Author: Frank Salvato

Joby Aviation, the California-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft maker, has agreed to acquire a second large manufacturing facility near Dayton, Ohio, adding roughly 700,000 square feet to its U.S. production footprint as it moves to expand air taxi output ahead of anticipated commercial launches; the new site complements an existing Dayton plant where Joby has already begun producing key components and supports plans to double eVTOL manufacturing capacity to about four aircraft per month by 2027 amidst local government support and job creation in the Miami Valley region. Sources: https://www.theverge.com/transportation/857489/joby-buys-another-ohio-plant-to-build-its-air-taxishttps://www.whio.com/news/local/joby-aviation-expand-manufacturing-with-purchase-second-local-facility/YPSYYR4WNFFO3CZ5XGYUDL36KA/?outputType=amphttps://www.jobyaviation.com/news/joby-acquires-facility-ohio/ Key Takeaways • Joby Aviation is significantly…

Tech giants that are under fire from local residents and activist groups over massive data center buildouts are trying a new tack in 2026: turning dull, concrete server warehouses into architect-designed facilities with community-friendly aesthetics and amenities to blunt mounting bipartisan opposition. Critics across the country — from small towns to big states — have rallied against data centers citing strain on power grids, increased utility costs, water usage, and “ugly” building designs that hurt property values and rural character, forcing projects to be delayed, altered, or scrapped. In response, companies and design firms are incorporating gardens, parks, and facades…

OpenAI has unveiled ChatGPT Health, a new dedicated health-focused feature within its ChatGPT platform that lets users securely connect their personal medical records and wellness apps like Apple Health, MyFitnessPal, and others to the AI so it can provide health-related guidance grounded in individual data. The service, currently rolling out to a select group of users with broader access planned, emphasizes its supportive role—helping people understand lab results, prepare for doctor visits, navigate wellness goals, and explore insurance options—while explicitly not diagnosing or treating medical conditions. OpenAI says ChatGPT Health stores sensitive information in an encrypted, isolated space and doesn’t…

European regulators have stepped up pressure on major American and Chinese tech platforms by scrutinizing Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok and TikTok for alleged violations of EU digital laws. The European Commission is reportedly “very seriously” investigating Grok after reports that the AI model has been used to generate sexually suggestive and explicit images of minors and adults, a development that the EU calls illegal and appalling under existing content standards. Regulators are also examining AI-generated videos and posts on TikTok that allegedly influenced political sentiment in violation of Europe’s transparency and digital labeling laws. The dual probes come amid…

Utah has become the first state in the United States to formally test artificial intelligence systems that can autonomously handle prescription renewals for patients with chronic conditions through a pilot program with health-tech startup Doctronic, enabling the AI to assess medical histories, ask clinical screening questions, and, if appropriate, send prescription refills directly to pharmacies while excluding heavily regulated drugs and maintaining early human oversight, an initiative state officials say will expand access and lower costs, though medical experts warn about possible risks without direct physician involvement. Sources: https://www.semafor.com/article/01/07/2026/utah-becomes-first-us-state-to-test-ai-prescriptionshttps://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/utah-launches-ai-pilot-prescription-refillshttps://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/healthcare/4408470/utah-allows-ai-to-renew-medical-prescriptions Key Takeaways • Healthcare Innovation Meets Regulation — Utah’s new pilot…

Security teams at Microsoft are alerting organizations to a growing cyber threat where attackers exploit misconfigured email routing and weak spoof protections to send phishing emails that appear to come from inside the victim’s own domain. These deceptive messages, often delivered through “Phishing-as-a-Service” toolkits like Tycoon2FA and leveraging complex mail setups involving third-party gateways or improper SPF/DMARC enforcement, are designed to trick employees into surrendering credentials or wiring money by mimicking internal HR notices, voicemail alerts, and shared documents. Microsoft reports this tactic has surged since mid-2025 and continues to fuel credential theft, business email compromise (BEC), and financial scams,…

Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a widespread threat campaign on the Google Chrome Web Store involving two seemingly legitimate browser extensions that together have been installed by at least 900,000 users and were covertly harvesting sensitive AI chatbot conversations and general browsing data before transmitting it to attacker-controlled servers. Industry analysts from OX Security reported that the malicious add-ons, which impersonated respected productivity tools and even bore Google’s “Featured” badge at one point, specifically scraped content from ChatGPT and DeepSeek interactions along with URLs and tab activity, presenting a serious risk for individuals and organizations alike given the volume of personal…

A new study from Cornell University and the University of Chicago, highlighted at CES 2026, projects that global demand for wearable health devices — including glucose monitors, blood pressure trackers and fitness wearables — could surge to as many as 2 billion units per year by 2050, roughly 42 times today’s level, and, if manufacturing practices remain unchanged, result in more than 1 million tons of electronic waste and roughly 100 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions cumulatively by mid-century, with the bulk of emissions linked to the energy-intensive production of printed circuit boards that serve as these devices’ “brains,”…

Elon Musk, chief executive of SpaceX, now says the long-anticipated uncrewed Starship mission to Mars planned for 2026 is unlikely to happen this year because it would be a “low-probability shot and somewhat of a distraction,” reflecting a pragmatic pivot driven by technical obstacles—particularly mastering in-orbit refueling—after a series of developmental hurdles that pushed key demonstrations into mid-2026 and beyond, all while SpaceX expands its reusable launch capabilities and plans a major IPO; the move comes as NASA and industry competitors advance alternative Mars and lunar missions and highlights the gap between visionary ambition and engineering realities on the path…

A California state senator has introduced landmark legislation that would impose a four-year moratorium on the manufacture and sale of children’s toys equipped with artificial intelligence chatbot capabilities, arguing that unregulated AI interactions pose unacceptable safety, privacy, and developmental risks for minors and that regulators need time to develop robust protections before such products become widespread. According to multiple independent reports, the proposal—Senate Bill 867—targets AI-enabled “companion chatbots” in toys for anyone under 18 and is framed as a precautionary public-safety measure in the face of troubling interactions documented in early AI toy deployments and broader concerns about AI’s impact…