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Tech World Abuzz with AI Model, Space Data Center Debate, and Cybersecurity Concerns
The tech industry is currently grappling with a diverse range of developments, from advancements in open-source AI to debates surrounding space-based data centers and the fallout from a software supply chain attack.
Alibaba's Qwen team released Qwen3-Coder-Next, a specialized 80-billion-parameter AI model designed for agentic performance, according to a VentureBeat report on February 3, 2026. The model is available under a permissive Apache 2.0 license, enabling commercial use. Carl Franzen of VentureBeat noted that the Qwen team has become a global leader in open-source AI development, rivaling proprietary U.S. models.
Meanwhile, the feasibility of space-based data centers is being questioned. Matt Garman, the CEO of Amazon Web Services, expressed skepticism about Elon Musk's plan for data centers in space, citing the high cost of transporting equipment. Speaking at a tech conference in San Francisco on Tuesday, Garman stated that Amazon's more than 900 data centers would remain on Earth "for the foreseeable future," according to Fortune. While acknowledging the potential benefits of space-based data centers, such as solar energy and cooling, Garman emphasized the logistical and economic challenges.
In cybersecurity news, Notepad++ developers disclosed a compromise of their update infrastructure, which occurred between June and September 2025, according to a statement released on February 2, 2026. Researchers at an unnamed cybersecurity firm discovered multiple execution chains and payloads related to the incident. The attackers retained access to internal services until December 2025. The researchers identified indicators of compromise and detailed the execution chains in their report.
In other news, NASA's rivalry with China's space agency is intensifying as China's Mengzhou spacecraft puts pressure on NASA's lunar timeframe, according to Hacker News on February 2, 2026.
Finally, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the Eagle Mine is testing a new process to extract nickel from lower-quality ore. The mine's owner is using a fermentation-derived broth developed by the startup Allonnia to capture and remove impurities, according to MIT Technology Review. Kent Sorenson, Allonnia's chief technology officer, said this approach could help companies continue operating sites that have declining ore quality.
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