TECH
South Korea pledges over $1 trillion for chips, AI data centers and robots
South Korean leaders announced a national plan to invest more than $1 trillion in semiconductor fabs, AI data centers, and physical AI, aiming to double DRAM output and commercialize humanoid robots by 2028. Ars Technica highlighted the robot rollout and associated labor tensions, while TechCrunch focused on the $518 billion memory fab spend to ease the global “RAMageddon” shortage. The combined effort targets global chip supply, AI infrastructure, and a new era of industrial automation.
Supreme Court limits government use of geofence warrants
In a 6‑3 decision, the Court held that a person’s cell‑phone location history is protected by the Fourth Amendment, meaning law‑enforcement must obtain a warrant before accessing it from third‑party services such as Google. The majority opinion, written by Justice Elena Kagan, emphasized that voluntary location sharing does not erase privacy expectations, while Justice Samuel Alito dissented, warning the ruling could upend established jurisprudence. Privacy groups praised the decision and tech industry representatives welcomed the clarification that geolocation data remains subject to constitutional safeguards.
Base44 rolls out proprietary LLM to boost cost efficiency and defensibility
TechCrunch notes that Wix‑owned Base44 has begun deploying its own large language model, Base1, to cut inference costs and improve latency for its vibe‑coding platform. The launch follows a broader push by AI startups to own data, distribution and infrastructure as a defensive moat, a point highlighted by VC partner Jonathan Userovici. While rivals such as Lovable continue to rely on external models, Base44 aims to use its vertically integrated stack to stay ahead of both niche competitors and frontier labs like xAI and Anthropic.
US offers $10 million for tips on Russian Signal and WhatsApp hackers
The State Department, via its Reward for Justice program, announced a bounty of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of the Russian state‑linked cyber groups UNC5792 and UNC4221, which have compromised thousands of Signal and WhatsApp accounts belonging to U.S. officials, military personnel, journalists and allies. The campaign, first reported by the FBI in March, uses phishing messages that mimic support bots and exploit Signal’s backup feature to gain access to past communications. Authorities warn that legitimate support services never request verification codes or backup keys, and advise users to generate new backup keys if compromised.
Waymo and Uber end Phoenix autonomous vehicle partnership
Waymo and Uber announced the termination of their nearly three‑year autonomous‑vehicle pilot in Phoenix, removing Waymo robotaxis from Uber’s ride‑hail app. Waymo said the vehicles have been reabsorbed into its own Phoenix fleet, while Uber indicated it is preparing a new autonomous partnership in the city. Both companies praised the collaboration as a productive stepping stone, even as they gear up to compete directly in markets such as London and Waymo rolls out its new Ojai van model.
WhatsApp adds optional usernames to enable phone-number-free messaging
WhatsApp announced that users will soon be able to create optional usernames, allowing contacts to reach them without sharing phone numbers. The feature, which will be available later this year, includes a reservation period starting this week and options such as a four‑digit key and the ability to port an existing Instagram or Facebook handle. Wired notes that usernames will not be publicly searchable and that high‑profile names are reserved for their legitimate owners, positioning the rollout as a privacy‑focused alternative to services like Signal.
Google warns EU data sharing rules could jeopardize user privacy
Google says the EU's Digital Markets Act proposals, to let rivals add AI models to Android and to share anonymized search data, raise serious security and privacy risks, including fraud and de‑anonymisation attacks. The concerns were voiced by Google VP of security engineering Heather Adkins in a Wired interview and reported by Ars Technica. The European Commission aims to finalize the measures by July 27 as part of its effort to curb Google’s market dominance.
Sony to remove 551 StudioCanal titles from UK PlayStation libraries
Ars reports that Sony has warned UK PlayStation users they will lose access to 551 movies and shows from StudioCanal on September 1 because of licensing agreements. The cut follows earlier removals of Discovery, Funimation and other titles, underscoring that digital purchases are licensed rather than owned. The announcement has prompted criticism and calls for refunds from affected customers.
Tidal will label and demonetize fully AI‑generated music
The Verge reports that Tidal will begin labeling tracks identified as entirely AI‑generated and will cease paying royalties on them. The policy, effective July 15, also allows the platform to remove AI music linked to fraudulent activity. Tidal says it will rely on detection tools and expects distributors to properly label AI content, while competitors like Spotify and Deezer have introduced their own verification and detection measures.
California secures half-price Claude AI deal with Anthropic
TechCrunch reported that Governor Gavin Newsom announced a deal giving California state agencies and local governments access to Anthropic’s Claude chatbot at a 50% discount, along with training and support. The agreement aligns with Newsom’s executive order to accelerate AI use for efficiency while maintaining safety standards, positioning AI as a tool to help workers rather than replace them. The article also highlighted the contrast with the federal government, which has labeled Anthropic a supply‑chain risk and awarded its defense AI contract to OpenAI.