Welcome back to your daily dossier talking AI, robotics, crypto, and the future of tech. 👾

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

📊 Meta used a private Llama 4 model to inflate test scores.
🗣️ Amazon unveils voice and video AI tools to rival OpenAI.
🕵️ DOGE reportedly flags U.S. workers’ posts using AI.
🤖 China accelerates humanoid robot dominance with state support.
🐺 Solana’s WOLF meme coin hits $13.6M after revival.

AI

• Musk's DOGE Using AI to Snoop on U.S. Federal Workers

  • Musk’s watchdog agency DOGE reportedly uses AI to flag federal workers posting anti-Trump content on social platforms.

  • Staff allegedly use Signal to avoid oversight, raising concerns over legality and transparency of communication practices.

  • Critics warn the program threatens whistleblower protections and may suppress legitimate dissent within federal institutions.

• Amazon Plays Catch-Up With New Nova AI Models to Generate Voices and Video

  • Amazon launched Nova Sonic, a real-time conversational voice model, rivaling OpenAI's Voice Engine and ElevenLabs.

  • The company also debuted Nova Reel, a generative video tool producing stylistically consistent, multi-scene AI content.

  • Amazon says these models use unified architecture for better accuracy, latency, and content realism in production environments.

• Meta Gets Caught Gaming AI Benchmarks With Llama 4

  • Meta’s Llama 4 model ‘Maverick’ was benchmarked using an internal version unavailable to the public.

  • Researchers say the model shown in performance tests differs from the one released on Hugging Face.

  • The controversy sparked renewed criticism around opaque benchmarking and inconsistent reporting in commercial AI model launches.

ROBOTICS

• China Gains Dexterous Upper Hand in Humanoid Robot Tussle with US

  • China’s humanoid robotics sector is booming, fueled by cheap components, fast iteration, and aggressive government funding.

  • Experts say this could echo China’s rapid EV dominance, posing serious competition to U.S. robotics firms.

  • The state’s centralized support accelerates innovation faster than fragmented, investor-led Western market efforts.

• CMR Surgical Raises Over $200M to Expand Versius Robot Access

  • CMR Surgical raised $200M to scale global access to its Versius robotic surgical system in hospitals.

  • Versius offers a compact, modular alternative to da Vinci, allowing more flexibility in operating rooms.

  • The funding will boost installations, R&D, and partnerships across Europe, Asia, and emerging healthcare markets.

• Tech Jobs, Robots Are Lutnick's Vision for America's 'Manufacturing Renaissance'

  • Commerce Secretary Lutnick wants to rebuild American manufacturing using robotics, automation, and upskilled technical labor.

  • His strategy emphasizes training workers for roles in robotics maintenance, engineering, and automation integration.

  • The initiative targets modern, tech-powered factories that can compete globally without reverting to low-cost labor.

CRYPTO

• Dire Wolf Solana Meme Coin Soars to $13.6M Market Cap After De-Extinction

  • Solana-based meme coin WOLF surged to $13.6M market cap after being revived from a dormant smart contract.

  • Its dramatic comeback attracted traders chasing viral narratives, despite lacking long-term utility or ecosystem traction.

  • Analysts caution the spike reflects hype cycles, not sustainable growth, echoing past boom-and-bust token patterns.

• Trump Admin Tells Prosecutors to Ease Up on Crypto Enforcement

  • The Trump administration directed prosecutors to ease crypto enforcement, aiming to boost innovation and business confidence.

  • A memo advises against charging platforms for user actions unless there's direct criminal intent or systemic abuse.

  • The DOJ’s crypto enforcement unit is reportedly being scaled back amid broader deregulatory policy efforts.

• Bitcoin Rally Stalls, but Sliding Yuan Could Be Bullish Catalyst

  • Bitcoin’s recent rally lost momentum, but analysts say China’s weakening yuan could reignite institutional interest.

  • Currency fears may push Chinese investors toward Bitcoin as a hedge against devaluation and capital restrictions.

  • The yuan’s slide follows escalating tariffs, deepening concerns over macro instability and potential crypto inflows.

CONTENT

• The Next Breakthrough In AI Agents Is Here

  • Garry Tan introduces Manus, a general-purpose AI agent built to autonomously complete tasks using integrated tools.

  • Unlike basic wrappers, Manus uses reasoning across systems, making it more dynamic and contextually intelligent.

  • The episode explores what Manus means for builders, startups, and the future of competitive agent design.

• Google’s New AI Search Changes Everything

  • Google's AI-powered search may disrupt SEO, offering instant answers and bypassing traditional website link traffic.

  • The hosts debate how content creators and startups must adapt to survive AI-dominated search environments.

  • Google's Gemini updates are shifting consumer habits by rewarding relevance over ranking in discovery experiences.

• Bill Gates: I'm Surprised Politicians Aren't Talking More About AI

  • Bill Gates says policymakers are 'alarmingly quiet' despite AI's growing influence on jobs, health, and education.

  • Alongside Satya Nadella and Steve Ballmer, Gates discusses Microsoft’s AI direction and U.S.-China trade tensions.

  • He urges global leaders to prioritize AI regulation before its impact surpasses current institutional preparedness.

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• Deep Cogito Emerges From Stealth With Hybrid AI 'Reasoning' Models

  • Deep Cogito launched Cogito 1, a hybrid model family that switches between reasoning and non-reasoning tasks for efficiency.

  • These models outperform similarly sized open models from DeepSeek and Meta in preliminary benchmark testing.

  • Parameter sizes range from 3B to 70B, with larger, multi-modal releases expected later this year.

• Bank of America to Spend $4 Billion on AI and New Tech Initiatives in 2025

  • Bank of America plans to invest $4B into AI and tech, roughly one-third of its annual budget.

  • Its in-house AI assistant is used by 90% of employees and cuts help desk calls in half.

  • AI is being integrated across training, development, customer service, and enterprise-wide internal productivity tools.

• Crypto Left Cold as Stocks Surge 3%; Bitcoin Slides Back to $78K

  • Bitcoin fell to $78K while stocks jumped 3%, reflecting diverging sentiment between risk assets and crypto.

  • Equities surged on optimism about tariffs, but crypto traders remained cautious amid low momentum.

  • Analysts say Bitcoin’s stagnation despite bullish macro signals may hint at shifting investor priorities.