Senate Confirms Keith Sonderling as U.S. Labor Secretary
The Senate confirmed Keith Sonderling as labor secretary in a 47-41 vote, moving the department’s acting leader into the permanent Cabinet post.
Anthropic’s Confidential IPO Filing Reveals Heavy Losses and Cloud Dependence
Reporting on Anthropic’s confidential IPO filing describes heavy operating losses, concentrated cloud relationships and founder voting control.
Japan’s Tankan Shows Eight-Year High in Manufacturer Confidence
Japan’s September Tankan showed manufacturer confidence at an eight-year high, while large non-manufacturer sentiment weakened and inflation expectations remained elevated.
Pentagon Announces Four-Star Autonomous Warfare Command
The Pentagon announced AutoWarCom, a new four-star command intended to scale drones, robotics and autonomous systems across the U.S. military.
Synopsys and OpenAI Plan GPT-Synopsys for Chip Design
Synopsys and OpenAI announced GPT-Synopsys, a specialized AI model for semiconductor design, while leaving availability and pricing details open.
Google Launches Gemini 4 Argon With Restricted Cybersecurity Rollout
Google introduced Gemini 4 Argon on September 30, beginning with a restricted cybersecurity rollout while it tests safeguards before broader access.
Disney Is Cutting Several Hundred Jobs Across HR and Technology
Disney is laying off several hundred employees across human resources and technology, according to Reuters and Fox Business reports.
Texas Flood Watches Expand as Heavy Rain Targets I-35 Corridor
Flood watches cover parts of North and South Central Texas as forecasts call for widespread heavy rain and localized totals that could reach 5 to 8 inches.
FTC Opens Inquiry Into Consumer Risks From Anthropic, OpenAI and Other AI Labs
The FTC has opened an industry-wide inquiry into potential consumer risks from advanced AI systems and plans to seek information from Anthropic, OpenAI, METR and others.
California Enacts New AI Workplace Rules on Firings, Layoffs and Surveillance
California has enacted a package of AI workplace protections requiring human review for discipline and firings, new notice around AI-linked layoffs, and limits on workplace surveillance.