News reporting focused on AI and machine learning, covering the companies behind these technologies, their real-world applications, and the ethical concerns they raise. This includes areas like generative AI (large language models, text-to-image and video), speech tech, and predictive analytics.
Alphabet reported a quadrupling of profit to $112.1 billion in the second quarter, driven by heavy investments in artificial intelligence. Revenue rose 24% to $119.8 billion, with Google Cloud surging 82%. The results exceeded Wall Street expectations, but concerns about AI spending persist amid new competition from China.
The Trump administration is split on how to respond to China's rapidly advancing AI models. The White House wants stricter controls to prevent Chinese labs from using US models via distillation, while the Commerce Department views such restrictions as impractical. The debate intensified after China's Moonshot AI released its Kimi K3 model, which rivals top US systems from Anthropic and OpenAI.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. would examine open source models from China for signs of intellectual property theft, threatening sanctions against Chinese AI companies if IP theft is established. The statement comes as Chinese models gain capabilities and popularity, threatening American AI firms like OpenAI and Anthropic.
The release of Kimi, a free open-source model from Chinese company Moonshot, has sparked public infighting among current and former Trump administration AI advisors. The model's capabilities rival those of paid US models from OpenAI and Anthropic, creating economic and political tensions. Disagreements have emerged over whether the government should restrict open-source competition or let market forces decide.
Chinese company Moonshot AI released Kimi K3, an open source model that rivals top proprietary models. The launch triggered a Nasdaq dip and renewed debate among tech figures about Chinese AI progress, distillation, and national security risks, echoing the DeepSeek controversy from early 2025.
Moonshot AI's Kimi K3 model is reportedly close to matching top Western AI models, raising fresh doubts about U.S. export controls. The model's performance, achieved with limited computing power, has impressed researchers and sparked debate about the role of compute in AI capability. An OpenAI strategist warns against open-weight models, while experts note the model's high cost per task.
Apple Intelligence has received regulatory approval in China, with Alibaba's Qwen AI model being integrated into Apple's operating systems. Baidu also confirmed its partnership with Apple for AI features. The approvals mark a significant step for Apple's AI ambitions in a key market where sales recently surged.
Nvidia chief Jensen Huang boarded Air Force One in Alaska with President Trump for a trip to Beijing after a last-minute invitation. Trump called Huang on Tuesday morning following reports of his absence from the business leaders list. Huang has pushed for a year to sell AI chips to China amid ongoing tensions over such sales.
Build American AI, connected to a super PAC funded by OpenAI and Palantir executives, pays social media influencers to promote US AI and warn about China's advances. The campaign uses lifestyle creators in phase one and now targets China fears with offers like $5,000 per TikTok. Critics call it undisclosed propaganda amid AI policy debates.
Chinese authorities have mandated that Meta reverse its acquisition of Manus, a Singapore-based AI firm founded by Chinese nationals. The National Development and Reform Commission prohibited the foreign investment and ordered the deal's withdrawal. The decision comes amid prior scrutiny over foreign investment rules and technology export approvals.
DeepSeek released a preview of its V4 model, set for open-source release, which excels in code generation and outperforms other open-source systems per Vals AI tests. This follows the company's January 2025 model that disrupted the industry with low-cost development. Chinese firms like Moonshot AI continue narrowing the gap with U.S. leaders OpenAI and Anthropic.
China's NDRC has instructed tech companies to reject US investments without approval. AI firms Moonshot AI, Stepfun, and ByteDance face restrictions. The policy follows Meta's $2 billion purchase of Manus amid concerns over technology transfers.