URL: NPR

Technology News

Monday, August 17, 2026

• Missed shifts were costly to this McDonald's. An app has fixed the problem
  Unexpected absences can cost employers tens of thousands of dollars a month. An app that helps workers with last-minute transportation, food and childcare is making a difference.
  
• Meta heads to court in a landmark trial about kids and social media addiction
  Four states are suing the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging that the platforms were designed to hook kids and that Meta hid the mental health risks.
  
• Anthropic's new invisible watermark marks content generated by AI chatbot Claude
  NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Fortune Magazine AI reporter Beatrice Nolan about the invisible watermark embedded in anything new models of Anthropic's AI assistant Claude processes.
  

Saturday, August 15, 2026

• Are robotaxis finally here?
  Fully self-driving cars for hire have been hailed as the technology of the future for years now. That future has finally arrived -- but only in some cities.
  
• Trump administration wants to allow companies to hack foreign cybercriminals
  The White House memorandum is thin on details, but it aims to give private businesses the ability to sabotage or spy on certain foreign actors.
  

Friday, August 14, 2026

• Recent AI 'escapes' are a warning of how unpredictable the technology can be
  Recent episodes of AI agents escaping test zones and hacking other systems may be a harbinger of what's to come, as some experts believe the systems are fundamentally unpredictable.
  

Thursday, August 13, 2026

• Feds probe 'mention markets' amid White House Kalshi controversy
  Betting on what people say is becoming an increasingly popular category of prediction market sites. Now, federal officials have opened a probe examining whether those markets are a magnet for manipulators.
  

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

• Trump sued over service selling faster access to Truth Social posts
  The federal lawsuit alleges that the service from the president's media company violates the Constitution. Meanwhile, Trump Media executives say they have signed up more than 10 customers.
  
• AI chatbots are offering financial advice. Should you trust them?
  Experts say AI can get personal finance fundamentals right but may struggle with nuanced questions.
  

Monday, August 10, 2026

• China's courts side with workers displaced by AI, but job anxiety persists
  China's workers are vulnerable as the push to adopt AI comes from top leaders amid a sluggish economy.