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Alibaba launches Quark AI glasses in China

Mohammed Fahad
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Alibaba launches Quark AI glasses in China
  • Aims to make smart glasses a commerce-centric interface—extending its “super-app” ecosystem into ambient computing and everyday retail interactions.
  • Alibaba must compete not only with global device leaders but also with Chinese peers scaling quickly through aggressive channel strategies.

Alibaba unveiled its Quark artificial intelligence glasses in China, marking the e-commerce giant’s push into AI wearables as global smart glasses shipments accelerate.

Priced from 1,899 yuan (about $268), the Quark glasses are powered by Alibaba’s Qwen AI model and app and are designed to resemble regular eyewear with a black plastic frame, contrasting with bulkier headsets from rivals.

Product and ecosystem integration

  • Features: On-the-go translation, instant price recognition, and voice-first assistance.
  • Ecosystem: Deep integration with Alipay and Taobao positions the device as a commerce- and payments-aware assistant, potentially enabling in-store price checks, product comparisons, and seamless checkout.
  • Availability: Listed on Tmall, JD.com, and Douyin; Alibaba has not yet disclosed sales figures following Thursday’s launch.

Market context

  • Category growth: Global smart glasses shipments reached 4.07 million units in first half of 2025, up 64.2% year over year, according to IDC. The market is forecast to exceed 40 million units by 2029, with Asia Pacific—particularly China—posting the highest growth rate.
  • China’s position: Chinese vendors shipped over 1 million units in first half of 2025, up 64.2% y/y, capturing 26.6% global share. China surpassed the US with a 35.5% market share in H1, ranking first globally, supported by end-to-end supply chain strengths in optics, sensors, and assembly.
  • Competitive landscape: Meta holds roughly 80% of the VR headset market, while Apple sells Vision Pro and Samsung’s Galaxy XR launched in October with Google’s AI features. In China, Xiaomi and Baidu have introduced similar AI-enabled glasses, intensifying local competition.

Strategic implications

  • Differentiation: By embedding Qwen AI and linking directly to Alipay/Taobao, Alibaba aims to make smart glasses a commerce-centric interface—extending its “super-app” ecosystem into ambient computing and everyday retail interactions.
  • Go-to-market: Domestic dominance plus supply chain leverage could support rapid cost iteration and feature updates, while distribution via major Chinese e-commerce platforms provides immediate reach. Overseas expansion will hinge on localised services, app partnerships, and regulatory alignment.
  • Risks: User adoption will depend on comfort, battery life, optical performance, and privacy assurances. Alibaba must compete not only with global device leaders but also with Chinese peers scaling quickly through aggressive channel strategies.

Outlook IDC’s projections and China’s supply chain advantages suggest smart glasses could become a mainstream human–computer interface by decade’s end, providing new growth vectors for consumer electronics.

Underground AI models like WormGPT and KawaiiGPT resurface

Naushad K. Cherrayil
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Underground AI models like WormGPT and KawaiiGPT resurface
  • Analysts say defenders should expect more polished phishing at scale and quicker prototyping of commodity malware
  • Organisations urged to harden identity controls, email authentication, and script execution policies as these underground tools evolve.

Hackers are increasingly adopting large language models tailored for cyberattacks, with tools such as WormGPT and KawaiiGPT re-emerging on dark-web forums and developer platforms, according to new research.

Marketed as “AI without boundaries,” these models promise faster generation of phishing emails, malicious code, and basic ransomware scripts, and are being sold via subscription tiers and supported by active online communities.

Researchers found that many of these underground models appear to be repackaged versions of larger commercial systems but are trained on malware-heavy datasets and maintained by dedicated groups.

Some are explicitly promoted as hacking aids, while others are framed as dual-use tools for penetration testing, reflecting the broader “dual-use dilemma” in advanced technologies. “Any tool powerful enough to build a complex system can also be repurposed to break one,” the analysis by Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 noted.

Sophisticated language capabilities

WormGPT, created by blackhat developers, has returned in a more commercialised form, offering subscriptions reportedly priced at about $50 per month or $220 for lifetime access. Advertised across Telegram, forums, and its own interface, the latest version claims sophisticated language capabilities that can mimic executives or vendors, removing tell-tale grammatical errors common in traditional phishing.

In tests, researchers said WormGPT could generate functional PowerShell ransomware and convincing ransom notes featuring threats such as 72-hour payment deadlines and price doubling upon expiry.

KawaiiGPT 2.5, another model cited by researchers, has been open-sourced on GitHub since July and promotes a lightweight Linux setup that takes “less than five minutes.”

Tongue-in-cheek branding

It is backed by a community of roughly 500 contributors and presented with tongue-in-cheek branding as “Your Sadistic Cyber Pentesting Waifu,” underscoring how some projects straddle the line between offensive tooling and purported security research.

While these models can accelerate low-skill cyber operations, researchers cautioned that much of the code they produce remains relatively basic and is often detectable by modern security tools.

However, they warned that continued development and commercialisation could lower the barrier to entry for inexperienced attackers and increase the quality and volume of social engineering campaigns.

The trend parallels broader shifts in real-world attacks, where automation and AI have begun to handle substantial portions of intrusion workflows.

Analysts said defenders should expect more polished phishing at scale and quicker prototyping of commodity malware, and urged organisations to harden identity controls, email authentication, and script execution policies as these underground tools evolve.

Intel denies TSMC trade-secret allegations against returning official

Ana Mary Joseph
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Intel denies TSMC trade-secret allegations against returning official
  • TSMC alleged “a high probability that Lo uses, leaks, discloses or transfers TSMC’s trade secrets and confidential information to Intel,” saying legal action was necessary.
  • Taiwan’s economy ministry says will cooperate to determine whether the case involves infringement of core technologies or violations of the National Security Act.

Intel rejected allegations from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) that executive Wei-Jen Lo, a former senior vice president at the Taiwanese chipmaker, leaked trade secrets after joining Intel in October.

“Based on everything we know, we have no reason to believe there is any merit to the allegations involving Mr. Lo,” Intel said in an emailed statement, adding that it maintains “rigorous policies and controls” prohibiting the use or transfer of third-party confidential information or intellectual property.

Intel said it has welcomed Lo back and described him as widely respected for “integrity, leadership and technical expertise,” noting that talent movement across companies is “a common and healthy part of our industry.”

Effort to regain process leadership

TSMC said Tuesday it filed a lawsuit in Taiwan’s Intellectual Property and Commercial Court against Lo, who retired from TSMC after a 21-year tenure during which he helped drive mass production of cutting-edge 5-nanometre, 3-nm, and 2-nm chips. Lo previously worked at Intel for 18 years before joining TSMC in 2004.

In its statement, TSMC alleged “a high probability that Lo uses, leaks, discloses or transfers TSMC’s trade secrets and confidential information to Intel,” saying legal action was necessary. Taiwan’s economy ministry said it will cooperate to determine whether the case involves infringement of core technologies or violations of the National Security Act.

The legal dispute comes amid intensifying competition in advanced process nodes, with global chipmakers jockeying for leadership in 2-nm and below technologies. Intel’s recruitment of veteran foundry talent, including Lo, is central to its effort to regain process leadership and scale its contract manufacturing business, while TSMC seeks to protect its IP and market dominance.

Onton raises $7.5m to streamline online shopping with neurosymbolic AI

TCN Bureau
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Onton raises $7.5m to streamline online shopping with neurosymbolic AI
  • Seeks to deepen its knowledge graph and data pipelines, and introduce a customisable search engine that adapts to each user.
  • Long term, the company aims to become a global decision-making tool for any product category and market.

Onton, a California-based AI shopping startup, has raised $7.5 million in seed funding led by Footwork with participation from Liquid2, Parable Ventures, 43, and others, bringing total funding to about $10 million.

The company said it will use the capital to expand its product, scale hiring, and grow internationally amid rising demand for trustworthy, AI-driven search.

Onton aims to shorten what it calls a “79-day” average purchase cycle by replacing keyword-based e-commerce search with a neurosymbolic AI system that aggregates and reasons over product data. The platform allows users to search with natural language, images, or both; consolidates web sources into unified product listings; and offers creative tools—Imagine and Surfaces—to generate shoppable versions of user-defined styles.

“We are building the future of decision making online,” said Zach Hudson, Onton’s CEO and co-founder. “People deserve a way to shop that feels intelligent, transparent, and effortless.”

Widespread shopping friction

The company reports conversion rates three times the industry benchmark, with more than 20 per cent of users active weekly. Onton scaled from four employees and over one million monthly active users early in 2025 to a team of ten today, with plans to add five more roles.

Founded after co-founder Alex’s 30-hour search for a mid-century gray couch underscored widespread shopping friction, Onton’s early development included winning Pioneer and acceptance into On Deck Fellowship 5. Hudson previously built Rcmmd and studied trust in online reviews.

The funding comes as e-commerce grapples with unstructured data, SEO-saturated listings, and the spread of autogenerated content, while brands tighten into walled gardens and legacy recommendation sources fade. Consumers are increasingly adopting AI-first interfaces and expect assistants that deliver relevance and verification rather than filterable lists.

Users say Onton helps validate product uniqueness, trims research time, and compresses multi-month decisions into minutes. Power users conduct over 100 searches and generations per month, the company said.

Onton plans to expand beyond home decor and furniture into apparel and electronics, deepen its knowledge graph and data pipelines, and introduce a customisable search engine that adapts to each user. Long term, the company aims to become a global decision-making tool for any product category and market.

CISA updates security guidance amid growing spyware and phishing tactics

Mohammed Fahad
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CISA updates security guidance amid growing spyware and phishing tactics
  • Agency warns that device hardening alone is not a defence against hackers exploiting human psychology through social engineering tactics.
  • Clarifies that encrypted apps offer improved security but must be used alongside new risk-mitigation practices.

Amid a surge in advanced spyware and social engineering attacks, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has released updated security guidance for iPhone and Android users, calling for stronger measures to protect against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats targeting messaging apps and mobile devices .

Last year, CISA and the FBI urged Americans to use encrypted messaging services like Signal or WhatsApp, stepping away from standard SMS. Now, as hackers target these very platforms with spyware campaigns, CISA has clarified that encrypted apps offer improved security but must be used alongside new risk-mitigation practices.

The agency warns that device hardening alone is not a defence against hackers exploiting human psychology through social engineering tactics.

Four new app security practices
CISA’s revised guidance includes:

  1. Beware of social engineering: Hackers may impersonate contacts or group admins and trick users into dangerous actions—such as scanning fake QR codes. Always confirm group invitations and stay alert for suspicious requests.
  2. Be suspicious of unexpected security alerts: Ignore and verify messages—even within apps—that ask for authentication codes, as attackers increasingly use fake alerts to compromise accounts.
  3. Enable message expiration: Use disappearing messages to reduce long-term data exposure, subject to workplace data retention policies and laws.
  4. Audit linked devices: Routinely check which devices are connected to your messaging apps, removing any that are not recognized .

Device-specific protection: iPhone & Android

For iPhones:

  • Enable lockdown mode: Restricts device features to minimise vulnerabilities.
  • Disable SMS fallback in iMessage: Ensures communications remain end-to-end encrypted.
  • Use iCloud private relay or encrypted DNS providers: Mask IP addresses and protect DNS queries.
  • Restrict app permissions: Limit access to personal data and device features.
  • Choose the latest hardware: Opt for the newest iPhone models with advanced security.

For Android devices:

  • Select secure models: Prioritise devices with strong update commitments and hardware security.
  • Configure Google messages for end-to-end encryption: Use RCS only when encrypted.
  • Secure browsing and safe browsing protections: Ensure HTTPS connections and enable Enhanced Protection in Chrome.
  • Keep play protect on: Regularly check app scans to guard against malicious apps.
  • Limit app permissions: Revoke unnecessary app access.

General security best practices for all users

  • Use end-to-end encrypted apps for sensitive communication.
  • Adopt phishing-resistant authentication: Prefer hardware security keys (FIDO standard) over SMS-based codes. Enroll critical accounts in Google Advanced Protection Program if possible.
  • Utilise password managers: Choose industry-recognized options with breach alerting, and upgrade weak or repeated passwords.
  • Set a carrier-level PIN: To thwart SIM-swapping attacks.
  • Keep devices and apps updated: Enable automatic software updates.
  • Avoid personal VPNs: Especially free services, as they add risk rather than reduce it.

CISA emphasises that while the guidance is especially crucial for those in high-risk fields—government, defence, and politics—it applies to all mobile users given the widespread and rapidly evolving nature of cyberattacks.

Implementing these combined best practices, according to CISA, offers strong protection against both nation-state and financially motivated hackers.

HP to cut up to 6,000 jobs globally by 2028 amid AI push

Ana Mary Joseph
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HP to cut up to 6,000 jobs globally by 2028 amid AI push
  • Layoffs to primarily impact teams involved in product development, internal operations, and customer service.
  • HP plans aggressive cost-saving actions including qualifying lower-cost suppliers and adjusting memory configurations.

HP announced plans to slash 4,000 to 6,000 jobs worldwide by fiscal 2028 as part of a strategy to streamline operations and accelerate artificial intelligence adoption across product development and customer support. The announcement, made Tuesday, sent HP shares down 5.5 per cent in after-hours trading.

The Palo Alto-based technology giant said the layoffs would primarily impact teams involved in product development, internal operations, and customer service.

Strong demand for AI-enabled PCs

“We expect this initiative will create $1 billion in gross run rate savings over three years,” CEO Enrique Lores said during a media call. The planned reductions follow an additional 1,000 to 2,000 layoffs announced in February, part of a broader restructuring program.

HP is leaning into surging demand for AI-enabled PCs, which made up more than 30 per cent of its latest quarterly shipments. Still, the company faces mounting cost pressure from global memory chip price hikes, exacerbated by data centre demand for AI infrastructure.

To offset future chip cost pressures, HP plans aggressive cost-saving actions including qualifying lower-cost suppliers and adjusting memory configurations.

HP’s latest restructuring underscores the dual challenge many global tech manufacturers face: capturing opportunities in AI while navigating the realities of rising component costs and fierce competition.

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