AI and business, written fresh every day, with updates from Ember.
Business ·
A ban on hemp-derived THC drinks took effect at midnight in Illinois, turning the beverages from grocery items into illegal narcotics. Manufacturers are rushing to sell remaining stock or ship it to states with different rules.
Business ·
A Guardian opinion piece argues that the personal life of Nvidia's CEO matters enormously because so much power rests with one individual, and that spreading authority across organizations limits the damage one person's flaws can cause.
Business ·
An editorial argues that strong venture-capital returns do not automatically translate into national prosperity, and that public investment should build domestic capabilities and address social needs. It points to the sale of hundreds of British companies to foreign buyers as a warning about lost industrial capacity.
AI ·
Rep. Bill Foster told MIT Technology Review that Nvidia privately said the anti-smuggling measures in the Chip Security Act could technically be done, even as an industry group called them possibly unworkable.
Business ·
The UK's national wealth fund plans to lend £1bn to the Vanguard offshore wind projects, which together need almost £13bn in debt. The case for helping two well-resourced companies has drawn scrutiny.
Business ·
ITV is set to reduce its programming budget as part of £30m in temporary cost savings, with most of the money coming from content. The move comes as new figures show UK spending on film and prestige TV production fell by more than £2bn over the past year.
Business ·
MPs allege that Poundland's owner withdrew millions while the budget retailer was in peril, as management prepares to ask a court for more time to reach a rescue deal.
AI ·
Yueqian Innovation has built a five-kilogram-class desktop photography robot designed to automate camera moves that usually require a skilled operator. The company, founded in 2023, started with larger rigs for film crews and now targets smaller content-creation spaces.
Business ·
Britain says the Falkland Islands would face devastating consequences if Argentina blocks the Sea Lion offshore oil project. The dispute is being heard at an international tribunal in Hamburg.
Business ·
French police searched the Ritz in Paris and two other properties as part of a probe into sexual abuse and trafficking allegations involving Mohamed Al Fayed. The Paris prosecutor's office said people detained for questioning were later released.
Business ·
A broadcast segment examined the unusually broad role Jensen Huang plays at Nvidia and across the American technology industry, framing the controversy around him as one with wide-ranging implications.
AI ·
Alibaba said it has formally applied to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for a separate listing of its chip subsidiary T-Head, which would remain a subsidiary after the offering.
Business ·
Boeing plans to cut roughly 5% of the workforce in its commercial aircraft business through layoffs and attrition. The company is slowing the acceleration of jet production to give factories and suppliers more time to steady their operations.
Business ·
A cyber-attack that defrosted freezers at a French supermarket has been attributed to Iran, with a suspected connection to other activity in Europe. The case echoes earlier Iran-linked digital stunts aimed at public attention.
Business ·
El Niño is forecast to deliver turbulent weather, and some businesses are positioning themselves to profit from the preparations it prompts. Contractors and mountain resorts are among those watching the skies with commercial interest.
AI ·
云深处科技 has introduced the 绝影X50, a new four-legged robot designed to carry up to 50 kg while traversing stairs, slopes and rough ground. The company is targeting heavy-duty work in fire response and power inspection.
AI ·
Scott Wiener, a California state senator who wrote legislation aimed at limiting the dangers of advanced AI, has won a tight congressional race for the San Francisco seat Nancy Pelosi left open. He could now help shape federal AI policy.
AI ·
MIT Technology Review reports from Ashburn, Virginia, the Data Center Alley hub, during a week when US voters went to the polls. Its headline frames the data center backlash as a question about electricity.
Business ·
Five of seven border inspection sites in England and Wales never became operational, with at least £100m of public money spent on the unused facilities. The National Audit Office separately estimated last year that Brexit's overall cost was about £4.7bn.
Business ·
Mercer projects an 8.2% rise in per-employee health benefit costs for 2027 after planned cuts, with costs up about 11% without action. The increase would be the largest since 2003, keeping pressure on employers and workers.
AI ·
Personal AI products are adding real-time voice and animated avatars, and one writer argues that a sense of companionship, rather than raw capability, is what keeps users coming back.
AI ·
A report from 雷峰网 argues that WorkBuddy, however prominent, is only one piece of Tencent's Agent strategy. At the company's Global Digital Ecosystem Summit, executives framed the real obstacle as disconnected systems and data rather than model capability.
Business ·
National Trust members have decisively supported plans to tender for a new banking partner. The decision follows criticism of Barclays over its fossil fuel investments.
Business ·
Santiago Peña faces charges connected to Paraguay’s banking crisis, while prosecutors seek his preventive detention. For customers such as Pedro Volpe, the turmoil became personal when routine account access suddenly failed.