Meta Platforms has officially entered the AI arena with the launch of a standalone app powered by its in-house Llama AI model, intensifying the tech industry’s arms race for generative artificial intelligence dominance. This new offering directly targets OpenAI’s ChatGPT, staking Meta’s claim as a serious contender
Amazon has officially entered the satellite internet arena with the successful launch of its first 27 Project Kuiper satellites into low-Earth orbit. Deployed on April 28th from Cape Canaveral aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket, the event marks the beginning of an ambitious campaign to establish a
Marriott International announced Monday that it will acquire citizenM, a Netherlands-based hotel brand, for $355 million. The move marks a significant step in Marriott’s strategy to expand its presence in the select-service and lifestyle lodging segments globally. Pending regulatory approval, the acquisition will add 36 citizenM hotels across the
Chinese tech giant Alibaba has released Qwen 3, a new family of AI models that it claims rivals — and in some areas surpasses — the best offerings from OpenAI and Google. The announcement signals China’s accelerating pace in the global AI race and increases the pressure on American labs to
Hugging Face, the AI startup known for its developer platform, is expanding deeper into robotics with the launch of the SO-101 — a programmable, 3D-printable robotic arm designed to perform basic tasks like picking up and placing objects. The SO-101 is the successor to Hugging Face’s earlier model, the SO-100,
Huawei is setting its sights on Nvidia’s stronghold in the AI hardware market with the development of a new advanced chip, the Ascend 910D. The Chinese tech giant is making significant progress on the chip and has begun reaching out to domestic partners to test it. The Ascend 910D
OpenAI is making a major move into online shopping with a new update to ChatGPT's search tool, the company announced Monday. Starting today, users can search for products and receive curated recommendations, complete with images, reviews, and direct links to purchase — all within the ChatGPT interface. The new
Chinese e-commerce giant Temu, once the poster child for bargain shopping, is facing a major pricing crisis in the U.S. after slapping steep import charges on its customers. In response to President Donald Trump’s newly imposed 145% tariffs on Chinese imports, Temu has started adding similar import fees
IBM announced a sweeping $150 billion investment plan in the United States over the next five years, a bold move aimed at strengthening American leadership in advanced computing, manufacturing, and artificial intelligence. As part of the commitment, IBM will allocate over $30 billion specifically to expand domestic manufacturing of its
Fast-fashion giant Shein Group has sharply increased US prices on a range of products—from dresses to kitchenware—ahead of looming tariffs on small parcels from China and Hong Kong, marking an early sign of potential cost pressures for American consumers. Most of the price hikes took effect on Friday,
In a market saturated by high-tech, high-priced electric vehicles, a bold new startup called Slate Auto is flipping the script. With a minimalist, modular truck that starts under $20,000 after federal tax credits, the company is betting big on simplicity, customization, and cost-effectiveness — and making it clear they'
Chinese AI startup Manus AI has raised $75 million in a new funding round led by Benchmark, pushing its valuation to around $500 million. This latest round marks a significant milestone for the company, multiplying its previous valuation nearly fivefold. Previously backed by major investors like Tencent and HSG (formerly
Manufacturing
Apple is making its most decisive move yet to reduce reliance on China. By the end of 2026, the company plans to assemble all iPhones bound for the U.S. market in India, signaling a bold new chapter in its global supply chain strategy. This ambitious transition will require Apple
Transportation
Volkswagen of America and Uber have announced a bold plan to bring autonomous electric ride-hailing to multiple U.S. cities, starting with Los Angeles in 2026. The partnership will deploy a fleet of self-driving VW ID. Buzz vans — retro-inspired electric vehicles powered by Mobileye’s autonomous driving tech — with the
Advertising
Months after limited ad testing in select markets, Meta has officially opened the ad floodgates for its Instagram-linked app, Threads. Starting now, eligible advertisers globally can place ads within the Threads feed, marking a significant step in Meta’s monetization strategy for the platform. With over 320 million monthly active
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Character.AI, the fast-growing platform known for letting users chat and roleplay with AI-generated personalities, is taking a bold step into video. On Tuesday, the company announced AvatarFX, its new video generation model now in closed beta. The tool animates AI characters in a range of styles — from lifelike human
Startups
In 2020, few could’ve predicted that a scrappy open-source startup from New Zealand would become a backbone of modern app development. But in 2025, Supabase is no longer a quiet alternative — it's a force. Led by CEO Paul Copplestone, Supabase has just raised a $200 million Series
Mobile Apps
Meta is doubling down on short-form video. On Tuesday, the company officially launched Edits, a new video-creation app aimed at creators who want a powerful, flexible, and AI-enhanced editing experience—without the watermark or the paywall. Available now globally on both iOS and Android, Edits brings a suite of creative
Transportation
In a move that further links ride-hailing with air travel, Delta Air Lines and Uber have launched a new partnership allowing U.S.-based Delta SkyMiles members to earn frequent flyer miles when using Uber or Uber Eats. The collaboration strengthens Uber’s positioning within the lucrative airport segment, while
Transportation
Uber is rolling out its airport shuttle service in Atlanta, marking the latest expansion of its Uber Shuttle program. Starting next month, the company will begin transporting passengers to and from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport with regular, affordable service. The new service will offer multiple pickup and drop-off locations across
Pharmaceutical
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche announced a massive $50 billion investment in the United States over the next five years, reinforcing its commitment to the American market amid rising concerns about looming White House tariffs on imported pharmaceutical goods. The investment will generate over 12,000 jobs, with 1,000 directly
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
In a groundbreaking leap toward efficiency in AI, Microsoft Research has introduced BitNet b1.58 2B4T, a highly compact large language model (LLM) that delivers full-scale performance with a fraction of the usual computational cost. Packing 2 billion parameters, this model operates using just 1.58 bits per weight, as
Retail
French luxury powerhouse Hermès announced it will increase prices in the U.S. starting May 1, as it moves to offset the financial impact of President Donald Trump's newly imposed tariffs. The decision comes as the luxury brand seeks to absorb the 10% universal import duty levied by
E-commerce
In a twist few could have predicted, U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports — intended to curb China’s economic advantage — are helping Chinese e-commerce apps soar in the American market. The latest beneficiaries? DHgate and Taobao, two apps now dominating the iPhone App Store’s top free charts in the