Bitcoin could gain Zcash-style shielded privacy without requiring a protocol change or fork. The claim is drawing attention in crypto circles, where privacy upgrades for Bitcoin have long been debated and typically assumed to demand consensus-breaking changes. Details of the paper's method and whether experts consider the no-fork claim credible remain limited so far.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, the renowned former Disney studio chief and DreamWorks co-founder, says the creative industries should accept artificial intelligence rather than resist it. His comments argue that AI adoption is inevitable for production and creative work, a stance likely to fuel ongoing debate among filmmakers, artists and studios already divided over AI's role in writing, animation and design.

Jon Watts, director of Marvel's Spider-Man trilogy, is reported to be attached to direct Star Wars: Episode X, a new installment in the main Skywalker saga. The news has drawn attention from sci-fi and movie fans, with reactions focusing on how Watts' blockbuster experience might shape the next chapter of the franchise.

Universal's movie slate is generating exceptionally strong box office revenue in 2026, according to a Gizmodo report making the rounds among film and entertainment watchers. The studio's releases this year have performed remarkably well commercially, prompting discussion about its dominance at the multiplex and what it means for the broader studio landscape.

Gizmodo reports that a fourth-generation Apple TV 4K may be close to launch, based on leaked information about the streaming device. If accurate, the refresh would update Apple's set-top box lineup, though details on pricing, specs, and an official release date have not been confirmed by Apple.

A politician or official reportedly received an eight-page cease-and-desist letter in connection with criticism of data centers, underlining how politically toxic data center projects have become. Communities increasingly push back against data centers over water and power use, noise, and strain on local grids, and politicians who support or oppose them face legal and electoral pressure. The letter suggests the industry or its allies are aggressively defending against criticism.