China says it will work with US to resolve issues related to TikTok
China's Commerce Ministry says Beijing will work with the Trump administration to resolve issues related to TokTok's ownership. The ministry made the announcement Thursday after President Donald Trump met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The Trump administration had been signaling that it might have reached a deal with China to keep TikTok running in the U.S. But no deal was announced, though Trump said after meeting Xi in South Korea that he had an “amazing” meeting that produced an “outstanding group of decisions.” An agreement would end months of uncertainty about the fate of the popular video-sharing platform in the U.S.
Universal Music and AI song tool Udio settle lawsuit and partner on new platform, sparking backlash
LONDON (AP) — Universal Music Group and AI platform Udio have settled a copyright lawsuit and will collaborate on a new music creation and streaming platform. The companies announced on Wednesday that they reached a compensatory legal settlement and new licensing agreements. These agreements aim to provide more revenue opportunities for Universal's artists and songwriters. The rise of AI song generation tools like Udio has disrupted the music streaming industry, leading to accusations from record labels. This deal marks the first since Universal and others sued Udio and Suno last year. Financial terms of the settlement weren't disclosed.
How tiny drones inspired by bats could save lives in dark and stormy conditions
WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are developing tiny drones inspired by bats for search and rescue missions. The aerial robots use echolocation, like bats, to navigate in dark and challenging conditions. Assistant professor Nitin Sanket and his team aim to create small, affordable, and energy-efficient drones that can operate where and when current drones can't. While drones are becoming more common in search and rescue, Sanket and researchers elsewhere want to move beyond the manually operated individual robots being used today. They're exploring how to create autonomous drones that can be deployed in swarms.
Mistake-filled legal briefs show the limits of relying on AI tools at work
NEW YORK (AP) — Judges around the world are seeing error-riddled legal briefs that were generated with the help of artificial intelligence. A data scientist and lawyer has catalogued at least 490 filings in the past six months that contained false or misleading information from AI responses. His database is a cautionary tale for people learning to use AI tools at work. With many employers wanting workers to employ the technology, it's not just the legal profession that needs to be aware of the possible foibles. Legal and workplace experts suggest treating AI as an assistant whose work needs to be checked. They say users also need to be aware of privacy concerns.
Apple delivers strong quarter despite trade war challenges and ongoing artificial technology issues
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple delivered financial results during its summertime quarter that exceeded analyst projections, despite being caught in the crosshairs of a global trade war at the same time the trendsetting company is scrambling to catch up to its Big Tech peers in the artificial intelligence race. The performance announced Thursday was driven by strong demand for the premium models of the iPhone 17 lineup that went on sale last month. Although iPhone sales rose by 6% from the same July-September period last year, the growth was slower than the pace from the prior quarter. But Apple's profit and revenue still topped analyst forecasts and its stock surged by 3% in extended trading.
AI chipmaker Nvidia is the first $5 trillion company
Nvidia has become the first $5 trillion company, just three months after the Silicon Valley chipmaker was first to break through the $4 trillion barrier. The ravenous appetite for Nvidia’s chips is the main reason that the company’s stock price has increased so rapidly since early 2023. On Wednesday the shares closed at $207.04 with 24.3 billion shares outstanding, putting its market cap at $5.03 trillion. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was heading to South Korea this week as leaders from major Pacific Rim economies, including the United States, China and Japan, are gathering for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
Google's corporate parent posts first-ever quarter with $100B in revenue in latest show of its power
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google’s corporate parent on Wednesday announced its first-ever quarter with more than $100 billion in revenue. The milestone illustrates the unwavering power of its internet empire amid legal and competitive threats. The news of Alphabet Inc.’s faster earnings growth comes on the heels of a court ruling in the U.S. Justice Department’s landmark monopoly case against Google’s dominant search engine that was widely seen as a mild rebuke. Alphabet's powerhouse July-September period saw its profits and revenue exceeded analyst projections. The company's shares rose more than 6% on the news.
GOP lawmakers urge Trump administration to back Falun Gong lawsuit against Cisco
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two prominent Republicans are urging the Supreme Court to allow a lawsuit against Cisco. The lawsuit claims Cisco's technology was used to persecute Falun Gong members in China. Representatives Christopher Smith and John Moolenaar have asked the Trump administration’s top Supreme Court litigator to support the case going to trial. The Supreme Court will decide whether U.S. law permits the suit. The case questions if American companies can be held liable for aiding human rights violations abroad. If successful, it could set a precedent for holding companies accountable for the misuse of their technologies overseas.
Microsoft prepares to spend more on AI as its sales and profit surge
Microsoft has reported an 18% increase in quarterly sales, reaching $77.7 billion, surpassing Wall Street expectations. The company has spent nearly $35 billion on capital expenditures in the July-September quarter to support AI and cloud demand. This spending overshadowed a 22% increase in quarterly profit, which reached $30.8 billion. Microsoft has already invested $11.6 billion of its committed $13 billion in OpenAI. Quarterly revenue from Microsoft's cloud-focused business segment was $30.9 billion, up 28% from the same time last year. Revenue from Microsoft's workplace software was up 17% to $33 billion.
Meta shares slide after company projects higher expenses for 2026
Meta’s stock slid in after-hours trading Wednesday after the tech giant posted strong third-quarter results but warned that its expenses will be significantly higher in 2026 than this year. Like its rivals, Meta Platforms Inc. has been on an artificial intelligence spending spree and said its costs will grow much faster next year, driven by infrastructure costs and employee compensation as it has hired AI experts at eye-popping compensation levels. Menlo Park, California-based Meta Platforms Inc. earned $2.71 billion, or $1.05 per share, in the July-September period. Excluding tax-related special expenses, the company would have earned $7.25. Revenue rose 26% to $51.42 billion.
