Leaked Trump Administration Draft Order Aims to Block State AI Laws
A leaked draft executive order from a potential Trump administration reveals a plan to preempt states from enacting their own artificial intelligence laws. The proposed order suggests using the withholding of federal funds, including from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, as leverage against states that implement “onerous” AI regulations. The document also outlines the creation of a Department of Justice task force to legally challenge state-level AI legislation. This move is widely seen as an attempt to establish a single federal standard for AI, a position President Trump has previously supported on social media. The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from civil society groups, who argue it represents federal overreach and undermines state-level consumer protection efforts.
Sources:
Large Quantitative Models (LQMs): The Next AI Frontier Beyond LLMs
While Large Language Models (LLMs) have dominated the AI landscape, a new class of models, Large Quantitative Models (LQMs), is emerging to solve complex problems in the physical world. Unlike LLMs trained on text, LQMs are designed to process and generate quantitative data grounded in the principles of physics, chemistry, and biology. These models excel at simulating real-world systems, making them invaluable for applications in drug discovery, materials science, and financial modeling. By integrating scientific equations with advanced simulations, LQMs can deliver more accurate and reliable insights for critical applications where precision is essential. The development of LQMs marks a significant shift towards using AI to address data-intensive challenges in core economic sectors.
Sources:
Waymo Expands Robotaxi Testing to Minneapolis, Tampa, and New Orleans
Alphabet’s autonomous driving company, Waymo, has announced the expansion of its robotaxi testing into three new U.S. cities: Minneapolis, Tampa, and New Orleans. Initially, the company will deploy vehicles with human safety drivers for mapping and testing. This expansion is part of a broader strategy to launch fully driverless services in these locations as early as 2026, contingent on technological validation and safety reviews. The inclusion of Minneapolis is particularly strategic, as it will allow Waymo to test its autonomous systems in harsh winter weather, a key challenge for self-driving technology. This move brings Waymo’s total number of planned 2026 markets to fifteen, building on the over 10 million paid rides it has completed since 2020.
Sources:
Physik Instrumente Unveils H-815 Hexapod Robot for High-Precision Industrial Automation
Physik Instrumente (PI) has launched the H-815, a new six-axis hexapod robot engineered for continuous operation in demanding industrial environments. This compact parallel kinematic motion system is designed for high-precision applications in fields like silicon photonics, semiconductor manufacturing, and optics alignment. The H-815 provides six degrees of freedom (X, Y, Z, pitch, roll, and yaw) and is capable of achieving sub-micron accuracy with velocities up to 20 mm/s. Its robust design features high-stiffness cardanic joints and a load capacity of up to 10 kg, enabling seamless integration into existing production lines for tasks such as camera lens alignment, micro-assembly, and fiber optic positioning.
Google Unveils Gemini 3 AI, Its Most Intelligent Model, and New Generative UI
Google has officially introduced Gemini 3, its latest and most intelligent AI model, now integrated across Google products including the Gemini app, AI Studio, and Vertex AI. The new model features state-of-the-art reasoning and advanced multimodal capabilities, outperforming its predecessor, Gemini 2.5 Pro, on several major AI benchmarks. Alongside Gemini 3, Google is launching a novel ‘Generative UI’ in AI Mode for Search, which can create dynamic, interactive visual layouts and tools in real-time based on user queries. This feature aims to provide a more intuitive and customized search experience for complex questions. For developers, Google has also launched Google Antigravity, a new agentic development platform powered by Gemini 3. A more powerful version, Gemini 3 Deep Think, will be available to Google AI Ultra subscribers in the coming weeks.
AWS Pushes Platform Engineering to Accelerate Generative AI Adoption
In a recent blog post, Amazon Web Services (AWS) emphasized the critical role of a platform engineering approach for organizations looking to move generative AI projects from experimentation to production. The post observes that while many companies are exploring generative AI, few have successfully deployed it, often hindered by rising costs and prolonged timelines. By creating reusable components and standardized frameworks, a platform engineering strategy can accelerate development, control costs, and enable scalable innovation. This approach allows organizations to more rapidly adopt newer, more capable models and integrate the latest advancements into their applications. AWS argues that this methodology also enhances security, compliance, and ethical standards through consistent implementation, ultimately future-proofing generative AI initiatives.
Sources:
Microsoft, Nvidia, and Anthropic Forge Major Cloud and AI Partnership
Microsoft, Nvidia, and Anthropic have announced a landmark strategic partnership focused on artificial intelligence and cloud computing. As part of the agreement, AI firm Anthropic has committed to purchasing $30 billion of Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing capacity. In a move that solidifies the collaboration, Nvidia will invest up to $10 billion and Microsoft will invest up to $5 billion in Anthropic. This partnership ensures that Anthropic’s Claude, a leading competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, will be available to customers of the three largest cloud providers: Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. The deal also includes a deep technology partnership between Nvidia and Anthropic to optimize Anthropic’s AI models for Nvidia’s hardware architecture. The joint announcements were made just ahead of Microsoft’s annual Ignite developer conference.
Sources:
IBM and Cisco to Collaborate on Building a Quantum Internet
IBM and Cisco have announced a collaboration to develop the foundational technology for networked distributed quantum computing, with the long-term vision of creating a quantum internet. The partnership will merge IBM’s leadership in building quantum computers with Cisco’s expertise in quantum networking. The companies aim to deliver an initial proof-of-concept within five years, demonstrating a network that connects individual large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers. Such a network could eventually enable computations involving tens to hundreds of thousands of qubits. The ultimate goal, targeted for the late 2030s, is a quantum internet connecting quantum computers, sensors, and communication systems. To realize this vision, the collaboration will focus on inventing new hardware, like microwave-optical transducers, and developing a comprehensive supporting software stack.
Sources:
YQuantum Secures Funding for Scalable Cryogenic Quantum Computer Hardware
Quantum hardware startup YQuantum has secured CHF 150,000 in funding from Venture Kick to accelerate the development of miniaturized cryogenic hardware for next-generation quantum computers. The company aims to solve the scalability challenge in quantum computing by creating compact, high-performance components to replace bulky existing systems. This innovation will support reliable superconducting and spin-qubit operations, which are essential for building larger quantum processors. The new funding will be used to enhance R&D, expand business development, and increase customer engagement. YQuantum was founded by experts from UC Berkeley, ETH Zurich, and the University of Basel.
Sources:
Open-Source Developer Burnout: A Growing Threat to Software Supply Chain Security
A new report highlights a critical vulnerability in the software supply chain: rampant burnout among open-source developers. With 96% of enterprises relying on open-source code, the well-being of its volunteer maintainers is directly tied to enterprise security. The study reveals that 73% of open-source developers feel burned out, and 60% have considered abandoning their projects. This potential exodus of maintainers could lead to unpatched vulnerabilities and unsupported dependencies, creating significant security risks for organizations. The primary drivers of burnout are financial stress and toxic behavior from corporate users, who often demand immediate support for free software and treat volunteers like paid vendors. This dynamic fosters a negative cycle of fatigue and frustration, ultimately threatening the stability of the entire open-source ecosystem.
Sources:
Red Hat Launches Project Hummingbird for ‘Zero-CVE’ Secure Container Images
Red Hat has unveiled Project Hummingbird, an initiative to deliver minimal, hardened, and production-ready container images. This project addresses the conflict between development speed and security by offering a catalog of micro-sized container images stripped of all non-essential components. The images are designed to have a “zero-CVE” (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) status at release, ensuring they are free of known vulnerabilities. Project Hummingbird will also provide complete Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs) for each image, increasing transparency and helping organizations meet compliance standards. The initial catalog includes images for popular languages and runtimes like .NET, Go, Java, and Node.js, as well as databases and web servers. This initiative is positioned as Red Hat’s response to other minimal container images like Alpine and Ubuntu Chiseled.
Sources:
Peer Software Boosts Data Orchestration Platform with Hybrid Cloud and Anomaly Detection
Peer Software has rolled out significant updates to its data orchestration and analytics platform, featuring new versions of Peer Global File Service (PeerGFS) and PeerIQ. The latest release of PeerGFS expands its integration with major storage platforms, adding support for Dell PowerStore to better serve organizations managing large volumes of unstructured data across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. The PeerIQ analytics solution has been upgraded with machine learning-based anomaly detection to identify unusual user activity and bolster security. Additional improvements focus on performance and resilience, with features like resumable large file transfers and faster data rescans. These updates are designed to simplify data management, enhance security, and ensure high availability for distributed workloads.
Sources: