Google faces mounting evidence of its search monopoly. A federal judge recently ruled – for the second time in a year – that Google illegally maintains a monopoly in ad tech. Google's response?
The United States set out to win a trade war with China. It failed. Years of tariffs, tech restrictions, and tough rhetoric have backfired, leaving America in a weaker position while China charges ahead with innovation and global influence.
Good Morning from San Francisco, Meta just kicked Apple's AI tools to the curb. All of them. 🥾 No
☀️ Good Morning from San Francisco,
🏭 The EU wants to flex its AI muscles. Their plan? Five massive computing centers, each packing 100,000 AI processors. That's four times bigger than today's biggest facilities.
🎯 Tech Commissioner Virkkunen unveils the blueprint today. Germany's Jülich facility leads the race for one spot, though the EU's track record raises eyebrows. Their previous tech initiatives - like 5G and Gaia-X cloud - stumbled spectacularly.
⏰ Applications close in June. The clock ticks while global AI powers surge ahead.
Stay curious,
Marcus Schuler 🖋️
The European Union wants to build five giant AI computing centers. These "gigafactories" would pack more than 100,000 AI processors each - dwarfing today's facilities that typically house 25,000.
EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen will unveil the plan today. The goal? Transform Europe into a leading AI continent.
These megafactories will handle complex AI training and development. They could power everything from industrial simulations to satellite control systems. The EU also plans to ease AI regulations for smaller companies.
Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia region looks promising for one site. Their Jülich facility might upgrade to gigafactory status. State Premier Hendrik Wüst claims they have "the best conditions to become Europe's leading digital and quantum region."
But the EU's tech plans often fall short. Their 2016 push for 5G coverage missed its targets. The Gaia-X cloud project flopped, with competitor Nextcloud declaring it "dead."
The selection process starts now. Applications close June 20, 2025. Then comes months of review before final decisions drop in late 2025. Construction timelines? That's another story.
Why this matters:
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Chinese dominance of US imports runs deeper than iPhones and gaming consoles. The reality? America depends on China for everything from badger hair to electric toasters.
Recent trade data reveals smartphones topped Chinese imports at $41 billion last year. Apple's iPhone leads the pack, with China supplying over 70% of US smartphone imports. But that's just the start of America's China habit.
Look in your kitchen. That electric toaster? 99% chance it's from China. Your closet's wooden hangers? 90% Chinese-made. Even the artificial flowers brightening your living room likely bloomed in a Chinese factory.
Trump's 104% tariffs aim to break this dependence. His goal: bring manufacturing home to America. But decades of integrated supply chains won't untangle easily.
The plot thickens with critical minerals. China controls 80% of scandium and yttrium exports - and just restricted both. More metals could face export bans.
Even small purchases face new hurdles. Trump hiked tariffs on sub-$800 imports to 90%, targeting Chinese marketplaces like Temu and Shein. Postal fees will jump to $150 per item by June.
Why this matters:
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Reddit just upgraded its AI search tool with Google's Gemini, aiming to keep users from wandering off to Google for answers. The feature, which launched in beta last December, now summarizes relevant comments and posts - though some users dismiss it as a Grok knockoff while others praise its ability to digest Reddit's endless advice on tasks like rescuing rusty cookware.
Microsoft just unplugged its billion-dollar data center dreams in Licking County, Ohio, shelving plans for three massive facilities in New Albany, Heath, and Hebron. While the company claims it will keep the farmland for future development - and graciously allow actual farming to continue - this marks just another entry in Microsoft's growing list of canceled data centers, suggesting its expansion plans might need a reboot.
Google just gave its Gemini Advanced subscribers access to Deep Research powered by model 2.5 Pro, replacing the previous 2.0 Flash Thinking engine that all users briefly enjoyed last month. While Google claims raters preferred its new research tool "by more than a 2-to-1 margin" over competitors, free users are left wondering if their research assistant needs to go back to school.
Starlink's bid for Canadian Arctic internet subsidies faces fierce opposition from Bell and other local telecoms, with the battle intensifying amid growing anti-US sentiment. While Musk's satellite service already connects 400,000 Canadians at C$140 monthly, several provinces have torn up Starlink contracts in response to US trade tensions - suggesting this fight over northern funding might leave Musk out in the cold.
In a fashion faux pas that would make even outlet shoppers wince, Lyst - once strutting a $700 million valuation - just sold itself to Japanese retailer Zozo for a marked-down price of $154 million. The deal puts an end to Lyst's dreams of an IPO catwalk appearance, though the company did manage to accessorize its announcement with obligatory AI buzzwords about "transforming fashion discovery" - perhaps hoping no one would notice they're wearing last season's valuation.
German fintech Hawk just secured $56 million to expand its AI-powered money laundering detection tools, with London's One Peak leading the investment. The Munich-based company, which already helps 80 banks spot financial crime, plans to use the cash to grow in the US market - though it might want to watch its own money trail, having extended its Series B funding three times since 2023.
Google just agreed to unbundle its car-based services in Europe, finally letting automakers pick their preferred digital driver instead of forcing them to ride shotgun with Google's full package. In what might be the least surprising plot twist in tech regulation, the company insists its platforms have always offered choice - though it took Germany's antitrust authority to help Google find the turn signal.
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AI tools multiply like rabbits these days. But some gems hide in plain sight. Let's unearth five powerhouses that dodge the spotlight.
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Google just revealed major updates to its Workspace suite, headlined by a new AI automation tool and audio features in Docs. The announcements at Cloud Next 2025 show Google pushing AI deeper into its core office products.
Workspace Flows leads the charge. This new tool helps automate complex tasks using custom versions of Gemini called Gems. Users describe what they need in plain language, and Flows builds the automation - no coding required. Early examples show it handling customer support requests by reviewing forms, researching solutions, and drafting replies for human review.
Google Docs gets audio capabilities that let users create podcast-style summaries and full audio versions of documents. A new "Help me refine" feature acts as a writing coach, suggesting ways to strengthen arguments and improve structure.
Sheets users will soon get "Help me analyze" - an AI assistant that creates charts, spots trends, and suggests next steps. Meanwhile, Meet and Chat are getting Gemini-powered features for note-taking, summaries, and real-time assistance during meetings.
Google Vids joins the AI party with the ability to generate video clips using Veo 2, promising realistic motion in various styles. For privacy-conscious users, Google now lets organizations restrict where Gemini processes their data - keeping it within specific regions like the US or EU.
These updates show Google racing to embed AI throughout its productivity tools, though most features remain in alpha or beta testing.
Why this matters:
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Jasper transforms marketing content creation with AI that writes everything from social posts to full campaigns. Started in 2021 by three Austin entrepreneurs who spotted GPT-3's potential to solve content bottlenecks.
Jasper's shift to enterprise under new CEO Timothy Young positions it well against free AI tools. The company's marketing focus and customization features create stickiness despite competition. Its model-agnostic approach lets it adapt to new AI breakthroughs, while its healthy funding provides runway for growth. Becoming an end-to-end marketing platform rather than just a writing tool is its clear path forward. 📈
Good Morning from San Francisco, Meta just kicked Apple's AI tools to the curb. All of them. 🥾 No
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Good Morning from San Francisco, OpenAI wants to play social media kingmaker. Sam Altman's crew is quietly testing
Good Morning from San Francisco, OpenAI just fired another shot in the AI race 🎯. Their new GPT-4.1 devours text
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