Meta's Watermelon Matches GPT-5.5, Japan's AI and Robot Ambitions, and Anthropic's $19B Lease - Daily AI Brief #493

July 07, 2026 - Daily AI Brief
Hi there,

Welcome to today's AI Brief.

In today's edition, we cover several significant developments in the AI industry. AI-Run Ransomware 'JadePuffer' requires human setup, while SK Hynix plans a U.S. IPO amid rising AI demand. Amazon will halt new sign-ups for Mechanical Turk in 2026, and Even Realities has reached a $1 billion valuation with new funding. Anthropic has signed a $19 billion lease for a data center in Kentucky.

Additionally, Japan plans to develop an AI model and deploy 10 million robots by 2040. Crusoe Inc. is seeking $3 billion for AI data center growth, and the Vercel CEO discusses AI model and agent separation. Reddit is developing LLM tools to combat spam, and Meta's 'Watermelon' AI matches the performance of GPT-5.5.
AI-Run Ransomware 'JadePuffer' Needs Human Setup
Researchers at Sysdig have documented the first known AI-run ransomware attack, named JadePuffer. While the AI executed the attack autonomously, human involvement was necessary for setup and victim selection. Read more
SK Hynix Plans U.S. IPO Amid AI Demand
SK Hynix is set to launch a U.S. IPO, offering nearly 17.8 million shares to capitalize on the growing AI-driven demand for memory chips. The company aims to raise approximately $28 billion through American depositary receipts, with trading expected to start soon. Read more
Amazon to Halt New Sign-Ups for Mechanical Turk
Amazon will cease accepting new customers for its Mechanical Turk service starting July 30, 2026. Existing users can continue, but no new features will be added. Read more
Even Realities Reaches $1B Valuation with New Funding
Shenzhen-based startup Even Realities has secured $150 million in funding, achieving a $1 billion valuation. The round was led by Meituan and Tencent. Read more
Anthropic Signs $19 Billion Lease for TeraWulf's Kentucky Data Center
AI company Anthropic has entered a 20-year lease agreement with TeraWulf for a data center in Hawesville, Kentucky, projected to generate $19 billion in revenue and create 100 to 120 permanent jobs. Read more
Japan Plans AI Model and 10 Million Robots by 2040
The Japanese government has announced a plan to develop a domestic AI model and deploy 10 million AI-equipped robots by 2040, with a $6 billion investment led by the Noetra consortium, including SoftBank and Sony. Read more
Crusoe Inc. Seeks $3 Billion for AI Data Center Growth
Crusoe Inc. is reportedly in talks to raise $3 billion, potentially valuing the company at $30 billion. The funding aims to support the expansion of its AI data centers. Read more
Vercel CEO on AI Model and Agent Separation
Vercel CEO Guillermo Rauch discusses the company's approach to AI, focusing on the separation of AI models from agents and addressing data security challenges. Read more
Reddit Uses LLM Tools to Tackle Spam
Reddit has developed tools utilizing large language models to address the rise in spam on its platform, enhancing detection by 20%. Read more
Meta's AI Model 'Watermelon' Matches GPT-5.5 Performance
Meta's new AI model, 'Watermelon', reportedly achieves performance levels comparable to OpenAI's GPT-5.5, as stated by the company's chief AI officer. The model is in training and aims to improve coding and AI agent capabilities. Read more

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