Washington Technology

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.

Reports say China could permit its major technology companies to purchase new Nvidia chips, a shift after earlier restrictions on such imports. The move would ease access to advanced US-made semiconductors for Chinese firms, and it is drawing attention given the tensions between Washington and Beijing over chip exports and technology trade.

A former Pentagon official said the United States needs to control China's access to advanced semiconductor technology, in comments carried by CNBC. The remarks feed into an ongoing debate in Washington over export controls on cutting-edge chips and chipmaking equipment, which US officials view as critical to maintaining a military and technological edge over Beijing.

Executives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta are set to attend a meeting at the White House to discuss artificial intelligence policy. The gathering brings together the leaders of the biggest AI developers with US government officials, underscoring Washington's growing focus on regulating and managing the risks of rapidly advancing AI technology.

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.

China is considering allowing ByteDance and Alibaba to purchase new Nvidia chips, according to a report by The Information carried by Reuters. The potential approval would open access to advanced US-made semiconductors for two of China's largest technology companies, amid ongoing restrictions and negotiations over chip exports between Washington and Beijing.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei are set to attend a meeting at the White House on artificial intelligence. The gathering brings together leading AI executives with US officials as Washington continues to weigh policy on the fast-moving technology, including safety, competition and national security concerns.

China is reportedly relying on American-made AI chips even as it follows its long-standing 'hide strength and bide time' strategy of concealing its technological capabilities. The report highlights the tension between Beijing's push for semiconductor self-sufficiency and its continued dependence on U.S. processors to power artificial intelligence development, a dependence Washington has repeatedly tried to exploit through export controls.

Senator Elizabeth Warren has sent questions to Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft regarding tax subsidies connected to their artificial intelligence investments. The inquiry targets whether the tech giants are benefiting from tax breaks tied to massive AI data center spending. The move adds to Washington's scrutiny of how the largest technology companies fund and profit from the AI boom.

Bill Gates is calling on the US Congress to introduce mandatory safety rules for artificial intelligence, arguing that voluntary commitments from technology companies are not enough to manage the risks of increasingly powerful systems. The appeal adds his voice to a growing debate in Washington over how far regulators should go in overseeing AI development.

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.

Bill Gates is calling on the US Congress to write artificial intelligence safeguards into law, arguing that guardrails for the rapidly advancing technology should be established through legislation. The appeal adds a prominent business voice to the ongoing debate in Washington over how, and how quickly, to regulate AI.

China has reportedly given approval for Nvidia's RTX PRO 5500 chips to be supplied to major Chinese tech firms including Alibaba and ByteDance, despite ongoing US export restrictions on advanced semiconductors. The report suggests Nvidia may still find ways to serve Chinese customers with compliant hardware, even as Washington tightens rules on AI-related chip sales to China.

An Iranian national has been sentenced to 18 months in prison in the United States for a scheme to ship military-grade sonar parts from a Washington state business to Iran. The case, reported by KIRO 7 News Seattle, adds to a series of US prosecutions targeting illegal exports of sensitive defense technology to Iran despite sanctions and trade restrictions.

US authorities are examining whether Spain's defence and technology group Indra passed American military technology to China. The probe concerns technology originally developed for the Pentagon, and raises questions about oversight of foreign partners handling sensitive US defence know-how. The case could strain technology and defence cooperation between Washington and Madrid if the allegations are substantiated.

Oregon's attorney general is urging Congress to establish federal guidelines for artificial intelligence. The appeal reflects growing concern among state officials that AI is developing faster than existing laws can handle, leaving consumers vulnerable to fraud, privacy violations and other harms. The call adds to pressure from state leaders for Washington to create a unified national regulatory framework.

Chinese regulators are considering whether to approve the sale of Nvidia's RTX Pro 5500 workstation GPUs to ByteDance and Alibaba, according to a Bloomberg report. The decision comes amid ongoing US-China tensions over advanced chip exports, with Nvidia's China business restricted by Washington's trade controls and Beijing scrutinising purchases of American semiconductor technology by its biggest tech firms.

365 Retail Markets and Evergreen Refreshments have installed Amazon's Just Walk Out technology at Lake Washington Institute of Technology, letting students and staff grab items and leave without checkout lines. The deployment is an announcement from the companies, and there is no indication yet of reaction or discussion beyond the press release itself.

The Defense Health Agency has begun developing a contracting strategy for health data management, according to Washington Technology. The effort signals a push to consolidate how the military health system handles medical data across its facilities. Details on scope, timeline and potential contract value have not been released, and vendors in the federal health IT space are likely watching closely.