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  • OpenAI holds major frontier RL training, tightens safety practices after Hugging Face breach

Aug 19, 2026

OpenAI holds major frontier RL training, tightens safety practices after Hugging Face breach

Bay Area Times
Bay Area Times

Wednesday 19 August 2026

Top stories today:

  1. OpenAI holds major frontier RL training, tightens safety practices

  2. Apple unveils new EU App Store terms with 5% tech commission

  3. Crypto offerings up to $75M could get SEC registration exemptions

  4. ChatGPT for Teens debuts with added safeguards

  5. Anthropic to give co-founders extra voting power

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0. Data & Calendar

All values as of 6 AM ET / 3 AM PT, other than S&P500 and NASDAQ close (4 PM ET / 1 PM PT).

All times are ET.

Listen to our AI-generated podcast summarizing today’s newsletter (beware of hallucinations):

1. OpenAI holds major frontier RL training, tightens safety practices after Hugging Face breach

X: OpenAI.

  • OpenAI is rewriting its security document, the Preparedness Framework.

  • It is adding stronger monitoring across its development process and introducing alignment and security safeguards earlier.

  • Some Astra workloads remain paused until they are migrated and upgraded to meet the new security standards.

  • OpenAI’s decision to slow AI development followed research observations showing ā€œvarious degrees of misalignment,ā€ Sam Altman said.

  • The new safeguards will add a 20% computer overhead to monitored inference workloads, but the costs will not be passed on to customers, OpenAI said.

Separately, OpenAI’s Q2 revenue was reportedly +18% QoQ to $6.7B, vs. Anthropic’s $11.6B, ~2.5x Q1

  • OpenAI’s operating loss had widened to $12.3B, including stock-based compensation.

2. See What Slack's 312% ROI Story Could Mean for Your Numbers*

Slack.

  • A Forrester study found enterprises using Slack generated $51M in benefits with 312% ROI over three years. Now you can find out what that looks like for your organization.

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  • No guesswork, no generic benchmarks — just your numbers, run through the model behind the Forrester study on real efficiency gains from reducing tool-switching and slow handoffs.

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3. Apple unveils new EU App Store terms with 5% technology commission, effective Oct. 1

Developers can now offer alternative payment options alongside Apple In-App Purchase:

Apple.

  • A 20% commission will apply to apps using alternative payment processing.

    • A reduced 10% rate will apply to developers in the App Store Small Business, Mini Apps Partner, or Video Partner programs.

  • The initial acquisition fee and store services fee will be eliminated under the new terms.

  • Apple In-App Purchase will carry a 26% commission, or 15% for eligible programs and subscriptions after year one.

  • A 15% commission will apply to apps linking outside the app to complete purchases.

4. 93% of lenders are expanding into alternative data. Are you?*

Plaid.

  • Datos Insights surveyed 200 lenders and 1,500 consumers to understand how lenders are rethinking credit in a changing economic landscape.

  • What they found: more are leaning into alternative data—and seeing a measurable impact on portfolio performance.

  • Plaid partnered with Datos Insights to uncover how leading lenders use cash flow data to drive performance, and capture borrowers traditional credit reports miss.

Get the insights

*Sponsored.

5. Crypto offerings up to $75M could get SEC registration exemptions under new proposal

X: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

  • Offerings up to $5M would be exempted for 4 years, while those up to $75M would be exempted for 12 months.

  • Financial statements and ongoing reporting requirements would still need to be met by issuers raising up to $75M.

6. Smart hiring for teams that need strong talent now*

Athyna.

  • Fill key roles faster, without waiting weeks or months for the pipeline to behave.

  • AI-assisted matching and structured vetting help you find people who fit the role and the team.

  • Cut time and cost with a process built for scale, not endless back-and-forth.

Build your team

*Sponsored.

7. ChatGPT for Teens debuts with added safeguards, study tools amid rising safety concerns

OpenAI.

  • Aimed at teens aged 13 to 17, the new ChatGPT version encourages safer use and deeper learning, OpenAI said.

  • Increased parental controls and built-in safety protections are included to promote healthy AI use.

  • Study Mode, quiet hours, and break reminders are among the features in the new version.

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