Imandra Inc. has launched the Imandra Universe, a new platform that enhances AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, and Cursor with advanced logical reasoning capabilities. This platform allows these AI systems to perform complex reasoning tasks more accurately by using Imandra’s symbolic logical reasoning engines. With a quick 10-second setup and an Imandra API key, users can enable their AI to employ this new functionality. The Imandra Universe offers a feature known as Reasoning as a Service®, which integrates into AI systems, allowing them to think more precisely and validate their outputs mathematically. This improvement aims to enhance workflows by enabling AI to delegate challenging tasks effectively to specialized reasoning engines. For example, if Claude is given the job of planning a multi-step event, it often misses important details. However, by utilizing the Imandra Universe, it can delegate the complex aspects of this task, improving its overall performance. In addition to enhancing existing AI assistants, the Imandra Universe positions itself as a tool that could revolutionize how users interact with artificial intelligence, bridging the gap between simple user commands and complex logical tasks. The technology aims to provide real-time support for neuro-symbolic AI, enabling more sophisticated and accurate outputs.
American iPhones maybe targeted in spyware attacks with a pattern of deleting potential evidence, mirroring techniques where attackers ‘clean up’ after themselves
A new report from the team at iVerify warns that a “previously unknown” vulnerability in iOS maybe enabled a highly targeted attack on iPhones in the U.S. as well as Europe. This flaw was not in the core messaging architecture itself, but in its nickname feature. “Any increase in the size of a codebase is going to introduce attack opportunities,” iVerify told. And that’s the case here. When a user updates their profile, “nickname, photo, or wallpaper,” this triggers “a ‘Nickname Update’ on a recipient’s device.” Trivial though it might seem, that nickname update process is a data transmission from one device to another, it’s implicitly trusted data and it’s within the secure enclave. “This vulnerability was present in iOS versions up to 18.1.1 and fixed in iOS 18.3.1.” While there’s no doubting the flaw and the fix, there is no concrete proof it was exploited in the wild. “We analyzed crash data from nearly 50,000 devices,” iVerify says, “and found that the imagent crashes related to Nickname Updates are exceedingly rare, comprising less than 0.001% of all crash logs collected.” But those rare instances appeared only on “devices belonging to individuals likely to be targeted by sophisticated threat actors.” iVerify reports that forensic examination of one affected device “provided evidence suggesting exploitation: several directories related to SMS attachments and message metadata were modified and then emptied just 20 seconds after the imagent crash occurred. This pattern of deleting potential evidence mirrors techniques observed in confirmed spyware attacks where attackers ‘clean up’ after themselves.”
Dots.eco platform enables earning real-world environmental rewards by letting games and apps integrate an API that exposes to over 250 vetted global projects
Dots.eco, a platform for real-world environmental rewards, has emerged as a for-profit company that can help game companies grow their audiences through a common interest in saving the environment. Through the real world rewards program, players can plant trees, protect wildlife, clean oceans, and more, just by reaching milestones, purchasing game items, making website purchases, or completing game missions. The game becomes the conduit for doing good, said Nadav Grosz, CEO of Dots.eco. Dots.eco is a partner in The Playing for the Planet Alliance, an initiative facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Dots.eco platform exposes an API to over 250 vetted global environmental projects that are constantly monitored, including by satellite imagery analysis, images from the grounds, and reports, analysed by inhouse AI technology. Dots.eco can integrate naturally with many game themes, as it supports a wide range of animal species, habitats and subjects that are present in almost every game. Games integrate the API, or the Dots.eco Unity SDK, and incentivise in-game milestones, or In-App-Purchases. For example, you will save a sea-turtle, or buy 10ft2 of land for wildlife, protect your game hero animal, for downloading the game, reaching a certain level, buying a skin or removing ads. By integrating into games and other apps, the company is building the world’s largest community of impact makers and collectors and are dedicated to converting daily actions into transformative impact for a sustainable future. Players will be able to contribute to real-world restoration projects by progressing through storylines, completing missions, or making purchases, all seamlessly integrated into each game’s theme and mechanics. Past campaigns using Dots.eco’s platform have boosted revenues by over 10%, increased first-time payers by 20%, and increased session time by 25%, all while earning the highest sentiment scores some studios have seen
Bank of England tests AI to spot real-time payment fraud and uncovered 12% more illicit accounts than they would otherwise have found
The bank of England’s Project Hertha tested the application of modern AI techniques to help spot complex and coordinated criminal activity in payment system data. The experiments were conducted using a state-of-the-art simulated synthetic transaction dataset, developed as part of the project. It includes data for 1.8 million bank accounts and 308 million transactions. The dataset was built by using an advanced AI model trained to simulate realistic transaction patterns. It found that payment system analytics could be a valuable “supplementary tool” to help banks and payment service providers (PSPs) spot suspicious activity. Banks and PSPs participating in the project uncovered 12% more illicit accounts than they would otherwise have found. The experiment also proved particularly valuable for spotting novel financial crime patterns. When trying to spot previously unseen behaviours, it helped achieve a 26% improvement. “The results demonstrate promise but also show there are limits to the application and effectiveness of system analytics,” states the BofE. “It is just one piece of the puzzle. The introduction of a similar solution would also raise complex practical, legal and regulatory issues. Analysing these was beyond the scope of Project Hertha.” The central bank says the results also highlight the importance of labelled training data, robust model feedback loop and explainable AI algorithms to maximise effectiveness.
Clear Capital’s integration lets lenders to initiate appraisal reviews from within the loan file itself and automatically upload completed documentation
Mortgage and valuation technology firm Clear Capital has integrated its automated appraisal review platform, ClearCollateral Review, with ICE Mortgage Technology’s Encompass Partner Connect. The move allows lenders to access appraisal review tools directly within their loan origination systems. Through the integration, lenders can initiate appraisal reviews within the loan file and completed documentation is automatically uploaded to the system. The platform includes several tools designed to support compliance and accuracy: ClearQC, which offers rule sets tailored to underwriting guidelines and regulatory standards’ Condition Model, powered by artificial intelligence, that compares property conditions using appraisal images against appraisers’ own ratings to identify inconsistencies; ClearPhoto, which uses AI to automate the review of photos and sketches; ClearProp, which consolidates property data, comparable sales and historical records for research and verification; Configurable Review Forms, which range from checklists to in-depth analyses, many of which are prefilled with objective data from appraisals. According to Clear Capital, the integration is intended to broaden access to automated appraisal review tools without requiring custom technical configurations, potentially allowing lenders to manage increased loan volume while reducing underwriting risk.
Thread AI’s composable AI infrastructure connects models, data, and automation into adaptable, end-to-end workflows aligned with enterprise-specific needs to rapidly prototype and deploy AI agents
Thread AI, a leader in composable AI infrastructure, has raised $20 million in Series A funding. Despite the rapid adoption of AI, many organizations struggle integrating AI into complex, evolving environments. They often must choose between rigid, pre-built AI tools that don’t fit their workflows, or costly custom solutions requiring extensive engineering. Thread AI addresses this gap with composable infrastructure that connects AI models, data, and automation into adaptable, end-to-end workflows aligned with each organization’s specific needs. Unlike traditional RPA, ETL, or workflow engines that mirror human workflows or require large infrastructure investments, Thread AI’s Lemma platform allows enterprises to rapidly prototype and deploy event-driven, distributed AI workflows and agents. Lemma supports unlimited AI models, APIs, and applications all within a single platform built with enterprise-grade security. This speeds up deployment, reduces operational burden, and simplifies infrastructure, while maintaining governance, observability, and seamless AI model upgrades. As a result, Thread AI equips enterprises with the flexibility to keep up with rapidly changing AI ecosystem, and the cross-functionality to unlock the power of AI across their entire organization. Lemma users report a 70% improvement in process response times, along with significant efficiency gains as AI-powered workflows reduce operational bottlenecks. Early customers have expanded their AI implementations by 250% to 500%, demonstrating Thread AI’s scalability and practical impact.
Walmart’s Sparky helps customers search to find items, synthesize reviews, offers insights, instant and comprehensive answers to product-related questions
Walmart is expanding its AI offerings by introducing a new shopping assistant. Customers can now access the Gen AI-powered “Sparky” on the Walmart app. “Sparky helps customers search to find items, synthesize reviews, and offers insights to prepare for any occasion — from looking up current sporting events and finding the right jersey to planning celebrations and picking out the perfect toy,” Walmart said. In addition to making recommendations, Sparky also provides instant and comprehensive answers to product-related questions, helping customers quickly understand specific features, compare items and make informed choices. Soon, Sparky will do even more — giving customers the power to customize their experience, from automatically reordering household essentials to booking services that simplify even the most complex shopping tasks. Walmart said the assistant will be multi-modal (able to understand text, images, audio and video), “seamlessly weaving into customers’ lives to unlock instant access to the products and services they need, whenever and however they shop.”
FINNY unveils intent search to help advisors pinpoint high-intent prospects faster based on real-time online behavior; advisors can select keywords related to their services
FINNY the AI-powered prospecting and marketing platform built specifically for financial advisors, has launched Intent Search, a feature that allows advisors to identify and engage with prospects actively seeking financial guidance. Powered by 1.8 billion proprietary intent signals that are updated daily, it enables advisors to surface high-intent prospects based on real-time online behavior. Advisors can select keywords related to their services. FINNY identifies prospects who have recently researched those topics, pinpointing what they’re interested in and when they were actively searching. FINNY has also released its Prospect Enrichment and AI Voicemails features. Prospect Enrichment enables advisors to upload external contacts and automatically matches them to FINNY’s database. Meanwhile, AI Voicemails allow advisors to deliver ringless, personalized voicemails at scale. They can select from multiple voice options to suit their preferences, and messages are able to circumvent spam filters. Each voicemail can be paired with a follow-up email to create efficient outreach that retains a human touch. Since its launch, the Prospect Enrichment feature has already led to the upload and enrichment of more than 8,000 prospects, signaling strong demand and immediate value.
Nasdaq’s private company dataset and API to deliver real-time pricing on private, pre-IPO companies, integrating primary round, secondary transactions, and accounting data
Nasdaq has partnered with Nasdaq Private Market (NPM) to provide greater price transparency and valuation visibility into private, pre-IPO companies, including unicorns and startups. The Tape D private company dataset, available through API integration via Nasdaq Data Link, addresses critical transparency challenges by helping investors evaluate private holdings with greater confidence, enabling banks to structure private transactions more effectively, supporting wealth advisors and shareholders in managing liquidity needs, and equipping private companies with valuable insights for capital raises and tender offers. The comprehensive data product delivers real-time private market pricing by integrating primary round data, secondary market transactions, and accounting data. The launch of this data partnership marks the latest step in Nasdaq’s commitment to enhancing transparency, access, and portfolio management capabilities across the public-to-private investment spectrum.
Apple debuts new user design experience Liquid Glass, which will bring greater focus to content, deliver a new level of quality to controls and keep users more attuned to what’s happening on screen “harmonizing” the user experience across all devices
Apple previewed a slick new software design and powerful software updates, including new features coming to its next-generation operating systems across devices that will receive a unified version 26. The new design features a new material called Liquid Glass, which creates a translucent effect similar to water that sits atop the display, refracting content below it and allowing colors to flow through. The company says this will bring greater focus to content, deliver a new level of quality to controls and keep users more attuned to what’s happening on screen. The new design extends across Apple’s entire device ecosystem, including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Ventura 26, watchOS 26 and tvOS 26. The company said the idea was to “harmonize” the user experience across all devices so they could expect every device to look and feel the same. It will affect buttons, switches, sliders, text and media in the user interface and shift dynamically according to user needs. Controls, toolbars and navigation within apps have been redesigned with rounded corners and they “float above” content so that they stay out of the way and avoid interrupting content. They also shift into thoughtful groupings, allowing users to find the controls they need. The Preview app, which originally comes from macOS, is coming to iPadOS 26. Preview is a dedicated app for creating a quick sketch, as well as viewing, editing and marking up PDFs and images with Apple Pencil or by touch.