UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer announced plans to ban under-16s from main social media platforms by next spring. The government is shifting its stance on tech industry access to children, prompted by concerns over wellbeing, time spent online, bullying, and AI chatbot misuse.
The UK government has announced a £1.1bn investment in AI hardware, aiming to foster domestic chip companies. Alongside this, new measures will compel big tech firms like Apple and Google to block child nudity online, with potential criminal liabilities for non-compliance. Future actions may include an under-16 ban on high-risk social media apps.
A surge in anti-AI extremist attacks, including attempts on OpenAI's headquarters and its CEO Sam Altman's home, highlights growing concerns over tech industry backlash, radicalizing old and new extremist groups amid rapid AI-driven societal changes.
Google lays off staff in Cloud division, including Threat Intelligence Group and Mandiant, citing redirection of resources towards AI, amid broader Big Tech layoffs.
Mathematicians have issued the Leiden Declaration, warning about the tech industry's increasing influence on mathematics research. The declaration highlights risks to proof verification, proper citation, academic recognition, and research autonomy, urging ethical considerations and regulation.
Meta has eliminated over 2,700 jobs in California as part of a global workforce reduction aimed at prioritizing AI development. Software engineers focused on AI products were most affected, with layoffs occurring across multiple Silicon Valley locations.
The Enhanced Games in Las Vegas feature athletes using performance-enhancing drugs under medical supervision, aiming to break world records for prize money. Founded by tech veterans and backed by Silicon Valley investors, the event is also a business venture for Enhanced Group, Inc., selling health treatments and normalizing drug use.
The Enhanced Games, dubbed the "steroid Olympics," feature athletes using performance-enhancing drugs under medical supervision. Backed by Silicon Valley investors, the event aims to normalize drug use in sports and promote a growing human enhancement industry.
USCIS clarified a new Green Card policy, stating many H-1B visa holders in the national interest may still adjust status within the US, easing tech industry fears.
USCIS has clarified a new Green Card policy, stating many H-1B visa holders deemed in the national interest may still adjust status within the US, easing fears in the tech industry.
Tech giants like Meta, Google, and Amazon are lobbying the Vatican ahead of Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical on artificial intelligence, scheduled for release Monday. The industry aims to influence the Church's stance on AI ethics and development.
A report released in Hangzhou on May 24th shows Zhejiang's high-tech industry output grew from 4.28 trillion yuan in 2020 to 7.87 trillion yuan in 2025, with an average annual growth of 13%. The industry's added value now constitutes 69.1% of the province's industrial output.
President Trump reversed course on an executive order mandating AI safety reviews before model release, citing competition with China. Tech leaders, including Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, lobbied against the order, which was seen as a victory for the industry's push for rapid advancement.
Menlo Ventures partner Deedy Das highlights a stark wealth divide in the tech industry amidst the AI boom, with approximately 10,000 individuals achieving over $20M in wealth, contrasting with widespread layoffs, skill obsolescence fears, and career uncertainty among software engineers.
Menlo Ventures partner Deedy Das highlighted a growing wealth divide and "deep malaise" among tech workers due to the AI boom, noting that while a select few achieve "retirement wealth," many others face job insecurity and career uncertainty amid widespread layoffs.
A jury will decide if Elon Musk's "stealing a charity" claims against Sam Altman and OpenAI are valid. The trial revealed a bitter feud, with testimony from tech leaders and private documents detailing OpenAI's history and restructuring.
Closing arguments have concluded in Elon Musk's lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI, with a jury set to decide on liability over alleged breach of founding agreements and unjust enrichment.
The OpenAI chief rejects claims he deceived Elon Musk as high-stakes AI trial nears its endSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailThe OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, took the stand on Tuesday to defend himself and his company against a lawsuit by Elon Musk. Altman is set to be one of the final witnesses in the trial, which has pitted two of the tech industry’s most powerful men against each other in a dramatic courtroom showdown.Musk has accused Altman and OpenAI of breaking the AI firm’s founding agreement by restructuring it into a for-profit enterprise, alleging that Altman essentially swindled him into co-founding the company and providing tens of millions in financial backing. Musk also claims Altman unjustly enriched himself in the process and is seeking the CEO’s removal from OpenAI, the redistribution of $134bn to the firm’s non-profit and the undoing of its for-profit conversion. Continue reading...
Canada's Bill C-22, also called the Lawful Access Act, 2026, is a proposed law that would give law enforcement and spy agency CSIS sweeping powers to access private digital data. Apple and Meta say it could force companies to break encryption and build government backdoors—making Canadians less safe. The bill is currently being debated in the House of Commons, and its vague language around "systemic vulnerabilities" is what's got the tech industry worried.
Trump's vow to impose tariffs a "different way" already has the tech industry on edge.
Three days left to lock in 50% off a second ticket to Disrupt 2026. Buy one TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 ticket, and get a second ticket at 50% off. Gain more visibility in the tech industry. Offer ends May 8 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
The East West Rail project linking Oxford to Milton Keynes was finished in 2024. There’s just one hitch: no servicesThe rumbling noise in the night, still enough to waken the unhabituated, is what really goads some people living in Winslow, Buckinghamshire. Freight trains running through the new station since late 2024 prove this stretch of railway is operational. But the long-promised passenger services have yet to appear – and there is no sign of any arriving soon.Welcome to East West Rail, open or not. For well over a decade, ministers have talked up a new railway linking Oxford to Cambridge via Milton Keynes to accelerate the drive for housing, jobs and growth – an arc of tech industry hailed as the UK’s answer to Silicon Valley. Continue reading...
Elon Musk continued his testimony in a $134bn lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging co-founder Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman broke a foundational agreement by converting the AI company from a non-profit to a for-profit structure. Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 and donated approximately $38m from 2016-2020, is seeking to undo the for-profit conversion and redirect damages to OpenAI's non-profit arm. OpenAI's attorneys have argued Musk was always aware of for-profit plans and is "motivated by jealousy" after leaving the company in 2018. The three-week trial in Oakland, California has featured contentious exchanges and previously private communications revealing the formation of the AI company.
Elon Musk's high-stakes lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI began this week in Oakland, California federal court. Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015, alleges the company breached its founding agreement by converting from a non-profit focused on benefiting humanity to a for-profit structure. He is seeking $134bn in damages and reversal of the conversion. OpenAI denies the claims, arguing Musk was aware of for-profit plans and is "motivated by jealousy" after leaving in 2018. The three-week trial features dramatic testimony, with Musk's former lieutenant Jared Birchall confirming approximately $38M in donations from 2016-2020. The outcome could impact OpenAI's planned $1tn IPO and benefit Musk's competing xAI venture.
