Gemini powers Google’s AI push, hitting 1B MAUs as AI rollout expands and costs rise; a centerpiece in Google’s hardware and software bets.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 line remains the flagship, with the Ultra model offering higher-end cameras and battery life. Other foldables from rival brands enter markets with new shapes, improved screens, and pricing shifts. Preorders and deals signal growing consumer interest, while reviews highlight both value and trade-offs.
Anthropic has confidentially filed an S-1 for an IPO, signaling a swift race to public markets among frontier AI labs. OpenAI and SpaceX are closely watching, as valuations soar and investor scrutiny deepens amid a wave of high-profile listings.
OpenAI has submitted a confidential S‑1 to the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a potential IPO, joining Anthropic and SpaceX in what could become a wave of blockbuster listings. The company has not set timing or deal terms and says it may remain private while it completes plans that are easier offline.
Recent legal actions and new security tools underscore the growing role of AI in cybercrime and the ongoing efforts by tech giants and law enforcement to curb scams, data breaches, and impersonation attempts across sectors.
A wave of AI-enabled tools is reshaping publishing, note-taking, and defense sectors. Beehiiv and Substack roll out chat-assisted publishing; Plaud ships AI-powered notetaking hardware; Mode Inc expands via acquisitions to crowdsource data labeling; Mach Industries pursues multiple weapons programs to boost U.S. defense capabilities.
Meta has announced a new line of smart glasses with AI-assisted features, priced at $299 and developed with EssilorLuxottica. The glasses lack Ray-Ban/Oakley branding, and Meta is positioning them as fashion-forward wearables. Competitors like Snap and Google are racing to release their own AI eyewear.
A heat dome has driven record electricity demand across the eastern United States. Officials warn temperatures will stay high this week and the grid faces stress as cooling needs rise. Cooling centers expand and energy-use guidance is issued to prevent outages.
The Financial Conduct Authority has released a Mills Review on AI in financial services, warning it could transform markets by 2030 while heightening fraud and cyber risks. It recommends expanding the FCA’s powers over critical third parties and launching a follow-up in six months to assess harm from unregulated AI-enabled finance.
Anthropic has released Claude Reflect to web and mobile for users with memory enabled, allowing them to review 1, 3, 6 or 12 months of Claude activity, usage patterns, and task types. Prompts about mindful AI use and optional quiet hours accompany the rollout, which is in beta for Free, Pro, and Max tiers.
Hachette, Cengage, Elsevier and author Scott Turow have filed a federal lawsuit in New York accusing Google of copying millions of copyrighted books — from Google Books, Play and web scrapes — and using them without permission to train its Gemini AI, seeking damages and an injunction while alleging Google hid identifying copyright data.
EU rules under the Digital Markets Act require Google to allow rival AI assistants on Android and to share anonymized search data with competing engines. The measures aim to boost choice while preserving privacy, with compliance set for 2027.
Intel has reported its strongest revenue growth in more than a decade, with revenue rising 25% to $16.1 billion. Data center and AI demand drive gains, though the company remains unprofitable due to restructuring costs and an $8.9 billion government investment stake. Foundry business is expanding, facing execution challenges.
The Independent and other outlets report RAM shortages could affect iPhone 18 Pro supply. Pro models may feature a variable aperture camera and rising component costs push prices. Apple is expected to stagger launches, with Pro models leading a broader lineup while foldable Ultra is anticipated.
Chinese AI developers are releasing cheaper, high-end models that compete with leading U.S. options. DeepSeek’s V4-Flash is the cheapest major model, while Alibaba’s Qwen3.8-Max claims competitive benchmarks and a 1-million-token context. The wave includes Moonshot AI and ByteDance, intensifying global competition.
Enterprise AI spending has doubled as firms shift to use frontier models for planning and delegating tasks to cheaper tools for day-to-day work. Stakeholders warn that token costs remain unpredictable, prompting a push for better governance, budgeting and measurement across organizations.
Google has reorganised its AI leadership: Demis Hassabis has stepped back from day-to-day running of DeepMind to become its chair and Alphabet chief scientist, and Koray Kavukcuoglu has been promoted to senior vice-president to run Google DeepMind. Several senior engineers, including Jeff Dean and Sanjay Ghemawat, have left to launch a new startup; Alphabet shares have fallen.
Shopify has reported strong quarterly results as AI-enabled tools drive traffic and orders to its platform, with AI search helping smaller brands compete. Revenue and GMV beat expectations, while concerns over AI-related costs and margins persist.
Google reports Gemini has reached 1 billion monthly active users across its app, with 63% using voice input. The milestone is framed as rapid growth alongside competition from OpenAI, with Google stressing integration across products and recent model updates.
Google has unveiled a new Pixel 11 lineup featuring Gemini AI across devices, including Live Transcribe for ASL, Rambler voice transcription, Circle to Search in-camera, and a pro/fold variant lineup with expanded storage and higher prices. New camera and accessibility features aim to showcase AI-driven task automation and smarter interfaces.