tech industry

As competition in the data center industry intensifies, a Dallas-based startup is taking a different approach from the major players racing to build capacity. The company's strategy stands out amid growing demand for AI-driven computing infrastructure and the crowded race among tech giants to expand data center operations.

Automattic has appointed a new board of directors after an attempt to place CEO Matt Mullenweg on leave failed. Mullenweg reportedly wrote that, for purposes of Delaware law, he is the company's CEO, President, Treasurer, and Secretary, and said the attempted removal had also brought in many new supporters. The internal power struggle at the company behind WordPress.com is drawing attention across the tech industry.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed an IIT Madras dialogue in Bengaluru, making announcements centred on India's economic growth, technology development and support for startups. She spoke on government measures aimed at strengthening the innovation ecosystem and deepening collaboration between academia and industry. The event highlighted the role of technology and entrepreneurship in India's growth strategy, with the finance ministry publicising her remarks through the government press bureau.

Startups are increasingly contributing new technology and ideas to the defense industrial base, which has traditionally been dominated by large established contractors. The report highlights how smaller, agile companies are helping modernize defense capabilities through innovation. It reflects a broader conversation about the role of the tech startup sector in national security and defense procurement.

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Minister of Digital Transformation, has launched 'Army of Robots', a defence-tech initiative focused on robotics. Building on Ukraine's wartime push into drone and autonomous systems, the programme aims to scale up robotic capabilities for the country's defence. The launch highlights Ukraine's growing role in military technology innovation and its effort to mobilise industry and developers around unmanned ground and aerial systems.

Apple has been hit with roughly $5.7 billion in damages in a patent dispute over haptic feedback technology, the vibration feature used in its iPhones and other devices. The ruling is one of the largest patent damages awards against a tech company, and observers are debating its implications for Apple and patent litigation in the industry.

Thales, Bull and the CEA are working together on software for quantum computers intended for the French armed forces, according to a report by Clubic. The partnership ties France's major industrial and research players to a defence application of quantum computing, a field where states are racing to build both hardware and the specialised software needed to run it.

OpenAI has asked a judge to exclude newly submitted evidence from Apple in an ongoing legal dispute over trade secrets. The move marks an escalation in the fight between the two companies, though details of the disputed evidence and the specific claims remain limited in early reports. Observers are watching closely given the stakes for both firms and the broader tech industry's legal battles over proprietary information.

This Hacker News post links to an AP News story about tech leaders addressing the UN, urging regulators to control artificial intelligence for humanity's sake. The headline indicates the leaders themselves asked for oversight of the technology they created. The post has drawn a small number of upvotes so far, and the discussion appears to be just beginning. The broader conversation seems focused on AI governance and the unusual dynamic of creators requesting regulation of their own products.

Attention is focused on NVIDIA's GTC conference, the company's flagship event for announcing new AI chips, software and partnerships. Attendees and industry watchers typically follow the keynotes closely for updates on GPU roadmaps and AI infrastructure plans that shape the semiconductor market.

Meta's chief AI officer Alexandr Wang has published a statement titled 'Why I'm Building Muse', laying out his rationale for a new project called Muse. The announcement is circulating among tech and startup observers, who are reading it for clues about Wang's direction in artificial intelligence and what the venture could mean for the industry.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said people warning about an AI apocalypse "have ulterior reasons," dismissing the loudest doomsday narratives around artificial intelligence. His remarks add fuel to the ongoing split in tech between those urging extreme caution on AI risk and those, including major chip and lab executives, who argue such warnings often serve competitors or regulators rather than public safety.

Major social media platforms are declining to run paid advertisements promoting a documentary about Elon Musk, according to a Mashable report. The refusal means the film's distributors cannot buy promotional placements to reach audiences ahead of its release. The story is drawing attention because of the irony that platforms are rejecting ads for a film about one of the tech industry's most prominent and polarising figures.

Apple Music is set to open a concert venue inside London's Battersea Power Station, adding a live music space to the landmark refurbished building. The move marks Apple's push into live events and physical entertainment spaces, and is drawing attention given the site's history as one of London's most iconic industrial landmarks.

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.

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has dismissed concerns that widespread use of AI tools is eroding people's skills, arguing that AI should be treated as a tool that augments workers rather than replaces their abilities. His remarks come amid ongoing debate in the tech industry about whether reliance on AI systems, from coding assistants to chatbots, is weakening critical thinking and expertise among workers and students.