Top 10 Tech News of the Week

This week has been buzzing with exciting developments, from groundbreaking acquisitions to major legal battles and future-shaping policy shifts. Let’s dive into the top 10 stories that are redefining our digital landscape.

1. The Quiet Revolution: Apple’s Acquisition Hints at Silent Voice Control

In a move that could fundamentally alter how we interact with our devices, Apple has reportedly acquired a mysterious Israeli startup for a hefty sum, estimated at nearly $2 billion. This isn’t just any acquisition; it’s Apple’s second-largest since acquiring Beats in 2014, signaling its profound strategic importance. The startup, previously unknown to the wider public, specializes in detecting micro-movements of the face. This sophisticated technology allows for the comprehension of whispered words, even in noisy environments, by analyzing subtle shifts in lips, cheeks, and facial muscles.

Imagine commanding your smart devices, headphones, or even future connected glasses without uttering a single audible sound. This acquisition suggests Apple is aiming for a “silent speech” interface. Whether in a bustling subway, a quiet meeting, or an airplane, users could articulate commands or dictate messages without disturbing others or struggling against ambient noise. This innovation aligns perfectly with Apple’s philosophy: not necessarily to be the first to introduce a technology, but to be the first to make it truly intuitive, usable, and to set new standards in human-machine interaction. Coupled with potential advancements in its AI assistant (Siri is due for an overhaul, likely leveraging Google’s Gemini), this could be a game-changer, transforming voice command from a sometimes awkward public interaction into a seamless, discreet, and deeply personal experience. This brings Apple back to the forefront of innovation at a time when some critics felt it was becoming complacent.

2. Samsung’s Privacy Push: Introducing “Privacy Display” to Combat Shoulder Surfing

Samsung is stepping up its game in user privacy with an intriguing new feature dubbed “Privacy Display.” This innovation aims to combat “shoulder surfing,” the annoying and often unsettling act of someone peeking at your phone screen over your shoulder, especially in crowded public spaces like metros or cafes. While third-party privacy filters already exist (physical screens applied over your display that limit viewing angles), Samsung’s approach promises a more integrated and dynamic solution.

Slated to arrive on future Samsung smartphones, potentially starting with the Galaxy S26, “Privacy Display” will embed this functionality directly into the screen itself. Although exact details are still emerging, it’s expected to be a hardware and software collaboration that allows users to instantly dim or obscure parts of their screen from view by those not directly in front of it. Early demonstrations hint at content gradually fading or becoming unreadable as the viewing angle shifts, without necessarily blacking out the entire screen for the primary user. Samsung claims this feature has been five years in the making, undergoing rigorous engineering, testing, and refinement. This integrated approach would eliminate the need for bulky, light-reducing physical filters and offer on-demand activation, much like “do not disturb” modes, providing users with unprecedented control over their screen privacy.

3. Robotaxis Roll into Europe – But Only in London (for now!)

The futuristic vision of self-driving robotaxis is finally making its way to Europe, though the European Union itself isn’t the first destination. London is set to welcome Alphabet’s (Google’s parent company) autonomous vehicle subsidiary, Waymo, which plans to launch its robotaxi fleet in September. This marks Waymo’s first deployment in a non-American city and is made possible by recent amendments to British law that now permit the operation of these driverless vehicles.

Waymo’s robotaxis are already a common sight in several US cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami. These vehicles operate entirely without a human driver, relying on advanced AI and sensor technology, although they retain traditional steering wheels and controls for potential manual override by remote operators if needed. This move signals a significant expansion for Waymo and opens a new frontier in the global race for autonomous mobility. However, the path to widespread adoption is not unchallenged; competitors like Uber, Amazon’s Zoox, and Tesla’s Cybercab are all developing their own robotaxi solutions. While London embraces this technological leap, other regions, like France, still have strict regulations preventing such deployments, leaving many to wonder when (or if) fully autonomous taxis will arrive on their roads.

4. Friend.tech: The AI Companion Raising Privacy Concerns in France

Friend.ai introduces “Friend,” an AI-powered personal companion designed not for productivity, but purely for conversation, emotional support, and distraction. While accessible as a web chatbot, its more intriguing (and controversial) form is a small, pendant-like device worn around the neck. This device, equipped with a microphone, continuously listens to all conversations around the user – both their own speech and that of others nearby. It can then interject, offer insights via smartphone notifications, or engage in direct conversation when activated by the user.

Developed by a US startup founded by Harvard dropout Avi Schiffmann, Friend.ai is gaining traction, despite initial funding efforts including a reported $2 million simply to acquire the “friend.com” domain. Friend is now making its debut in France, with marketing campaigns in the Paris Metro encouraging young people to explore virtual relationships, sometimes at the perceived expense of real-world connections. This marketing strategy, however, echoes a similar campaign in New York that sparked significant backlash, including anti-AI sentiment and accusations of “wild eavesdropping” due to the device’s constant recording function. The stringent privacy laws in France (and elsewhere in Europe) raise serious questions about the legality and ethical implications of such pervasive audio monitoring. This product is likely to ignite a heated debate about AI, privacy, and the nature of human connection in the digital age, proving once again that controversy often precedes widespread adoption in the tech world.

5. The “Technological Adolescence” of AI: A Ticking Time Bomb?

Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic – the company behind the advanced chatbot Claude – issued a stark warning this week, suggesting humanity is entering a period of “technological adolescence.” This phrase, the title of his widely-discussed recent essay, paints a sobering picture of our current trajectory with Artificial Intelligence. Amodei cautions against the rapid emergence of “superintelligence” – an AI far surpassing human cognitive abilities – which he believes could be as little as one or two years away.

His concerns are not entirely novel, touching upon well-trodden anxieties ranging from widespread job displacement to the potential misuse of powerful AI by totalitarian regimes. However, coming from a leader at the forefront of AI development, this alert carries significant weight. Amodei’s essay serves to intensify the ongoing debate about AI safety, ethics, and governance. It highlights the urgent need for robust regulatory frameworks and a collective global effort to manage the immense power and potential risks associated with increasingly sophisticated AI systems. This perspective emphasizes that while AI promises transformative benefits, its uncontrolled development could lead to unforeseen and potentially catastrophic consequences, urging societies to move beyond a purely optimistic outlook towards a balanced and cautious approach.

6. Regulatory Showdown: Europe Targets Google’s Android Ecosystem

The European Commission is once again flexing its regulatory muscles, this time targeting Google’s Android operating system under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The goal is to enforce greater competition and choice within the Android ecosystem, mirroring previous actions taken against other tech giants. Specifically, the EU is demanding that Google modify Android to prevent its own AI, Gemini, from having exclusive deep access to critical smartphone elements like microphones, cameras, and dedicated neural processors. The Commission wants to ensure that other AI providers can also integrate fully and compete on a level playing field.

Beyond AI, the EU’s demands extend to Google’s search engine dominance within Android. It mandates that Google share data with other search engines to foster a more competitive search market. This intervention highlights a recurring theme in European tech regulation: the concern that dominant platforms create closed ecosystems that stifle competition and limit user choice. The ongoing saga underscores the complexities of balancing innovation with regulatory oversight, and the challenge of imposing external mandates on deeply integrated technological systems. The outcome of these negotiations and potential legal battles will likely shape future digital ecosystems, determining how open or closed platforms can be in the European market.

7. Meta’s Canadian Comeback? A Potential Retreat in the News Ban Standoff

A significant development is brewing in Canada concerning Meta’s controversial decision to block news content on its platforms. In 2023, under the Trudeau administration, Canada passed a law requiring digital giants to compensate media outlets for news content shared on their platforms. In response, Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) opted to entirely restrict the sharing of news links, effectively removing all Canadian (and international) news from its platforms for Canadian users. This move stood in contrast to Google, which chose to negotiate and annually commit millions to Canadian media.

The ban, however, had unintended and detrimental consequences. During critical events like provincial and federal elections, as well as natural disasters (such as widespread wildfires), the inability to share official news and public safety information via Facebook proved highly problematic, leaving citizens underserved and misinformed. Faced with increasing pressure, the Canadian government appears to be signaling a willingness to show “flexibility” in its legislation, potentially reopening negotiations with Meta. If Meta agrees to restore news sharing capabilities for Canadians and allow media outlets to disseminate their content, a resolution could be on the horizon. This ongoing saga highlights the critical (and often underestimated) role these platforms play in public information dissemination and the complex challenges governments face in regulating them without disrupting essential communication channels.

8. LinkedIn’s Algorithmic Overhaul: A Return to Professionalism

LinkedIn, the professional networking platform, has reportedly undergone a significant algorithmic overhaul, signaling a strategic shift back towards its core professional identity. For a period, particularly during the pandemic, many users observed a “Facebook-ization” of LinkedIn, with an increasing amount of personal, emotional, or non-work-related content filling feeds. This trend often diluted the professional value and purpose of the platform.

Industry specialists now report that LinkedIn has made a 180-degree turn to counteract this drift. The algorithm has been completely redesigned to prioritize content that genuinely fosters professional networking, career development, and industry insights. This means a renewed emphasis on knowledge sharing, skill development, industry news, and meaningful professional engagement. Users who adapt to these new algorithmic preferences—focusing on high-quality, professional contributions rather than personal anecdotes—will likely see increased visibility and impact. This change is a clear effort by LinkedIn to reinforce its unique positioning as the go-to platform for career and business connections, ensuring that it remains distinct from broader social media networks.

9. The Hidden Costs of AI: A looming Price Hike for AI Services

A recent report by the Blue Shift Institute, co-authored by Arthur D. Little associate Albert Meige, sheds light on the often-overlooked environmental and financial impacts of Artificial Intelligence. Despite AI’s immense potential, its operation is far from “free.” The report argues that the current economic model for AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), is unsustainable, especially given the monumental investments in infrastructure (like data centers and specialized hardware) that run into hundreds of billions, if not trillions, of dollars.

The core conclusion? AI services, including popular chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini, are destined to become more expensive. The current low subscription fees (e.g., $20/month) may not reflect the true cost of their operation and development. This price increase could manifest in various ways: direct subscription hikes, a greater reliance on advertising models, or even geo-specific pricing strategies where European businesses or individuals might face significantly higher costs compared to their US counterparts. This situation underscores the need for European initiatives like Mistral AI to develop sovereign AI capabilities, not just for strategic independence but also to potentially offer more competitive or stable pricing for European users by reducing reliance on external providers. The report ultimately challenges the perception of AI as a cheap, readily available utility, revealing a complex web of infrastructure, energy, and financial commitments that must eventually be recouped.

10. AI’s Environmental Footprint: The Unseen Energy Drain

Beyond the financial implications, the Blue Shift Institute’s report also brings into sharp focus the escalating environmental cost of Artificial Intelligence. As AI applications become more ubiquitous and sophisticated, their energy consumption is skyrocketing, transforming AI into a significant contributor to global energy demand. A key driver of this surge is not just the increasing number of users, but also the expanding complexity of AI queries and the integration of AI into everyday tools (like web browsers and operating systems) where it operates in the background, often unnoticed by the user.

A particularly startling statistic from the report highlights the differential energy consumption: while a simple query on ChatGPT Version 4 might consume energy comparable to a Google search, the same query on the latest GPT-5 could be nearly 100 times more energy-intensive. Even more dramatically, generating just five minutes of video on an AI platform like Gemini can consume as much energy as fully charging a Tesla electric car. While acknowledging that there’s ongoing work to make AI models more energy-efficient, the report warns against the “rebound effect”—the tendency for increased efficiency to be offset by a surge in overall usage. The current trend suggests that AI’s annual energy consumption, currently estimated at 60 terawatts per year, could multiply fivefold by 2030. This makes a compelling case for “digital sobriety,” urging both enterprises and individuals to be more conscious about their AI usage and to prioritize applications that offer genuine value over gratuitous or frivolous use, such as generating endless, low-value content. However, the report also acknowledges that AI offers tools for optimizing energy use and tackling climate change, presenting a dual narrative of both challenge and potential solution.