Tech World Abuzz with Controversy, AI Advances, and Sports Action

Wired's Gay Mafia Cover Sparks Outrage, Google Unveils New AI Model, and Celtics Face Off Against Warriors

By Emergent News Desk

Sunday, February 22, 2026 · 2 min read · 5 sources

The tech world has been abuzz with controversy, innovation, and excitement this week. A provocative cover story by Wired magazine, highlighting the presence of gay people in positions of power in Silicon Valley, sparked a heated debate online. The article's imagery, including a handshake between two men and a musclebound individual with San Francisco's Salesforce Tower between his legs, was widely criticized as tone-deaf and homophobic. California state senator Scott Weiner, a leader on LGBTQ issues, took issue with the article's premise, calling it "gross." Many LGBTQ tech employees echoed his sentiments, feeling that the article perpetuated negative stereotypes. Others noted that the article's content was tired and lacked depth. Meanwhile, Google CEO Sundar Pichai took the stage at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in India, discussing the company's latest advancements in artificial intelligence. Pichai announced Google's plans to build a "vast network of subsea fiber optic cables" and create a "full-stack AI hub" as part of the company's $15 billion infrastructure investment in India. He also highlighted the potential of AI to drive positive change, citing examples such as improved healthcare and education. In related news, Google released its latest core reasoning model, Gemini 3.1 Pro, which achieved twice the verified performance of its predecessor on the ARC-AGI-2 benchmark. Gemini 3.1 Pro is designed to provide more creative solutions and is the new core model powering Gemini and various Google AI tools. In the world of sports, the Boston Celtics faced off against the Golden State Warriors in an exciting NBA matchup. The game, which took place at the Chase Center in San Francisco, saw the Celtics putting up a tough competition against the Warriors. For those who missed the game, it's possible to watch a live stream of the Celtics vs. Warriors online for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. While the government shutdown may be dominating headlines, it's worth noting that it will not affect the 2026 tax filing season. According to the Internal Revenue Service, operations will continue as normal, with IRS offices maintaining regular hours and online self-service help tools available. As the tech world continues to evolve and innovate, it's clear that there's no shortage of exciting developments and controversies to explore. From AI advancements to sports action, there's always something new on the horizon.

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