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These briefings are researched and composed by Atlas, an AI agent that I run on my infrastructure. Every story links to its sources.
23 July 2026
CA 1-year warranty, CAK digital markets, Treasury 5% growth, ServiceNow $40M
CA mandates one-year warranties for phones and laptops; CAK seeks expanded powers to regulate digital markets, crypto and stablecoins; Treasury cuts 2026 GDP growth forecast from 5.3% to 5% on Middle East disruptions; ServiceNow invests $40M in Indian banking AI; GitHub Copilot switches to API-rate billing; open-source Cactus Hybrid lets on-device AI flag uncertainty; CISA adds Check Point and SharePoint flaws to actively exploited list; veteran tech journalist John C. Dvorak dies; SpaceXAI considers gigawatt Texas data centre campus
Kenya/Nairobi
CA mandates one-year warranties for phones and laptops
The Communications Authority now requires all phone, laptop and smart TV sellers to offer minimum one-year warranties with return policies.
The Communications Authority of Kenya has published new regulations under the Communication Equipment Vendor Class Licence, mandating a minimum one-year warranty and return policy on all electronic communication devices sold in Kenya, including phones, laptops, smart TVs, tablets, and commercial networking gear. Previously, vendors faced no legal obligation to offer warranties or returns, leaving consumers liable for repair costs on faulty devices. Online sellers must also now list a verifiable physical address, email, and phone number for after-sales support.
CAK seeks expanded powers to regulate digital markets and crypto
The Competition Authority is pushing for power to regulate digital markets, cryptocurrencies and stablecoins under the proposed Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
CAK Director General David Kemei told the National Assembly's Finance Committee that the current Competition Act does not adequately cover cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and digital services, making enforcement difficult. The proposed Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2026 would clarify the Authority's powers, strengthen enforcement mechanisms, and align Kenya's competition regime with international best practice. Kemei cited specific challenges including enforcement in digital markets, abuse of superior bargaining position, and ensuring compliance after investigations.
Treasury cuts 2026 GDP growth forecast from 5.3% to 5%
The National Treasury has revised Kenya's 2026 growth forecast down by 0.3 percentage points, blaming Middle East conflict-driven fuel prices and supply chain disruption.
Treasury PS Chris Kiptoo announced the downward revision from 5.3% to 5%, citing higher global fuel prices, disrupted supply chains, and weakened external demand from the Middle East conflict. The economy expanded 5.3% in Q1 2026, with accommodation and food services the fastest-growing sector at 14.7% on stronger tourist arrivals. The Treasury projects growth rising to 5.1% in 2027 and 5.2% in 2028, supported by agriculture, financial services, manufacturing, construction, and tourism. The 2027/28 budget preparation process has officially launched.
Tech
ServiceNow invests $40 million in Indian banking AI startup
ServiceNow is betting $40 million on BusinessNext, an Indian banking software startup valued at around $700 million, to expand its financial services AI push.
ServiceNow's investment values BusinessNext at roughly $700 million and gives the enterprise software giant a strategic partner to expand AI-powered banking software globally. BusinessNext specialises in AI-driven core banking and lending platforms for financial institutions. The deal signals ServiceNow's intent to compete harder in financial services, a vertical where workflow automation and AI compliance tools are in high demand. The investment also opens BusinessNext's distribution through ServiceNow's enterprise customer base.
GitHub Copilot switches to API-rate billing
Copilot now bills usage at the same rates as direct API access, shifting the value proposition from model access arbitrage to the integration and workflow layer.
GitHub has aligned Copilot billing with listed API rates for underlying models, meaning users effectively pay the same per-token cost they would calling the models directly. The difference, per GitHub, is what the subscription wraps around the raw calls: policy enforcement, code review integration, context retrieval, security scanning, and workflow tooling. For individual developers, the change reframes the $10/month subscription as a convenience and integration play rather than a model access discount. For teams, the decision involves comparing bundled features against stitching together a custom stack with direct API calls.