AP Exclusive: Bernie Sanders unveils plan to give the public direct ownership of AI companies
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Bernie Sanders is proposing a plan to give Americans ownership stakes in the country’s largest artificial intelligence companies. The legislation shown first to The Associated Press would impose a one-time 50% tax on the stock of major AI companies and place those shares into a sovereign wealth fund overseen by an independent commission. Sanders estimates the fund would be worth roughly $7 trillion and provide annual payments to Americans. While the idea of public ownership of AI companies has been backed by President Donald Trump and AI executives, Sanders' proposal goes far beyond that, with the public have decision-making power in the companies.
A New York House primary has become an AI industry family feud with millions in corporate spending
NEW YORK (AP) — New York Democratic Assemblyman Alex Bores is running for Congress, and the tech industry is deeply involved. A political group funded by OpenAI investors has spent more than $7 million on ads against Bores. The group opposes Bores' AI regulation efforts. However, another group backed by Anthropic is supporting Bores with more than $10 million. This race has become a proxy battle over how the government should regulate AI. Bores' RAISE Act is a major AI safety law and is at the center of the debate. The Manhattan-based district is traditionally liberal, adding complexity to the tech industry's involvement in the race.
AP Exclusive: Nvidia's Jensen Huang says society needs 'new social norms' in the age of AI
SHERMAN, Texas (AP) — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang — whose work helped propel artificial intelligence — is stressing in an Associated Press interview that society has no choice but to change in the advent of AI. Huang has been optimistic about the technology’s potential to rapidly change society, creating faster economic growth and more scientific breakthroughs. But as the head of a computer chip company now developing AI systems, Huang has felt obligated to respond to critics who warn of job losses and threats to humanity itself. “We need to create new social norms,” Huang said in an interview Tuesday. “I would advocate that everybody use AI. Just go engage it.”
Nvidia's Huang pledges AI will boost manufacturing jobs. A test will come in Texas
SHERMAN, Texas (AP) — Nvidia is betting on artificial intelligence to revive U.S. manufacturing. The Silicon Valley company has unveiled a major AI infrastructure upgrade as part of a $2 billion partnership with Coherent. This involves a Texas factory producing materials for lasers that enhance chip efficiency. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes AI can create jobs rather than replace them. Nvidia is shifting from chip development to entire AI systems, with production focused in the U.S. The factory is expected to create 1,000 jobs. The AI industry is seen as crucial for economic growth and national security, with bipartisan government support.
Man who died in Texas plane crash was a key figure in seeding Austin's technology boom
The man who died in this week's crash of a small jet in Texas was a well-known entrepreneur named Joshua Baer who was a successful investor in technology startup companies. Baer’s LinkedIn page shows him wearing a black T-shirt and pointing at the message reading, “I help people quit jobs.” Baer was the founder of an Austin-based venture capital firm that supported a wide range of tech startup companies from robots to autonomous ships. Baer was aboard a business jet that crashed Tuesday on a highway in Laredo, Texas, after the pilots reported mechanical problems and requested to make an emergency landing at an airport.
French president urges US to share cutting-edge AI and democracies to cooperate on regulation
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron is urging the U.S. not to keep cutting-edge AI to itself, calling for global cooperation on AI regulation. Speaking at a high-level meeting in France, Macron criticized the U.S. for restricting foreign access to advanced AI models. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman echoed this sentiment at the G7 summit, emphasizing the need for an international forum to establish AI safety standards. The White House's recent directive against Anthropic's AI models has fueled European distrust of U.S. tech dominance. Macron warns that restricting access could harm U.S. firms and pledges increased funding for France's AI sector.
In boost to Musk, Justice Department seeks to dismiss air pollution lawsuit against xAI data center
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is helping one of Elon Musk’s companies fight a civil rights lawsuit that alleges it is illegally running dozens of natural gas turbines to power a $20 billion data center in Mississippi. The NAACP and other groups say Musk’s xAI business failed to get a permit for its power plant, creating health risks for families in North Mississippi and nearby Memphis and violating the federal Clean Air Act. The Justice Department is seeking to intervene in the case and dismiss the lawsuit. It argues that the plant is needed to power an AI data center that is “critical to the economy” and the U.S. military.
Japan's tech business SoftBank rolls out OpenAI 'patches' against cyberattacks
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese technology giant SoftBank Group Corp. is launching a service using OpenAI technology to protect against the looming threat of cyberattacks. Chief Executive Masayoshi Son called Japan’s vulnerability to cyberattacks “a crisis,” comparing it to a potential assault by machine guns instead of the rifle shots of the past. SoftBank will offer “a patching service,” targeting the nation’s top 3,000 companies, behind crucial infrastructure like airports, power systems and transportation. Sam Altman of OpenAI was scheduled to be there Tuesday, but appeared only in a short video. SoftBank and OpenAI set up a 50:50 joint venture last year to develop and exclusively market an AI service for the Japanese market.
Cape Verde's Vozinha becomes an Instagram sensation thanks to his saves and a streamer's push
GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — Vozinha gasped and laughed in shock when shown the number of new Instagram followers he had gained after helping tiny Cape Verde hold off powerhouse Spain in his team’s World Cup debut. Less than 24 hours after the game, Vozinha already had nearly 10 million Instagram followers. That is more than NBA superstar Victor Wembanyama and NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes each have. A popular Brazilian streamer was taking credit for the goalkeeper's sudden surge in followers. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to get the 40-year-old goalkeeper's mother a visa to the U.S.
The UK is banning children's social media use. Here's what other countries are doing
LONDON (AP) — Britain plans to ban people under 16 from using social media apps like Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube to protect them from harmful content. This move is part of a global trend to enforce age-based restrictions. Some parents and child advocacy groups support these measures, but critics raise privacy concerns. Australia introduced a similar ban in December, and Indonesia announced restrictions in March. Malaysia requires age verification for platforms with over 8 million users. Brazil mandates linking accounts to a legal guardian. Canada is considering a regulator to enforce these rules. Other countries are exploring similar measures.
