Washington Technology

The United States has opened an investigation after components for the F-35 fighter jet were diverted to Hong Kong instead of their intended destination. The case is drawing attention in Washington over possible violations of export controls on sensitive military technology, given Hong Kong's status under Chinese jurisdiction and long-standing US restrictions on defence-related shipments to China.

A protester interrupted a party in Washington, D.C. held by supporters of data center expansion, shouting that the technology is "killing the world" before making an obscene gesture at the crowd as attendees responded with chants of "USA!" The outburst highlights growing tension over the massive facilities powering America's AI boom, which have sparked battles over energy use, water consumption and community impact across the country.

Speaker Mike Johnson is set to join Donald Trump for meetings with leading technology executives focused on the risks posed by artificial intelligence. The talks come as Washington weighs how to regulate fast-moving AI development while keeping the US competitive, and they signal that AI policy is moving up the agenda for lawmakers and industry leaders alike.

US House Speaker Mike Johnson says President Trump's meeting with technology chief executives will focus on finding the right balance on artificial intelligence. The discussion is expected to weigh innovation and industry growth against regulation and safety concerns. The meeting brings the Trump administration face to face with leading AI companies as Washington shapes its approach to governing the fast-moving technology.

The US government has taken equity stakes in four quantum computing startups, extending Washington's recent pattern of direct investments in strategic technology companies. The move signals federal interest in securing a foothold in quantum computing, a field seen as critical to national security and economic competitiveness, and is drawing attention to how far the government will go in backing private tech firms.

The Atlantic Council argues the United States needs a coherent strategy toward the Global South on technology, framing it as essential to American competitiveness. The piece suggests Washington must engage developing nations on digital and tech issues or risk ceding influence to rival powers seeking those markets and partnerships.

Analysts are examining how the ongoing war has accelerated strategic technology cooperation between the United States and Gulf states, particularly in artificial intelligence. The argument is that conflict-driven geopolitical realignment is pushing Washington and Gulf capitals toward deeper partnerships in AI investment, data infrastructure and tech diplomacy, turning the region into an increasingly important arena of US tech strategy.

Donald Trump is set to host a summit in Washington with leading figures from the artificial intelligence industry. The meeting is expected to bring together top AI executives to discuss the direction of the technology and its role in US policy. Details on the full guest list and agenda have not yet been announced.

The Pentagon has joined a $134 million funding round for a startup aiming to produce iron in the United States for rare-earth magnets, according to the Wall Street Journal. The investment signals Washington's push to build a domestic supply chain for magnet materials, a sector currently dominated by China and considered critical for defense and technology manufacturing.

Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, is calling for a treaty between the United States and China to rein in the risks of advanced artificial intelligence, as President Donald Trump prepares to meet technology and AI executives in Washington. The proposal raises questions about whether Chinese AI companies could be slowed by international agreements, and lands amid ongoing debate in Congress over how the US should compete with and regulate AI development alongside Beijing.