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Today’s Picks
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These AI Barons Are Ready to Give Away Their Fortunes
A new generation of philanthropists made rich by artificial intelligence are preparing to give away their vast wealth. What should we make of a multi-billion-dollar pinky promise?
How Data Centers Broke American Politics
What the Unabomber, Steve Bannon’s tech guy, and Bernie Sanders taught me about the great data center backlash of 2026.
Internal documents show ICE's DNA collection has skyrocketed in the second Trump administration. Now hundreds of thousands of people never convicted of a crime are in an FBI criminal database forever.
Hacker Cons
Watch OutHackers Stalked Me by Hijacking a Smartwatch for Kids
Security researchers tracked and eavesdropped on a WIRED reporter using vulnerabilities in a pink plastic smartwatch. It’s just one piece of a deeply insecure supply chain of GPS-enabled gadgets.
You Had One JobOpenAI Didn’t Notice Its AI Agents Using a Message Board to Plan Their Hacking Spree
At the Black Hat security conference, the AI giant revealed new details about how its agents went rogue, hacked several other companies—and did it all right under the company’s nose.
Rabbit HolesA Security Pro Hacked North Korean Hackers. He Found They’d Breached Hundreds of Networks Worldwide
For nearly two years, researcher Vangelis Stykas has maintained access to North Korean hackers’ servers. His work shows they pulled off intrusions in a shocking number of systems across the globe.
DowngradesOpenAI’s Browser Could Be Hijacked to Spam Your WhatsApp Contacts
Researchers at security firm Zenity found more than a dozen flaws in AI browsers—and managed to get OpenAI’s Atlas to make an unauthorized Amazon purchase.
Go TeamThe Most Dangerous AI Hacking Techniques Still Have Humans in the Loop
Security researcher James Kettle tried to push the limit of AI’s hacking abilities—and discovered how effective it can be when combined with human expertise.
Two FactorThe New Defcon Badges Pack a Unique Open Source Chip That Doubles as a Security Key
Created by legendary hardware hacker Andrew “bunnie” Huang, the badges for this year’s famed security conference aim to push the boundaries of security and transparency.
When Your Brain Is in Your Arm
Two-thirds of an octopus’s neurons are in its arms—each operating independently—including the one it uses to have sex.
Some Kids Will Never Think AI Is Cool
Why Normal People Aren’t Using AI Agents
The tech industry is realizing it needs to build agents based on what regular consumers want, not just what its AI models can do.
Chinese AI Researchers Are Finding Their Voice on X
Special EditionThe Truth About Kids These Days
The youngs are facing problems that didn’t exist half a generation ago. They’re handling it better than you think.
Special EditionThe Future of Home
How we live now is defined by unprecedented forces. In this special issue, WIRED and Architectural Digest help you understand what home will look like tomorrow—and beyond.
Special EditionEveryone Is Watching the World Cup. The World Cup Is Also Watching You
Much of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is happening in Donald Trump’s America. Will the US’s immigration crackdown, surveillance systems, and political turmoil interfere with soccer’s tentpole tournament?
Special EditionThings Fall Apart
It's not enough to build things. You also have to tear them down. WIRED commissioned five stories about decommissioning, from EVs and internet cables to supercomputers and space stations.
Originally published October 2012: The tech giant has spread its infrastructure across the globe, but all queries and computations lead to data centers like the one in Lenoir, North Carolina.
