City in Santa Clara County, California, at the heart of Silicon Valley
Zoox has received a temporary NHTSA exemption that allows it to charge fares for its purpose-built robotaxis and will start paid rides in Las Vegas on Aug. 10. The company can deploy up to 2,500 vehicles annually for two years under enhanced federal oversight while state and local approvals remain required for expansion.
Google has rolled back a new Google Earth feature that used the Nano Banana 2 image model to generate AI images over satellite, aerial and 3D imagery after researchers and journalists created fabricated scenes — from refugee camps to bomb craters — that could be shared as persuasive, falsified evidence.
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.
Vogue World will host its next edition in San Francisco, signaling a shift in the fashion world’s geographic focus toward the tech hub on the West Coast. Anna Wintour has praised the city’s creative communities and resilience, while city leaders emphasize the event’s potential to boost cultural and economic vitality.
Vintage computer collectors are restoring iconic machines like the Apple I and Xerox Alto as interest in computing history grows, with festivals drawing thousands and prices for rare items reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The Florida Department of Transportation has revoked permits for license-plate reader systems used by local law enforcement, ordering removal from state roadways within 30 days. The move follows concerns about misuse, data privacy, and surveillance.A broader wave of state actions parallels Texas and other jurisdictions amid privacy worries and allegations of abuse in ALPR programs.
A wave of new AI-focused funding signals a shift toward enterprise-ready solutions. BAG Ventures raises a new fund to back AI-native startups, Dorm Room Fund expands with a $50 million AI-aligned pool, and Ema secures growth funding to expand multi-agent workflows. Spellbook appoints a new CMO as the legal AI space grows. Together, these moves indicate a push toward integrated, outcome-driven AI in businesses.
UnitedHealth has raised its 2026 adjusted earnings outlook to at least $20.50 per share after a strong Q3, driven by value-based care and an expanding Optum Health turnaround. Analysts anticipate higher 2027 EPS as management views consensus targets as conservative. Meta Platforms’ Muse AI momentum is also shaping investor sentiment ahead of its Q3 results.