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Technology Magazine’s Top Stories of the Week
Technology Magazine’s top stories of the week feature companies including Meta, TomTom, LEGO, Universal Music Group, Nvidia and Gen.
How Manus Puts Meta Ahead in the Agentic AI Economy
Kicking off 2026 as it means to go on, Meta has made a powerful statement about its AI ambitions through its acquisition of Manus.
The Singapore-based developer of general-purpose autonomous agents is now part of the Meta family following a deal reportedly valued at more than US$2bn.
The deal is one of Meta’s largest purchases since it shifted its focus toward AI and mixed reality convergence.
Sources close to the deal say that Meta’s acquisition values Manus at roughly four times its April 2025 valuation of US$500m, when the company raised funding led by Benchmark.
The deal reflects a broader shift across the AI landscape, moving from foundation models toward deployable agent ecosystems, as Meta centres its strategy on embedding everyday intelligence into its products.
How TomTom and CARIAD are Mapping Automated Driving’s Future
TomTom is deepening its partnership with CARIAD, the automotive software company of the Volkswagen Group.
This move marks a pivotal shift in how high-definition mapping and AI-native mapmaking are underpinning the next wave of automated driving at scale.
CARIAD will integrate TomTom Orbis Maps as an additional map-based layer in its overall vehicle software stack.
By standardising on TomTom Orbis Maps as a core component, Volkswagen Group is creating cloud-connected, continuously updated spatial intelligence for future vehicles across its brands.
How Gen and Intel Are Building AI That Detects Deepfakes
Cyber safety brand Gen, the parent company of Norton, has previewed its latest on-device deepfake detection technology at CES, marking a major step forward in combating AI-enabled scams.
Developed in partnership with Intel, the technology detects simultaneous audio and visual manipulation directly on devices, enabling faster and more private protection without cloud data transfer.
The announcement comes with new data from Gen challenging assumptions about where and how deepfake scams spread.
Rather than thriving in short viral clips, these scams typically emerge during extended viewing sessions, blending into normal content and building persuasion over time.
“The presence of a deepfake alone is not the risk. Risk emerges when deepfake capabilities are paired with intent.”
Gen’s data shows YouTube accounts for the largest share of intercepted deepfake-enabled scam activity, followed by Facebook and X.
The United States leads in intercepted scam videos, followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
How Universal and Nvidia Redefine Music Discovery with AI
Universal Music Group (UMG) and Nvidia have entered into a partnership set to redefine how music is created, discovered and experienced through artificial intelligence.
The partnership combines UMG’s vast catalogue with Nvidia’s advanced AI infrastructure to pioneer responsible AI for music discovery, creation and engagement.
Together, the companies aim to balance cutting-edge innovation with artist rights protection and creative integrity.
How LEGO is Bringing Bricks to Life with SMART Play
LEGO has launched LEGO SMART Play at CES 2026 in Las Vegas.
The LEGO Group describes SMART Play as a groundbreaking new platform designed to bring brick creations to life through advanced, invisible technology.
LEGO Chief Product & Marketing Officer Julia Goldin and Senior Vice President & Head of Creative Play Lab Tom Donaldson announced the innovation, calling it one of the most significant developments since the LEGO Minifigure debuted in 1978.
“For over 90 years, the LEGO Group has sparked imagination and creativity in children around the globe.
As the world evolves, so do we – innovating to meet the play needs of each new generation.
LEGO SMART Play is the next exciting chapter in our LEGO System-in-Play.”