Hotnews

Apple's big new hardware bet for the AI era is here, and it's a...smart display?Why it matters: Cue the time machine and let's head back to 2014, when Amazon's Alexa shocked the tech world and led us to imagine a Jetsons-style home would be ours in the near future.It wasn't, but Apple believes it could come soon. The iPhone maker is betting that modern AI can finally make good on that vision, unveiling a slew of new smart home devices Tuesday.Between the lines: While the...

axios 21h ago 53°

Companies are building with AI — and exposing new security risks

The amount of AI-related infrastructure exposed to the public internet jumped 63% in nine months, according to new Censys data shared first with Axios.Why it matters: The AI boom isn't just creating new models and chatbots. It's creating a sprawling layer of software that companies will also need to inventory, patch and secure.Threat level: Many of these tools connect AI applications to sensitive corporate data and other services, creating potential entry points for...

axios 29h ago 44°

Every major Nvidia customer is now a competitor as Microsoft reveals new Maia chip

The trillion-dollar AI race is moving from software to silicon, as Microsoft's massive bet on its proprietary Maia chips proves Big Tech wants to wean itself off Nvidia's dominance.Why it matters: Microsoft's plan to power its AI products with custom silicon shows how every major Nvidia customer is now a competitor, seeking lower costs, improved performance and more control.The shift is particularly significant for inference — the computing needed to generate AI responses...

axios 5h ago 39°

Exclusive: AI safety money floods into political races

Advocates for AI safety and regulation are emerging as a force in U.S. elections, spending nearly $50 million this election cycle on candidates who favor regulation, a new analysis shared exclusively with Axios shows.Why it matters: The safety spending points to the unusual power dynamics in the AI race, where researchers shape policy and regulation in ways that differ at times from the priorities of the companies where they work.The researchers add to the advocacy and...

axios 25h ago 36°

Five things to watch after Trump's Russian diesel deal

President Trump is turning to Vladimir Putin to help ease a global diesel crunch, setting up a clash between Washington's energy priorities and its efforts to pressure Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.Why it matters: The fuel shortage is among the most severe effects of the Iran war and Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries.Average U.S. diesel prices remain far above $6 per gallon, adding to GOP headwinds in the midterm elections. Trump says his deal will help bring...

axios 5h ago 33°

AI's extreme heat challenge is moving from prediction to protection

Cities and researchers are using AI to map and predict extreme heat risk, but new research suggests it's used far more to identify where people are in danger than to help officials respond.Why it matters: As climate change intensifies extreme heat, better predictions won't protect vulnerable communities unless governments can turn them into action.U.S. deaths associated with high temperatures rose 53% from an annual average of 2,670 in 2000–2009 to more than 4,000 in...

axios 14h ago 29°

Democrats fear "more October surprises" after "bullshit" raid on Ilhan Omar's home

Congressional Democrats' private text chains lit up with fear and anger on Monday after Department of Homeland Security agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar's (D-Minn.) home in Washington, D.C.Why it matters: The search came less than a month before the midterms, immediately setting off alarm bells among Democrats that "more October surprises" could be coming, as one senior Democrat told Axios.Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) told Axios: "We expect more of this kind of thing."Driving...

axios 45h ago 28°

Trump's Russia deal leaves GOP candidates with a Putin problem

Republicans already saddled with Trump's unpopular policies in the midterms now face another awkward choice: whether to back his diesel deal with a dictator many of them despise.Why it matters: The agreement President Trump struck with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday is designed to ease the cost of living for U.S. consumers. But Republicans who pleaded for help with fuel prices now face a fresh dispute over Russia, with energy analysts questioning whether the deal...

axios 40h ago 27°

Feds search Rep. Ilhan Omar's home in immigration probe

Federal agents conducted a pre-dawn search Monday at the Washington home of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) as part of an ongoing immigration probe, a DOJ spokesperson confirmed to Axios.Why it matters: Searching Omar's home marks a substantial escalation of the Trump administration's fight with the outspoken progressive, who has condemned the immigration crackdown in her state.It's also an unusual move against a candidate less than a month before an election, something the...

axios 22h ago 26°

Europe's alternative to Trump's China trade war

Europe is testing a new response to China Shock 2.0, betting that it can confront Beijing's export juggernaut without resorting to President Trump's tariff-heavy approach.Why it matters: More of the world is beginning to confront the threat that China's industrial overcapacity poses to their industries. But protecting individual sectors will not solve the bigger problem: China's factories are cranking out far more than its own economy can absorb.Driving the news: The...

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