Robotaxis moved closer to mainstream use in 2025 as Waymo expanded rapidly in the U.S., rivals launched early services, and Chinese operators scaled at speed. Safety concerns, regulation, and cost remain key barriers to broader adoption.
Everbloom is using material science AI to create biodegradable cashmere alternatives from textile waste, offering lower-cost fibers without changing existing manufacturing equipment.
Biotech startup Chai Discovery raised $130 million in a Series B round at a $1.3 billion valuation to advance AI-driven drug discovery.
Disney CEO Bob Iger says the company’s OpenAI partnership includes one year of exclusivity, allowing future AI licensing deals after testing generative AI use.
The Trump administration launched the U.S. Tech Force, a 1,000-person engineering corps to support AI and other tech projects across federal agencies.
Zoom introduced AI Companion 3.0, a federated AI solution integrating internal and third-party models to streamline meetings, documents, and personal workflows. The update adds agentic AI features, a web interface, and enhanced productivity tools.
First Voyage raised $2.5 million to expand Momo Self Care, an AI companion app that helps users build habits through a digital pet interface.
Nvidia is reportedly planning to increase production of its H200 AI training chips following approval to sell them in China.
Amazon pauses AI-powered Fallout recap on Prime Video after fans highlight mistakes, underscoring risks of generative AI in content summarization.
Amazon launched Ask this Book, an AI-powered Kindle feature that lets readers ask contextual questions about a book without leaving the page.
Thrive Capital appointed former Palantir executive Jim Siders as CEO of Shield Technology Partners, its AI-focused IT services platform.
Berlin-based startup Mirelo raised $41 million to develop AI models that generate synchronized sound effects for AI-created video content.
Elon Musk affirms SpaceX plans a 2026 IPO, with commercial Starlink driving revenue and AI infrastructure influencing the timing of the public offering.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a unified federal AI regulatory framework aimed at preempting state-level rules. The order directs the Justice Department to challenge state AI laws and conditions federal funding on compliance.
Google launched a new virtual try-on feature that uses a selfie to generate a full-body digital model, enabling U.S. shoppers to preview clothing online.