THE RUNDOWN

Meta has released Muse Wonder, the larger and more capable sibling to its earlier Muse Spark model — both coming out of its revamped Superintelligence Labs division. Wonder introduces 'active memory' and 'active focus' features, and Meta is claiming benchmark performance that puts it alongside the frontier models from OpenAI and Google. Whether that holds up in real-world use remains to be seen, but after a stretch where Meta felt like it was always a step behind, this is a significant moment for the company's AI ambitions.

Epic Games has reportedly ordered its developers to stop writing code by hand and to use AI for both code and asset creation across its upcoming Marvel and Star Wars shooter. The move comes alongside news that the game has been delayed specifically so the team can rebuild it using this AI-first approach. It's one of the most aggressive bets any major studio has made on AI in game development, and the industry is watching closely to see whether the final product justifies it.

Hello Games has announced that No Man's Sky — the sci-fi exploration epic that spent years rebuilding its reputation after a rocky 2016 launch — is heading to iPhone and iPad. You'll need an iPhone 11 or later to run it. It's a remarkable full-circle moment for a game that became the poster child for redemption in gaming, and it opens up one of the most expansive game worlds ever made to a massive mobile audience.

WindBorne, a Silicon Valley startup that uses AI-guided weather balloons to improve forecast accuracy, has signed a contract worth nearly $50 million with the US Air Force. The company's balloons float through the atmosphere collecting data that feeds into AI prediction models. It's a reminder that some of the most interesting AI applications right now aren't chatbots — they're quietly solving real-world infrastructure problems.

Microsoft president Brad Smith made headlines this week by telling the UK government it's best placed to lead on AI regulation — and pointing out that milk and washing machines are currently subject to more legal oversight than AI companies. It's a striking comparison, and one that's hard to argue with. Smith's comments arrive as governments everywhere are still figuring out where to draw the lines.

Norway's data protection authority has hit Xandr, a Microsoft-owned ad tech company, with a record $9.6 million fine for allegedly misusing sensitive user data harvested from the Grindr dating app. Xandr has three weeks to appeal. This continues a long-running series of enforcement actions across Europe around the misuse of personal data in digital advertising — and it's a space worth watching if you're thinking about how your data travels once it leaves an app.

OnePlus has officially launched its OnePlus 16 in China — its first flagship phone since pulling out of both the US and European markets this past summer. The phone is being described as the company's most interesting release in years, leaning hard into specs and design to win back credibility in its home market. Whether it signals a path back to global expansion or a deliberate pivot to China-only is the question everyone's asking.

Google has released the Fitbit Edge at $179.99, slotting it neatly between the slimmer Fitbit Air and the more powerful Pixel Watch. It keeps the sleek aesthetic of the Air but adds an OLED display — a meaningful upgrade for anyone who's squinted at a fitness tracker in bright sunlight. For budget-conscious health-tracker shoppers, it's probably the most balanced option Google has offered in a while. You can browse more on smart wearables and devices to see what else fits your lifestyle.

Smart ring maker Ultrahuman has announced a two-year partnership with Abu Dhabi to roll out its biological age model across the UAE, combining the company's wearable data with clinical research. It's one of the more ambitious health-tech deployments in the Gulf region, and it puts Ultrahuman in a strong position as interest in longevity and preventive health tech keeps growing across Africa and the Middle East.

Beyond the 'AI first' pivot, the backstory on Epic's delayed Disney title is worth noting: developers were reportedly told mid-production to scrap existing work and rebuild using AI tools for both code and artwork. That kind of mid-stream shift is disruptive and expensive, and it raises real questions about what 'AI first' means for the people doing the building — not just the executives making the call.

A packed Tuesday. From AI models competing at the frontier to a beloved game finally landing on your phone, the pace hasn't let up. Keep your eyes on Epic's AI bet — if it works, it'll change how big-budget games get made. If it doesn't, it'll be one of the most expensive experiments in gaming history.