Author: Frank Salvato

Intel delivered a stronger-than-expected second quarter, exceeding Wall Street forecasts on both revenue and earnings while issuing an optimistic outlook for the third quarter, reinforcing investor confidence that the company’s multiyear turnaround is gaining traction. CEO Lip-Bu Tan credited sustained artificial intelligence infrastructure demand, particularly for Intel’s data center processors, advanced packaging capabilities, and expanding foundry business. The company also raised its capital spending plans, signaling confidence that AI-driven demand will remain strong through 2027. While Intel continues to face intense competition in AI accelerators, its improving financial performance suggests the company is beginning to capitalize on a growing market…

China is increasingly using artificial intelligence as an instrument of geopolitical influence rather than simply an economic growth engine, coupling low-cost AI models, international partnerships, and digital infrastructure investments to position itself as the preferred technology partner for developing nations. Beijing’s strategy emphasizes affordability, accessibility, and international cooperation while advancing governance frameworks more compatible with centralized state oversight than Western models. The effort reflects a broader competition with the United States over who will establish the technical standards, diplomatic relationships, and institutional rules that shape the next generation of artificial intelligence. For policymakers in Washington, the contest extends well beyond…

A closely watched lawsuit alleging that Meta’s social media platforms contributed to a Florida teenager’s depression, anxiety, and other mental health harms was voluntarily dismissed just days before trial in Los Angeles, allowing the company to avoid another courtroom battle over claims that its products are intentionally designed to maximize youth engagement at the expense of users’ well-being. The plaintiff had previously reached confidential settlements with other major social media companies but elected to dismiss his remaining claims against Meta without compensation, citing the emotional burden of a lengthy trial and a desire to focus on recovery. Although Meta characterized…

The Trump administration has unveiled a sweeping $5 billion initiative designed to accelerate scientific discovery by placing artificial intelligence at the center of federally funded research. The effort will involve 15 federal agencies working together to harness Department of Energy supercomputers, government-owned datasets, and advanced AI systems to tackle persistent challenges such as chronic disease, faster drug development, and stronger infrastructure materials. The broader strategy also seeks to reshape how Washington distributes research dollars by placing greater emphasis on individual scientists and AI-driven innovation rather than traditional university-centered grant structures. Supporters argue the initiative modernizes federal research, improves government efficiency,…

Meta has unveiled a new standalone “Seller” application designed specifically for Facebook Marketplace merchants, signaling a major expansion of its e-commerce ambitions. The app gives sellers dedicated tools to manage listings, inventory, customer messages, and sales performance outside the traditional Facebook interface while introducing artificial intelligence features that can automatically generate product titles, descriptions, categories, and suggested prices from uploaded photos. The company is also rolling out a free identity verification system based on selfie verification to help distinguish legitimate sellers from fraudulent accounts. The move reflects Meta’s effort to transform Marketplace from a secondary feature into a more robust…

A college professor’s innovative effort to detect artificial intelligence-assisted cheating has reignited the debate over academic integrity in higher education after an online take-home examination produced implausibly high scores that sharply contrasted with subsequent in-person testing. The professor deliberately designed an assessment capable of revealing whether students were relying on generative AI rather than demonstrating their own understanding of the material. When the overwhelming majority of students earned exceptionally high grades on the remote exam but later performed dramatically worse under supervised conditions, the results strongly suggested that unauthorized AI use had become widespread. The controversy has also exposed the…

A senior White House official has accused Beijing-based AI startup Moonshot AI of unlawfully copying Anthropic’s advanced artificial intelligence technology through a process known as “distillation,” escalating the Trump administration’s campaign against what it characterizes as systematic Chinese theft of American intellectual property. According to the administration, U.S. intelligence indicates Moonshot AI used outputs from Anthropic’s latest model to develop its Kimi K3 system, while officials also allege the company circumvented U.S. export controls on advanced AI hardware. The accusations build upon broader claims made earlier this year that Chinese entities have conducted industrial-scale efforts to extract capabilities from leading…

Investors delivered a sharp rebuke to the artificial intelligence spending race after quarterly results from Alphabet and Tesla revealed that both companies intend to continue pouring unprecedented sums into AI infrastructure despite mounting pressure on free cash flow. While both companies posted strong business metrics in key areas, markets focused instead on soaring capital expenditures, negative free cash flow, and uncertain timelines for meaningful returns on those investments. The selloff spread beyond the two companies, dragging major technology stocks lower and raising broader questions about whether Silicon Valley’s relentless pursuit of AI dominance has begun to outpace sound financial discipline.…

SpaceX is reportedly making one of the most consequential strategic decisions in its history by limiting future commercial availability of its highly successful Falcon launch family in favor of transitioning customers toward the still-developing Starship system. According to multiple reports, the company has begun declining certain Falcon launch reservations beyond 2028, suspended future Falcon rideshare bookings, and slowed production of some expendable Falcon components as it concentrates engineering resources on Starship. The move reflects Elon Musk’s long-stated objective of replacing Falcon with a fully reusable launch architecture capable of dramatically lowering launch costs while supporting ambitious projects such as lunar…

President Donald Trump sharply escalated his confrontation with the European Union after Brussels imposed another major antitrust fine against Google, declaring that the EU has unfairly targeted American technology companies for years while using regulatory penalties as a revenue source. Trump announced that the United States will immediately initiate a Section 301 trade investigation into the EU’s treatment of American firms and warned that the bloc would “pay a very big price,” including the prospect of substantial new tariffs if the practices continue. The move significantly raises the stakes in the ongoing dispute over European digital regulations and signals that…