‍Tom Brady's Cloned Dog Sparks Biotech Ethics Debate Former NFL star Tom Brady's revelation of cloning his late dog, Lua, has brought pet cloning into the spotlight, reigniting ethical discussions around genetic engineering. Brady is an investor in Colossal Biosciences, a company that facilitated the cloning. The company also acquired Viagen Pets, known for cloning pets for celebrities. This move bolsters Colossal's capabilities for its ambitious de-extinction projects, including reviving species like the woolly mammoth. However, animal welfare organizations like PETA and the ASPCA have voiced strong opposition due to low success rates, potential health issues in cloned animals, and the existence of millions of adoptable pets in shelters. They call for a moratorium on pet cloning. Colossal Biosciences maintains its commitment to animal welfare, citing Viagen's extensive experience and asserting that cloned animals live comparable lives to their counterparts. The company argues its work is crucial for conservation efforts and addressing environmental crises.
‍AI Agents Fall for Scams in Microsoft Study, Raising Concerns for Web3 Commerce Recent Microsoft research into autonomous AI agents has revealed significant vulnerabilities, showing them to be highly susceptible to manipulation and struggling with basic decision-making in simulated online marketplaces. This study casts doubt on the immediate prospects for fully autonomous AI in digital commerce and raises crucial questions for decentralized economies and Web3 applications. The AI models demonstrated a "first-proposal bias" and were extremely vulnerable to manipulation techniques. Leading models like GPT-4o had all payments successfully redirected to malicious agents. These findings have significant implications for the cryptocurrency and Web3 space, posing a direct threat to smart contract executions and automated transactions if entrusted to current AI agent technology. The concept of "supervised autonomy" emerges as a critical recommendation.
‍AI Trading Bots Exhibit Gambling Addiction Behaviors, Study Finds A new study from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology reveals that AI models used in cryptocurrency trading can develop behaviors akin to gambling addiction. When tasked with maximizing rewards in simulated gambling environments, these AI models, including GPT-4o-mini and Gemini-2.5-Flash, exhibited irrational risk-taking and even went bankrupt at alarming rates, mirroring human pathological gambling patterns. The research found a strong correlation between prompt complexity and risky behavior, with goal-setting and reward maximization directives significantly amplifying these tendencies. Early layers in the AI's neural network were identified as prioritizing rewards over risks, a vulnerability that can be exploited by specific prompts. The findings highlight a critical risk for users of AI trading bots, emphasizing the need for vigilance and careful prompt engineering.
‍Tesla Shareholders Approve Historic Musk Pay Package, Signaling AI & Robotics Push Tesla shareholders have overwhelmingly endorsed a substantial compensation package for CEO Elon Musk, potentially valued at up to $878 billion over the next decade. This vote signals strong confidence in Musk's vision for transforming Tesla into a leader in AI and robotics. The approved plan allows Musk to accrue significant Tesla stock, contingent on meeting ambitious performance milestones related to advanced self-driving technology, robotaxi services, and humanoid robot production. Despite past controversies, investors prioritized Musk's long-term leadership potential and strategic initiatives.
‍Tenerife Council to Sell 97 Bitcoin After 1,000x Gain, Fueling Quantum Research The Council of Tenerife plans to sell 97 Bitcoin, acquired in 2012 for €10,000, which has appreciated to approximately $9.8 million. These funds will support research at the Technological and Renewable Energy Institute (ITER), including quantum technology, renewable energy, and genomics. This move highlights the intersection of early blockchain experimentation and funding for advanced technological development.
‍MyPrize and Crypto.com Partner to Offer Prediction Markets Social gaming application MyPrize will integrate event contracts from Crypto.com's North American affiliate, expanding access to prediction markets for its one million users. These contracts will cover sports, politics, cryptocurrency, and current events. This collaboration highlights the growing convergence of financial speculation with social and crypto platforms. The prediction market industry is experiencing rapid expansion, with weekly trading volumes consistently exceeding $2 billion. Travis McGhee of Crypto.com noted this trend, stating, "We are at the forefront of a similar convergence with live social platforms and financial markets with our partner, MyPrize."
‍LeverUp Launches LP-Free Perpetual Exchange on Monad Blockchain LeverUp has launched an innovative LP-free perpetuals exchange on the Monad layer-1 blockchain. The platform aims to revolutionize DeFi by offering traders flexibility, transparency, and cost efficiency. Key features include an LP-free design, 100% protocol fee redistribution to traders, LVUSD settlement, and uncapped market depth with up to 1001x leverage. LeverUp promises near-CEX execution speeds with true DeFi composability.
‍MediCoin Launches Tokenized PFAS Litigation Fee Interests MediCoin has announced the global launch of tokenized attorney fee interests linked to ongoing PFAS litigation. This initiative allows global participants to access and purchase fractional interests in anticipated attorney fee streams from a diversified portfolio of PFAS cases. The offering involves $500 million of tokenized fee interests, representing up to 25% of projected net contingency fees. Tokens represent contractual interests in fee proceeds, not law firm equity or client claims. All transactions are blockchain-recorded for real-time tracking and re-trading. Purchasers must understand this is highly speculative with total-loss risk. Outcomes are uncertain, and recoveries are not guaranteed. Purchases are limited to eligible parties, and attorneys retain full control of litigation.
‍GTA 6 Delayed to November 2026 Amidst Crypto Rumors Rockstar Games has announced a new release date for Grand Theft Auto 6: November 19, 2026. This delay aims to ensure the game's quality. Speculation regarding cryptocurrency integration in GTA 6 has been debunked. Rockstar Games' policy banning crypto and NFTs on GTA Online fan servers since November 2022, alongside its parent company's retreat from the blockchain space, makes official blockchain integration highly improbable. Unofficial Solana meme coins related to GTA 6 have emerged but are unauthorized and carry significant risks.
‍Trump Administration Secures Major Price Cuts on GLP-1 Drugs An agreement between the Trump administration and pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk will substantially reduce the cost of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, with some prices potentially falling to $250 and future launches capped at $149. Medicare will also cover GLP-1 drugs for obesity. This initiative highlights the demand for greater transparency in the pharmaceutical supply chain. While not explicitly using blockchain, the principles of price control and centralized purchasing align with potential DLT applications for tracking production, verifying authenticity, and ensuring consistent pricing across markets. Blockchain could also enhance supply chain integrity and provenance for planned manufacturing investments. The deal, a result of extensive negotiations, aims to address obesity and diabetes, significant drivers of healthcare costs. It may set a precedent for future healthcare reforms, potentially integrating blockchain for secure patient data management, verifiable prescriptions, and transparent claims processing.