OpenAI files confidential SEC paperwork for IPO, opening the door to a Wall Street debut
OpenAI has filed preliminary paperwork to potentially become a publicly traded company. The company announced Monday it has submitted confidential documents to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. OpenAI says it hasn't decided on timing yet, as there are advantages to staying private. This move follows Anthropic's June announcement of its own IPO plans. Both companies are following SpaceX, which is also pursuing an IPO. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman mentioned last fall that an IPO was the “most likely path” due to the company's size and capital needs.
Pentagon labels tech giant Alibaba and electric car maker BYD as aiding Chinese military
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon has added several prominent Chinese businesses to its list of Chinese military companies. The list includes tech giant Alibaba, electric car maker BYD and search engine Baidu. The move prevents them from securing U.S. defense contracts. The list, updated Monday, now sanctions well-known, non-state-owned Chinese companies that are not traditionally considered to be in the defense sector. This year's list includes 188 entities, up from about 130 last year. While the companies can still operate in the U.S., they face reputational damage and potential restrictions. The Chinese Embassy is accusing the U.S. of “overstretching the concept of national security and making discriminatory lists to go after Chinese companies.”
Federal judge strikes down Trump's $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas
BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge has struck down the Trump administration's $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas. The announcement of the fee in September set off confusion and panic among employers, students and workers in the United States and abroad. U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin in Boston sided with 20 states and struck down the visa on Monday, saying the executive branch exceeded its authority. The ruling contradicts an earlier federal court decision in Washington, D.C. that denied the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's request to strike down the visa fee. There's still another case in San Francisco, setting up the possibility for appellate court clashes.
Apple unveils an upgraded Siri voice assistant with new AI features at its annual conference
CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — Apple is unveiling new artificial intelligence features at its annual developers conference. The World Wide Developers Conference started Monday. It's the last one featuring CEO Tim Cook before he turns his post over to John Ternus in September. The conference attracts thousands of developers from some 65 countries to Apple’s Silicon Valley headquarters. It usually focuses on software, in contrast to the fall unveiling of the latest iPhones. Apple showed off updates on new AI features, including upgrades to its Siri assistant. Apple says it's focusing on day-to-day use and privacy.
As Pennsylvania cracks down on AI, multiple chatbots continue to pose as doctors
Chatbots on five different websites claimed to be licensed to practice medicine in the commonwealth when prompted by Spotlight PA — the same kind of output that led the Shapiro administration to file a lawsuit last month. A task force under Pennsylvania’s Department of State has been working since February to identify AI chatbots posing as licensed professionals and misleading users. Based on that work, the administration filed suit against the role-playing site Character.AI. Mirroring the investigation detailed in the lawsuit, Spotlight PA had conversations with AI characters on websites Talkie, Janitor, Kindroid, Replika, and Nomi.AI. All provided a false Pennsylvania medical license number when prompted, a key part of the state’s argument in its lawsuit against Character.AI.
Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and Sam Altman are all talking about public ownership in AI
WASHINGTON (AP) — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has met with Sen. Bernie Sanders to discuss public ownership in AI companies — a meeting that highlighted the tension between AI powerhouses and policymakers. President Donald Trump also expressed interest in the idea, showing how the two politicians, fueled by populism, are embracing the concept. But concerns about AI's impact are growing, with backlash over data centers in local communities and job prospects. Policymakers are exploring AI regulation, with bipartisan efforts in Congress and oversight from the Trump administration.
Anthropic urges industry coordination to allow for a 'pause' in AI development if risks grow
Anthropic is proposing that top AI companies coordinate a way to pause the development of advanced AI systems if they become too dangerous. The company behind the Claude chatbot says the technology is improving so quickly that there's a risk humans could lose control. In a blog post Thursday, Anthropic suggests giving the world an “option” to slow or temporarily pause AI development. The company plans to research ways to implement this pause, noting that AI models are getting faster, doubling their task capabilities every four months. This rapid advancement could lead to AI designing its own successors, raising control concerns.
Trump calls for military to accelerate use of AI while protecting Americans
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is calling for the U.S. military and national security agencies to accelerate their use of artificial intelligence. But the president is also acknowledging the need to protect civil liberties and to maintain oversight over autonomous weapon systems. Trump issued his memo on Friday as anxiety grows over AI, from replacing people’s jobs to helping to identify targets on the battlefield. Trump directed the military to ensure that autonomous weapons systems respect the chain of command. He also called for restrictions on AI when it comes to censorship and unlawful surveillance of Americans.
China can build humanoids at scale. The hard part is finding enough buyers
HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese humanoid robots are making waves with their ability to do backflips, direct traffic and even make coffee. As such robots become more advanced, Chinese companies are looking for ways to profit from them. The government helped support their development, and startups say they have thousands of orders from both public and private companies looking to deploy them as China grapples with an aging population and rising labor costs. China’s domestic market appears to show strong demand for robots in various sectors from industrial to retail. While the U.S. excels in development of AI-powered robot “brains,” China leads in mass production and hardware and soon may be able to cut prices sharply.
Broken speaker? Finicky zipper? Anticonsumerist Repair Cafes urge you to fix it instead of pitch it
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. (AP) — Repair Cafes are part of a new brand of anticonsumerism. The cafes and other efforts try to offer an alternative to mass-produced, disposable goods that have dominated the economy for the last half-century. Repair Cafes are free events where volunteers with technical know-how help neighbors fix household items. They started in the Netherlands with a single cafe in 2009 and grew to a global nonprofit. At a recent event in New Paltz, New York, volunteers helped attendees fix items from lamps and knives to sound mixers and balky zippers. There’s also the Buy Nothing Project and a growing number of tool-lending libraries. All are dedicated to repairing, trading, and giving instead of buying and selling.
