California city at the edge of the Bay, home to Meta and a Silicon Valley hub
Industry leaders warn that AI infrastructure investments have sparked a ferocious race among hyperscalers. Earnings calls show wide investor scepticism about when returns will materialise, even as compute demand remains strong.
The latest rulings in New Mexico require Meta to tighten age verification, curb addictive features, and fund mental-health services for young users. Courts have ordered a series of safety measures and an educational campaign, with continued litigation and potential nationwide implications.
Meta has rolled out updates to its AR glasses to deter covert filming, adding a stronger capture LED safeguard and hardware-based privacy measures. The moves come as regulators in the EU probe the glasses and venues consider bans; the company reports a small share of devices have been tampered with and vows ongoing updates.
A federal trial in Oakland has opened in which California and 28 other states have accused Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to hook children, harvesting their data and hiding internal research. The states are seeking damages that could reach roughly $200 billion and court-ordered product redesigns to protect under-13s.
Meta has agreed to an $18 billion settlement with 48 states to strengthen age-verification and safety tools on Instagram and Facebook. The deal does not admit liability and carves out ongoing oversight, with audits and time-bound improvements. Other platforms like YouTube and TikTok are urged to follow suit.
Meta is developing a camera-free variant of its Ray-Ban AI glasses to address privacy concerns while preserving AI chat features. The move follows sustained criticism of camera-enabled glasses and regulatory scrutiny in Europe and Norway. The company is pushing audio and AI capabilities with safeguards like an LED recording indicator and anti-tampering features.
Meta has integrated its Muse AI assistant more deeply into glasses and wearables, unveiling new features at Connect 2026. The company is pushing Muse across hardware, including AI glasses, VR glasses, and a new Charm device, as it aims to embed AI into daily life while expanding hardware partnerships and services.
Meta is expanding its Muse AI ecosystem with Charm and updated VR glasses, aiming to keep users connected via a palm-sized device and a high-end headset. The Charm will ship by December holidays, while the VR Glasses carry a premium price. CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the devices will accelerate hands-free AI interactions.
Dutch retailers have paused Meta glasses amid privacy concerns; the government is reviewing regulation while Dutch Data Protection Authority flags privacy risks and investigations continue. Meta defends features like indicator lights and anti-tampering.
Meta's Muse has sparked a high-stakes race as OpenAI unveils Dots and a coalition advances an open standard for agent-to-business communication. The market watches adoption, safety, and pricing as consumer and enterprise use expands.
New Mexico has issued a $25 billion penalty against Meta over data privacy and harmful content concerns connected to Cambridge Analytica era practices. The ruling labels Meta’s actions as deceptive and says the state can direct funds to education. Meta plans to appeal; several related multi-state suits and teen-mental-health actions are ongoing.