🧠 Anthropic releases Claude Opus 4.6 🧠
New flagship model outperforms GPT-5.2 and debuts with 1M token context window

Anthropic has launched Claude Opus 4.6, marking a significant leap in AI capabilities with state-of-the-art performance on agentic coding, reasoning, and long-context tasks. The model achieves the highest score on Terminal-Bench 2.0 for agentic coding and outperforms OpenAI's GPT-5.2 by 144 Elo points on GDPval-AA, an evaluation of economically valuable knowledge work. Opus 4.6 is the first Opus-class model with a 1M token context window (in beta) and can now handle multi-step coding, financial analysis, and autonomous research with minimal hand-holding. Early Access partners report the model "feels like a capable collaborator" and handles complex tasks that previous models failed on, with one partner noting it autonomously closed 13 GitHub issues in a single day.

🚀 SpaceX acquires xAI in record $1.25 trillion merger 🚀
New experience will let users seamlessly shift from search to AI dialogue

SpaceX has officially acquired xAI in the largest M&A deal in history, valuing the combined entity at $1.25 trillion. The transaction values SpaceX at $1 trillion and xAI at $250 billion, creating a unified powerhouse that merges spacefaring infrastructure with advanced AI capabilities. According to the official announcement, the merged entity aims to scale AI compute by launching data centers into orbit, marking an unprecedented approach to AI infrastructure development. Elon Musk consolidates his space and AI ventures in this groundbreaking acquisition.

🎯 Sam Altman plans to hand OpenAI to AI 🎯
Forbes profile unveils controversial vision for AGI transition

Sam Altman disclosed plans to eventually transfer OpenAI leadership to an AI model in a Forbes interview, arguing that if the goal is AGI capable of running companies, OpenAI should be first. He claimed the company has "basically built AGI," drawing pushback from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella who called their relationship "frenemies." Employees reportedly worry OpenAI is trying to do "too much too quickly" as Altman maintains stakes in over 500 companies.

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🌕 Claude plans first AI-guided drive on Mars 🌕

NASA revealed that its Perseverance rover completed the first AI-planned drive on another planet, with Claude Code mapping a 400-meter route across the Martian surface that the rover navigated in December. Engineers fed Claude years of rover driving data, with the AI writing navigation commands and plotting waypoints around rocks and sand ripples. The team verified routes through simulation before transmission to Mars, requiring only minor changes. AI-assisted planning could cut route-mapping time in half, enabling additional drives and faster data collection.

👨🏻‍💻 OpenAI launches GPT-5.3 Codex with record benchmarks 👨🏻‍💻

OpenAI dropped GPT-5.3 Codex, its most capable coding model to date, achieving new records on SWE-Bench Pro (57%) and Terminal-Bench 2.0 (77%). The model runs 25% faster than previous versions while using fewer tokens. Alongside the model, OpenAI unveiled OpenAI Frontier, a new enterprise platform that helps organizations build, deploy, and manage AI agents with shared context, onboarding, and clear permissions to boost efficiency in real work environments.