Waymo plans to bring its driverless taxis to London in 2026
LONDON (AP) — Waymo plans to expand its robotaxi service to London next year. The company will start testing self-driving cars on London streets in the coming weeks with a human safety driver. Waymo aims to win approval for its services by engaging with local and national leaders. Waymo’s self-driving taxis have been operating in the United States for years, serving cities like Phoenix and San Francisco. The company will follow new U.K. regulations on self-driving cars, which require safety levels comparable to human drivers. Waymo will also adhere to rules from Transport for London.
Instagram says it's safeguarding teens by limiting them to PG-13 content
Meta says teenagers on Instagram will be restricted to seeing PG-13 content by default and won’t be able to change their settings without a parent’s permission. This means that teens will see photos and videos on Instagram that is similar to what they would see in a PG-13 movie. The company is also adding an even stricter setting that parents can set up for their children. As it seeks to add safeguards for teens, Meta has already promised it wouldn’t show inappropriate content to teens, such as posts about self-harm, eating disorders or suicide, though this does not always work.
Trump threatens to pull support for Argentina if its politics move leftward
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw assistance from Argentina if its internal politics don't align with his interests in upcoming elections. The comments were made during a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei, who faces midterm elections later this month. Trump criticized an opponent as "extremely far-left" and warned that U.S. support would not continue if Milei doesn't succeed. The U.S. has provided $20 billion in aid to Argentina, which Trump described as helping a "great philosophy" take over. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed confidence in Milei's coalition continuing its reform agenda.
Meta removes ICE-tracking Facebook page in Chicago at the request of the Justice Department
Meta has removed a Facebook page used to track the presence of immigration agents at the request of the Department of Justice, the company confirmed on Tuesday. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post on X that “following outreach” from the DOJ, Facebook removed a “large group page” that was being used to target ICE officials. Meta said in a statement that the group “was removed for violating our policies against coordinated harm.”
Google announces $15B investment in AI hub in India meant to drive digital transformation
NEW DELHI (AP) — Google has announced a $15 billion investment in India over the next five years to establish its first artificial intelligence hub in the country. Located in Visakhapatnam, the hub will be one of Google’s largest globally. It will feature gigawatt-scale data center operations and extensive energy infrastructure. The investment highlights Google's reliance on India as a key technology base. For India, it brings high-value infrastructure and foreign investment. Google CEO Sundar Pichai discussed the plans with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Adani Group has partnered with Google for developing the hub.
OpenAI partners with Walmart to let users buy products in ChatGPT, furthering chatbot shopping push
NEW YORK (AP) — OpenAI is partnering with Walmart to allow shoppers to make purchases directly within ChatGPT, furthering the artificial intelligence company’s push to turn its chatbot into a virtual merchant as it seeks to boost revenue. On Tuesday, Walmart announced that customers will soon be able to "chat and buy," making products available through instant checkout in ChatGPT. This partnership marks OpenAI's latest expansion into online commerce, following similar offerings for Shopify and Etsy sellers. OpenAI is working with Stripe on the technical standards for this system. Walmart has separately been integrating AI across its operations, including its AI shopping assistant, Sparky.
GM to take a $1.6 billion hit as tax incentives for EVs are slashed and emission rules ease
General Motors will book a negative impact of $1.6 billion in its next quarter after tax incentives for electric vehicles were slashed by the U.S. and rules governing emissions are relaxed. Shares dipped 3% before the opening bell Tuesday. The EV tax credit ended last month. The clean vehicle tax credit was worth $7,500 for new EVs and up to $4,000 for used ones. General Motors, which had led the way among U.S. automakers with plans to convert production to an electric fleet of vehicles, warned that more hits may be ahead as it adjust production under a new administration, and non-cash charges may impact operations and cash flow in the future.
Group including Nvidia, BlackRock buying Aligned Data Centers in deal worth about $40 billion
A group including BlackRock, Nvidia and Microsoft is buying Aligned Data Centers in an approximately $40 billion deal in an effort to expand next-generation cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure. The acquisition comes amid a flurry of deals in recent months involving top AI developers that are flooding the booming AI sector with resources and money, and addressing resources -- such as electricity and infrastructure -- needed to support such technology.
It's called automated officiating. The NBA is utilizing it to get even more calls right
The NBA is using "automated officiating" to enhance game accuracy. This technology, which includes cameras and sensors, helps referees make precise calls by tracking players and the ball. An example is LeBron James's buzzer-beater against the Indiana Pacers, where technology confirmed the correct call. The NBA aims to improve game flow and transparency with shorter review times and clearer explanations for fans. Other sports, like baseball and tennis, are also adopting tech for officiating. The goal is to support referees, not replace them, allowing them to focus on complex judgment calls.
NFL uses AI to predict injuries, aiming to keep players healthier
Injuries are a big part of the NFL, and staying healthy can make or break a season. The NFL has partnered with Amazon Web Services to use technology and AI to predict and prevent injuries. The Digital Athlete tool collects data from all 32 teams to help manage players' health. This tool has been available for three seasons and is praised for its comprehensive data. It helps teams adjust practice schedules and workloads to reduce injuries. While overall injuries have decreased, experts say it's hard to pinpoint a direct cause. The data also helps improve equipment like helmets to reduce concussions.
