Author: Frank Salvato

A high-stakes legal fight has erupted in the emerging electric air-taxi industry after Archer Aviation filed a countersuit accusing rival Joby Aviation of concealing its reliance on Chinese suppliers and misleading U.S. regulators in order to gain a competitive advantage in government funding and regulatory approvals. The allegations surfaced in federal court filings as part of an escalating dispute between the two Silicon Valley startups, both racing to bring electric vertical take-off-and-landing aircraft to market. Archer claims Joby and its partners imported large quantities of Chinese-origin aircraft components while presenting itself as a largely domestic manufacturer, potentially influencing federal grants,…

Parents across the United States are increasingly confronting a new and complex digital threat: the integration of artificial intelligence into social media platforms used by children and teenagers. As AI chatbots, recommendation algorithms, and generative tools become embedded in everyday online experiences, experts warn that these systems can expose minors to misinformation, sexualized content, deepfake manipulation, or psychologically manipulative interactions. Concerns are mounting that large technology companies have raced ahead with innovation while lagging behind on safety safeguards for younger users. Parents and policymakers are now grappling with how to balance the benefits of AI-powered tools—such as learning assistance or…

A closely watched courtroom battle in Los Angeles is testing whether major technology companies can be held legally responsible for alleged mental-health harms tied to social media use by minors. In the case, a now-20-year-old plaintiff claims platforms such as Instagram and YouTube contributed to depression, anxiety, and body-image struggles after she began using the apps as a child. Lawyers for the tech companies have pushed back strongly, arguing that the plaintiff’s difficulties stemmed from a complicated set of personal circumstances rather than from the design of the platforms themselves. Defense attorneys have emphasized medical records and testimony from mental-health…

A major global adult-entertainment conglomerate has begun blocking Australian users from several of its most prominent websites after new nationwide age-verification laws took effect, marking one of the most aggressive regulatory moves yet aimed at limiting minors’ exposure to explicit online material. The restrictions stem from Australia’s new online safety codes requiring digital platforms that host adult content—including pornography, violent material, and certain AI-generated media—to verify that users are at least 18 years old before granting access. Rather than immediately implement identity-verification systems, the company behind platforms such as Pornhub, RedTube, and YouPorn opted to restrict access from Australian IP…

A company known for operating an immigration detention facility for federal authorities is now positioning itself to capitalize on the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence infrastructure boom by building large temporary housing camps for data-center construction workers. Target Hospitality, which runs remote worker camps and owns the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, has secured contracts worth roughly $132 million to build and operate a camp in Dickens County, Texas that could house more than 1,000 workers helping construct a massive AI-related data center. The housing model—often referred to as “man camps”—originated in remote oil and gas operations where workers required…

Oracle’s stock jumped after the technology giant reported quarterly results that exceeded Wall Street expectations and raised its revenue outlook, reinforcing the company’s growing role in the booming artificial intelligence and cloud-computing sectors. Strong demand for Oracle’s cloud infrastructure services—driven largely by businesses racing to build AI capabilities—pushed revenue above analyst forecasts and fueled investor optimism about future growth. Executives signaled that long-term demand for AI computing power remains robust, pointing to massive contract commitments and expanding cloud infrastructure deployments. The upbeat guidance suggested Oracle is increasingly positioning itself as a major competitor in the AI cloud race alongside larger…

Western intelligence officials are warning of a large-scale cyber-espionage campaign in which Russian government-linked hackers are attempting to infiltrate accounts on encrypted messaging platforms such as Signal and WhatsApp, using deception rather than technical exploits to gain access. According to Dutch intelligence agencies, the campaign targets government officials, military personnel, journalists, and other high-value individuals around the world by impersonating customer support representatives and persuading victims to hand over verification codes or PINs tied to their accounts. Once those credentials are obtained, attackers can effectively take over accounts and monitor communications, bypassing the protection offered by end-to-end encryption. Security officials…

Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company Zoox has begun mapping streets in Dallas and Phoenix as part of its broader push to expand its robotaxi network across major U.S. cities, signaling the next stage in a fast-moving technological race to bring fully autonomous ride-hailing services to the public. The mapping effort involves deploying specially equipped vehicles to collect detailed road data—traffic patterns, lane configurations, and infrastructure information—so that the company’s self-driving software can safely navigate complex urban environments before live testing begins. The move reflects a strategic expansion beyond Zoox’s early deployments in places such as San Francisco and Las Vegas, where…

A new startup called Periwinkle is attempting to reshape the social media landscape by enabling individuals and organizations to host their own social media identities and data using the open-source AT Protocol that powers the fast-growing Bluesky network. Instead of relying on centralized platforms controlled by major technology companies, the service allows users to operate accounts tied to their own domain names and store their posts, follower lists, and profile information on a personal data server under their control. The Berlin-based company offers managed infrastructure, including updates, backups, and monitoring, to make self-hosted social networking accessible even to non-technical users.…

Qualcomm’s new collaboration with German robotics developer Neura Robotics marks a significant step toward bringing advanced artificial intelligence out of data centers and into the physical world, as the two companies plan to build next-generation robots powered by Qualcomm’s Dragonwing IQ10 processors and Neura’s software ecosystem. The partnership centers on creating a standardized architecture that functions as the “brain and nervous system” for robots, allowing cognitive machines—ranging from industrial robots and autonomous mobile systems to humanoids designed for service and household roles—to operate safely and efficiently alongside humans. By combining Neura’s robotics hardware and simulation environment, known as Neuraverse, with…