Meta is aggressively recruiting top AI talent, including offering a record $200 million to poach a key person from Apple. This effort aims to build Meta's Superintelligence Labs and compete with other AI leaders.

Google acquired AI talent and assets from Windsurf for $2.4 billion to enhance its AI coding capabilities. Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan and co-founder Douglas Chen, along with some team members, will join Google's DeepMind AI division.

Elon Musk's xAI is reportedly seeking to raise more money, potentially valuing the AI company between $170 billion and $200 billion. xAI expects to generate over US$13 billion in annual earnings by 2029.

Pat Gelsinger launched Flourishing AI (FAI), a benchmark to evaluate AI model alignment with human values. Initial testing of 28 leading language models reveals that none are acceptably aligned across all dimensions.

LGND AI raised $9 million in seed funding to apply generative AI in geospatial analysis. The funding will enhance LGND’s cloud platform, which helps AI models process satellite images.

A New York federal judge ruled that voice actors can proceed with their state-level claims against Lovo Inc. for cloning their voices for narration software without permission. The case involves difficult questions and potentially weighty consequences for voice actors and the AI industry.

AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and DeepSeek are rapidly evolving. Computer scientist Sasha Luccioni suggests asking four questions before using AI, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking.

Huawei is attempting to export its Ascend 910B AI chips to the Middle East and Southeast Asia to challenge NVIDIA's dominance. The company is offering 910B volumes in the low thousands.

In the first half of 2025, electric truck sales in China surged by 175% to 76,100 units, representing about 25% of new truck sales. This growth is driven by subsidies and infrastructure.

The UN report and a research paper both address governing frontier AI, recommending international best practices and frameworks. Both aim to harmonize AI governance and control advanced chip proliferation.

Several European telecoms, including Vodafone, are warning about the potential negative impacts of deregulation on fiber optic expansion. They fear that easing regulations for market leaders could lead to re-monopolization.

Google announced the second cohort for its AI American Infrastructure Academy, supporting companies using AI. The program offers support for seed to Series A stage companies.

On July 10-11, 2025, discussions arose regarding Apple's AI strategy, with Tony Fadell emphasizing the need for Apple to be bold. Apple's stock experienced a slight decrease.

Greenpeace has criticized EV battery suppliers like BYD and EVE Energy for lacking clear renewable energy targets and for their environmental impact. The organization urges manufacturers to transition to renewable energy.

Alex Heath interviews Ellis Hamburger, founder of Meaning, about the AI startup frenzy and the ethical vacuum in AI. Ellis Hamburger used to work at The Verge and now works with buzzy AI startups.

StartupMafia lists 10 emerging tech platforms reshaping 2025, including AI-powered design tools and customer call automation. These platforms focus on practical tech solutions.

The dream of a unified global internet is fading as countries tighten privacy laws and rethink digital dependencies. Geopolitics is driving the need for localized digital infrastructure.

Alejandro Matamala Ortiz, co-founder and chief design officer at Runway, will speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Ortiz will discuss how design principles are guiding the next generation of generative AI tools.

Ulrike Hoffmann-Burchardi, UBS Global Wealth CIO Americas and Global Head of Equities, discussed AI Capex buildup and its impact on the market. Hoffmann-Burchardi anticipates compute demand from generative AI to increase.

The Nubia Pad Pro, an Android tablet, is praised for its performance and design, featuring a 10.9-inch display and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform. The tablet runs on Android 15 with MyOS 15.0.7.

ZDNET reviews the Eufy E15 Robot Mower, which eliminates the need for boundary wires and antennas, relying on sensors, cameras, and AI for navigation. The E15 is suitable for yards up to 0.2 acres.

On July 10, 2025, CNET experts listed the best iPads of 2025, including iPad Air, iPad Mini, and iPad Pro. The best iPad for most people is likely the new basic iPad 11th-Gen (2025) for $349 at Apple.

Engadget reviews the best webcams for 2025, highlighting models for different needs and budgets. The Logitech Brio 500 is named the best overall webcam, priced at $101.

The Insta360 X5 is a 360-degree camera that delivers fantastic image quality and thoughtful upgrades over its predecessor, the X4. It retails for $549 and features AI-powered video editing capabilities.

ZDNET reviewed the Motorola Moto G (2025), featuring a 6.7-inch HD+ display and a 50MP camera. The review notes the phone's solid camera system and impressive battery life.

CNET's portable audio expert provides a guide to the best Bluetooth speakers for 2025, considering sound quality, size, durability, and battery life. Prime Day deals are highlighted.

This week's tech news includes Samsung teasing its trifold phone, Ikea announcing new Matter smart home devices, and Hugging Face unveiling the Reachy Mini robot.

Apple's AI model, trained on 2.5 billion hours of data, uses Apple Watch data to predict health conditions with 92% accuracy. The model analyzes behavioral and physiological metrics from Apple Health, HealthKit, and heart rate sensors.

Samsung announced the Galaxy Z series foldables and Galaxy Watch 8 series for release on July 25, 2025. Pre-orders have started in Taiwan for the foldable model.

Amazon Prime Day 2025, ending on July 11, features deals on Apple products, including Apple Watch. Forbes reports discounts up to 35% on Apple Watches.

Amazon has signed multi-year agreements with Condé Nast and Hearst to license their content for its AI shopping assistant Rufus. Rufus uses this content, along with Amazon's catalog and customer reviews, to provide product recommendations and shopping assistance.

Meta has integrated its Meta AI across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, offering features like image editing and voice conversations. Meta AI is available in 21 countries and uses Llama 3.

Google Fiber and Nokia are testing network slicing to enhance home broadband, particularly for gaming, showcasing reduced latency. Network slicing allows customers to personalize and control their network.

KDDI plans to launch a new drone service for agriculture by 2027, aiming to automate pesticide spraying and address labor shortages. The Japanese drone market is expected to grow significantly.

As of July 11, 2025, the Aqara Smart Doorbell Camera Hub G410 is on sale for $130. The high-definition camera integrates with HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Home Assistant.

The US Army's ERDC developed 'Coyote Rovers'—four-wheeled UGVs with life-size coyote figures—to clear airfields of wildlife. These robots aim to reduce wildlife damage.

ZDNET and PCMag/ZDNET reported on Amazon Prime Day laptop deals, which run from July 8-11, 2025. Featured deals include discounts on Apple MacBook Air M4 and Dell XPS 13.

Artificial intelligence is transforming wedding planning by providing couples and planners with useful tools such as event suggestions, budgeting, and virtual styling assistants. Emily Strand and Will Christiansen used A.I. to manage their wedding tasks.

During Prime Day, discounts were reported on the Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic, with the 43mm black model priced at $280. The watch features a stainless steel case, sapphire crystal lens, and Wear OS.

This CNET article discusses Yuka, a mobile app that uses AI to analyze ingredients, additives, and potential allergens in food and cosmetic products. The app provides a health score and ingredient analysis.