Energy, water use and pollution of AI and data centers rival most countries
WASHINGTON (AP) — According to a United Nations University report, the environmental footprint of data centers already rivals some of the world’s largest countries. The report also predicts that their water and energy use and pollution will double in just four years as use of artificial intelligence grows. The report issued Wednesday found that last year, global data centers used 448 trillion watt-hours of electricity. The report said that electricity use produced about 208 million tons of carbon dioxide, about the same amount as Argentina. The study focused on energy use and didn’t examine the massive amount of water used to cool data centers.
SpaceX's IPO is set to be the biggest ever and could make Elon Musk a trillionaire
NEW YORK (AP) — SpaceX says it plans to raise up to $75 billion when it goes public this month, setting the stage for the largest-ever stock market debut and putting Elon Musk on course to becoming the world’s first trillionaire. The company, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp., said Wednesday it will sell 555.6 million shares at $135 each in an initial public offering. The offering would give SpaceX a market value of $1.77 trillion. Only six companies in the S&P 500 are currently worth more. The estimated proceeds from the SpaceX IPO would easily top the $26 billion raised by oil giant Saudi Aramco in 2019.
Trump signs an executive order that invites vetting of top AI models for national security risks
President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order on oversight of artificial intelligence, less than two weeks after postponing a White House ceremony over his concerns that a similar policy could dull America’s edge on AI technology. It was not immediately clear to what extent the order signed Tuesday differed from the one he declined to sign on May 21. The order establishes a framework to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems for up to a month before their public release. The government will be able to work with trusted partners “to promote secure innovation and strengthen the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure,” the order says.
UK orders Google to allow publishers to opt out of AI scraping for search summaries
LONDON (AP) — British competition regulators have mandated that Google must allow news sites to opt out of having their content scraped for AI overviews. This is part of new "conduct requirements" imposed by the Competition and Markets Authority to loosen Google's grip on the U.K.'s online search market. Google must provide publishers with tools to withhold content from its AI services and properly cite content in AI-generated search results. The decision aims to give publishers more leverage in content negotiations with Google. The ruling follows concerns about decreased traffic to news sites since Google's AI Overviews were introduced.
How a carjacking in Connecticut led back to a man known as the crypto ‘Godfather’ in California
A California man known as the crypto “Godfather” has admitted to playing a key role in a botched Connecticut kidnapping nearly two years ago. Adam Iza pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to a robbery charge. Prosecutors say Iza helped orchestrate the abduction of a married couple in Danbury in 2024 in an effort to get ransom from their son, who was involved in the theft of $245 million worth of Bitcoin a week earlier. Messages were left with Iza's lawyer. In California, Iza also has pleaded guilty to using off-duty Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies as his personal enforcers against business rivals and other people.
'Love my woke pope': Why Leo's first encyclical went viral and how it speaks to his papal approach
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has issued a manifesto calling for robust regulation of artificial intelligence. His first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” has sparked widespread online reactions. Many young people appreciate his stance, seeing few leaders addressing AI's rapid rise. Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, often engages with contemporary culture. He recently participated in a viral meme and wore Nike sneakers under his vestments. His approach reflects the modernizing reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Leo's engagement comes at a crucial time for the Catholic Church, as it reckons with past abuses.
Israel's weapons exports reach a record high with sales doubling in the past 5 years
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel's weapons exports reached a record high of over $19 billion last year, marking a 30% increase from 2024, according to Israel's Defense Ministry. More than half of 2025’s sales were mega-deals valued at $100 million or more. Sales have more than doubled in the last five years, despite criticism of Israel’s conduct in conflicts with Gaza, Hezbollah, and Iran. Experts say governments are drawn to Israel's battle-tested weapons. Defense Minister Israel Katz says the figures reinforce Israel's position as a leading defense technology power. The Defense Ministry plans to prioritize innovation in drone defense.
Anthropic races toward a Wall Street debut with a confidential SEC filing
Artificial intelligence company Anthropic is moving toward going public on Wall Street, the latest chapter in its meteoric rise from a little-known research laboratory to one of the leading AI companies valued at $965 billion. Anthropic said Monday it has submitted a confidential filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of its common stock. Anthropic said last week it had raised $65 billion in private funding that will push its valuation to $965 billion, a whopping number that makes the five-year-old maker of the Claude chatbot one of the world’s most valuable startups.
European Union launches tech sovereignty initiative to boost chips, cloud and AI at home
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders are pushing back against reliance on American and Asian tech companies. The 27-nation bloc unveiled a “tech sovereignty” package on Wednesday to promote European alternatives to Big Tech services and hardware. Concerns have grown over dependence on foreign technologies, which could be “weaponized” against Europeans. This fear intensified after the International Criminal Court's top prosecutor was sanctioned by the Trump administration, leading to Microsoft canceling his email account. The package includes a sequel to the EU's 2023 Chips Act to boost local semiconductor production and plans to triple Europe's data center capacity in the coming years.
Florida sues OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, claiming company concealed serious risks of ChatGPT
MIAMI (AP) — The state of Florida has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, claiming the company knowingly released and aggressively marketed ChatGPT to the public while concealing serious risks. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said Monday that the company suppressed internal safety warnings and deceived users about the true nature and dangers of the product. The lawsuit mentioned two recent criminal cases in which the suspects allegedly used OpenAI to plan the attacks. OpenAI says its models repeatedly encouraged the individuals to seek real-world support, including from mental health professionals. The company also says it has cooperated with law enforcement in both cases.
