The Israeli tech sector sees mixed activity, with SanDisk acquiring startup Imagn' for $30-40 million and SolCold developing a new UV sensor, while overall tech funding plunged 56% in 2023 to a four-year low. In the AI space, Apple's Tim Cook detailed the new 'Apple Intelligence' integrations, while Meta's AI faces criticism for bias, reportedly refusing to generate images of Jews and describing terrorists as "freedom fighters." Meanwhile, TheMarker published a report on Wall Street and a TechNation forecast for October 2025.
https://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/r1f00e00j111l
https://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/sy11xpujk11g
https://www.themarker.com/technation/2025-10-30/ty-article/.premium/0000019a-3597-ddf1-a1db-fdffa8830000?utm_source=App_Share&utm_medium=iOS_Native
https://www.themarker.com/wallstreet/2025-10-30/ty-article/.premium/0000019a-3438-d36c-a3bf-b47d9cbd0000?utm_source=App_Share&utm_medium=iOS_Native
https://www.themarker.com/technation/2025-10-29/ty-article/.highlight/0000019a-30da-d36c-a3bf-b4df97e50000?utm_source=App_Share&utm_medium=iOS_Native
https://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/syt00at1kbl
https://www.theverge.com/news/810735/tim-cook-ai-apple-intelligence-integrations
OpenAI is updating ChatGPT with company-specific knowledge, while Microsoft is overhauling Outlook with AI and adding new features to Notepad. YouTube is also leveraging AI, adding video upscaling to its TV app. The AI boom has driven Nvidia's valuation to a record $5 trillion, with its CEO dismissing bubble concerns. In medical research, Israeli scientists are using AI to predict epilepsy post-stroke. In other news, SAP has acquired Israeli startup Gigya for $350 million, and Israel is reportedly in talks with Elon Musk to deploy Starlink in Gaza.https://www.theverge.com/news/806046/openai-chatgpt-company-knowledge-updatehttps://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/hygk5vralehttps://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/hjrnvxaclehttps://www.theverge.com/tech/806162/microsoft-outlook-ai-overhaul-notepadhttps://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/rkr200x00xehttps://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/10/nvidia-hits-record-5-trillion-mark-as-ceo-dismisses-ai-bubble-concernshttps://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/10/tv-focused-youtube-update-brings-ai-upscaling-shopping-qr-codes
Beyond Vibe Coding with Addy Osmani
Adobe is expanding its AI capabilities, with its Firefly AI now able to generate soundtracks and speech. The company is also adding a beta AI assistant with prompt editing to Adobe Express and unveiling new AI features for Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro.
Microsoft and its partners are deepening their AI integration. Microsoft launched an AI-powered Copilot mode in the Edge browser. A new agreement with OpenAI establishes an expert panel to determine the arrival of AGI. Additionally, Microsoft-owned GitHub is launching a new AI coding agent that uses models from both OpenAI and Anthropic.
Datadog is opening its first R&D center in Israel following its acquisition of Intentia.
Samsung announced the Galaxy Ring, a new smart ring device focused on health tracking.
Intel is set to lay off thousands of employees amid a slowdown in the PC market.
In other news, a podcast episode discusses ChatGPT, the "AI Browser Wars," and a potential sale of Warner Bros. Discovery.https://www.theverge.com/news/807809/adobe-firefly-ai-audio-generate-soundtrack-speechhttps://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/rkyoer30gehttps://www.theverge.com/podcast/806031/chatgpt-atlas-ai-browser-wars-vergecast-warner-bros-discovery-salehttps://www.theverge.com/news/805833/microsoft-edge-copilot-mode-ai-launchhttps://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2025/10/expert-panel-will-determine-agi-arrival-in-new-microsoft-openai-agreementhttps://www.theverge.com/news/808032/github-ai-agent-hq-coding-openai-anthropichttps://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/skolcctcxghttps://www.theverge.com/news/807802/adobe-express-ai-assistant-prompt-editing-beta-max-2025https://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/i74asa8kuhttps://www.theverge.com/news/807811/adobe-photoshop-lightroom-premiere-pro-ai-max-2025
https://www.theverge.com/news/805160/openai-chatgpt-atlas-updateshttps://www.theverge.com/news/803818/youtube-ai-likeness-detection-deepfakehttps://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/sjvbwsragehttps://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/804931/openai-chatgpt-atlas-hands-on-google-searchhttps://www.storyboard18.com/digital/perplexity-ai-launches-comet-plus-aims-to-deliver-premium-journalism-in-ai-era-81932.htmhttps://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/10/m5-macbook-pro-review-fifth-generation-apple-silicon-in-a-familiar-wrapperhttps://www.theverge.com/news/803097/netflix-games-interactive-experiences-real-time-voting-q3-2025-earningshttps://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/10/new-ios-and-macos-betas-add-tinted-toggle-to-tone-down-liquid-glasshttps://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/10/openai-acquires-the-team-that-made-apples-shortcuts
CyberArk is set to acquire cloud security firm Venafi for $1.54 billion. In other news, an analysis suggests Nvidia's market dominance is more significant than its valuation, the Arabian Peninsula is emerging as a gaming powerhouse, and Israel is launching a NIS 1.5 billion fund for semiconductor chip development. Intel's Moovit has been named the official transit app for the Paris 2024 Olympics. In AI developments, Microsoft is updating its Copilot with a '90s-style animated assistant, a 'Real Talk' mode, and group chat capabilities. Anthropic is giving its Claude AI a memory upgrade for all subscribers, and Amazon has introduced an AI shopping tool called "Help Me Decide." Finally, a commentary explores Hollywood's misguided fascination with microdramas.
https://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/bksnkmkage
https://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/rjx0qzh6gl
https://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/syjyba2txx
https://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/hkjcxuiaee
https://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/rjen0000irel
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/10/microsoft-makes-copilot-human-centered-with-a-90s-style-animated-assistant
https://www.theverge.com/news/804124/anthropic-claude-ai-memory-upgrade-all-subscribers
https://www.theverge.com/news/804122/microsoft-copilot-real-talk-mode-group-chats-features
https://www.theverge.com/column/805250/hollywood-is-in-love-with-microdramas-for-all-the-wrong-reasons
https://www.theverge.com/news/805348/amazon-ai-shopping-help-me-decide
Andrej Karpathy – “We’re summoning ghosts, not building animals”
AI-powered features begin creeping deeper into the bedrock of Windows 11 - Ars Technica
Yes, everything online sucks now—but it doesn’t have tohttps://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/10/yes-everything-online-sucks-now-but-it-doesnt-have-to
Why world models are the next big thing in AI | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/column/801370/ai-world-models-general-intuition-medal
LLMs and the Lessons We Still Haven't Learned
https://www.jampa.dev/p/llms-and-the-lessons-we-still-havent
Beyond the AI Hype: Guido van Rossum on Python’s Philosophy, Simplicity, and the Future of Programming.
Microsoft's Copilot on Windows has been updated, enabling it to create Office documents and connect to Gmail. OpenAI is reportedly working to reduce political bias in ChatGPT while also facing allegations of sending police to the home of an AI regulation advocate. In other news, Hollywood is struggling to determine its strategy for AI, and a researcher who previously declined a $1.5 billion offer from Mark Zuckerberg now has regrets.
How I influence tech company politics as a staff software engineer
Unpacking the Announcements from OpenAI's DevDay
Google's ad-tech practices are reportedly harming independent websites, while Sony is teasing new GPU technology for its next PlayStation and Apple is launching the first live, immersive sports experience for the Vision Pro. In business news, NeuroBlade's development team is set to join Amazon Annapurna, and control of NSO Group is expected to transfer to producer Robert Simonds. A comment from Sam Altman caused a 7.4% jump in Figma's stock. In acquisitions and funding, Panthera has acquired DevOcean for automated cyber risk removal, and the elderly care startup Sensi.AI has raised $45 million. On the security front, a new report finds that AI models can acquire backdoors from a very small number of malicious documents.
Meta wants its metaverse everywhere | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/column/797624/meta-metaverse-horizon-worlds-mobile-vr-social
Microsoft is moving GitHub over to Azure servers | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/tech/796119/microsoft-github-azure-migration-move-notepad
The Rise of the Nonsense Job
