Stevie Bonifield | The Verge

Amazon’s delivery driver smart glasses will reportedly take photos ‘almost constantly’

2026-09-30T13:21:29-04:00

Amazon deliveries could soon come with a new catch: the delivery driver’s smart glasses will be snapping photos of anything they see while they’re in use, including people and private property. Bloomberg reports that the glasses could take “several thousand captures in a single driver’s typical shift,” which Amazon plans to upload to its AI Wellspring platform. When asked if customers will be able to opt-out of this, Amazon’s Viraj Chatterjee told Bloomberg, “We haven’t thought about that.”

Chatterjee claimed Amazon’s only using the data from the glasses to “enhance the delivery process,” adding, “The intent has never been stuff like surveillance.” The impact of surveillance tech won’t be new to Amazon’s delivery drivers, who have had AI cameras watching in their vehicles and complained about it failing to register secured seat belts, or forcing them to pull over to take a sip of coffee, or having footage from the cameras leaked online.

Chatterjee also told Bloomberg that Amazon’s systems will blur any people and license plates in the images before they’re passed along for human review. Bloomberg says Amazon confirmed that “images from the smart glasses could be obtained with a warrant,” but wouldn’t specify how long it plans to store the images for. There reportedly won’t be a way for customers to see any images Amazon has of them or their property, or ask Amazon to delete those photos.

The photos from the glasses will reportedly be of a similar quality to the quick pictures delivery drivers snap when they drop off a package. Amazon says it’s planning to put 20,000 more pairs of the glasses in the field by the end of 2027, and drivers wearing them in a pilot program have already made over 275,000 deliveries.

All the latest news on Meta’s cute, creepy Muse AI agent

2026-09-30T11:18:49-04:00

Meta launched a new Muse AI agent it claims can help you with everything from firing off emails to buying stuff online. Muse can be surprisingly effective at delivering on those promises — if you’re willing to trust Meta with your data and hand Muse your credit card. Since the launch, Meta’s also announced plans for a Tamagotchi-like Muse Charm device for its cuddly AI mascot.

Follow along here for the latest news and updates.

Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick 4K can pull power directly from your TV

2026-09-30T09:29:24-04:00

The new Fire TV Stick 4K will be a little easier to set up than Amazon’s previous 4K streaming sticks since it no longer requires a power adapter. You can power the device directly from your TV’s USB port, like the updated entry-level Fire TV Stick Amazon launched earlier this year. The Fire TV Stick 4K, available starting today for $59.99, runs on Amazon’s refreshed TV OS and includes Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and Bluetooth Low Energy.

Amazon’s also simplifying its streaming stick lineup, which now includes four devices instead of five: the Fire TV Stick HD, Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and Fire TV Cube. The new Fire TV Stick 4K is replacing Amazon’s earlier “Select” and “Plus” 4K streaming sticks.

Amazon’s Fire TV streaming device lineup no longer includes the 4K “Select” and “Plus” sticks. | Image: Amazon" data-portal-copyright="Image: Amazon" />

A redesigned Fire TV Remote is launching alongside the new streaming stick, featuring a new asymmetrical shape and “more tactile controls.” The new remote is compatible with all Amazon Ember TVs and Fire TV streaming devices from 2019 onward. It will be available standalone for $14.99 and starts shipping late October. Amazon says it also plans to launch a “Plus” version of the new remote early next year, with an aluminum design, backlit buttons, and a “Find My Remote” feature.

Fire TV is getting a few software updates, as well, including an Alexa Plus Hub and an Alexa Plus integration in the Fire TV mobile app. Amazon says its AI “now draws on real-world context” like awards and events, helping it answer more complex prompts for show and movie suggestions. Amazon Music is also getting a new Fire TV app later this fall, with an Alexa Plus integration users can prompt for music and podcast recommendations.

AI researchers put out videos saying superintelligence is ‘exactly as dangerous as it sounds’

2026-09-29T13:54:51-04:00

“The chance of human extinction is about a coin flip, in my view,” Geoffrey Irving, a former OpenAI and Google DeepMind employee, said in a new interview. It’s one of a dozen interviews with AI researchers, including current and former employees at OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. Palisade Research, which says it’s a nonprofit studying AIs’ capabilities and motivations, collected and launched the interviews on frominside.ai.

Several of the researchers joined Irving in warning about the possibility AI could drive humans extinct. Neel Nanda, a Google DeepMind research scientist, said there’s “at least a 10 percent chance that it causes human extinction, and that is ridiculously high.” We noted comments from both Nanda and Irving in a recent report about the “AI safety” community, and how difficult it is to nail down what that term means, or what anyone should do about it, and even these videos don’t have one cohesive solution to offer.

Former OpenAI researcher Daniel Kokotajlo went as far as claiming that superintelligent AI “would basically be god-like powerful,” and added, “unfortunately we don’t know how to control them at all. And so probably nobody would control them. This is exactly as dangerous as it sounds and must not be allowed to happen.”

While each video is available in full, the site also collects segments from multiple people speaking on similar topics, including whether this is all just hype or marketing, and why they would work on something that they believe is this dangerous. Some of the responses include Google’s Mary Phuong saying “I think you absolutely should be suspicious of what I’m saying because I am being paid by the lab,” and Nanda’s explanation that “If I did not believe that my work was directly reducing these existential risks, I would quit… These companies are not going to stop making these systems just because I quit.”

Firefox just got a redesign with round tabs, new themes, and Compact Mode

2026-09-29T09:39:29-04:00

Firefox will look a little different the next time you launch it — more bubbly, with some new pops of color. The browser’s latest update brings a design overhaul to all desktop and mobile users, aimed at modernizing Firefox with bubble-like tabs, a rounded address bar, and refreshed colors, icons, and themes. The desktop and mobile versions of the browser will also now share the same design language. According to Mozilla, the design changes will have “no cost to your browser performance.”

Firefox’s new look has more rounded UI elements. | Image: Mozilla" data-portal-copyright="Image: Mozilla" /> New theme options will include light and dark modes. | Image: Mozilla" data-portal-copyright="Image: Mozilla" /> The new design also brings back Firefox’s Compact Mode. | Image: Mozilla" data-portal-copyright="Image: Mozilla" />

Mozilla says the overhauled design is a “renewal” for Firefox, following major updates over the last year, like homepage widgets, Split View, a built-in VPN, and controls for disabling the browser’s AI features. Firefox isn’t avoiding AI, though — it also launched its Smart Window AI mode earlier this year, which could help it compete with rivals’ AI browser features, like those in Chrome. With its rounded UI elements, Firefox now visually resembles Chrome a bit more, too.

The design revamp also introduces more customization options, including more themes and wallpapers to choose from. Mozilla shared a peek at some of the updated theme options in May, including a dozen different colors to choose from, each with a light and dark mode. Along with the design overhaul, Firefox 157 brings the return of an old feature: Compact Mode, back after user requests. This condensed version of Firefox “reduces the size of your tabs and toolbar to give more of your screen to the web, with an auto-compact option for smaller screens.”

Florida seeks a ban on ChatGPT acting like a person

2026-09-28T14:42:17-04:00

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 Uthmeier.

The filing also asks the court to block OpenAI from developing new AI models without “third-party approved safety guardrails,” citing recent security incidents at Hugging Face, an Australian government website, and US government websites, as well as recent statements from researchers and former OpenAI employees raising alarm bells around AI safety.

Uthmeier says that OpenAI should “Stop calling it safe. Stop pretending it’s human. Stop selling it to kids.” Last month, OpenAI launched ChatGPT for Teens, with additional restrictions applied by default, saying that access to the tool “should come with protections that reflect their developmental stage, reinforce real-world relationships, and support healthy use over time.”

OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri commented on the filing in a statement to The Verge, saying, “People want to know AI is being developed safely, and that starts with what companies like ours do ourselves. On Friday, we announced we’ve paused training our most capable models and will resume training only when we are confident that we have additional safeguards in place. Governments have an important role to play in setting robust safety standards for AI, and we’re committed to working with Florida and other states on advancing pragmatic AI policies that apply to the entire AI industry–not just one company.”

Update, September 28th: Added comment from OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri.

Four months ago, we filed the first state-led lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman. Today, we are asking the court for a temporary injunction.

Stop calling it safe. Stop pretending it's human. Stop selling it to kids. pic.twitter.com/AEXvz7VQUd
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) September 28, 2026

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Tesla’s Optimus robot is going through growing pains

2026-09-25T13:01:36-04:00

Hitting its goal of making 20,000 Optimus robots per week is reportedly proving tricky for Tesla. The Information reports that Tesla produced “several hundred robots a week” last month, after it repurposed its Model S and Model X production lines for Optimus earlier this year. However, this strategy is reportedly creating manufacturing snags, like issues lining up parts precisely, as The Information notes: “Not only are the Optimus production lines new, but the Optimus parts are much smaller and have to fit together far more precisely than car parts.”

It reports that even in the “V3” Optimus robots it’s currently producing, the hands and forearms “have more than 100 screws and other small components that currently require a worker to assemble manually.” These robots are lighter and have more cameras than previous versions, but lack a “sensing glove” currently in development that will improve durability by making it easier to replace touch sensors without swapping out the entire hand.

Optimus has faced delays for years now, even as Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made bold promises about it, saying Optimus will be Tesla’s “biggest product of all time.” However, at the moment they’re still being used internally for specific tasks in limited areas, and not generally or with remote teleoperation. Tesla also reportedly plans to lease the robots initially rather than selling them, and use the training data collected to improve the robots, but it will have to get them out in the world first.

Meanwhile, other developers have begun shifting to less lifelike designs for their robots, and earlier this month, Chinese regulators reportedly started holding back IPO listings for humanoid robotics companies.

Gemini can now call businesses for you so you don’t have to wait on hold

2026-09-24T12:15:24-04:00

Google’s launching an “early experiment” feature on Pixel 11 that lets users delegate local business calls to Gemini, like making a reservation, checking if a product is in stock, or rescheduling an appointment. According to Google, you don’t even need to start the call to have Gemini handle it for you:

Instead of dialing yourself, just tell Gemini to call on your behalf using the Gemini app on your Pixel. Gemini will call the business, introduce itself, navigate automated phone menus, wait on hold, and handle the conversation with the person on the other end. You remain in control at all times with a live transcript view and the ability to take over the conversation at any point.

Google announced a similar “Call for me” feature last year that has its AI call local businesses to ask if they have a product you’re looking for, but it didn’t have an option for users to take over those phone calls. Meta is also working on a similar automated phone call feature for its Muse AI agent, although those calls reportedly might be made by a human behind the scenes. Google’s new AI calling feature is rolling out starting today as an “early preview” for “Gemini paid subscribers enrolled in the Phone by Google Public Beta on Pixel 11 in the US.”

Meta Connect 2026: The 7 biggest announcements

2026-09-23T20:00:33-04:00

Meta announced a slate of new wearables during its annual Meta Connect showcase on Wednesday. The star of the event was the new Meta VR Glasses, which pack virtual reality tech into a lightweight smart glasses-style frame with a tethered puck. Meta also announced new pairs of screen-free smart glasses, along with some new AI features and style and frame options.

You can catch up on all the highlights from this year’s Meta Connect below.

Meta VR Glasses bring virtual reality to a lighter form factor

Meta’s latest wearable offers full virtual reality in a smart glasses-style form factor. Unlike a typical VR headset, the VR Glasses don’t have any straps, and Meta says they’re “five times lighter than Meta Quest 3” at just 100g. Similar to Google’s Project Aura, the glasses are tethered to a pocket-sized puck with the compute hardware, battery, and storage, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon Reality Elite, 128GB of storage, and 12GB of RAM. The 5K micro OLED “Infinite Display” has 2412 x 2288 pixels per eye, with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

The Meta VR Glasses are launching in spring 2027 for $1,299, pricier than the Meta Ray-Ban Display but less expensive than the Apple Vision Pro, while offering similar features. Users can connect the glasses to a Mac or Windows laptop for use as a virtual external display, with an option for a virtual surface keyboard and touchpad.

The VR Glasses also have access to the full Meta Quest catalog of apps and games and support for Xbox Cloud Gaming. Meta says the glasses are “the first IMAX Enhanced certified VR device ever,” and users will be able to watch “immersive live sports” with them as well as 3D movies. They even have a “hologram” feature that creates a “photorealistic digital version of your face” for using in calls while wearing the glasses, reminiscent of the “personas” on the Apple Vision Pro.

Meta is launching camera-free smart glasses

The highlight of the Ray-Ban Meta Audio is the feature they don’t have: built-in cameras. You can use them for things like listening to music, taking calls, or chatting with an AI assistant, but they can’t take pictures or record video — features that have sparked privacy and harassment concerns around Meta’s other glasses.

Meta says the new audio-only glasses are also its “lightest, slimmest AI glasses yet,” weighing just 43g. They offer up to 12 hours of battery life per charge, or 48 hours with the charging case. The Ray-Ban Meta Audio will launch on October 13th starting at $349 with 23 different color and lens combinations.

Refreshed Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 arrive with battery and design upgrades

Meta launched an updated version of its main Ray-Ban Meta glasses, starting at $449. The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 offer up to nine hours of battery life, one hour more than the Gen 2. They also have “a new customizable action button for instant access to Meta AI” and a new six-mic array that Meta says “cuts more than 90% of background noise.”

The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 has a slimmer design than the Gen 2 as well, with 27 color and lens combinations, including new Zena and Aviator frame styles. Notably, one thing that hasn’t changed is the built-in LED light that indicates when the glasses are recording, which Meta rolled out a privacy fix for last month.

Budget glasses launch along with new glasses styles

Alongside its pricier Ray-Ban glasses, Meta also announced some updates to its in-house line of glasses. It’s launching a new lower-cost version of the Meta Adventurer, which will start at $249 for a basic design with black frames and gray lenses, launching October 23rd.

Meta is also introducing a new “Mix & Match” program for customizing its glasses with different frames, lenses, and case colors. Plus, its EssilorLuxottica collection is getting two new styles, Capri and Nova, and the Kylie Jenner Starfire frames are getting a new ivory colorway. Meta’s also launching a new collaboration collection with Lisa of Blackpink.

Meta Glasses are expanding to more countries starting today, too, including Singapore, South Korea, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates, with availability in Brazil “coming soon.”

Meta Ray-Ban Display is coming to more regions with some new features

A year after they originally launched, the Meta Ray-Ban Display are coming to more regions. The glasses are on sale in the UK and Canada starting today, and they’ll be available in France, Italy, and Germany starting on October 13th. Meta’s also introducing online ordering for customers in those regions and the US.

Meta’s launching a new Explore app for Display glasses where users will be able to “browse and use a growing selection of experiences built for your glasses.” The Meta Ray-Ban Display is also getting photo editing, an improved calendar, and mirrored phone notifications. Plus, Meta says the “hologram” feature launching on its VR Glasses is rolling out on the Meta Ray-Ban Display “in Early Access on WhatsApp to Meta Ray-Ban Display users in the US later this fall.”

Meta’s Muse AI is coming to glasses and video calls

After launching its new Muse assistant earlier this month, Meta says it’s “working on” bringing the AI to its smart glasses. When it arrives on the glasses, Muse will be able to do things like guide your workouts, log meals, book appointments, and “help buy products you see.”

Meta also announced some new features for Muse, including video calls with a customizable live avatar of the AI. Plus, Muse agents are getting their own email addresses for completing tasks and communicating with users.

Meta is making an AI ‘charm’

Mark Zuckerberg teased one last device, Muse Charm, a small AI gadget that houses the Muse agent and looks a little bit like a supersized Tamagotchi. More details will be shared “soon,” he said, but the product is supposed to ship in time for the holiday season.

Muse is coming to Meta smart glasses

2026-09-23T19:40:56-04:00

Just a couple of weeks after launching Muse, Meta announced that it’s “working on” bringing the agent to its smart glasses, including the new glasses it unveiled at Meta Connect. Users will be able to activate Muse from their glasses by saying its name and ask it to handle tasks like guiding a workout, logging meals, or helping them shop for products they’re looking at.

Muse is just one of several major updates coming to Meta’s glasses. They’re also getting some new accessibility features, like a Hearing Enhancement feature Meta says is “FDA-cleared software for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.” It will be available later this year with a Meta One subscription or as a $149 add-on for compatible glasses. Meta AI will also be able to give “more context-rich answers” when users ask the glasses what they’re looking at, potentially making Meta’s glasses more effective for helping blind and low-vision users interpret their surroundings. A new audio customization feature will also allow users to shift their smart glasses’ volume between their left and right ears, including sending all audio to one side.

Meta’s introducing some new audio and photo features as well, including Dolby Atmos Capture, which will allow users to record videos with 360-degree spatial audio. A new Dynamic Photo feature automatically captures multiple frames when you take a photo with Meta’s glasses, then uses Meta AI to suggest the best frame from each batch.

The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are getting the new “Hologram” feature Meta announced for its new VR Glasses, which it says is “a photorealistic digital version of your face for calls from Meta Ray-Ban Display” that “infers” your expression using your voice. The feature’s “rolling out in Early Access on WhatsApp to Meta Ray-Ban Display users in the US later this fall.”

A couple new heads-up navigation features are coming to the Meta Ray-Ban Display as well. Starting later this month, users in the US and Canada will have an option to use their voice to ask for real-time cycling or public transit directions. The Meta Ray-Ban Display will also start using “the world in front of you rather than street signs in turn-by-turn walking directions,” like referencing a house, car, or landmark the glasses detect. A few other new features are on the way for the Display glasses, including an option for editing photos directly on the glasses’ display, a new “Explore” app for finding new apps, an improved calendar, and mirroring for phone notifications.