AMD is acquiring AI company World Labs in a deal worth more than $8 billion
AMD announced today that it's acquiring World Labs, an AI research lab co-founded by the prominent researcher Dr. Fei-Fei Li, in an all-stock deal worth approximately $8.2 billion. World Labs launched in 2024 and was valued at $1 billion in a matter of months. The startup launched its first commercial product, a world generation model called Marble that lets users make interactive 3D worlds from a prompt, in 2025.
The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. Li will become EVP and chief scientist at AMD, reporting to AMD CEO Lisa Su, while the World Labs team will "continue to focus on advancing AI model research." AMD also notes t …
Bose starts adding Auracast to its headphones
A new firmware update for the $449 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2 adds support for Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast as beta features. The flagship Ultra headphones are the first from Bose to support the audio sharing technology, which the company plans to bring to more devices soon.
Only a few major manufacturers include Auracast, and only on select headphones or earbuds - including Sony, JBL headphones, Samsung Galaxy Buds, and Sennheiser, which also released an Auracast transmitter this year. Some smaller companies, like EarFun, have added support. But Bose is one of the most recognizable names in headphones, so the fact that it' …
OpenAI’s AI agents need to catch up
OpenAI popularized the modern generative AI chatbot, but as its 2026 DevDay event approaches, it's fallen behind in one of the industry's hottest categories: continuously running, consumer-facing AI agents. On Tuesday, it will likely try to capture the lead in that race. Rumors abound that OpenAI will release its own AI agent, dubbed Aeon - its answer to Meta's Muse, SpaceX's Grok Bot, OpenClaw, and many more.
Aeon could have a shot at success, but to beat the competition, it would need to pull together the best features of several different agent platforms. The ideal system would be as useful as the open-source OpenClaw, as cheap and easy …
Trump finalizes rule to make cars less fuel efficient
The US Department of Transportation finalized its plans today to weaken fuel efficiency standards, calling it "among the largest deregulatory actions under the second Trump Administration."
It's a nail in the coffin for Biden-era standards that would have required fleet average fuel economy to reach 50.4 miles per gallon by model year 2031. President Donald Trump's plan requires 34.9 miles per gallon, not much higher than the 30.1-mile-per-gallon target previously set for model year 2024.
Consumer advocacy, health, and environmental groups are incensed
The Trump administration claims its plan would shave $1,300 off the average cost of a n …
AI is supercharging hacking, and your local hospitals and banks aren’t ready
In March, Janice Malone began getting calls about suspicious activity from her nonprofit organization, Vivian's Door. Vivian's Door, headquartered in Alabama, typically provided training, resources, and community to underserved and minority-owned businesses. The work sometimes put it in close contact with these companies' financial data, which was stored on its systems. But suddenly, concerned callers from all over the world warned they'd been getting emails "begging for money" - which she hadn't sent.
The organization's third-party IT team pulled its systems offline for three days while they investigated the issue and plugged up the vulner …
Florida seeks a ban on ChatGPT acting like a person
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is calling for a judge to block OpenAI from "giving ChatGPT false human attributes," a few months after Florida sued the AI company over safety concerns. According to Uthmeier, users are lulled into a false sense of security by the AI bot, as "ChatGPT's use of language, including first-person pronouns and output that mimics emotion, deceptively suggests to users that it is a trustworthy 'friend.'" All of this happens to increase engagement and contribute to OpenAI's training data, convincing users to rely on ChatGPT more even as its pursuit of engagement makes it potentially less trustworthy, claims Ut …
OpenAI keeps bulldozing mathematicians
In a chaotic few months, OpenAI has demonstrated it can do two things with remarkable consistency: make impressive breakthroughs in mathematics, then colossally screw up announcing them. OpenAI is now trying to do better. Somehow, it has botched that too.
OpenAI's latest attempt to repair fractured relations with a mathematical community it has repeatedly alienated is to consult a new independent advisory group of elite practitioners. But mathematicians speaking to The Verge, including one of the group's members, describe a messy and confusing affair bearing many of the hallmarks of OpenAI's previous rushed forays into mathematics, suggest …
Walmart won’t hike prices based on your shopping history, CEO says
Walmart says it won't change product prices based on your personal information or the time of day, as reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal. In a letter to customers, Walmart CEO John Furner writes that the company's switch to digital shelf labels is meant to save store associates time, rather than dynamically change prices.
"Your income, shopping history, urgency or what we think you could pay won't change the price," Furner writes. "And whether you're buying groceries or electronics on a hot afternoon or in a sudden rush for an item, it's never a reason to charge you more." Furner adds that it won't use conversations with its Sparky …
Volkswagen replaces ID.4 with all-electric Tiguan
In a widely expected move, Volkswagen announced Monday that it will replace the recently retired ID.4 crossover with the upcoming ID.Tiguan. The decision is an acknowledgment by the German automaker that its more recognizable nameplates like Tiguan are likely an easier sell with consumers, especially when it comes to EVs.
When it lands in Europe in early 2027, the ID. Tiguan will join the ID.Polo and ID.Cross to round out Volkswagen's new-and-improved electric lineup. VW also confirmed that the ID.Tiguan will come to the US, where the ID.4 was previously manufactured, "at a later date." Design details remain under wraps, as the ID.Tiguan i …
Dreame’s step-climbing X50 Ultra mopping vacuum is hundreds off
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a big price cut on a capable robot vacuum and mop hybrid that can scale over short steps and threshold to hunt messes. Dreame’s X50 Ultra is the model that my colleague Jen recommends for hard floors and carpets, and it’s down to $899.99 at Amazon for Prime members (originally $1,599.99, but commonly around $1,100). It’s actually a bit cheaper ($849.99) directly through Dreame’s site if you have a free account there.
Dreame X50 Ultra
With high suction power, an improved brush system, and the ability to scale thresholds up to 6cm, the X50 Ultra stands out as a great robot vacuum and mop hybrid.
Where to Buy:
The X50 Ultra debuted in early 2025, and still made the cut for Jen’s 2026 list of the best robot vacuums, thanks to its huge list of features that are executed well, for the most part. It’s a great vacuum and mop, and its mopping pads extend out, sweeping underneath cabinets and other furniture that sits close to the floor. Also of note is its ability to climb over thresholds up to 6 centimeters (over 2 inches) tall, ensuring it won’t get stuck where other vacuums may stumble.
Like any good robot vacuum and mop, there isn’t much you’ll have to do to maintain on a day-to-day basis. It can remove, wash, and dry its mops autonomously, and its self-emptying bin can collect debris it sucks up for several weeks. Dreame claims you won’t have to empty it for 100 days, but that obviously depends on how messy your place is. Also, you’ll likely have to refill its water tank frequently if you’re mopping a lot.
Other fantastic Verge-approved deals
- Woot has a pretty good deal happening on “Grade A” condition refurbished units of Asus’ ROG Ally with the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) and a 90-day warranty. Priced at $529.99, the offer code CHEERS knocks 20 percent off that total for the rest of the day (September 28th). New customers who use the code get 30 percent off. For 20 percent off, that’s about $425, or $371 with the 30-percent discount. This model is a solid competitor to the Steam Deck LCD, with a higher-res 1080p screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. Its Z1 Extreme processor is faster, too, so this might be the deal you’ve been looking for if you’re striking out on handheld deals. Read our 2023 review.
- Another deal that jumped out from Woot is for the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro wireless headset for the PlayStation, PC, and Switch. The white version in new condition is about $192 with the code CHEERS, or down to around $168 if you happen to be a new Woot customer who uses the code. Its current $239.99 price is already good enough to earn it a spot in this roundup, but the current discount brings it down to “best-ever” territory. This 2022 headset is still a fantastic option, even compared to the $399 Nova Pro Omni that succeeds it. It has swappable batteries, a comfy design, and a reliable base station that can feed in audio from multiple sources. Read our review of the Nova Pro.
- Samsung’s 32-inch 4K smart screen on a pedestal, called The Movingstyle Essential, is $200 off. Originally $699.99, it’s down to $499.99 for Prime members at Amazon. It seems to be Samsung’s take on the LG StanbyMe, though it’s much cheaper even before this discount (notably, Samsung’s requires being plugged in, unlike the battery-equipped LG model). The screen attaches to a height-adjustable rolling stand (up to 50.8-inches tall), and it supports pivoting, swiveling and tilting. It features two full-size HDMI ports (once of which supports ARC), plus USB-C with 65W passthrough power, and two USB-A ports for viewing local media.