Google AI

Google has announced Project Suncatcher, a research initiative exploring the deployment of machine learning infrastructure in space. The plan involves placing solar-powered computing hardware, including TPUs, on satellites to take advantage of near-constant sunlight and reduce terrestrial energy demands for AI. The initiative remains in early testing stages, with prototype launches planned, and observers are debating its technical feasibility and costs.

Cal Newport argues it is time to formally investigate the leading AI labs, questioning whether their rapid development of powerful models is being properly scrutinised. The piece has sparked active debate among technologists about oversight, safety claims, and whether companies like OpenAI, Google and Anthropic should face independent examination of their practices.

Memory chip maker Netlist has asked the U.S. government to ban imports of Micron chips that are used in AI computing systems sold by Google and Nvidia, escalating a patent dispute between the two memory companies. The request, filed with U.S. trade authorities, could disrupt supply chains for high-bandwidth memory if granted, drawing attention from the AI hardware industry.

AI researcher Timnit Gebru says there is no 'existential threat' from artificial intelligence, arguing in an interview with WIRED that doomsday rhetoric from tech founders is really about making money rather than saving humanity. Gebru, one of AI's most prominent critics after her high-profile exit from Google, argues the focus on speculative extinction scenarios distracts from AI's present-day harms.

Engadget has published an explainer on how translation earbuds work, breaking down the chain of speech recognition, machine translation and voice synthesis that lets wearers hear another language in their own. With AI translation features now built into earbuds from brands like Timekettle and Google's Pixel Buds, interest in how accurate and usable these devices really are is growing.

Google is moving to develop data centers in space, aiming to run AI computing infrastructure on satellites that can harvest solar energy around the clock. The project, reported by the New York Times, signals a new frontier in the AI infrastructure race, as tech companies seek alternatives to land, power and cooling constraints on Earth.

Memory module maker Netlist has asked US trade authorities to ban imports of Micron chips used in artificial intelligence computing systems built for Google and Nvidia, escalating a long-running patent dispute between the two companies. The move could disrupt supply chains for AI hardware if regulators side with Netlist, drawing attention across the semiconductor and cloud computing industries.

Google has published 'AI in Science: Early Insights', a 42-page report by researchers including Mihai Codreanu, Alex Imas, Juan Mateos-Garcia, Joseph Emmens, Evalyne Muiruri, Arthur Turrell and Julian Jacobs. It looks at how heavily scientists are using AI in their work and how the outputs of that research can in turn be reused to train future AI models, creating a feedback loop between science and machine learning.

Mozilla's head of Firefox says a major redesign is central to the browser's plan to win users back from Google Chrome, according to an interview with Ars Technica. He also discussed product priorities and expressed skepticism about rushing AI features into the browser, arguing Firefox should focus on simplicity and user choice rather than chasing rivals' feature lists.

Google is contesting European Union orders that would compel the company to disclose information about its AI systems and search-engine operations. The move escalates a long-running standoff between the tech giant and Brussels regulators, who have been pressing for greater transparency into how Google's core products work. The challenge marks a new flashpoint in the broader dispute over Big Tech's power and Europe's regulatory reach.

A new AI-powered government website has been launched using Google's Gemini and xAI's Grok models, according to Trump official Gebbia, as reported by CNBC. The announcement ties prominent commercial AI systems directly to public government services, and is drawing attention to the administration's push to embed artificial intelligence in federal operations and the questions it raises about vendors and oversight.

Adobe has quietly added an experimental prompt-to-edit tool powered by Google's Nano Banana image model to Lightroom, letting photographers regenerate images from text instructions inside the photo editor. The feature is drawing attention from photography communities, with debate expected over how generative editing fits into traditional RAW workflows.

Memory module maker Netlist has asked US authorities to ban imports of Micron chips used in AI computing systems built by Google and Nvidia, according to a Reuters report. The request escalates a long-running patent dispute between the two memory companies. An import ban could disrupt supply chains for advanced AI hardware, drawing attention across the semiconductor industry.