Chance Townsend

2 days ago | mashable.com | Chance Townsend

Cybersecurity researchers at Kaspersky have uncovered a new and dangerous malware strain, which they believe has been active since at least Feb. 2024. Dubbed SparkKitty, the malware is part of the broader SparkCat family — a line of Trojan horse programs designed to steal cryptocurrency from unsuspecting users. Kaspersky first discovered the original SparkCat malware in Jan. 2025, noting that it had already made its way onto both the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

4 days ago | me.mashable.com | Chance Townsend

It was only a matter of time before OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addressed the inevitable: ads in ChatGPT. "We haven't done any advertising product yet. I kind of...I mean, I'm not totally against it. I can point to areas where I like ads. I think ads on Instagram, kinda cool. I bought a bunch of stuff from them.

5 days ago | mashable.com | Chance Townsend

It's not happening yet, but the OpenAI CEO is 'not totally against' putting ads on ChatGPT Chance Townsend Chance Townsend Assistant Editor, General Assignments Chance Townsend is the General Assignments Editor at Mashable, covering tech, video games, dating apps, digital culture, and whatever else comes his way. He has a Master's in Journalism from the University of North Texas and is a proud orange cat father. His writing has also appeared in PC Mag and Mother Jones.

6 days ago | mashable.com | Chance Townsend

As Republicans in Congress push to pass Donald Trump’s so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" by July 4, the Senate parliamentarian has been quietly reviewing its sweeping provisions. While some controversial items — like proposed SNAP spending cuts — have been removed, one surprising element has remained intact: a 10-year moratorium blocking states from regulating artificial intelligence.

6 days ago | mashable.com | Chance Townsend

Apple may have stayed quiet on the AI front during its WWDC 2025 keynote, but behind the scenes, the company is actively exploring new moves in the space. According to Bloomberg, Apple has held early internal discussions — led by its head of mergers and acquisitions — about a possible acquisition of Perplexity AI, the AI-powered search startup founded by Aravind Srinivas. While no formal offers have been made, top Apple executives have considered multiple scenarios involving the company.