[BIG TECH]

Dario Amodei donated $1 million in May to Public First, a super PAC backing candidates who support AI safety regulations. The contribution marks his first seven-figure political donation.

The European Union has launched an in-depth investigation into JD.com's €2.2 billion acquisition of Germany's Ceconomy AG, potentially derailing the Chinese e-commerce giant's bid for Europe's largest consumer electronics retailer.

The European Union has accepted X's compliance plan following a €120 million fine for violating Digital Services Act transparency requirements. The platform has six months to implement researcher access to its data.

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is pushing state regulators to impose stricter requirements on autonomous vehicle operators following a major traffic gridlock caused by Waymo.

Box CEO Aaron Levie suggests that tech leaders are uniquely susceptible to what he calls 'AI psychosis'—an almost religious fervor around artificial intelligence productivity claims that may be distorting decision-making across the industry.

Candice Odgers, a psychologist with 25 years of adolescent mental health research, challenges the current debate around smartphone restrictions, arguing it obscures larger threats to teen wellbeing.

Roku has launched its first major home-screen redesign in 10 years, positioning the streaming platform to capture additional advertising revenue.

Netflix reported Q2 revenue of $12.56 billion, missing analyst expectations of $12.59 billion despite 13% year-over-year growth. The stock fell more than 7% in after-hours trading.

Elon Musk has quietly purchased Jacksonville-based APR Energy, a mobile power generation company operating over 1 GW of gas and diesel turbine capacity. The acquisition marks another energy infrastructure play for the billionaire entrepreneur.

X is deploying its Grok AI system to detect stolen content and engagement bait on the platform. The company will redirect creator payouts to original content owners.

Nasdaq President Nelson Griggs stated the exchange followed all regulations in securing SpaceX's initial public offering, potentially the largest on record. He also outlined new rules expediting company listings on its index.

Oracle faces a financial balancing act as it attempts to compete in AI infrastructure while maintaining its credit rating. The company's aggressive spending plans risk straining its balance sheet.

The European Union has mandated that Google grant its AI competitors greater access to Android, the operating system powering billions of devices globally. The ruling represents a regulatory victory for Google despite appearing as a compliance defeat.

The European Union has proposed new satellite regulations that allow non-European companies like Starlink to compete for airwaves while reserving most spectrum licenses for domestic firms.

The European Union has issued two landmark decisions requiring Google to grant competing AI assistants and search engines comparable access to Android and Google Search data. The rulings mark a major enforcement action under the EU's Digital Markets Act.

Meta has launched a safeguard that notifies parents if their teenage children discuss self-harm with the company's AI chatbot. The feature aims to intervene in potential mental health crises.

Airbnb and Uber are expanding beyond their core services to build comprehensive travel platforms. Both companies are adding flights, car rentals, and experiences to compete for a larger share of travelers' spending.

Palm Beach County commissioners voted to reject a proposal for a digital infrastructure hub designed to house AI data centers and warehouses, citing strong opposition from local residents.

Uber Technologies has agreed to acquire German food-delivery company Delivery Hero SE in an all-stock deal valuing the company at $14.8 billion. The transaction represents a major consolidation in the global food-delivery market.

Donald Trump criticized New York Governor Kathy Hochul's one-year pause on large datacenter construction, calling for the policy to be scrapped immediately. The moratorium makes New York the first state to restrict hyperscale datacenters that power AI operations.

A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration cannot deny visas or deport researchers solely based on their work in content moderation. The decision protects disinformation researchers from visa restrictions tied to their field of study.

Microsoft has released the KB5089573 preview cumulative update for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2. The update includes 30 changes focused on performance and reliability improvements.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese outlined a new AI strategy at the University of Sydney, but critics say the vision needs clearer definitions on datacentre regulations and enforcement.

Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has created a crowdsourced map to track artificial intelligence data centers across the United States, aiming to increase transparency around their locations and environmental impact.

The Federal Communications Commission will vote August 6 on eliminating rules that cap individual company ownership of broadcast stations at 39 percent of US TV households. FCC Chair Brendan Carr announced the proposal in a Wednesday op-ed.

The UK government is expanding its proposed social media restrictions to include older teenagers, imposing midnight curfews on certain apps and limiting addictive features.

Google told a California federal court it will allow US users to download third-party app stores directly within Google Play starting next week. The move marks a significant shift in the company's app distribution control.

Samsung is bundling Amazon Music as pre-installed software on Galaxy devices, making it difficult for users to remove. The move marks an expansion of pre-loaded apps on Samsung's Android phones.

Amazon is phasing out its grocery delivery service in Singapore and eliminating a small number of local roles. The company will discontinue Amazon Fresh and related fulfillment operations in the city-state.

New York's moratorium on new data centers has AI advocates concerned that other states will follow suit, potentially creating a wave of tech infrastructure restrictions ahead of the midterm elections.

Dave Brown, senior vice president of compute, AI, and platform at Amazon Web Services, is leaving the company after nearly two decades. Brown, a member of AWS's S-team advising CEO Andy Jassy, departs for an unspecified new role.

OnePlus will cease operations in the US and Europe as early as this week, while sister brand Realme is exiting China. The moves are part of a restructuring by parent company Oppo.

Chinese regulators have approved Apple Intelligence for the country, powered by Alibaba's Qwen AI models. The partnership marks Apple's entry into China's competitive AI market and expands its generative AI platform globally.

SpaceX bonds have fallen 10% below their issue price, signaling investor concerns about the company's financial stability. The decline puts the debt on track for junk bond classification.

The Trump administration has reached an agreement with Volvo Car AB, allowing the automaker to avoid a proposed US ban on connected vehicles with Chinese ties.

Apple's overhauled Siri AI arrives in iOS 27 public beta with practical improvements but lacks the polish of competing assistants. The update prioritizes task completion over conversational flair.

New Delhi announced a combined $6.5 billion smartphone manufacturing program and $13.3 billion semiconductor initiative to build a competitive electronics supply chain independent of Chinese production.

Short-form video content has fundamentally changed how social media algorithms distribute information. Feed curation is no longer transparent, driven instead by complex algorithmic systems that prioritize engagement over user intent.

IBM shares plummeted 25% on Tuesday following preliminary second-quarter earnings that missed analyst expectations, marking the company's worst trading day since the 1987 stock market crash.

Nokia's stock surge is forcing investors to reassess the Finnish company as an infrastructure beneficiary of the AI boom rather than a legacy telecom-equipment maker.

Stripe and private equity firm Advent International have jointly offered $60.50 per share to acquire PayPal, representing a 28% premium to Tuesday's closing price and valuing the payments company at over $53 billion.

X's product head Nikita Bier acknowledged Monday that a broken algorithm stripped visibility from posts shared among mutual followers, making the platform feel combative. The company says it's implementing a fix to boost content distribution among connected users.

Microsoft's latest patch Tuesday brings new update flexibility to Windows 11, allowing users to pause updates for up to 35 days and repeatedly extend the deadline.

The UK government plans to implement an overnight curfew on social media apps for 16- and 17-year-olds by default. The proposal also requires platforms to disable addictive features like auto-play and infinite scroll.

X has adjusted its algorithm to boost post visibility among mutual followers—users who follow each other back—in an effort to reduce hostile interactions in reply sections.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Tuesday establishing a one-year moratorium on new artificial intelligence datacenters, making the state the first in the nation to impose such restrictions on the power-intensive facilities.

Spotify is rolling out Talk to Spotify, a new voice-controlled feature that lets users create playlists and perform other actions hands-free. The beta feature is available to Premium subscribers aged 18+ in the US, Ireland, and Sweden.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the reopening of international internet access after nearly three months of restrictions, according to state media reports.

Apple filed a high-profile lawsuit against OpenAI in Northern California federal court, accusing former Apple employees of stealing trade secrets to benefit the AI company. The legal action targets OpenAI's hardware initiatives.

The European Commission approved €659 million in state aid for four first-of-a-kind semiconductor facilities in Germany. The investment aims to reduce EU dependence on foreign chip makers.

Elon Musk's xAI has installed significantly more gas turbines without federal permits at its Colossus 2 data center in Tennessee than publicly acknowledged. The unpermitted installations disproportionately impact Black neighborhoods near the facility.

KeyBanc Capital Markets downgraded Apple to underweight, delivering a rare bearish call on the tech giant. The firm cited demand risks and valuation concerns as key drivers.

IBM reported preliminary second-quarter sales below expectations, prompting CEO acknowledgment of underperformance. The company attributed the shortfall to customers prioritizing spending on chips and servers driven by AI demand.

UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has instructed cabinet ministers to prioritize British companies for government procurement in ships, steel, energy, and AI. The directive comes amid frustration that too much public spending is going to foreign firms.

Google has purchased all electrical output from a major solar project to offset emissions from its data centers. The deal represents the company's latest effort to reach carbon-neutral operations.

State Street Global Markets plans to continue purchasing technology stocks during market dips, citing stabilizing analyst expectations and institutional investor positioning as key drivers.

India's antitrust regulator has fined HP's Indian unit 1.27 billion rupees ($13.3 million) for colluding with resellers to rig prices in government procurement tenders.

Sam Altman accused Elon Musk of overselling space-based data centers to public investors, a critique that aligns with widespread expert doubt about the technology's near-term viability.

Successful tech entrepreneurs are re-entering the startup fray, driven by fear of missing artificial intelligence's transformative moment and the prospect of substantial financial gains.

A controversial California bill may restrict the infinite scroll feature on social media platforms. The legislation targets design patterns that critics argue encourage excessive teenage use.

SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son identified nuclear fusion as the most viable solution for powering the massive energy demands of future AI data centers.

X has updated its feed algorithm to amplify posts from mutual followers, aiming to create a more communal experience on the platform. The change marks a shift away from the contentious dynamics that have characterized the social network.

Uber's Chief Product Officer Sachin Kansal outlined the company's strategic priorities, including hotels, robotaxis, and financial services, while clarifying that Uber has no intention of becoming an all-encompassing platform.

Ericsson AB is relocating its global headquarters from Kista, a suburban tech hub, to central Stockholm after more than 20 years. The move signals a shift in the Swedish telecom giant's strategy and reflects broader changes in Europe's tech landscape.

Prime Minister Modi and Vietnamese leader Lam agreed to strengthen economic and defense partnerships. The move comes as both nations navigate regional tensions in the Middle East.

Huawei's clean energy division is scaling beyond China, positioning the telecom giant as a major player in the global energy transition. The $11 billion operation quietly built backbone infrastructure for renewable power systems worldwide.

OnePlus and parent company Oppo plan to announce the smartphone brand's withdrawal from US and European markets in the coming days, according to reports. The move concludes months of speculation about OnePlus's future.

Apple released the first public beta of iOS 27 today, featuring enhanced Siri capabilities. The update prioritizes performance improvements and bug fixes over new features.

Cloudflare introduced Precursor, a new security platform designed to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities before they're exploited. The tool aims to help developers proactively manage application security risks.

SpaceX has received clearance to resume Starship test flights following a booster failure in May. The upcoming launch marks the company's first test flight as a publicly traded company.

Apple has surged $600 billion in market value as investors shift away from artificial intelligence-focused stocks. The rally reflects growing caution about AI spending among chipmakers and cloud-computing firms.

Scotland's incentives for 'green datacentres' fail to account for the carbon footprint of AI workloads, according to analysis by Action to Protect Rural Scotland. The policy definition, created in 2022 before ChatGPT's release, does not address the substantial emissions generated by AI operations.

The European Union is considering sweeping restrictions on young people's social media access, including potential age limits and outright bans. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said new legislation could be proposed within months.

Meta is committing an additional $40 billion to its Louisiana data center campus, bringing total expected investment beyond $250 billion as the company expands its AI computing infrastructure.

Washington is considering restrictions to prevent Chinese companies from using American AI models to train their own systems, reviving longstanding debates over tech export controls and intellectual property.

MiniMax Group Inc.'s stock plummeted following JPMorgan Chase's second price target reduction in under a week. The downgrade cites value dilution concerns from the Chinese AI model maker's recent fundraising round.

Hyundai Motor workers launched a three-day partial strike Monday, demanding higher bonuses and job protections against AI and robotics displacement. The move follows recent wage gains at semiconductor competitors.

The White House is requiring its official app to be installed on all government employee devices, according to reports. The mandate covers federal workers across agencies.

Netflix confronts investor concerns as subscriber growth plateaus. The streaming giant must demonstrate its ability to maintain momentum in an increasingly competitive market.

Google's I/O 2026 Search redesign, which replaced traditional blue links with AI agents, has triggered significant user exodus. DuckDuckGo installations surged 30% as customers reject the new direction.

The Guardian's global tech team is shifting from covering digital phenomena to investigating physical infrastructure, examining how massive datacentres powering the AI boom are reshaping technology journalism.

Local opposition to artificial intelligence data centers is intensifying across the U.S. as communities worry about power grid strain and environmental impacts from the rapid buildout.

Attorney Mark Lanier secured a major courtroom victory against tech giants Meta and Google, proving the companies deliberately created "addiction machines" that harm mental health. The case centered on young plaintiff Kaley and her experience with social media platforms.

Microsoft, Amazon and Google's combined carbon emissions jumped nearly 20% in the past year, reaching 119 million metric tonnes of CO₂ equivalent—roughly a third of France's total output. The spike is driven primarily by rapid datacentre construction.

The European Commission plans to introduce new digital regulations by year-end to protect consumers from deceptive online spending practices. EU Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath announced the initiative as part of broader efforts to strengthen social media safeguards.

SK Hynix, Nvidia's largest RAM supplier, raised $26.5 billion in its Wall Street IPO Friday, becoming the largest foreign company debut on record. The South Korean chipmaker opened at $170 per share.

Malaysia is implementing an age verification requirement for social networks effective June 1, prohibiting users under 16 from accessing major platforms.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will announce a new 'skills compact' on Tuesday committing major financial firms to retrain thousands of workers for the AI era. The initiative targets companies including Barclays and Lloyds.

Johannes Heidecke, OpenAI's head of safety, is leaving the company following an internal reorganization. The departure marks a shift in the AI firm's safety leadership structure.

Netflix is reportedly developing always-on live channels to address slowing subscriber engagement. The move would offer users continuous content streams without traditional on-demand selection.

Netflix has broadened its content offerings to include video games, live sports, podcasts, and YouTube videos alongside its traditional shows and movies. The expansion marks a significant shift for the platform, which historically focused on on-demand entertainment.

The FCC is cracking down on companies allegedly created by DJI to circumvent the U.S. foreign drone ban. Firms like Xtra and Skyrover have been selling DJI products under different brand names to avoid regulatory restrictions.

Microsoft has announced significant layoffs across its Xbox division as part of a broader restructuring effort. The Engadget Podcast examines the implications with industry analyst Mike Futter.

Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging the AI startup and its hardware chief orchestrated a coordinated campaign to steal confidential information about unreleased products. The complaint claims OpenAI encouraged poached Apple employees to share trade secrets including prototypes, drawings, and supplier details.

Microsoft's Xbox division eliminated 1,600 positions this week, with another 1,600 cuts scheduled over the next 12 months. The staggered layoffs have left remaining staff uncertain about their future at the company.

Disney Plus is considering a free streaming tier that would offer some content at no cost, according to Business Insider. The company's chief product and technology officer mentioned the concept during a Thursday town hall.

Meta is pursuing author Sarah Wynn-Williams for breaking a non-disclosure agreement, but the aggressive legal action is reinforcing perceptions of the company as a bully. Meanwhile, the EU is pressuring Meta to disable auto-play and infinite scroll features or face substantial fines.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri said the platform won't filter out AI-generated content, but users should be able to control what appears in their feeds. He emphasized transparency over removal.

The European Commission has determined that Facebook and Instagram's design features violate the Digital Services Act, citing their addictive nature as a breach of EU regulations.

Singapore-based Datagrid has secured approval to build a NZ$3.5bn AI datacentre in Makarewa, southern New Zealand, but residents are demanding greater transparency over environmental concerns.