News & Updates
The latest news and updates from companies in the WLTH portfolio.
SpaceX's insane IPO valuation is based on a sci-fi tale
Experts say it will take decades to make Elon Musk's cosmic vision real. Elon Musk wants to execute the largest initial public offering in history, chasing a staggering $1.75 trillion to $2 trillion valuation for SpaceX. To justify this unprecedented price tag, he is aggressively hyping a cosmic vision: launching 1 million artificial intelligence servers into orbit to create a 100-gigawatt space data center in the next decade. He plans to one day build a factory on the moon to catapult these servers to Earth's orbit.
German banks probe Anthropic Mythos over cyberattack risks By Investing.com
Investing.com -- German banks and national authorities are examining risks surrounding Anthropic's new artificial intelligence model amid concerns it could fuel cyberattacks. Kolja Gabriel, a member of the executive board at the German Banking Association, said Thursday that the group was consulting with cyber experts at its member banks as well as Germany's finance ministry and other authorities. Mythos is being used in a controlled manner by IT security firms to close potential vulnerabilities as quickly as possible, according to Gabriel, who is responsible for technology and innovation. He said the association expects a series of software updates shortly and is closely monitoring developments. The discussions also involve the Bundesbank and Germany's financial watchdog BaFin. BaFin said there are regular exchanges with relevant national, European and international stakeholders. Financial firms must be prepared for the possibility that vulnerabilities could be discovered in the near future, which would then need to be addressed promptly and quickly, BaFin said in a statement. Anthropic's Mythos is seen by cybersecurity experts as posing challenges to the banking sector and its legacy technology systems, raising alarm bells among regulators in Britain and the United States. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.
Kraken Robotics Announces $28 Million in SeaPower Battery and Kraken SAS Orders
ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland and Labrador, April 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kraken Robotics Inc. ("Kraken" or the "Company") (TSX-V: PNG, OTCQB: KRKNF) announces approximately $28 million in new orders to five clients including two new customers for its SeaPower™ batteries and Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS). "These orders include battery contracts from three large international defence... ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland and Labrador, April 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kraken Robotics Inc. ("Kraken" or the "Company") (TSX-V: PNG, OTCQB: KRKNF) announces approximately $28 million in new orders to five clients including two new customers for its SeaPower™ batteries and Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS). "These orders include battery contracts from three large international defence companies and a SAS order from a new commercial uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) manufacturer," said Greg Reid, President and CEO of Kraken Robotics. "Our products are now integrated or being integrated into more than 30 different UUV platform types worldwide." Figure 1: Kraken Robotics synthetic aperture sonar image of an offshore oil and gas production field. ABOUT KRAKEN ROBOTICS INC. Kraken Robotics Inc. is transforming subsea intelligence through 3D imaging sensors, power solutions, and robotic systems. Our products and services enable clients to overcome the challenges in our oceans - safely, efficiently, and sustainably. Kraken's synthetic aperture sonar, sub-bottom imaging, and LiDAR systems offer best-in-class resolution, providing critical insights into ocean safety, infrastructure, and geology. Our revolutionary pressure tolerant batteries deliver high energy density power for UUVs and subsea energy storage. Kraken Robotics is headquartered in Canada with offices in North America, South America, and Europe, supporting clients in more than 30 countries worldwide. On March 3, 2026, Kraken announced the acquisition of Covelya Group Limited (the "Acquisition"), a leading international provider of mission-critical underwater technology solutions operating through its subsidiary companies: Sonardyne International Ltd., EIVA A/S, Forcys Ltd., Wavefront Systems Ltd., Voyis Imaging Inc., and Chelsea Technologies Ltd. The Acquisition is expected to close during the second quarter of 2026, subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions and regulatory approvals. Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "expect", and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, business objectives, expected growth, results of operations, performance, business projects and opportunities and financial results. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events based on certain material factors and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, changes in market, competition, governmental or regulatory developments, general economic conditions and other factors set out in the Company's public disclosure documents. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this news release, including without limitation those listed above. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this news release and such forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference in this news release, should not be unduly relied upon. Such statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provide (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release, and the OTCQB has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. For further information: Erica Hasenfus, Director of Global Marketing [email protected] Shant Madian, Director of Capital Markets [email protected] Kraken Robotics Inc. +1 709-757-5757 [email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/87a1d8ac-4b17-4fc1-b613-a0b14d4d8d4e
Kraken Robotics Announces $28 Million in SeaPower Battery and Kraken SAS Orders
"These orders include battery contracts from three large international defence companies and a SAS order from a new commercial uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) manufacturer," said Greg Reid, President and CEO of Kraken Robotics. "Our products are now integrated or being integrated into more than 30 different UUV platform types worldwide." Figure 1: Kraken Robotics synthetic aperture sonar image of an offshore oil and gas production field. ABOUT KRAKEN ROBOTICS INC. Kraken Robotics Inc. is transforming subsea intelligence through 3D imaging sensors, power solutions, and robotic systems. Our products and services enable clients to overcome the challenges in our oceans - safely, efficiently, and sustainably. Kraken's synthetic aperture sonar, sub-bottom imaging, and LiDAR systems offer best-in-class resolution, providing critical insights into ocean safety, infrastructure, and geology. Our revolutionary pressure tolerant batteries deliver high energy density power for UUVs and subsea energy storage. Kraken Robotics is headquartered in Canada with offices in North America, South America, and Europe, supporting clients in more than 30 countries worldwide. On March 3, 2026, Kraken announced the acquisition of Covelya Group Limited (the "Acquisition"), a leading international provider of mission-critical underwater technology solutions operating through its subsidiary companies: Sonardyne International Ltd., EIVA A/S, Forcys Ltd., Wavefront Systems Ltd., Voyis Imaging Inc., and Chelsea Technologies Ltd. The Acquisition is expected to close during the second quarter of 2026, subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions and regulatory approvals. LINKS: www.krakenrobotics.com SOCIAL MEDIA: LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/krakenrobotics Twitter www.twitter.com/krakenrobotics Facebook www.facebook.com/krakenroboticsinc YouTube www.youtube.com/channel/UCEMyaMQnneTeIr71HYgrT2A Instagram www.instagram.com/krakenrobotics Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "expect", and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, business objectives, expected growth, results of operations, performance, business projects and opportunities and financial results. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events based on certain material factors and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, changes in market, competition, governmental or regulatory developments, general economic conditions and other factors set out in the Company's public disclosure documents. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this news release, including without limitation those listed above. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this news release and such forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference in this news release, should not be unduly relied upon. Such statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
Kraken Robotics Announces $28 Million in SeaPower Battery and Kraken SAS Orders - Kraken Robotics (OTC:KR
"These orders include battery contracts from three large international defence companies and a SAS order from a new commercial uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) manufacturer," said Greg Reid, President and CEO of Kraken Robotics. "Our products are now integrated or being integrated into more than 30 different UUV platform types worldwide." Figure 1: Kraken Robotics synthetic aperture sonar image of an offshore oil and gas production field. ABOUT KRAKEN ROBOTICS INC. Kraken Robotics Inc. is transforming subsea intelligence through 3D imaging sensors, power solutions, and robotic systems. Our products and services enable clients to overcome the challenges in our oceans - safely, efficiently, and sustainably. Kraken's synthetic aperture sonar, sub-bottom imaging, and LiDAR systems offer best-in-class resolution, providing critical insights into ocean safety, infrastructure, and geology. Our revolutionary pressure tolerant batteries deliver high energy density power for UUVs and subsea energy storage. Kraken Robotics is headquartered in Canada with offices in North America, South America, and Europe, supporting clients in more than 30 countries worldwide. LINKS: www.krakenrobotics.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provide (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release, and the OTCQB has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. For further information: Erica Hasenfus, Director of Global Marketing [email protected] Shant Madian, Director of Capital Markets [email protected] Kraken Robotics Inc. +1 709-757-5757 [email protected] Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.
Horror as Russia 'plans nuclear weapon in space' that could cause global chaos
Vladimir Putin's Russia is reportedly plotting to put a nuclear weapon in space(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Russia is feared to be planning to put a nuclear weapon in space that is capable of sparking global chaos by targeting satellites. A United States military chief has warned Moscow is considering using a nuclear anti-satellite weapon which could destroy thousands of satellites and cause communications disruption across the world, dubbing it a "Space Pearl Harbor". General Stephen Whiting, head of US Space Command, said America was "very concerned" about the Kremlin's plans, which he said form part of a wider pattern of Russian aggression in space since the war in Ukraine began. The four-star general warned Russia has already been carrying out "sustained satellite communication and GPS jamming" on such a scale that it is "putting civilian airliners at risk". Speaking on The Times podcast The General & The Journalist, Gen Whiting said: "Russia remains a sophisticated space power and they continue to invest in counter-space weapons. They are thinking about placing in orbit a nuclear anti-satellite weapon that would hold at risk everyone's satellites in low Earth orbit, and that would be an outcome that we just couldn't tolerate." He said Russia sees the US and NATO as too strong in conventional warfare and believes attacking space systems could "level the battlefield". Gen Whiting said: "From a Russian perspective, they look at the United States, they look at NATO and they see an overmatch there of conventional arms. "And they believe that novel ways of trying to undermine the United States and NATO, such as by neutralising our space capabilities, helps them to level the battlefield. I won't speak about our intelligence sources and methods, but obviously it's a report that we're very concerned about." A nuclear weapon in orbit would be a major breach of the Outer Space Treaty, which Russia has signed. The warning is the strongest public intervention yet from a senior US military officer on the threat posed by Moscow. Russia's alleged ambitions first emerged in February 2024 when Pentagon officials briefed members of Congress behind closed doors. Since then, the US House intelligence committee has been pressing the White House to declassify information about the project so politicians can discuss the scale of the threat. Experts fear a nuclear blast in low Earth orbit could destroy up to 10,000 satellites - around 80% of all those currently in space. Military intelligence, communications, internet, mobile phone services and GPS could all be crippled. Gen Whiting also warned Russia's GPS jamming is already affecting civilian flights across eastern and southern Europe. He said: "When we put at risk civilian airliners full of citizens just trying to go on business or holiday, that's incredibly problematic." He said both Russia and China are rapidly building space weapons, with Beijing developing jammers, directed energy weapons and anti-satellite rockets. The general urged Sir Keir Starmer's government to spend far more on Britain's space defences, with the UK spending less than 1% of its defence budget on space, compared with 4% in Germany and 3% in France. Gen Whiting believes the next major global conflict will "likely be a war that starts in space". He said rival nations have watched how heavily the US and its allies rely on satellites and space technology for modern warfare. Despite the growing space arms race, he insisted a conflict in orbit is "not inevitable". He added: "Our goal each and every day is to wake up and deter that from happening so that mankind can continue to take advantage of all the benefits of space."
German banks examine risks of Anthropic's Mythos with authorities
FRANKFURT, April 16 (Reuters) - German banks and national authorities are examining risks around Anthropic's new artificial intelligence model, an official said on Thursday, amid concerns that it could fuel cyberattacks. Kolja Gabriel, a member of the executive board at the German Banking Association, told Reuters that the group was consulting with cyber experts at its member banks as well as Germany's finance ministry and other authorities. Anthropic's Mythos is seen by cybersecurity experts as posing significant challenges to the banking sector and its legacy technology systems, raising alarm bells among regulators in Britain and the United States. "Mythos is being used in a controlled manner by IT security firms to close potential vulnerabilities as quickly as possible. We expect a series of software updates shortly and are closely monitoring developments," Gabriel, who is responsible for technology and innovation, said in an emailed statement. The talks also involve the Bundesbank and Germany's financial watchdog BaFin. The finance ministry declined to comment, while the central bank did not immediately respond to a request for comment. BaFin said that there are regular exchanges with relevant national, European and international stakeholders. "Financial firms must be prepared for the possibility that vulnerabilities could be discovered in the near future, which would then need to be addressed promptly and quickly," BaFin said in a statement. Reuters reported on Thursday that European Central Bank supervisors are set to quiz bankers about the risks of Mythos. Anthropic has said its current iteration, Claude Mythos Preview, will not be made generally available and has instead announced Project Glasswing. It invited major tech companies, cybersecurity vendors and JPMorgan Chase, along with several dozen other organizations, to privately evaluate this model and prepare defences accordingly. (Reporting by Tom Sims; Editing by Alexander Smith)
Jensen Huang on Google, Meta, Anthropic and other companies making AI chips that analysts say should scare Nvidia: What everyone is not understanding is...
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has a simple answer for everyone treating Google's TPU push, Meta's homegrown MTIA chips, Anthropic's multi-gigawatt compute deal, Amazon's near-sold-out Trainium4, and OpenAI's Broadcom silicon project as a five-alarm fire for the world's most valuable chipmaker: you're all misreading the situation. One by one, the biggest names in AI are quietly building around Nvidia -- and Huang spent a significant stretch of a nearly two-hour podcast making the case that none of it is quite what it looks like.In a wide-ranging conversation on the Dwarkesh Podcast published Tuesday, Huang argued that what looks like customer defection is actually something far more specific. Anthropic's massive pivot to Google TPUs -- a deal with Broadcom locking in roughly 3.5 gigawatts of computing capacity through 2031 -- isn't a market signal, he said. It's one company's unusual history. "Anthropic is a unique instance, not a trend," Huang told host Dwarkesh Patel. "Without Anthropic, why would there be any TPU growth at all? It's 100% Anthropic."The pushback comes as pressure on Nvidia mounts from multiple directions at once. Meta has unveiled four new in-house MTIA chips co-developed with Broadcom. Amazon's Trainium4 is reportedly near sold out. OpenAI is co-designing its own silicon with Broadcom. And Nvidia's stock has lurched on every headline, shedding roughly $250 billion in market value after reports that Meta was even exploring a Google TPU deal.Huang's defense of Nvidia's position centers on a familiar argument -- that CUDA's ecosystem, its hundreds of millions of installed GPUs across every major cloud, and Nvidia's annual architectural leaps are not things competitors can replicate quickly or cheaply. He pointed to the graveyard of custom chip projects that never delivered. "Look at the number of ASICs that have been canceled," he said. "Just because you're going to build an ASIC doesn't mean you've built something better than Nvidia."On the margins question -- the idea that Nvidia's roughly 70% gross margins create an obvious opening for cheaper alternatives -- he was equally direct. "ASIC margins are 65%," Huang said, arguing the savings customers actually see are far thinner than the narrative suggests.He did concede one genuine miss. Nvidia wasn't in a position to write the multi-billion dollar early checks that Google and Amazon used to anchor Anthropic in their ecosystems. "I didn't deeply internalize that they really had no other options," he said. He's since invested in both Anthropic and OpenAI, and said he won't make the same mistake again.What the Dwarkesh interview left unresolved is whether Nvidia's strengths matter as much in the next phase of AI as they did in the last one. The training era -- where Nvidia's general-purpose GPUs and CUDA programmability were genuinely hard to beat -- is giving way to an inference-dominated market. Bank of America estimates inference will account for 75% of AI data center spending by 2030, up from around 50% last year.That's where the cost math looks different. Google's Ironwood TPU reportedly delivers total cost of ownership 30-44% lower than Nvidia's GB200 server for inference workloads. Nvidia has responded by licensing Groq's inference-focused architecture -- a move that signals, more than any press release, that the company knows where the competitive threat is actually coming from.Huang's long-run bet is that AI will keep demanding the kind of architectural flexibility only Nvidia offers -- that researchers building new attention mechanisms, hybrid models, or techniques nobody has invented yet will keep reaching for CUDA first. "The ability to invent new algorithms is really what makes AI advance so quickly," he said. It's a compelling argument. Whether it survives contact with an inference market that rewards efficiency over flexibility is what the next few years will decide.
Exclusive-Starlink outage hit drone tests, exposing Pentagon's growing reliance on SpaceX
April 16 (Reuters) - Last August, U.S. Navy officials carrying out a test of unmanned vessels realized they had hit a single point of failure: Starlink. A global outage across Elon Musk's satellite network affecting millions of Starlink users had left two dozen unmanned surface vessels bobbing off the California coast, disrupting communications and halting operations for almost an hour. The incident, which involved drones intended to bolster U.S. military options in a conflict with China, was one of several Navy test disruptions linked to SpaceX's Starlink that left operators unable to connect with autonomous boats, according to internal Navy documents reviewed by Reuters and a person familiar with the matter. As SpaceX rockets toward a $2 trillion public offering this summer - expected to be the largest ever - the company has secured its position as the world's most valuable space company in part by being indispensable to the U.S. government with an array of technologies spanning satellite communications to space launches and military AI. Starlink, in particular, has proved key to crucial programs - from drones to missile tracking - with a low-earth orbit constellation of close to 10,000 satellites, a scale that provides the military with a network resilient against potential adversary attacks. But the Navy's mishaps with Starlink for its autonomous drone program, which have not been previously reported, highlight the challenges of the U.S. military's growing reliance on SpaceX and the risks it brings to the Pentagon. "If there was no Starlink, the U.S. government wouldn't have access to a global constellation of low earth orbit communications," said Clayton Swope, a deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the drone test or SpaceX's work with the Navy. The Pentagon's chief information officer, Kirsten Davies, said the "Department leverages multiple, robust, resilient systems for its broad network." The Navy and SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment. Despite facing growing competition from Amazon.com, which announced an $11.6 billion agreement this week to acquire satellite maker Globalstar, SpaceX remains far ahead in low-earth orbit communications. Beyond drones, SpaceX has cemented a near-monopoly for space launches and provides satellite communications with Starlink and its national security-focused constellation, Starshield, generating billions of dollars for the company. Last month, U.S. Space Force said it had reassigned its upcoming GPS launch to a SpaceX rocket for the fourth time, due to a glitch in the Vulcan rocket made by the Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint venture United Launch Alliance.
OpenAI unveils model with limited rollout days after Anthropic
Chat GPT 5.4 Cyber has fewer restrictions for cybersecurity questions for the verified professionals that will use it. OpenAI has launched a new AI model focused on cyber defence, days after the release of rival Anthropic's Claude Mythos sparked concern about the threat posed by increasingly powerful AI to global cybersecurity. GPT 5.4 Cyber, a variant of OpenAI's flagship GPT 5.4 model, has fewer restrictions on cybersecurity-related queries when used for legitimate, defensive purposes, the company said. It also adds capabilities for advanced security work, including binary reverse engineering, which allows researchers to analyse compiled software for malware and vulnerabilities without needing access to its source code. Because the model is more permissive than standard versions, OpenAI said the rollout will be limited to vetted security vendors, organisations and researchers through its Trusted Access for Cyber programme. The launch comes one week after Anthropic unveiled Claude Mythos Preview, a model it says can identify thousands of previously unknown, high-severity vulnerabilities across major operating systems and web browsers, capabilities it judged too dangerous for a full public release. In late March, a data leak revealed that Anthropic was developing a new AI model that its own engineers warned posed "unprecedented cybersecurity risks". The model, Claude Mythos Preview, has since been released in restricted form as part of Project Glasswing, Anthropic's effort to use the technology to harden critical software before it falls into the wrong hands. Anthropic said the model is too dangerous for a full public release because of the scale and sophistication of the cyberattacks it could enable. In tests, the model was able to find previously unknown flaws in the Linux kernel -- which underpins most of the world's servers -- and chain them together into working exploits capable of giving an attacker full control over affected devices. Access to Mythos Preview has been restricted to 12 founding partners, including Amazon Web Services, Apple, Microsoft, Google and Cisco, as well as more than 40 other organisations responsible for critical software infrastructure.
Alphabet set for $100B boost from SpaceX listing
Alphabet is reportedly in line for more than a $100 billion windfall from SpaceX's planned listing, as filings revealed Google owned a 6.1 per cent stake in the company at the end of 2025. Bloomberg reported the stake was revealed in a new disclosure filed in Alaska this week, with companies required to report if they hold an interest of at least 5 per cent. Only Google and founder Elon Musk, with a 40 per cent share, disclosed their SpaceX holdings. However, Bloomberg reported several other companies and individuals stand to make billions from the listing. SpaceX filed paperwork for an IPO with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) this month which could value the company at $1.75 trillion, however the news outlet's latest article indicates it is looking to hit a valuation of more than $2 trillion. Following Elon Musk's move to merge SpaceX with xAI in February, Bloomberg calculates Alphabet's stake has been diluted to around 5 per cent, which would be worth $100 billion at a $2 trillion listing value. Google first invested in SpaceX in 2015 in a $1 billion funding round at a $10 billion valuation, along with Fidelity Investments. It has never revealed its ownership size in SpaceX, but has disclosed unrealised gains from private company stakes in financial reports. In Q1 2025, Bloomberg reported Alphabet boosted profits by $8 billion through its stake in SpaceX.
UK banks to to gain access to Anthropic cybersecurity model within the nex week
This content has been selected, created and edited by the Finextra editorial team based upon its relevance and interest to our community. The release by Anthropic of its AI model Mythos has sparked panic among banks and financial regulators after the company claimed to have found severe zero-day vulnerabilities in every in every major operating system and web browser. The firm has already begun to release the code to some of Wall Street's elite firms after interventions by the US Treasury and Federal Reserve. In the UK, the FCA, HM Treasury, and the National Cyber Security Centre have held talks with banks over the potential danger to critical infrastructure exposed by Mythos. In an interview with Bloomberg, Pip White, Anthropic's head of Emea, says: "The engagement that I've had from CEOs in the past week in the UK has been significant," confirming that UK banks will be able to get their hands on the product in a controlled manner within the coming week.
Exclusive-Starlink outage hit drone tests, exposing Pentagon's growing reliance on SpaceX
April 16 (Reuters) - Last August, U.S. Navy officials carrying out a test of unmanned vessels realized they had hit a single point of failure: Starlink. A global outage across Elon Musk's satellite network affecting millions of Starlink users had left two dozen unmanned surface vessels bobbing off the California coast, disrupting communications and halting operations for almost an hour. The incident, which involved drones intended to bolster U.S. military options in a conflict with China, was one of several Navy test disruptions linked to SpaceX's Starlink that left operators unable to connect with autonomous boats, according to internal Navy documents reviewed by Reuters and a person familiar with the matter. As SpaceX rockets toward a $2 trillion public offering this summer - expected to be the largest ever - the company has secured its position as the world's most valuable space company in part by being indispensable to the U.S. government with an array of technologies spanning satellite communications to space launches and military AI. Starlink, in particular, has proved key to crucial programs - from drones to missile tracking - with a low-earth orbit constellation of close to 10,000 satellites, a scale that provides the military with a network resilient against potential adversary attacks. But the Navy's mishaps with Starlink for its autonomous drone program, which have not been previously reported, highlight the challenges of the U.S. military's growing reliance on SpaceX and the risks it brings to the Pentagon. "If there was no Starlink, the U.S. government wouldn't have access to a global constellation of low earth orbit communications," said Clayton Swope, a deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the drone test or SpaceX's work with the Navy. The Pentagon's chief information officer, Kirsten Davies, said the "Department leverages multiple, robust, resilient systems for its broad network." The Navy and SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment. Despite facing growing competition from Amazon.com, which announced an $11.6 billion agreement this week to acquire satellite maker Globalstar, SpaceX remains far ahead in low-earth orbit communications. Beyond drones, SpaceX has cemented a near-monopoly for space launches and provides satellite communications with Starlink and its national security-focused constellation, Starshield, generating billions of dollars for the company. Last month, U.S. Space Force said it had reassigned its upcoming GPS launch to a SpaceX rocket for the fourth time, due to a glitch in the Vulcan rocket made by the Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint venture United Launch Alliance. WARNINGS ABOUT RELYING ON SPACEX Democratic lawmakers have warned the Pentagon about the risks of its reliance on a single company led by the world's richest man to deliver crucial national security capabilities. More recently, the Defense Department's disagreements and blacklisting of AI startup Anthropic quickly revealed how an overreliance on one AI vendor could create problems should that vendor be dropped. Reuters reported last year that Musk unexpectedly switched off Starlink access to Ukrainian troops as they sought to retake territory from Russia, denting allies' trust in the billionaire. In Taiwan, SpaceX faced criticism over concerns it was withholding satellite communications to U.S. service members based there, "possibly in breach of SpaceX's contractual obligations with the U.S. government," according to a 2024 letter sent by then-U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher to Musk, reported by Forbes at the time. SpaceX disputed the claim in a post on X. Reuters could not determine whether SpaceX has since provided Starlink service in Taiwan to U.S. service members. The Pentagon and SpaceX did not respond to questions about Taiwan. "As a matter of operational security, we do not comment on or discuss plans, operations capabilities or effects," an official said in a statement. STARLINK 'EXPOSED LIMITATIONS' SpaceX's Starlink broadband has been crucial to the Pentagon's drone program, providing connection to small unmanned maritime vessels that look like speedboats without seats, and include those made by Maryland-based BlackSea and Austin, Texas-based Saronic. In April 2025, during a series of Navy tests in California involving unmanned boats and flying drones, officials reported that Starlink struggled to provide a solid network connection due to the high data usage needed to control multiple systems, according to a Navy safety report of the tests reviewed by Reuters. "Starlink reliance exposed limitations under multiple-vehicle load," the report stated. The report also faulted issues linked to radios provided by Silvus and a network system provided by Viasat. In the weeks leading up to the global Starlink outage in August, another series of Navy tests was disrupted by intermittent connection issues with the Starlink network, Navy documents reviewed by Reuters show. The causes of the network losses were not immediately clear. Despite the setbacks, the upside of Starlink - a cheap and commercially available service - outweighs the risk of a potential outage disrupting future military operations, said Bryan Clark, an autonomous warfare expert at the Hudson Institute. "You accept those vulnerabilities because of the benefits you get from the ubiquity it provides," he said. (Reporting by David Jeans in New York; Additional reporting by Joey Roulette in Washington; Editing by Chris Sanders and Matthew Lewis)
German banks examine risks of Anthropic's Mythos with authorities
FRANKFURT, April 16 (Reuters) - German banks and national authorities are examining risks around Anthropic's new artificial intelligence model, an official said on Thursday, amid concerns that it could fuel cyberattacks. Kolja Gabriel, a member of the executive board at the German Banking Association, told Reuters that the group was consulting with cyber experts at its member banks as well as Germany's finance ministry and other authorities. Anthropic's Mythos is seen by cybersecurity experts as posing significant challenges to the banking sector and its legacy technology systems, raising alarm bells among regulators in Britain and the United States. "Mythos is being used in a controlled manner by IT security firms to close potential vulnerabilities as quickly as possible. We expect a series of software updates shortly and are closely monitoring developments," Gabriel, who is responsible for technology and innovation, said in an emailed statement. The talks also involve the Bundesbank and Germany's financial watchdog BaFin. The finance ministry declined to comment, while the central bank did not immediately respond to a requestfor comment. BaFin said that there are regular exchanges with relevant national, European and international stakeholders. "Financial firms must be prepared for the possibility that vulnerabilities could be discovered in the near future, which would then need to be addressed promptly and quickly," BaFin said in a statement. Reuters reported on Thursday that European Central Bank supervisors are set to quiz bankers about the risks of Mythos. Anthropic has said its current iteration, Claude Mythos Preview, will not be made generally available and has instead announced Project Glasswing. It invited major tech companies, cybersecurity vendors and JPMorgan Chase, along with several dozen other organizations, to privately evaluate this model and prepare defences accordingly. (Reporting by Tom Sims; Editing by Alexander Smith)
Starlink outage hit drone tests, exposing Pentagon reliance on SpaceX | News.az
A Starlink outage disrupted U.S. Navy drone tests, highlighting the Pentagon's growing dependence on SpaceX for critical military communications, according to internal documents reviewed by Reuters. During a test off the California coast last August, a global outage of the satellite network left around two dozen unmanned surface vessels temporarily unable to communicate, halting operations for nearly an hour, News.Az reports, citing Reuters. The incident was one of several disruptions linked to connectivity issues with Starlink, affecting tests involving autonomous maritime drones designed to strengthen U.S. capabilities in a potential conflict scenario. The documents also revealed that earlier tests faced intermittent connection problems and limitations when handling multiple unmanned systems simultaneously, raising concerns about network reliability under heavy operational loads. Despite these setbacks, experts say Starlink remains a key asset due to its global coverage and relatively low cost. Its vast network of low-Earth orbit satellites has made it an essential tool for military programs, including drone operations and missile tracking. However, the incidents have intensified concerns among policymakers about the risks of relying heavily on a single private company for national security infrastructure. While the Pentagon says it uses multiple systems to ensure resilience, the growing role of SpaceX technologies underscores both the advantages and vulnerabilities of such dependence.
Tesla Cybertruck Sales Were Inflated by a SpaceX Buying Spree
Sales of Tesla Inc.'s Cybertruck have been propped up in recent months by Elon Musk's other companies, an unusual arrangement that further indicates the polarizing pickup is failing to appeal to everyday buyers. SpaceX, the Musk-led rocket and satellite maker, accounted for 1,279 -- or more than 18% -- of the 7,071 Cybertrucks registered in the US during the fourth quarter, according to registration data that S&P Global Mobility provided to Bloomberg News. The billionaire's other ventures acquired another 60 vehicles during those months. That means almost one in every five Cybertrucks registered during the period were delivered from one part of Musk's sprawling business empire to another. And the purchases, likely exceeding $100 million in value, have continued into this year. The figures reinforce the extent to which consumer demand is faltering only two years after Tesla began delivering the electric pickup. Without those sales to other Musk-run companies -- which included xAI, Boring Co. and Neuralink, in addition to SpaceX -- Cybertruck registrations in the fourth quarter would have fallen 51%. "Tesla is running out of buyers for the Cybertruck," said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting for advisory firm AutoForecast Solutions. Tesla, Musk, SpaceX, Boring and Neuralink didn't respond to requests for comment. SpaceX acquired xAI in February. Tesla is under increasing pressure to reverse slumping sales across its lineup as it faces the prospect of a third straight annual decline. Once the undisputed electric vehicle leader, the company was surpassed by China's BYD Co. as the world's top seller of EVs last year. Investors have largely overlooked Tesla's declining auto sales as Musk reorients the company around futuristic pursuits including robotaxis and humanoid robots. But those products are still a ways off from becoming tangible business lines, and shareholders' patience appears to be wearing thin. Since hitting a record high in mid-December, Tesla's stock has lost a fifth of its value. High Hopes The Cybertruck debuted with great fanfare in late 2023, diversifying Tesla's lineup as a rugged bruiser of a vehicle to counter the sleek Model Y SUV and Model 3 sedan that account for the vast majority of the company's auto sales. Tesla was keen to compete in the lucrative US pickup market dominated by Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Stellantis NV. Musk predicted before the launch that the company would be churning out 250,000 Cybertrucks annually by 2025. He's called it the best productBloomberg Terminal Tesla has ever made. From the outset, however, there were red flags. The Cybertruck's angular design was divisive, and the attention-grabbing vehicle occasionally became the target of ridicule and vandalism when a backlash against Musk swelled last year. The truck was also more expensive than expected, with initial versions fetching more than $100,000, far more than the under-$40,000 starting price tag first touted in 2019. The first Cybertruck registrations by SpaceX began in October of last year, according to S&P Global Mobility data. The sales to Musk-run companies have continued into 2026, with another 158 in January and 67 in February. While the financial terms of the inter-company sales haven't been disclosed, the Cybertruck's current starting price of around $70,000 suggests that SpaceX, xAI, Boring and Neuralink have paid Tesla more than $100 million combined for the vehicles. It's not entirely clear what Musk's other companies are doing with the Cybertrucks, or why an artificial intelligence and social media company would acquire 50 of them. Photos and videos have circulated online showing long rows of idle Cybertrucks on SpaceX property in Texas. The lead engineer for the pickup posted on social media in October that SpaceX was replacing gas-powered support vehicles with trucks. At least some are being used as security vehicles. EV news outlet Electrek reported in December that SpaceX could ultimately buy about 2,000 Cybertrucks. While Tesla has given no indication that it would discontinue the Cybertruck, it's phasing out the slow-selling Model X SUV and Model S sedan, its two oldest vehicles. Musk has indicated the company may look to boost fleet sales to commercial customers in response to questions about Cybertruck's murky prospects. "There's obviously a market there for cargo delivery," he said in January during a Tesla earnings callBloomberg Terminal. "There's a lot of cargo that needs to move locally within a city, and an autonomous Cybertruck could be very useful for that." Pickup Letdown The sales woes aren't entirely unique to Cybertruck: electric pickups have been a bust within the broadly stalled US EV market. Ford recently decided to convert its electric F-150 Lightning pickup to an extended-range hybrid vehicle. The Cybertruck was still the top-selling battery-powered truck in the US during the first quarter, despite a 45% drop, according to Cox Automotive data. Musk's companies have long been intertwined through financial investments, business agreements and sometimes even shared personnel. XAI uses Tesla Megapack batteries and has integrated its Grok chatbot into Tesla vehicles; Las Vegas conference-goers can ride in Teslas through a Boring-built tunnel; Tesla and SpaceX are collaborating on a planned chip production project. Still, it's unusual for an automaker to unload significant volumes of a single model to an affiliated business with the same CEO. Car manufacturers will sometimes offer new incentives, lower prices or lease vehicles to employees when a model isn't selling well. "It's a way of keeping the plant running when retail demand does not equal production," said Tom Libby, an automotive analyst at S&P Global Mobility.
Starlink outage hit drone tests, exposing Pentagon's growing reliance on SpaceX
As SpaceX rockets toward a $2 trillion public offering this summer - expected to be the largest ever - the company has secured its position as the world's most valuable space company in part by being indispensable to the U.S. government with an array of technologies spanning satellite communications to space launches and military AI. Last August, U.S. Navy officials carrying out a test of unmanned vessels realized they had hit a single point of failure: Starlink. A global outage across Elon Musk's satellite network affecting millions of Starlink users had left two dozen unmanned surface vessels bobbing off the California coast, disrupting communications and halting operations for almost an hour. The incident, which involved drones intended to bolster U.S. military options in a conflict with China, was one of several Navy test disruptions linked to SpaceX's Starlink that left operators unable to connect with autonomous boats, according to internal Navy documents reviewed by Reuters and a person familiar with the matter. As SpaceX rockets toward a $2 trillion public offering this summer - expected to be the largest ever - the company has secured its position as the world's most valuable space company in part by being indispensable to the U.S. government with an array of technologies spanning satellite communications to space launches and military AI. Starlink, in particular, has proved key to crucial programs - from drones to missile tracking - with a low-earth orbit constellation of close to 10,000 satellites, a scale that provides the military with a network resilient against potential adversary attacks. But the Navy's mishaps with Starlink for its autonomous drone program, which have not been previously reported, highlight the challenges of the U.S. military's growing reliance on SpaceX and the risks it brings to the Pentagon. "If there was no Starlink, the U.S. government wouldn't have access to a global constellation of low earth orbit communications," said Clayton Swope, a deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the drone test or SpaceX's work with the Navy. The Pentagon's chief information officer, Kirsten Davies, said the "Department leverages multiple, robust, resilient systems for its broad network." The Navy and SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment. Despite facing growing competition from Amazon.com, which announced an $11.6 billion agreement this week to acquire satellite maker Globalstar, SpaceX remains far ahead in low-earth orbit communications. Beyond drones, SpaceX has cemented a near-monopoly for space launches and provides satellite communications with Starlink and its national security-focused constellation, Starshield, generating billions of dollars for the company. Last month, U.S. Space Force said it had reassigned its upcoming GPS launch to a SpaceX rocket for the fourth time, due to a glitch in the Vulcan rocket made by the Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint venture United Launch Alliance. WARNINGS ABOUT RELYING ON SPACEX Democratic lawmakers have warned the Pentagon about the risks of its reliance on a single company led by the world's richest man to deliver crucial national security capabilities. More recently, the Defense Department's disagreements and blacklisting of AI startup Anthropic quickly revealed how an overreliance on one AI vendor could create problems should that vendor be dropped. Reuters reported last year that Musk unexpectedly switched off Starlink access to Ukrainian troops as they sought to retake territory from Russia, denting allies' trust in the billionaire. In Taiwan, SpaceX faced criticism over concerns it was withholding satellite communications to U.S. service members based there, "possibly in breach of SpaceX's contractual obligations with the U.S. government," according to a 2024 letter sent by then-U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher to Musk, reported by Forbes at the time. SpaceX disputed the claim in a post on X. Reuters could not determine whether SpaceX has since provided Starlink service in Taiwan to U.S. service members. The Pentagon and SpaceX did not respond to questions about Taiwan. "As a matter of operational security, we do not comment on or discuss plans, operations capabilities or effects," an official said in a statement. STARLINK 'EXPOSED LIMITATIONS' SpaceX's Starlink broadband has been crucial to the Pentagon's drone program, providing connection to small unmanned maritime vessels that look like speedboats without seats, and include those made by Maryland-based BlackSea and Austin, Texas-based Saronic. In April 2025, during a series of Navy tests in California involving unmanned boats and flying drones, officials reported that Starlink struggled to provide a solid network connection due to the high data usage needed to control multiple systems, according to a Navy safety report of the tests reviewed by Reuters. "Starlink reliance exposed limitations under multiple-vehicle load," the report stated. The report also faulted issues linked to radios provided by Silvus and a network system provided by Viasat. In the weeks leading up to the global Starlink outage in August, another series of Navy tests was disrupted by intermittent connection issues with the Starlink network, Navy documents reviewed by Reuters show. The causes of the network losses were not immediately clear. Despite the setbacks, the upside of Starlink - a cheap and commercially available service - outweighs the risk of a potential outage disrupting future military operations, said Bryan Clark, an autonomous warfare expert at the Hudson Institute. "You accept those vulnerabilities because of the benefits you get from the ubiquity it provides," he said.
Scoop: BNY gets access to OpenAI, Anthropic's advanced cyber models
Why it matters: Wall Street is working overtime to win the AI security race. What they're saying: Anthropic and OpenAI recognize the importance of releasing its cyber-capable models to certain institutions early, Vince tells Axios. It's key to protecting critical infrastructure, "and in our case, obviously the financial services world," Vince says. * The AI labs also want feedback and realworld testing, Vince says. * Other firms with access to these previews will be able to share lessons learned with one another as well as the labs themselves, Vince said. Catch up quick: The access comes after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Fed Chair Jerome Powell called a meeting with the biggest names on Wall Street to discuss Mythos, first reported by Bloomberg and confirmed by Axios. * The meeting focused on risks of AI-powered attacks on bank systems as well as preventative measures. Zoom in: OpenAI's new model variant, GPT-5.4-Cyber, will be rolled out to a broader set of organizations than Anthropic's Mythos, which initially reached about 40 enterprises. * While Anthropic signaled that its model was too dangerous to release broadly, OpenAI is making tools more widely available for defensive cyber work while still preventing nefarious actors from accessing them, Axios' Sam Sabin writes. Follow the money: BNY is all-in on AI. * The bank , which plans to announce its earnings later this morning, has over 100 digital employees that have their own tasks, managers and email addresses. * Under Vince's leadership, BNY rose to the best performing stock in an index tracking a group of major banks, up 218%. What we're watching: How banks maintain their long-held status as titans of cybersecurity defense in an AI-powered world.
Exclusive: Starlink outage hit drone tests, exposing Pentagon's growing reliance on SpaceX
April 16 (Reuters) - Last August, U.S. Navy officials carrying out a test of unmanned vessels realized they had hit a single point of failure: Starlink. A global outage across Elon Musk's satellite network affecting millions of Starlink users had left two dozen unmanned surface vessels bobbing off the California coast, disrupting communications and halting operations for almost an hour. The incident, which involved drones intended to bolster U.S. military options in a conflict with China, was one of several Navy test disruptions linked to SpaceX's Starlink that left operators unable to connect with autonomous boats, according to internal Navy documents reviewed by Reuters and a person familiar with the matter. As SpaceX rockets toward a $2 trillion public offering this summer - expected to be the largest ever - the company has secured its position as the world's most valuable space company in part by being indispensable to the U.S. government with an array of technologies spanning satellite communications to space launches and military AI. Starlink, in particular, has proved key to crucial programs - from drones to missile tracking - with a low-earth orbit constellation of close to 10,000 satellites, a scale that provides the military with a network resilient against potential adversary attacks. But the Navy's mishaps with Starlink for its autonomous drone program, which have not been previously reported, highlight the challenges of the U.S. military's growing reliance on SpaceX and the risks it brings to the Pentagon. "If there was no Starlink, the U.S. government wouldn't have access to a global constellation of low earth orbit communications," said Clayton Swope, a deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the drone test or SpaceX's work with the Navy. The Pentagon's chief information officer, Kirsten Davies, said the "Department leverages multiple, robust, resilient systems for its broad network." The Navy and SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment. Despite facing growing competition from Amazon.com (AMZN.O), opens new tab, which announced an $11.6 billion agreement this week to acquire satellite maker Globalstar, SpaceX remains far ahead in low-earth orbit communications. Beyond drones, SpaceX has cemented a near-monopoly for space launches and provides satellite communications with Starlink and its national security-focused constellation, Starshield, generating billions of dollars for the company. Last month, U.S. Space Force said it had reassigned its upcoming GPS launch, opens new tab to a SpaceX rocket for the fourth time, due to a glitch in the Vulcan rocket made by the Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab and Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), opens new tab joint venture United Launch Alliance. WARNINGS ABOUT RELYING ON SPACEX Democratic lawmakers have warned the Pentagon about the risks of its reliance on a single company led by the world's richest man to deliver crucial national security capabilities. More recently, the Defense Department's disagreements and blacklisting of AI startup Anthropic quickly revealed how an overreliance on one AI vendor could create problems should that vendor be dropped. Reuters reported last year that Musk unexpectedly switched off Starlink access to Ukrainian troops as they sought to retake territory from Russia, denting allies' trust in the billionaire. In Taiwan, SpaceX faced criticism over concerns it was withholding satellite communications to U.S. service members based there, "possibly in breach of SpaceX's contractual obligations with the U.S. government," according to a 2024 letter sent by then-U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher to Musk, reported by Forbes at the time, opens new tab. SpaceX disputed the claim in a post on X., opens new tab Reuters could not determine whether SpaceX has since provided Starlink service in Taiwan to U.S. service members. The Pentagon and SpaceX did not respond to questions about Taiwan. "As a matter of operational security, we do not comment on or discuss plans, operations capabilities or effects," an official said in a statement. STARLINK 'EXPOSED LIMITATIONS' SpaceX's Starlink broadband has been crucial to the Pentagon's drone program, providing connection to small unmanned maritime vessels that look like speedboats without seats, and include those made by Maryland-based BlackSea and Austin, Texas-based Saronic. In April 2025, during a series of Navy tests in California involving unmanned boats and flying drones, officials reported that Starlink struggled to provide a solid network connection due to the high data usage needed to control multiple systems, according to a Navy safety report of the tests reviewed by Reuters. "Starlink reliance exposed limitations under multiple-vehicle load," the report stated. The report also faulted issues linked to radios provided by Silvus and a network system provided by Viasat (VSAT.O), opens new tab. In the weeks leading up to the global Starlink outage in August, another series of Navy tests was disrupted by intermittent connection issues with the Starlink network, Navy documents reviewed by Reuters show. The causes of the network losses were not immediately clear. Despite the setbacks, the upside of Starlink - a cheap and commercially available service - outweighs the risk of a potential outage disrupting future military operations, said Bryan Clark, an autonomous warfare expert at the Hudson Institute. "You accept those vulnerabilities because of the benefits you get from the ubiquity it provides," he said. Reporting by David Jeans in New York; Additional reporting by Joey Roulette in Washington; Editing by Chris Sanders and Matthew Lewis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Media & Telecom David Jeans Thomson Reuters David Jeans is a space and defense correspondent for Reuters, based in New York. He covers the intersection of weapons, technology and national security, with a focus on the rise of venture-backed military startups and the Pentagon's evolving relationship with Silicon Valley. Previously, he covered defense tech for Forbes. He's also the co-author of WONDER BOY: Tony Hsieh, Zappos and the Myth of Happiness in Silicon Valley, named a Financial Times Best Business Book.
German banks examine risks of Anthropic's Mythos with authorities
FRANKFURT, April 16 (Reuters) - German banks and national authorities are examining risks around Anthropic's new artificial intelligence model, an official said on Thursday, amid concerns that it could fuel cyberattacks. Kolja Gabriel, a member of the executive board at the German Banking Association, told Reuters that the group was consulting with cyber experts at its member banks as well as Germany's finance ministry and other authorities. Anthropic's Mythos is seen by cybersecurity experts as posing significant challenges to the banking sector and its legacy technology systems, raising alarm bells among regulators in Britain and the United States. "Mythos is being used in a controlled manner by IT security firms to close potential vulnerabilities as quickly as possible. We expect a series of software updates shortly and are closely monitoring developments," Gabriel, who is responsible for technology and innovation, said in an emailed statement. The talks also involve the Bundesbank and Germany's financial watchdog BaFin. The finance ministry declined to comment, while the central bank did not immediately respond to a request for comment. BaFin said that there are regular exchanges with relevant national, European and international stakeholders. "Financial firms must be prepared for the possibility that vulnerabilities could be discovered in the near future, which would then need to be addressed promptly and quickly," BaFin said in a statement. Reuters reported on Thursday that European Central Bank supervisors are set to quiz bankers about the risks of Mythos. Anthropic has said its current iteration, Claude Mythos Preview, will not be made generally available and has instead announced Project Glasswing. It invited major tech companies, cybersecurity vendors and JPMorgan Chase, along with several dozen other organizations, to privately evaluate this model and prepare defences accordingly. (Reporting by Tom Sims; Editing by Alexander Smith)
