AI researchers have recently been asking themselves a version of the question, “Is that really Zuck?”
Technology
Inside Mark Zuckerberg’s AI hiring spree
As first reported by Bloomberg, the Meta CEO has been personally asking top AI talent to join his new “superintelligence” AI lab and reboot Llama. His recruiting process typically goes like this: a cold outreach via email or WhatsApp that cites the recruit’s work history and requests a 15-minute chat. Dozens of researchers have gotten these kinds of messages at Google alone.
For those who do agree to hear his pitch (amazingly, not all of them do), Zuckerberg highlights the latitude they’ll have to make risky bets, the scale of Meta’s products, and the money he’s prepared to invest in the infrastructure to support them. He makes clear that this new team will be empowered and sit with him at Meta’s headquarters, where I’m told the desks have already been rearranged for the incoming team.
Most of the headlines so far have focused on the eye-popping compensation packages Zuckerberg is offering, some of which are well into the eight-figure range. As I’ve covered before, hiring the best AI researcher is like hiring a star basketball player: there are very few of them, and you have to pay up. Case in point: Zuckerberg basically just paid 14 Instagrams to hire away Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang.
It’s easily the most expensive hire of all time, dwarfing the billions that Google spent to rehire Noam Shazeer and his core team from Character.AI (a deal Zuckerberg passed on). “Opportunities of this magnitude often come at a cost,” Wang wrote in his note to employees this week. “In this instance, that cost is my departure.”
Zuckerberg’s recruiting spree is already starting to rattle his competitors. The day before his offer deadline for some senior OpenAI employees, Sam Altman dropped an essay proclaiming that “before anything else, we are a superintelligence research company.” And after Zuckerberg tried to hire DeepMind CTO Koray Kavukcuoglu, he was given a larger SVP title and now reports directly to Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
I expect Wang to have the title of “chief AI officer” at Meta when the new lab is announced. Jack Rae, a principal researcher from DeepMind who has signed on, will lead pre-training. Meta certainly needs a reset. According to my sources, Llama has fallen so far behind that Meta’s product teams have recently discussed using AI models from other companies (although that is highly unlikely to happen). Meta’s internal coding tool for engineers, however, is already using Claude.
While Meta’s existing AI researchers have good reason to be looking over their shoulders, Zuckerberg’s $14.3 billion investment in Scale is making many longtime employees, or Scaliens, quite wealthy. They were popping champagne in the office this morning.
Then, Wang held his last all-hands meeting to say goodbye and cried. He didn’t mention what he would be doing at Meta. I expect his new team will be unveiled within the next few weeks after Zuckerberg gets a critical number of members to officially sign on.
Apple is accustomed to being on top of the tech industry, and for good reason: the company has enjoyed a nearly unrivaled run of dominance.
After spending time at Apple HQ this week for WWDC, I’m not sure that its leaders appreciate the meteorite that is heading their way. The hubris they display suggests they don’t understand how AI is fundamentally changing how people use and build software.
Heading into the keynote on Monday, everyone knew not to expect the revamped Siri that had been promised the previous year. Apple, to its credit, acknowledged that it dropped the ball there, and it sounds like a large language model rebuild of Siri is very much underway and coming in 2026.
The AI industry moves much faster than Apple’s release schedule, though. By the time Siri is perhaps good enough to keep pace, it will have to contend with the lock-in that OpenAI and others are building through their memory features. Apple and OpenAI are currently partners, but both companies want to ultimately control the interface for interacting with AI, which puts them on a collision course.
Apple’s decision to let developers use its own, on-device foundational models for free in their apps sounds strategically smart, but unfortunately, the models look far from leading. Apple ran its own benchmarks, which aren’t impressive, and has confirmed a measly context window of 4,096 tokens. It’s also saying that the models will be updated alongside its operating systems — a snail’s pace compared to how quickly AI companies move.
I’d be surprised if any serious developers use these Apple models, although I can see them being helpful to indie devs who are just getting started and don’t want to spend on the leading cloud models. I don’t think most people care about the privacy angle that Apple is claiming as a differentiator; they are already sharing their darkest secrets with ChatGPT and other assistants.
Some of the new Apple Intelligence features I demoed this week were impressive, such as live language translation for calls. Mostly, I came away with the impression that the company is heavily leaning on its ChatGPT partnership as a stopgap until Apple Intelligence and Siri are both where they need to be.
AI probably isn’t a near-term risk to Apple’s business. No one has shipped anything close to the contextually aware Siri that was demoed at last year’s WWDC. People will continue to buy Apple hardware for a long time, even after Sam Altman and Jony Ive announce their first AI device for ChatGPT next year. AR glasses aren’t going mainstream anytime soon either, although we can expect to see more eyewear from Meta, Google, and Snap over the coming year.
In aggregate, these AI-powered devices could begin to siphon away engagement from the iPhone, but I don’t see people fully replacing their smartphones for a long time. The bigger question after this week is whether Apple has what it takes to rise to the occasion and culturally reset itself for the AI era.
I would have loved to hear Tim Cook address this issue directly, but the only interview he did for WWDC was a cover story in Variety about the company’s new F1 movie.
- AI agents are coming. I recently caught up with Databricks CEO Ali Ghodsi ahead of his company’s annual developer conference this week in San Francisco. Given Databricks’ position, he has a unique, bird’s-eye view of where things are headed for AI. He doesn’t envision a near-term future where AI agents completely automate real-world tasks, but he does predict a wave of startups over the next year that will come close to completing actions in areas such as travel booking. He thinks humans will need (and want) to approve what an agent does before it goes off and completes a task. “We have most of the airplanes flying automated, and we still want pilots in there.”
- Buyouts are the new normal at Google. That much is clear after this week’s rollout of the “voluntary exit program” in core engineering, the Search organization, and some other divisions. In his internal memo, Search SVP Nick Fox was clear that management thinks buyouts have been successful in other parts of the company that have tried them. In a separate memo I saw, engineering exec Jen Fitzpatrick called the buyouts an “opportunity to create internal mobility and fresh growth opportunities.” Google appears to be attempting a cultural reset, which will be a challenging task for a company of its size. We’ll see if it can pull it off.
- Evan Spiegel wants help with AR glasses. I doubt that his announcement that consumer glasses are coming next year was solely aimed at AR developers. Telegraphing the plan and announcing that Snap has spent $3 billion on hardware to date feels more aimed at potential partners that want to make a bigger glasses play, such as Google. A strategic investment could help insulate Snap from the pain of the stock market. A full acquisition may not be off the table, either. When he was recently asked if he’d be open to a sale, Spiegel didn’t shut it down like he always has, but instead said he’d “consider anything” that helps the company “create the next computing platform.”
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to The Verge, which includes unlimited access to Command Line and all of our reporting.
As always, I welcome your feedback, especially if you’re an AI researcher fielding a juicy job offer. You can respond here or ping me securely on Signal.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The United Arab Emirates just made one of the most aggressive moves yet in the global AI race. The country says it will integrate agentic artificial intelligence across half of its government operations within two years.
For context: Most governments are still debating whether to use AI. This plan puts speed and execution front and center and goes in the opposite direction of how governments typically handle major technology changes.
If it works, the UAE could offer a preview of how AI may reshape public services far beyond the Middle East. If it runs into problems, it could also highlight the risks of moving this fast when government decisions, personal data and public trust are all involved.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
UAE AMBASSADOR YOUSEF AL OTAIBA: US AND UAE FORGE GROUNDBREAKING HIGH-TECH PARTNERSHIP BASED ON AI
UAE leaders meet to outline a plan that would bring Agentic AI into core government decision-making and operations. (Dubai Media Office)
- Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
What agentic AI means for the UAE government
Agentic AI refers to systems that can analyze information, make decisions and take action with minimal human input. In this model, AI can process requests, adjust workflows and improve outcomes in real time. It can also carry out certain government tasks from start to finish, instead of only suggesting what a person should do next.
So, how would that show up in everyday ways? Think faster permit approvals, automated public services or systems that respond instantly to changes in demand. Instead of waiting for human bottlenecks, processes move continuously.
FOX NEWS AI NEWSLETTER: TRUMP ADMIN UNVEILS GROUNDBREAKING TOOL ‘SUPERCHARGING’ GOV’T EFFICIENCY IN AI
According to the announcement, AI will act more like an operational partner than a tool. That marks a change in how governments think about technology.
How the UAE plans to roll out AI across government
There is also a clear structure behind the rollout. The UAE has put a detailed plan in place with clear expectations from the start. Every ministry and government entity will be evaluated based on how quickly it adopts AI, how well it implements those systems and how effectively it redesigns workflows around them.
Oversight will come from Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a senior government leader who plays a key role in the country’s executive decision-making. Day-to-day execution will be led by a task force chaired by Mohammad Al Gergawi, a longtime cabinet minister focused on government modernization.
How AI will change government jobs in the UAE
One of the biggest parts of this plan has less to do with machines and more to do with people. Every federal employee will receive AI training. The goal is to build a workforce that can work alongside intelligent systems rather than compete with them.
That matters because large-scale automation often raises concerns about job loss. The UAE is taking a different angle by focusing on reskilling and adaptation. If it works, it could become a model that other countries try to follow. If it struggles, it will highlight how difficult workforce transformation can be at scale.
Why the UAE is moving so fast on AI in government
This move fits into a broader strategy. The UAE has spent years positioning itself as a tech-forward economy. By embedding AI into government operations, the country hopes to improve efficiency, reduce delays and deliver faster services to residents and businesses.
It also sends a signal globally. The UAE wants to set the benchmark for how governments use AI in a big way. That puts pressure on other countries, including the United States, to rethink how quickly we adopt similar technologies.
The UAE plans to use agentic AI to help analyze information, make decisions and carry out tasks across a wide range of government services. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Concerns about AI in government are already growing
For all the excitement, this kind of rollout raises real concerns. Critics point to accountability as one of the biggest questions. When AI systems start making decisions inside government, it can become harder to understand who is responsible when something goes wrong. Was it the system, the developer or the agency using it?
JOBS THAT ARE MOST AT RISK FROM AI, ACCORDING TO MICROSOFT
Privacy is another sticking point. Government systems already handle sensitive personal data. Expanding AI across those systems could increase how much data is collected, analyzed and stored, which makes some experts uneasy.
There is also the issue of bias. AI models learn from data, and if that data has gaps or flaws, the outcomes can reflect that. In a government setting, that could affect access to services, approvals or enforcement decisions in ways that are not always obvious.
Then there is trust. Even if the systems work as intended, people may still hesitate to accept decisions made by machines, especially when those decisions affect their daily lives.
Supporters argue that these risks can be managed with strong oversight and transparency. Still, critics say the speed of this rollout leaves little room for error, and that is where the debate is likely to intensify.
What this means to you
Even if you do not live in the UAE, this push has real implications. First, it raises expectations. When one government proves it can deliver faster services with AI, people elsewhere will start asking why theirs cannot.
Second, it accelerates the global AI race. Governments will need to balance speed with privacy, security and oversight. Third, it highlights a growing reality. AI is moving into decision-making roles beyond basic support functions. That changes how systems are built and how accountability works.
You may start to see similar experiments here in the United States, especially at the state or city level, where innovation can happen faster.
Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?
Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my quiz here: CyberGuy.com
Kurt’s key takeaways
The UAE is betting big on a future in which AI plays a central role in how its government operates. The timeline is aggressive, and the scope is hard to ignore. What stands out most is how quickly this is moving from concept to execution. At the same time, the questions are just as big as the opportunity. Who is accountable when AI makes a decision? How much data is being used behind the scenes? And how much trust are people willing to place in systems they cannot fully see? This could become a model that other governments try to follow. It could also expose real challenges around transparency and control. Either way, it is a clear signal that AI is moving deeper into systems that affect our everyday lives.
The initiative is set to expand AI across multiple agencies, with a focus on faster services, improved efficiency and real-time operations. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
If AI can start making real-time decisions inside government systems, how comfortable are you with that level of automation showing up in your everyday life? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
- Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
“Literally, we stopped selling to Amazon, and it’s because I wasn’t going to do something illegal. I wasn’t going to do something that would put at risk the relationship we have with other retailers. But it also set the stage to say, look, you’re not going to push me around. This is the way we do business. And so that’s how, over time, you build respect.”
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Three weeks after her husband’s funeral, Carol’s phone rings. The caller knows her husband’s name, their address and their daughter’s name, even mentioning that she lives across town.
He says he’s calling from a life insurance company and that there’s a policy ready to be paid out. He just needs Carol’s Social Security number and bank routing details to process it.
This scenario draws from real scams reported by fraud investigators and elder abuse advocates across the country. The details change, but the playbook stays the same.
The reason these attacks work so well comes down to something most grieving families never think to check.
HOW SCAMMERS TARGET YOU EVEN WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA
Scammers build detailed profiles using obituaries, public records and data broker sites often within days of a loss. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
- Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
Why scammers target widows and how they find you so fast
Losing a spouse creates a perfect storm for scammers. Grief can leave you overwhelmed, and at the same time, you are handling financial decisions, paperwork and major life changes. That combination makes it easier for someone to catch you off guard.
THE ONE THING SCAMMERS CHECK BEFORE TARGETING YOU ONLINE
Meanwhile, your personal information becomes easier to find. Obituaries often include names, relationships and locations. Death records get filed with the Social Security Administration and added to the Death Master File. Probate filings can reveal property transfers, beneficiaries and account details.
Data brokers collect all of this and turn it into detailed profiles that almost anyone can access. According to research from a data privacy company analyzing five years of FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center data, about 52.5% of crimes reported by Americans over 60 in 2023 were either enabled or worsened by personal data available online. Widows, especially those managing estates alone, sit high on that target list.
Here’s what you should do in the first 90 days
Despite being in a high-risk group, taking these protective steps should keep scammers at bay. I know how overwhelming this time can be, so I recommend asking a trusted family member or friend for assistance setting things up. Though you should always refrain from sharing sensitive details like account numbers and your Social Security number.
THE DATA BROKER OPT-OUT STEPS EVERY RETIREE SHOULD TAKE TODAY
Days 1-30: Limit what enters the system
The first month is when the most damaging data gets published. So your first job is damage control.
1) Be strategic about the obituary
Obituaries are the single most accessible data source scammers use after a death. A traditional obituary lists full names, survivor relationships, hometowns and sometimes even ages. That’s a complete family map, and in the wrong hands, it can be a powerful weapon.
You don’t have to skip the obituary. But consider removing or abbreviating the exact home city (use the region instead), names of minor grandchildren and the surviving spouse’s first and last name combined with their address. “Carol of Cleveland” is safer than “Carol Patterson of 114 Birchwood Lane, Cleveland.”
HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PERSONAL INFO FROM PEOPLE-SEARCH SITES
2) Search your name on people-finder sites
Before you can remove anything, you need to see what’s already there.
Go to Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified and Intelius. Search your name and your spouse’s name. What you find will likely include your address, phone number, email addresses, relatives’ names and property records.
This snapshot is your starting point. Take screenshots. You’ll need them.
10 SIGNS YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS BEING SOLD ONLINE
3) Set up a Google Alert for your name and address
It takes two minutes, and it’s free. Go to google.com/alerts and create alerts for:
- Your full name
- Your spouse’s full name
- Your street address.
If your information gets published anywhere new, you’ll get an email notification. This is your early warning system.
REMOVE YOUR PERSONAL INFO FROM THE WEB — STOP IT FROM COMING BACK
Days 31-60: Start removing and automating what you can’t do manually
People-search sites can expose your address, relatives and contact details, making it easier for scammers to target you. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
By now, your information has had weeks to spread. Manual opt-outs are worth doing, but here’s the reality: there are hundreds of data broker sites. Each one has its own removal process. Many require you to submit ID, wait days for confirmation and then re-submit when your data reappears, because it will.
1) Opt out of people-search sites
Prioritize manual opt-outs from the sites that appear in your Google search results. These carry the most weight because scammers often start with whatever Google surfaces first.
You can find these exposures quickly and easily with Incogni’s free scanner. This tool will scan the web for your personal information and email you a report with a list of results you can start with.
HOW TO HAND OFF DATA PRIVACY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR OLDER ADULTS TO A TRUSTED LOVED ONE
If you’d rather go about it on your own, some of the most common sites include:
- Spokeo: spokeo.com/opt_out/new
- Whitepages: whitepages.com/suppression_requests
- BeenVerified: beenverified.com/opt-out
- Intelius: intelius.com/opt-out.
Each one will ask you to verify your email. Follow through on every confirmation; unconfirmed requests don’t get processed.
Keep in mind that removing your information takes time and persistence. There are hundreds of data broker sites, and many of them re-list your information after it has been removed, especially when new public records become available.
Because of that, some people choose to use automated data removal services that send ongoing opt-out requests on their behalf. These services can help reduce the workload by continuously monitoring and removing listings as they reappear.
No matter which approach you take, consistency matters. Checking your information regularly and following up on removals helps limit what scammers can find.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com
2) Update security questions on all financial accounts
This step is urgent, and most people skip it entirely.
Data broker profiles almost always contain the exact answers to your bank’s security questions. Mother’s maiden name. Previous address. City where you were born. Scammers use these to impersonate you and access your accounts.
WHAT HACKERS CAN LEARN ABOUT YOU FROM A DATA BROKER FILE
Call your bank, brokerage and insurance companies. Ask to update your knowledge-based authentication questions. Use answers that are completely made up, something only you know and store them in a password manager. Don’t use any answer that appears anywhere in a data broker profile.
Days 61-90: Lock down the perimeter
By now, the most urgent exposure has been addressed. These final steps close the remaining gaps and protect you in the long term.
1) Place a credit freeze on your account and your spouse’s
A credit freeze prevents new credit accounts from being opened in your name. It’s free at all three major bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
HOW TO SAFEGUARD YOUR CREDIT SCORE IN RETIREMENT AS FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT RISE AMONG SENIORS
Critically: freeze your spouse’s credit too. After a death, identity thieves frequently open new accounts in the deceased person’s name before the credit bureaus are updated. This is called ghosting, and it can haunt an estate for years.
To freeze a deceased spouse’s credit, contact each bureau individually and provide the death certificate. It’s a few phone calls. It’s worth every minute.
2) Request removal from the Social Security Death Master File
Families can submit a request to limit access to a deceased person’s Social Security data in certain contexts. Visit ssa.gov for current guidance. This won’t scrub the record entirely, but limiting access to the Death Master File reduces the pool of parties who can use it to enrich your data broker profile.
3) Review all joint account access and update beneficiary information
This isn’t directly a data privacy step, but it protects you from a related threat. Scammers who know about an estate sometimes pose as financial advisors, attorneys or government representatives to intercept beneficiary changes. Confirm all account changes directly through institutions you contact yourself, never through a number someone else gives you.
4) Set up simple safeguards to stop scams early
By this stage, your data is more controlled. Now the focus shifts to stopping scams before they escalate. Start by setting clear expectations with your family. Let them know you will never ask for money through an unexpected call, text or email. Creating a simple code word or check-in rule can stop panic-driven decisions, which is exactly what scammers rely on.
Next, slow down any urgent financial request. Scammers create pressure to force quick action. If someone claims there is a payout, problem or deadline, pause and verify it using a phone number or website you trust, not one they provide. It also helps to keep a short list of your financial institutions and their official contact details in one place. That way, you always know how to reach them directly without relying on incoming calls or messages.
Taking simple steps early, like removing your data and freezing your credit, can reduce your risk during the most vulnerable time. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
INSIDE A SCAMMER’S DAY AND HOW THEY TARGET YOU
Finally, be cautious in real-time conversations. Scammers often build trust by collecting small details over multiple interactions. Keeping answers brief and avoiding unnecessary personal details makes it that much harder.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: CyberGuy.com
Kurt’s key takeaways
The first few months after losing a spouse bring enough decisions without adding fraud risks on top. Yet that is when your personal information spreads the fastest. Public records and data broker sites can quietly build a profile that scammers use against you. Early action makes a real difference. Limiting what gets published, removing existing data and securing your accounts all reduce your exposure. Even small steps, like updating security questions or freezing credit, can stop a scam before it starts. You do not need to handle everything at once. Start with a simple search of your name and review what appears. From there, take control at your own pace and protect what matters most.
If someone can piece together your personal life within days of a loss, how much of your information are you comfortable leaving online? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.comCyberguy.com
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
- Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
-
Technology5 minutes agoUnited Arab Emirates plans AI-run government within two years
-
Business11 minutes ago‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ steps out to $77 million at the box office
-
Entertainment17 minutes agoFormer Santana vocalist Alex Ligertwood dies at 79
-
Lifestyle23 minutes agoShe’s rich, self-made and wants women to boldly talk about money (and make more)
-
Politics29 minutes agoTaxes, program cuts and Newsom’s legacy on the line in budget negotiations
-
Sports41 minutes agoLakers respect the Thunder but insist they aren’t intimidated by them
-
World53 minutes agoIran warns Trump’s escort mission in Strait of Hormuz violates ceasefire
-
News1 hour agoGas prices went up more than 30 cents a gallon last week. How high could they go?