Big Tech

Major technology companies are reportedly using guarantee arrangements to keep roughly $300 billion in AI-related financial exposure off their balance sheets, according to a Financial Times report. The structure allows firms to back AI infrastructure deals and commitments without booking the full liabilities, raising questions about transparency around how much risk the sector is actually carrying as AI spending accelerates.

A new report examines how major technology companies are confronting physical security risks tied to the ongoing conflict involving Iran. The analysis also assesses Iran's broader political, economic, and military resilience, and outlines the limits of US military power in the Middle East as the war continues.

Companies in the technology sector are assessing physical security risks tied to escalating tensions with Iran. Reporting centres on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy shipments, as the focal point of the crisis. The confrontation is already shaking global markets and raising concerns about energy supply disruptions, with firms weighing exposure of infrastructure and personnel in the region.

Google is preparing to launch an experimental satellite into orbit, marking the first move by a major technology company toward building AI data centers in space. The project signals growing interest among Big Tech firms in orbiting infrastructure as a way to handle the enormous power and cooling demands of artificial intelligence computing, and it is drawing wide attention to the future of data infrastructure.

An environmental group is legally challenging air quality permits tied to a massive Amazon data center project in North Carolina, where Duke Energy would supply power. The group argues the permits do not adequately account for pollution from the energy generation and backup systems needed to run the facility. The case highlights growing scrutiny of how Big Tech's data center boom affects local air quality and utility infrastructure.

Meta has unveiled Muse, a technology-packed robot whose friendly, cute design is drawing attention. A Guardian feature describes it as 'charming and disarming', arguing the company is deliberately harnessing the power of cuteness to make advanced technology feel approachable. Coverage focuses on how the device's appealing appearance may soften public attitudes toward Meta's expanding hardware ambitions.

Anthropic reports that its internal biology laboratory has made a significant discovery, teasing the finding as "something big" without yet revealing details. The announcement is drawing attention across the tech and science communities, with observers speculating about what an AI company's bio lab could have uncovered and what it means for AI-driven research.

Amazon has blocked Meta's Muse AI shopping agent from accessing its storefront, according to The Register. The move stops the Meta tool from browsing or purchasing on Amazon's site, and lands amid a broader industry fight over whether AI agents should be allowed to shop on retailers' platforms. Commenters are debating whether Amazon is protecting its customer data and business, or shutting out a rival's technology.

The Netherlands is reported to be joining a growing European movement to migrate public administration computers from Windows to Linux, following other EU countries making similar shifts. The move is framed as part of a wider effort to reduce reliance on American big tech firms, known as GAFAM. Commenters are tracking which European countries adopt open-source systems one after another.