⚠️ AI playing both sides of the firewall

👋 Welcome! Today, we’re covering range of topics from Broadcom’s new networking chip to how AI can help fight (or fight with) the criminals of cyber world. Get ready for a full spectrum of insights that will keep you informed and engaged!

Broadcom’s got a chip on AI’s shoulder – Broadcom's new Tomahawk 6 chip aims to double AI application speeds, supporting data centers with over 100,000 GPUs.

‘Honest’ AI – AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio unveils 'LawZero', a $30 million nonprofit aiming to develop AI systems that detect and prevent deceptive behaviors in autonomous agents.

AI to the moon – Russia plans to integrate its Gigachat AI model into the International Space Station's systems to assist with satellite imagery analysis.

Floss, rinse, and upgrade: VA goes AI – The Department of Veterans Affairs introduces an AI training series for dental professionals, preparing them for future technological integrations in dental care.

Hedge fund, meet hedge bot – AQR Capital Management adopts AI-driven strategies, marking a significant shift in hedge fund operations and trading in general.

Transformation of middle management – The rise of AI and economic changes are reshaping middle management roles into positions focused on coaching and fostering innovation, notes LinkedIn's Aneesh Raman.

Uscreen’s creator vision gets boost – Video monetization platform Uscreen has appointed Allison Yazdian, former SVP at LTK, as its new CEO. Yazdian aims to scale Uscreen's subscription-based video services, which have already enabled over 13,000 creators to generate nearly $1 billion in revenue.

YouTubers eye Emmys, says Khare – YouTube creator Michelle Khare, with 5.1 million subscribers, discusses the evolving landscape where YouTube content is being considered for Emmy Awards. This shift signifies the growing recognition of digital creators in traditional media spaces.

Wells Fargo freed from Fed asset cap – Regulators have lifted the $1.95 trillion asset cap imposed on Wells Fargo, a restriction that had been in place since 2018 due to past scandals. The removal allows the bank to expand its balance sheet and pursue growth opportunities.

Wall Street stalls as data disappoints – U.S. stocks closed with mix of slight gains and losses as investors digested disappointing economic reports. Treasury yields fell as new data signaled economic weakness, raising expectations for potential Federal Reserve rate cuts later this year.

Epstein’s secret investment with Thiel pays off – Jeffrey Epstein secretly invested $40 million in Peter Thiel’s Valar Ventures during 2015–2016. That stake is now worth $170 million, making it the largest asset in Epstein’s estate.

Biotech VC funding plummets – Biotech venture capital sees a significant downturn, with funding dropping 57% last month due to policy changes and investor caution. Analysts attribute this decline to recent policy changes from FDA and NIH.

Crete plans $500M accounting roll-up – Thrive Capital-backed Crete Professionals Alliance announces a $500 million investment to acquire U.S.-based accounting firms, integrating OpenAI-powered technologies to enhance efficiency.

$75M fund for cybersecurity startups – Merlin Ventures, a Tel Aviv-based investor, has launched a debut venture-capital fund exceeding $75 million, focusing on early-stage cybersecurity startups. The fund aims to nurture cybersecurity companies for U.S. government contracts through programs like FedRAMP, bridging Israeli tech innovations with U.S. federal demand.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the cybersecurity landscape, acting both as a powerful shield and a dangerous weapon. As organizations deploy AI to detect and prevent breaches, attackers are using the same technology to innovate and scale their efforts.

On the offensive front, researchers warn that generative AI tools are now enabling low-skill actors to launch highly effective attacks. A recent report highlights how AI-powered “hacker agents” can write malicious code and bypass traditional firewalls—what experts are calling the dawn of “vibe hacking.” This means the barrier to launching sophisticated cyberattacks is shrinking dramatically.

Meanwhile, AI is also proving indispensable in defense. By analyzing massive datasets in real time, AI can detect anomalies, flag suspicious behavior, and automate threat responses before damage is done. According to McKinsey, AI is simultaneously the “greatest threat and defense” in modern cybersecurity—underscoring the need for tight safeguards even among defenders.

New hardware presents another layer of risk. AI-integrated laptops and enterprise systems are booming in popularity, but experts warn that these devices open doors to advanced threats like data poisoning and model inversion attacks. Without strong governance and continuous monitoring, these intelligent machines can become easy targets.

In response to rising global threats, tech giants are stepping in. Microsoft recently announced it would offer free cybersecurity support to European governments to counter state-backed AI-enabled attacks—a move signaling how AI security is becoming a matter of international policy.

Ultimately, AI in cybersecurity is a balancing act: its speed and predictive power are unmatched, but so are the stakes if it’s misused. Companies must treat AI not just as a tool, but as a dynamic force requiring ethical, technical, and policy oversight.

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400 years

Age of the Yamaki Pine, a bonsai tree known as the "Peace Tree," which survived the 1945 Japan atomic bombing.

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