Digital payments network Zelle has shut down its mobile app as of April 1st. This has come as a result of very few customers using the app to make payments, instead using Zelle through their bank or credit union.

As a result of the change, customers of Zelle will now only be able to make payments via a financial institution that offers it. The company was launched in 2017 and is available in over 2,200 U.S. financial institutions.

Although Zelle’s main reason for shutting down its app is because of lack of use, the move could also be seen as an attempt to improve safeguarding and fraud detection within the network, especially since the company has been a prime target for scammers in the past.

Why Is Zelle Abandoning Its Mobile App?

According to a press release by Zelle, only 2% of transactions take place via its app, with most customers using their bank or credit union to send money to their phone contacts. With so few people using the app for payments, it makes sense that Zelle would want to free up time and money by abandoning the feature.

Instead, the app will serve as a hub for financial education, giving information about scams and fraud, as well as providing a list of the institutions that offer Zelle. With the focus now completely on these institutions, Zelle could be shifting its focus to onboarding more of them in the coming years.

Zelle made the announcement at the end of October 2024, and have been slowly phasing out the ability to make app payments. Since then, users have been encouraged to use Zelle through a bank or credit union that offers it, and customer service support remained in place for those using the app.

How Will Future Payments Be Made Through Zelle?

Instead of using the app, businesses are encouraged to enroll in a financial institution that offers Zelle in order to continue using the service in a safe and regulated way, receiving money from and sending money to trusted contacts.

Zelle saw an increase of 16 million consumer and small business accounts from 2023 to 2024, going from 135 million to 151 million accounts. Zelle has been highly beneficial to small businesses, from offering customers flexible ways to pay to rewarding employees with upfront bonuses that go straight into their bank account.

In a statement, general manager of Zelle Denise Leonhard said the company remains the “go to peer-to-peer payment method for millions of hardworking Americans,” and explained that the company remains focused on expanding and unlocking opportunities for individuals and small businesses alike.

Should Your Business Look Elsewhere for a Payment App?

Despite the changes, we wouldn’t advise businesses to abandon Zelle just yet, as most of the payments made will not be impacted. If you do use the app, we would encourage you to enroll into a financial institution that offers Zelle payments.

You may also be concerned about the risk of scams when making payments through networks such as Zelle. As money is transferred directly from bank account to bank account, there are potential security risks. This is something we have seen happening not just through Zelle, but with similar services such as PayPal.

However, if you have been concerned with using Zelle in the past, these changes could see better fraud protection and security measures put in place as payments must be made through secure financial institutions. The new educational value of the Zelle app could also be evidence of the company aiming to improve its security measures.

Cybersecurity breaches are getting worse. As AI development continues apace, criminals are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to dupe unsuspecting individuals and gain access to your information. According to the Tech.co “Impact of Technology on the Workplace” report, at least 16% of companies experienced a breach in 2024, with a further 5% unsure.

The repercussions of these data breaches can be grave. In the short-term, you could be faced with significant financial problems. For instance, cybercriminals can hold your information to ransom. If you don’t pay, it can end up on the dark web – at which point, your customers will probably file a lawsuit.

It is in the long term, however, that companies experience the direst consequences. Recently, reports emerged that DNA testing firm 23andMe was to file for bankruptcy and later sell itself as it continues to suffer the fallout from a high-profile breach in 2023. And there are countless other examples.

From destroying your reputation to plundering your finances, data breaches can have a truly catastrophic impact on your company. In this guide, I’ve put together a list of some of the businesses that have had to endure extreme hardship due to a cyberattack.

23andMe

As mentioned above, the genetic testing firm has been embroiled in legal trouble since it was hit by a massive data breach in October 2023. A cyber criminal seized personal information belonging to no fewer than 6.9 million customers – just under half of the company’s total customer base.

Reportedly, the criminal took advantage of two features – known as “DNA Relatives” and “Family Tree” – that allow customers to share information with each other, in order to steal so much information.

It has also transpired that they specifically targeted individuals with Chinese and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, whose information was put up for sale on the dark web. 23andMe initially failed to notify these customers.

What happened to 23andMe?

The company was promptly hit with a class action lawsuit. In September 2024, it agreed to pay $30 million in cash payments to individuals whose information was stolen. It also agreed to provide three years of security monitoring, with customers permitted to enroll in a program known as “Privacy & Medical Shield + Genetic Monitoring.”

This enormous financial outlay necessitated a company restructure, which ultimately resulted in 200 employees, or 40% of the total workforce, losing their jobs. 23andMe stopped all development of its therapies, and put itself up for sale. After several failed takeover bids, CEO Anne Wojcicki resigned. The company has now filed for bankruptcy as it seeks a new buyer.

With doubts over the company’s future swirling, customers are concerned about their data. On March 21, 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert, urging people to delete their accounts and corresponding genetic data. When all is said and done, the 23andMe data breach has been nothing short of a disaster for both business and customer alike.

Meta

The social media giant is no stranger to controversy. Over the years, the Mark Zuckerberg-helmed company has been at the center of numerous scandals, from Facebook-Cambridge Analytica to accusations of widespread election misinformation in 2016.

It also holds the dubious honor of recipient of the biggest data privacy violation fine in history. It all started in 2013, when Austrian activist Max Schrems brought a class action suit against Meta, citing concerns that when European users’ data was transferred to the US, it was not being adequately protected from American intelligence agencies.

Then, in August 2020, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) launched an inquiry into Meta Platform Ireland Limited, which was eventually concluded in May 2023. Meta Ireland was found guilty of failing to establish appropriate guardrails to safeguard the user information in question.

What happened to Meta?

The platform was billed $1.3 billion for violation of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a European Union (EU) mandate designed to enforce information privacy. EU regulators have also ordered Meta to suspend the transfer of personal data to the US, which has had a sizeable knock-on impact on the way that Meta carries out its operations in Europe.

Beyond that, the company has suffered a massive blow to its reputation. While difficult to quantify, the impacts of this are often far-reaching and permanent. Meta intends to appeal the decision, but the damage has been done.

TravelEx

In December 2019, foreign exchange company TravelEx suffered a massive data breach. Cyber criminals launched a sophisticated ransomware attack on New Year’s Eve that brought the company to a complete standstill. TravelEx took down its websites across 30 countries to try and contain the attack, but it was in trouble.

The criminals, who were part of a gang known as REvil, claimed to have already accessed the company’s computer network and stolen 5GB of sensitive customer data. Allegedly, this included dates of birth, credit card information, and national insurance numbers.

TravelEx failed to file a data breach report to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which is a national requirement for companies that suffer data breaches. Under GDPR, failing to do so within 72 hours of the original breach can result in a fine of 4% of the company’s global turnover.

What happened to TravelEx?

After negotiating with the preparators, the company agreed to pay a ransom of $2.3 million. Its parent company, Finablr, attempted to sell the company, but was ultimately unsuccessful. A subsequent restructure resulted in the loss of over 1,300 jobs.

It later transpired that concerns around digital security vulnerabilities had been raised earlier in 2019. When this came to light, the impact on TravelEx’s reputation was catastrophic. The company survived the ordeal, but it has never recaptured the market share that it held before it suffered the cybersecurity breach.

MediSecure

Australian prescriptions vendor MediSecure revealed that it had experienced a data breach in July 2024, during which the personal information of 12.9 million people was compromised. In other words, almost half of the population of the country.

Information on the nature of the breach is scarce, but it’s thought that cyber criminals exploited a vulnerability within the company’s IT estate to plant a ransomware attack. From there, they encrypted sensitive customer data and demanded a ransom for its release.

What happened to MediSecure?

Whether or not the company gave in to the criminals’ demands is unclear, but what we do know for sure is that they didn’t stop there. With all that personal information at their disposal, the criminals also launched a series of subsequent attacks against affected individuals.

Anticipating an avalanche of lawsuits from disgruntled customers, MediSecure requested a bailout from the Australian government. It was rejected. The company has since entered into administration, meaning that it is in the process of being reorganized, with a view to its total shutdown.

National Public Data

The employee background check company was subject to a massive data breach in August 2024. Reportedly, cyber criminals gained access to the company’s database via a zip file located on the company website. They stole no fewer than 2.9 billion records belonging to 170 million people.

What happened to National Public Data?

Predictably, the company never recovered. Shortly after the breach came to light, the company filed for bankruptcy to prepare for the subsequent litigation and investigations. Ultimately, it was shut down.

A team of researchers in Scotland has unveiled a RFID tag, which they claim could make the technology cheaper as well as more sustainable.

The scientists at the University of Glasgow explain that the new RFID tag does not need a chip, which is the hardest component of the devices to make. The chips also represent 50% of the tag’s carbon impact.

As RFID tags become more and more integral in asset and inventory tracking, this invention could have huge fiscal as well as environmental implications.

How Does a Chipless RFID Tag Work?

The new design is passive. As the RFID Journal explains, it consists of “a sensor material [made from PDMS silicon rubber and carbon fibers] and an antenna”.

The journal adds: “The coils, smaller than the ones found in credit cards, absorb electromagnetic signals from a hand-held reader using electromagnetic waves.” The tag changes the frequency of these waves if there is a change in sensor measurement.

This measurement could be, for example, temperature. The team explains that the tags react in just seconds and performed well between 20 to 60 degrees Celsius. They can, however, detect variations in temperature between 20 and 110 degrees Celsius.

The team adds that the RFID reader can currently communicate with three tags at once but it is aiming to increase this to 10 tags.

Applications of new RFID Tag

Mahmoud Wagih is a lecturer at the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering, and author of the white paper and article about the new tag in the Advanced Science journal.

He explains that this range means that the tags would be best suited to food safety and medical applications. Tags could be placed on products displayed in a store and the consistency of temperature monitored along the shelf. “If for example one region in that shelf is now overheating, or something is not cooling in one part of the fridge” that data could be acted upon in real time, said University of Glasgow research associate, Benjamin King.

He explains though that there are far more applications: “That sensing material, its properties change in response to whatever stimuli that we have in mind so there’s really nothing stopping us from being able to design a humidity sensitive material or pressure sensitive material — the potential versatility is interesting.”

Eco Impact of Chipless RFID Tag

There is a caveat in that the tags can send only three bits of data as compared to the approximately 128 bits or more of a standard UHF RFID tag. The system also only works at a range of around 1cm.

However, the new designs have a huge advantage as they are easier to make, don’t have the chemical waste element of chip manufacture and also are easier to recycle. The chips in standard RFID tags have to be removed before the tags can be disposed of.

According to Eco Experts, more than 53.6 million tons of e-waste is produced globally, which is a 21% rise in just 5 years. This new technology might make a tiny dent on this figure.

The beleaguered software and technology company, Sabre, is reportedly looking into selling its hotel booking engine, SynXis.

The news comes just months after the rumors of another potential sale – this time of the company’s whole hospitality software unit – as Sabre continues to flounder.

The hospitality industry is struggling with a perfect storm of challenges at the moment, ranging from increased costs to labor shortages. Sabre, which traces its roots back to the 1960s, has struggled in this increasingly hostile environment.

SynXis Potentially Worth $1 Billion

It was Reuters, which reported that Sabre is strongly considering the sale of its SynXis platform. The deal could be worth more than $1 billion, says the news service. This would help the company, which had debt net of cash of about $4.5 billion at the end of last year.

Just a few months ago, Skift published a story suggesting Sabre might be trying to sell the entire Sabre Hospitality tech business, which SynXis is part of.

Sabre Hospitality provides 10.8% of the company’s total revenue. It helps airlines “…distribute their flights and ancillaries to travel agencies, online and offline, and providing airlines with tech solutions to run their operations,” says the trade news website.

Potential Sale for Sabre…Again

Sabre was reported to have been approaching potential buyers for its whole hospitality tech business two years previously as well.

At the time, Sabre refused to comment; and continues to be close-lipped now. Evernote, the investment bank reported to be working with the Southlake, Texas-based firm on a possible deal, is also refusing to comment.

Reuters says that the SynXis business currently generates about $300 million in annual revenue. The platform is used by more than 40% of all hotels globally, including global chains like Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental.

Rumors Fuel Trading Jump

Just the rumors of a potential sale saw Sabre’s shares jump 3.4% in trading. This marks a possible change of fortune if a sale – either of SynXis or the software business as a whole – comes to pass.

Despite its debt, the company reported last month that it is confident of “maintaining its position” in global distribution systems over the next 10 years “driven by a gradual recovery in corporate travel”.

Sabre was founded by C.R. Smith, the then president of American Airlines, and R. Blair Smith, a sales executive at IBM in the 1960s. It was created to provide a data processing system for the airline industry. Its core purpose was to help them manage seat reservations, but now the company designs to tech to power mobile apps, check-in kiosks, websites, hotel reservations and even eCommerce for travelers.

The will is there among logistics companies to use AI to boost their business; but a new survey has revealed that their systems just aren’t ready yet.

The survey brought together the views of 100 U.S. executives and 100 supply chain leaders; and asked them about the benefits they are already seeing from AI integration and their hopes for the future.

The U.S. freight and logistics market size is anticipated to reach $1.62 trillion by 2029; and AI could increase logistics productivity by more than 40%. But the survey acknowledged that there are roadblocks.

Optimism Abounds on AI Logistics

The results, which were gathered by the teams at LeanDNA and Wakefield Research, reveal that AI is already playing a huge role in the logistics industry.

As reported by SupplyChain247, 92% of executives and 100% of supply chain leaders said that AI is essential for predicting and preventing disruptions.

This echoes other reports, including one from DocShipper, that suggests that AI is expected to make supply chains 45% more effective in delivering products on time and without errors.

Businesses are investing, confident that they will see a return on investment though time frames vary. The survey revealed that 24% of executives and 15% of supply chain leaders think they have already seen a positive ROI or will in the next six months.

However, when the team looked ahead to the next two years, the percentages grew considerably with 87% of executives and 89% of supply chain leaders expecting a positive return.

How is AI Being Used in Supply Chains?

The survey also gave a glimpse into how AI is being used. Half of the supply chain leaders said that they are using AI to improve reliability. But it is also being used by almost the same percentage (45%) to help them diversify suppliers while 39% are deploying AI to sync their supply networks.

The technology is playing a key role in helping 39% of respondents upgrade their data infrastructure; but this is also a pain point for many.

Only 19% of executives and 18% of supply chain leaders could claim that they have achieved full digital synchronization.

Differences of Opinion in Logistics Industry

The survey interestingly revealed a disparity in what the two groups of leaders are concerned about when it comes to AI implementation.

Executives are most worried about production disruption while inventory costs, reputation, and staying compliant are the biggest red flags for the supply chain leaders.

What unites them, though, is the belief that companies need to stop simply reacting – and therefore existing day-to-day when it comes to AI – and instead focus on planning ahead.

Global manufacturing and supply chain company Fictiv reported that 34% of shipping and logistics firms don’t even have a digital transformation strategy.

Leaders in the logistics world can see the benefits of AI integration but a lack of foresight and planning now means that they are working with systems that struggling and are having to be reactive instead of proactive.

Connected workspaces are high up on the wishlist for the majority of ChatGPT business users and OpenAI says it is listening.

OpenAI is already pushing hard to embed itself in Government departments, but this latest announcement shows it is also laser focused on becoming the go-to AI chatbot for all enterprise users.

The move will see “internal knowledge” rolled out for ChatGPT Team customers, focusing first on pulling in and using content from users’ Google Drive; which has itself had an AI glow-up in recent months.

ChatGPT Connecting to Internal Knowledge Sources

It was Nate Gonzalez, product leader at OpenAI who made the announcement on LinkedIn.

He shares that the OpenAI team hasbeen trying out the internal knowledge tool with Google Drive for several weeks. He says it has “…already changed how we onboard new team members, prep for meetings, and unblock work.”

In a short demo video, the OpenAI team is shown using ChatGPT to find slides in Google Drive and “catch the user up” on a specific codenamed project using the new “internal knowledge” tab.

Beta Rolled Out but More To Come

The post also promises that Teams connectivity is coming “over the next few weeks”.

However, Gonzalez also asked for feedback from users who have been only too happy to share what connectivity they would like.

He teased: “…this is just the beginning. The team is already working on the next wave of connectors, aiming to support all the key internal knowledge sources your team relies on today—from collaboration and project management tools to data analytics platforms, CRMs, and more.”

But How Does This Work With Privacy?

Gonzalez says that he is most excited by the fact that the model will “learn your org’s unique language – project names and acronyms, and team-specific terms” but emphasizes that it will also “respect your user permissions”.

It’s of no surprise – though -that users have already raised concerns about data usage – after all this is a hot topic for all AI users. One commenter in LinkedIn asked: “What if ChatGPT access sources to add in own data and start giving same responses to others who are not in the same org?”

Gonzalez was quick to reply, stating: “We don’t train our models on any Team or Enterprise account data!” However – as Dropbox customers proved – there might still be concerns so this is probably a question that will we see being levelled again as more “connectors” are announced.

In a statement this week, Aurora Innovation announced that its soon-to-be-released self-driving trucks will operate without a driver, even when the weather is not cooperating.

We’ve been promised self-driving trucks for years, with ambitious entrepreneurs and lofty concept vehicles promising the world without much to show for it. In 2025, there are some trucks on the road that can drive on their own, but none that do so without a driver present.

Aurora is looking to change that, with a fully autonomous truck that will, rain or shine, be hitting the road soon.

Aurora Adds Inclement Weather to Autonomous Driving Framework

Despite the company’s lofty aspirations, Aurora has decided that it’s not going to be intimidated by a bit of wind and rain, with an announcement Tuesday that its fully autonomous trucks will, in fact, be operated in inclement weather.

Aurora uses something called the Safety Case Framework to operate its autonomous vehicles, which “combines guidance from government organizations, best practices from safety-critical industries, voluntary industry standards and consortia, academic research, and what an organization has learned in its own work.”

The company announced that it would be adding parameters to this framework that would allow it to more effectively take weather into account when driving.

When and Where Is Aurora Launching Autonomous Trucks?

Aurora Innovations is set to release fully autonomous vehicles in Texas this April, which means that this announcement is going to have an immediate impact on this upcoming release.

Aurora Innovations also has plans to launch fully autonomous trucks in New Mexico and Arizona at some point in 2025, but no official date has been set for those states.

The states in question are a good indicator of why Aurora Innovations is so confident in its vehicles ability to handle the elements, with Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico well known for their less-than-inclement weather compared to other territories across the US.

Aurora Innovations and Safety

While this news may sound a bit alarming, especially if you’re planning on driving on the roads of Texas next month, rest assured, Aurora Innovations is fully committed to safety when it comes to its vehicles.

“At Aurora, our philosophy isn’t just safety first – it’s safety always. Our safety approach spans both product and organization, and in this report, we’ve shared a behind-the-scenes look into our safety systems. With the launch of the Aurora Driver, the world will experience driverless trucks safely delivering freight on public roads for the first time.” – Nat Beuse, Chief Safety Officer at Aurora Innovations

Still, tackling the fully autonomous trucking problem is going to be a steep undertaking, and when you add the wind and rain of the Texas summer into the mix, who knows what can happen.

Despite the poor reception of Copilot, Bill Gates is quite optimistic about AI, with the former CEO saying in an interview this week that we will not need humans “for most things” as the technology evolves.

While we are still in the early stages of AI development in 2025, those in the tech industry haven’t held back when it comes talking about the potential for this technology to change the way we live.

Bill Gates took that to another level this week, waxing poetic about all the jobs and tasks that AI will be able to do for us without any human intervention in just 10 years.

Bill Gates and the Future of AI

In an interview on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Bill Gates talked about a lot of stuff, including his grandkids, his battles with Steve Jobs, and his new book Source Code.

What stood out to many, though, were the few minutes he spent talking about AI, in which he discussed how the technology is likely to evolve over the next decade, and what kind of tasks it will take on, often better than humans.

“The era that we’re just starting is that intelligence is rare, a great doctor or a great teacher. And with AI, over the next decade, that will become free and commonplace. Great medical advice. Great tutoring.” – Bill Gates

On top of that, when Jimmy Fallon tentatively asked whether or not we will need humans in the future, Gates responded, “Not for most things,” to which the talk show host and studio audience responded with nervous laughter.

Is AI Actually Replacing Jobs?

Bill Gates did make the distinction in this interview that, while AI is currently quite advanced, this level of job replacement isn’t expect for at least another decade.

He’s not wrong, as the number of jobs replaced by AI are still quite low. The Impact of Technology on the Workplace report from Tech.co found that only 14% of business owners state that AI has extensively removed the need for certain job roles in 2025.

This is likely due to the fact that AI errors and mistakes are substantially prevalent in the technology today, which means that no one is itching to trust a robust with their education or the medical advice.

The AI Skills Gap

Just because businesses aren’t replacing human job roles now, doesn’t mean they won’t in the near future. To prepare for the inevitable day when robots aren’t so prone to mistakes, becoming familiar with how to use these AI tools for your own career development is key to long-term success

Unfortunately, the AI skills gap is widening by the minute, with more and more businesses and employees ignoring the value and importance of understanding the technology.

If you want to get hired, simply put, you need to know a bit about AI, with 87% of businesses believing that hiring employees with AI expertise is at least slightly important, compared to only 66% in 2023.

It’s been a long road: After a decade of pushing it off, the federal government will be enforcing a regulation that requires truckers to submit their medical certification electronically, and not on paper.

The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) first issued a shift towards a fully electronic Medical Examiner’s Certification back in 2015, but enforcement was pushed back several times due to IT concerns.

Now, the final national deadline for the upgrade is almost here: Truckers will officially need to file electronically on June 23, 2025.

What’s Changing?

Most commercial US truckers — and anyone who manages them — have already been submitting their DVIRs electronically for years, following the ELD mandate, which first went into full enforcement back in 2019.

By ensuring that all truckers track their hours of service with approved electronic logging devices (ELDs), the government gets more useful, searchable data. And since truckers also need to retain Records of Duty Status (RODS) data and backup data from the previous six months, there’s a wealth of information should anything need to be verified or double-checked.

That electronic data hasn’t included the Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC), a paper document that truckers must have on-hand during a routine stop, since it proves to state licensing agencies that they meet the physical qualifications for operating a commercial vehicle.

On June 23 of this year, that finally changes. According to CDLLife, “the compliance date was initially set for June 22nd, 2018. It was pushed to June 22nd, 2021, and then to June 23rd, 2025, due to IT system issues.”

How Does This Impact You?

This is a rare new regulation that won’t give truckers anything extra to do. Once the law switches over from paper certificates (which truckers must have on hand) to electronic ones, truckers won’t have to offer up the certificates in order to prove they deserve their license.

Instead, Certified Medical Examiners will be the ones required to submit any commercial vehicle driver medical exam results directly to the FMCSA, as well as the relevant state licensing agency. That whole process takes place through the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners — leaving the commercial truckers and motor carriers themselves free to do their job.

However, you should still make sure you keep your paper records on hand for at least a month or two after the regulation switches over in late June. You won’t want to be caught off guard in the event of an unexpected IT failure, since the online system will still be brand-new. There’s no reason to put your commercial driver’s license (CDL) in danger when you’re perfectly qualified to drive a truck.

Some States Are Already Enforcing the Regulation

Depending on your state, these nationwide changes might have already arrived: State governments in Maryland, Minnesota, Utah, and Texas are already accepting electronic medical certificates from truckers.

From March 23rd to June 23rd of 2025, Texas will accept both paper and electronic certification to further ease the transition.

It’s another example of how modern trucking is increasingly online, even if the shift itself took many years.

Foreign-imported cars and light-duty trucks may soon start increasing their US price tags by over $7,000.

Why? The Trump administration’s new 25% tariff on all automobile imports. It comes right on the heels of a 20% steel and aluminum tariff, as well as a China-focused tariff, and it will be followed in early May with another tariff aimed at auto parts.

To learn about how these taxes will affect you, we checked in across a wide range of impacted industries and countries. Read on to hear from Canada’s prime minister – he’s not happy – as well as see which automakers have it worse. Trump ear-bender Elon Musk should be ecstatic: Tesla, Inc. will likely do the best, since about 80% of its cars are domestic.

How Do the New Tariffs Work?

The hubhub all stems from an executive order President Donald Trump signed on Wednesday. Starting just next week on April 3, the order calls for a 25% tariff on all automobile imports to the United States.

What about vehicles that were partially made in the US? The White House has an answer: It provided a fact sheet about the tariffs that clarifies this caveat. Any tariffs applied to the automobiles imported under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) will only count towards the value of elements that were not made in the United States.

In other words, Canadian and Mexican automakers will still suffer the full brunt of the tariffs. And, while the Trump administration has announced and then paused other tariffs for Canada in the last month, Trump claims that this one is “permanent.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called the duties a “direct attack” on Canadian autoworkers that’s “entirely inconsistent” with CUSMA and “the long history of relations in the auto sector right back through the Auto Pact,” a 1965 trade agreement between Canada and the US.

Automotive Logistics Will Have a Rough Year

What kind of impact will these tariffs have? Logistics news source The Lodestar checked in with investment bank Jefferies, which calls the new duties the “most heavy-handed and simplest option.”

Jefferies estimates that, if these tariffs were around this time last year:

• They would have affected eight million vehicles 
• They would have increased the price by $7,600 per imported car
• Ford will be less impacted than GM and STLA.

Transport Topics notes another automaker that will come out a winner due to the new tariffs: Tesla, Inc., which sees around 80% of its vehicles built domestically.

There’s one bit of good news, however: Heavy-duty trucks appear to be exempt from the tariffs, at least so far.

However, a second tranche of tariffs aimed at auto parts is expected on May 3, and will likely impact trucks, due to the entire US auto industry’s reliance on global supply chains. Provided these tariffs result in supply chains being rebuilt within the US, it’s the consumers who will likely fare the worst, since costs will rise and US automakers may deliver a lower quality product without global competition.

…But Cargo Frontloading Is Boosting Short-Term Profits

All the uncertainty from the new tariffs has resulted in a short-term benefit for the shipping business. However, the Port of Los Angeles just saw its second-best February on record, according to Executive Director Gene Seroka. Seroka was speaking at a March 19 press briefing, so it wasn’t in response to the new 25% tariffs. However, the new tariffs may lead to another short-term shot in the arm for the same reason: Cargo frontloading.

In logistics, the term “frontloading” refers to increasing efforts or costs at the beginning of a project period, a practice that reduces uncertainty and ensures everyone stays on track. Since the new tariffs – like the 25% steel and aluminum tariffs for all countries that were imposed earlier in March – are making shippers uncertain about how costs may fluctuate down the road, they’re all increasing shipments now in order to hedge against any upcoming changes.

In the case of LA’s port, Seroka expects consistent volume growth across the first and second quarters, and he predicts a 10% drop in volume in the second half of the year.

The Trump administration added 20%  tariffs on imports from China earlier this month, which reduced cargo shipments from China to LA down to 43% of the port’s traffic, down from 57% before the change.

In other news, US rail traffic increased more than 5% year-over-year for the fourth week in a row.

US and Canadian Steelworkers Face Layoffs

According to a new Freight Waves article, the US-based Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. is laying off more than 1,200 steel and mine workers in Michigan and Minnesota. The company cites market conditions as well as “weak automotive production” in the U.S. Last month, Canadian steelmaker MPG Canada laid off 140 positions, citing the US tariffs.

Part of the problem is the low demand for US cars: Within months, one forecaster has dropped from predicting 16.3 million vehicles sold in the US in 2025 to just 15.6 million.

Once the tariffs have been in place for a while, we may see a reversal of the US layoffs – but given the uncertainty surrounding the amount and size of all the tariffs that might be issued, it’s impossible to say when that might be.

Meanwhile, Canadian steelworkers aren’t optimistic about their job security. Canada-based Algoma Steel has laid off about 20 people, citing customer loss due to tariffs.

A Canada-focused reader survey from TruckNews.com puts a face to the insecurity that many workers in the country feel right now. One of them writes: “If these tariffs continue, I will probably lose my job in three months!” Another respondent says they “have been hauling organic grain to the same WA-state company for over 30 years. With the 25% tariff, they are looking to buy from within the U.S. and Argentina. Last load delivered March 4. Unless things change, I have lost my job.”

Will Canada and Others Counter the Tariffs?

We’re still waiting to see how any of this shakes out, but there’s a chance that Canada, Mexico, or the EU may work to counter the range of freshly imposed tariffs with their own US-specific tariffs. If so, Trump promised to continue escalating, according to a Truth Social post on Thursday.

“If the European Union works with Canada in order to do economic harm to the USA, large scale Tariffs, far larger than currently planned, will be placed on them both in order to protect the best friend that each of those two countries has ever had!” -Trump

The tax increases seem set to keep rising for the near future.

While you wait to see what ultimately happens, we recommend stocking up on toilet paper: Canadian softwood lumber tariffs recently doubled, reaching 27%, and US toilet paper prices are expected to soar as a result.

For entrepreneurs, small business owners, and creators, having a professional, visually compelling website is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. In today’s fast-moving digital economy, a website serves as the front door to a business, shaping first impressions and influencing customer trust.

However, the process of designing a website from scratch can be time-consuming, expensive, and technically complex especially for those without coding or design skills. Many business owners either spend countless hours trying to customize templates or hire expensive developers to bring their vision to life.

Enter Squarespace’s Design Intelligence, a groundbreaking AI-powered website builder that is removing barriers to professional web design. With its latest innovation, Blueprint AI, businesses can create stunning, personalized websites in minutes and without the steep learning curve.

Whether you’re a freelancer, coach, startup, or eCommerce entrepreneur, Squarespace combines AI-driven design tools with business management features, providing an all-in-one growth platform.

What is Design Intelligence?

At its core, Design Intelligence is an AI-powered tool that automates website creation. Instead of users spending hours adjusting layouts and tweaking code, Blueprint AI streamlines the process—just like an interior designer transforming a blank space into a stylish, functional office.

How It Works:

1. Smart AI-Powered Personalization: Users enter their industry, goals, and style preferences.
2. Automated Layouts: AI generates a professional, brand-aligned website instantly.
3. One-Click Customization: Modify fonts, colors, and page structures effortlessly.
4. Optimized for All Devices: Responsive design ensures a flawless mobile experience.
5. Time-Saving Automation: AI manages the design work, allowing business owners to focus on their content and growth.

Case Study: Sarah, a freelance graphic designer, needed a portfolio website but had no web development experience. Using Blueprint AI, she created a sleek, fully functional site in under 30 minutes—without hiring a developer.

For business owners like Sarah, Squarespace’s AI-driven design takes the stress out of website building, making it fast, intuitive, and cost-effective.

Check out Squarespace for yourself and use the code TC10 for a 10% discount.

Beyond Website Building: Squarespace’s Business Tools

A website is only the first step in running a successful business. Squarespace goes beyond design by offering integrated business tools that help entrepreneurs manage payments, sell digital products, automate scheduling, and streamline invoicing—all from one platform.

Here’s how Squarespace empowers businesses to operate more efficiently:

1. Squarespace Payments – Secure, Seamless Transactions

For many businesses, handling online transactions can be a challenge. Squarespace Payments offers a built-in, secure payment system that removes the need for third-party integrations.

How It Helps Businesses:

• Accepts major payment methods, including credit cards, Apple Pay, and PayPal.
• Provides built-in fraud protection to safeguard customer transactions.
• Eliminates third-party processing fees by keeping everything within Squarespace’s ecosystem.
• Enables businesses to sell products, services, and subscriptions directly on their site.
• Compared to other website builders that require separate payment integrations, Squarespace simplifies the entire process, ensuring a frictionless checkout experience.

2. Courses – Turn Your Expertise Into Income

The e-learning industry is booming, and Squarespace’s Courses feature enables creators to monetize their knowledge through online education.

Key Benefits:

• Easy course setup: Upload videos, PDFs, and lesson plans in minutes.
• Built-in payments: Charge one-time fees, subscriptions, or tiered pricing.
• Seamless student experience: User-friendly course navigation with progress tracking.

Example: A yoga instructor used Squarespace Courses to launch an online training program, generating passive income while expanding her brand reach.

Unlike platforms that require multiple integrations, Squarespace keeps everything in one place, making course creation accessible to non-technical users.

3. Client Invoicing – Manage Clients and Payments in One Place

For freelancers and service-based businesses, handling invoices manually can be time-consuming. Squarespace’s Client Invoicing feature automates this process, helping users get paid faster.

Why It’s Essential:

• Customizable invoices – Personalize branding and payment terms.
• Automated payment reminders – Reduce delays and improve cash flow.
• Seamless integration with Squarespace Payments – Clients can pay directly from their invoice.
• Compared to using external invoicing tools, Squarespace consolidates billing and payment processing, saving businesses valuable time.

4. Acuity Scheduling – Smart Appointment Management

For businesses that rely on appointments and bookings, Acuity Scheduling automates the entire process—reducing no-shows and administrative workload.

How It Benefits Businesses:

• Clients can book online 24/7, eliminating back-and-forth emails.
• Accept deposits or full payments upfront to secure bookings.
• Automated reminders and calendar syncing prevent scheduling conflicts.

For example: A life coach integrated Acuity Scheduling with her Squarespace site, allowing clients to book sessions effortlessly while she focused on growing her business.

Compared to standalone scheduling tools, Acuity’s integration streamlines workflows, helping service-based professionals stay organized.

Check out Squarespace’s business tools now and use the code TC10 for a 10% discount.

Why Squarespace is the Go-To Platform for Business Growth

While many website builders focus solely on design, Squarespace takes a comprehensive approach, providing AI-powered customization, built-in payments, digital products, and scheduling—all in one platform.

What Sets Squarespace Apart?

• AI-powered website creation in minutes
• No-code design customization for small businesses
• Integrated payment processing for seamless transactions
• Online course creation tools for digital entrepreneurs
• Smart scheduling features for service-based businesses

Unlike competitors that require multiple plugins or third-party tools, Squarespace offers an all-in-one ecosystem, allowing entrepreneurs to scale without complexity.

Think of Squarespace as your business’s digital headquarters combining AI-driven design with the essential tools needed to grow and succeed.

Take the Next Step with Squarespace

With Blueprint AI, Design Intelligence, and integrated business tools, Squarespace is helping entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses build powerful online brands without the technical hassle.

Ready to transform your business with AI-powered website design?

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Microsoft is the latest company to equip its AI chatbot, Copilot, with deep research tools, allowing it to use reasoning and analysis to provide complex answers and complete tasks. It is also able to connect with third-party data connectors and derive insights across a company’s tools.

This adds to the growing wave of chatbots with advanced thinking capabilities. Most recently, Google introduced reasoning AI models to Gemini, and xAI’s Grok 3 model includes bots trained with “reinforcement learning” that helps it use a chain-of-thought reasoning process.

These changes come at a time where there are increasing concerns about the reliability of information provided by AI chatbots. AI blunders happen often, and where chatbots are now integrated into businesses, misinformation could pose a large risk.

What Do New Copilot Tools Consist Of?

The updated Microsoft 365 Copilot includes a ‘Researcher’ and ‘Analyst’ agent to provide a deeper reasoning ability and thorough research skills.

The ‘Researcher’ agent merges OpenAI’s deep research model with Microsoft’s own “advanced orchestration” and “deep search capabilities”. It also integrates with the other programs in a user’s toolbox, such as Salesforce, creating in-depth reports and strategies with a broad range of knowledge.

The ‘Analyst’ model is built on OpenAI’s o3-mini reasoning model, and focuses on advanced data analysis to tackle complex queries and provide refined answers. The agent knows programming language Python, which the user is able to read and inspect for themselves as the agent is coding.

Both tools will start to be rolled out in April for customers on the new Frontier program, which will from then on be the place where experimental Copilot features first launch.

Copilot Keeping Up With The Competition

AI companies are in a constant race of improving and defining their chatbots within the crowd, particularly as AI continues to establish itself more and more within the workplace.

Copilot is the latest chatbot to receive deep research and analysis abilities. Not so long ago, Google unveiled a new ‘reasoning’ update to its chatbot Gemini, allowing the bot to pause and ‘think’ before giving answers. ChatGPT also has a Deep Research feature, in the form of an agent OpenAI claims reports “at the level of a research analyst”.

The ability to ‘think deeply’ and refine this thinking as new information pops up, could be crucial in the development of AI. It is most certainly an important step in creating AI bots that are able to problem solve and combine knowledge as humans do.

Risks Remain When Using AI for Research

However, as exciting as deeper reasoning agents are, there are still concerns about how accurate the information AI bots provide, particularly if they are being used in professional settings.

The fear is that AI bots can “hallucinate” or make information up. There have been cases of lawyers being sactioned for submitting fake case citations given by ChatGPT, or Microsoft chatbot MyCity telling business owners it is legal to take a cut of their workers’ tips.

Not only do chatbots need the ability to think deeply about problems, but also take the sources they are given and decide whether it is reliable or accurate enough to mention in its research. At the moment at least, this seems like a level of intuition reserved only for humans.

The Atlantic’s Editor-in-Chief was added to a government group chat on messaging app Signal, which is raising security concerns about where sensitive military conversations take place.

Signal is a privacy-focused messaging app, which helps its users avoid being tracked. The President of the Signal Foundation, Meredith Whittaker, has described the app as the “gold standard of private comms” and outlined Signal’s central security principle, which includes end-to-end encryption. The app also boasts impressive security features such as profile picture blurring and disappearing messages. Despite these measures, there are still concerns about how appropriate Signal is for sensitive government conversations.

However, the app remains a solid choice for businesses looking for added privacy and security, and below, we’ve outlined the best ways you can bolster your defenses while using Signal.

What is Signal and Who Owns It?

Signal was the app used by US government officials to discuss military plans, sparking concerns around its suitability for highly sensitive conversations. Signal is an open-source messaging service used by an estimated 40-70 million users per month.

It is owned by the Signal Foundation, a US non-profit that relies on donations and grants for funding rather than advertising, putting user privacy at the center of its business model. Its co-founders are Moxie Marlinspike and Brian Acton, the latter who founded WhatsApp.

The company’s focus on privacy and security has earned it a great reputation among cybersecurity experts and journalists. Its end-to-end encryption allows only the sender and receiver to view messages, so the only information the company has on its users is the date an account was added and the date said account was last used.

Growing Concerns Over Security

While Signal’s security measures are strong, it is still not considered an appropriate tool to house sensitive military conversations, such as the one Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg found himself in the middle of this week.

Added to a group chat, Goldberg was subject to US plans to bomb Houthi targets across Yemen, including weapons packages and targets. He also read discussions about perceptions of European “free-loading” and America’s role in “bailing out” Europe.

There are certainly concerns about government security in these cases. Especially since certain features of Signal, such as disappearing messages, could be in violation of federal law that requires official government records to be kept.

Tips for Using Signal in Your Business

Signal is otherwise a very secure messaging app. Beyond its end-to-end encryption and disappearing message feature, the app is open-source, meaning it can be continually checked by experts to prevent hacks.

However, if you are concerned about security when using the app, here are our tips for using Signal in your business:

• Location: Phones can be less secure than computers because of how often we use them. If possible, avoid opening the Signal app on public transport, or keep it restricted to an antivirus-protected computer.
• Features: Take advantage of features such as disappearing messages, profile picture image blurring and an incognito keyboard.
• Link previews: Disable link previews through Settings > Privacy in order to reduce the risk of tracking or phishing scams.
• Verification: Verify safety numbers before sharing sensitive information, allowing you to make sure you are communicating with the correct person.
• Device: Consider using a secondary phone number when you sign up.
• Security: Always choose a strong PIN and consider using biometrics to access the app.

Volvo is opening the books for its new Electric HGV, which it claims will change the long-haul trucking world forever.

The Volvo FH Aero Electric has been teased since last year but now the car manufacturer says that potential customers can sign up to order and that the official launch will be Q4 of this year.

As companies consider transitioning their fleets to electric, this truck has 600km range and the ability to recharge in just 40 minutes.

Significant Leap

Volvo is describing the arrival of its new flagship electric model as “a real breakthrough in zero-emission transport.” Its e-axle design means that there is more room for batteries, hence the 780 kWh installed capacity.

In a news piece on Sustainable Times, Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks, said: “Now, transport companies can operate really long distances with electric trucks without having to compromise on productivity. The superfast charging and high payload capacity make this a very competitive solution.”

This truck, Volvo says, delivers too on capacity. It can haul up to 44 tons in the UK and US, and 46 tons in the Republic of Ireland when paired with a standard tri-axle semi-trailer.

The company already sells its VNR Electric models stateside, and these have an operating range of 275 miles. The page is now live for US buyers to “build their truck” for the new model.

Competition on the Road

Volvo claims it has so far delivered more than 3,800 electric trucks to customers in 46 countries around the world.

However, other companies are pushing hard too. This year will also see the arrival of a new Renault T-Model, which will also have a 600km range on a single charge.

“We believe that a range of 600 km on a single charge, combined with the development of public charging infrastructure networks by 2026 – in particular through our joint venture Milence – will enable us to achieve the operational parity [with diesel technology] that our customers expect.” – Emmanuel Duperray, Senior Vice President Electromobility at Renault Trucks

Not Just About Range

However, Duperray also added that his company is “…not looking to enter a race for autonomy on a single charge.” Instead, he argues that manufacturers need to think about how an electric truck is currently “more expensive than a combustion vehicle.”

“We need to rethink low-carbon logistics, in other words, reconsider transport patterns to optimize the use of transport vehicles and therefore reduce the cost per kilometer.” – Duperray

Electric trucks – especially delivering these sorts of ranges – are a huge step towards decarbonization, but companies also need to keep pushing the envelope in terms of design, cost efficiency, and infrastructure.

The law is harsh, but it is the law: so says the AI judge in a recent study from the University of Chicago Law School. The study analysed the differences between AI and human legal decision-making, and found that human judges were significantly influenced by non-legal and emotional factors, unlike OpenAI’s GPT-40.

The findings raise questions on how closely AI can mirror the judgement of humans, particularly in settings such as the legal system, where an emotional intelligence and nuance is needed. Even as models continue to become faster and stronger, this empathy gap could hinder AI’s potential.

AI Puts Its Faith in The Law While Humans Consider Emotional Elements

The original study set out to understand how federal judges and law students made legal decisions. Participants reviewed the simulated appeals of defendants involved in international war crimes. Defendants were shown to be sympathetic and unsympathetic, and the judges and students were also given different levels of relevant and irrelevant information.

When faced with a sympathetic defendant, the federal judges had their decisions swayed 65% of the time, even ruling to overturn convictions in cases where legal precedent supported it. The law students were overall able to stick to precedent 85% of the time.

In the recent University of Chicago’s Law School study, GPT’s decisions followed legal precedent more consistently. In fact, GPT stuck to the law in over 90% of cases, even when faced with more sympathetic defendants.

In both studies, the judges were also given hints that a defendant’s conviction could be legally flawed. While GPT remained law-abiding in these cases, the human judges’ decisions remained dependent on how sympathetically the defendant was portrayed to them, despite any other background knowledge.

AI Unable to Tap Into Human Sensibilities

Each case reviewed in the study was designed to be ambiguous in order to evaluate the level of decision-making. However, this did not seem to affect GPT in its rulings either. 

In an attempt to bridge the gap between the AI and human judges, the researchers prompted GPT to think beyond simply following the letter of the law. This involved tweaking the information fed into the bot with the aim of replicating the responses of the human judges. 

The researchers trained the AI on legal realism theory, which suggests that judges use factors outside of the law to determine a ruling, such as emotional and social contexts. They also urged GPT to think more broadly about justice beyond the law, and even explicitly told it to consider sympathetic defendants in a different light. 

Despite these adjustments, the AI judges remained focused on legal precedent, and did not consider the emotional aspects of a case. Researchers concluded this to be an example of legal formalism, where rules and precedents are followed with no regard to personal feelings. 

Use of AI Judges in Courtrooms is a Possibility

Discussions around how AI will continue to establish itself within society’s systems are not going anywhere, particularly as platforms such as ChatGPT and Gemini continue to advance and integrate themselves into our daily lives.

Some experts suspect that AI will play a significant legal role in the future, with the National Center of State Courts having released some guidance last year on using AI in the courtroom. Although, in cases where AI has been used for producing court documents, there have been reports of it inventing fake case law, meaning there may be a long way to go before the legal system puts its trust in these bots.

We are yet to see AI operating in the same way as human judges do. However, a key component of an effective legal system is being able to take the law and apply it based on different circumstances. That being said, AI may be missing the nuanced outlook of human judges, and it is difficult to know whether they will ever be on that same emotional wavelength.

Malaysia plans to tighten regulations on semiconductors as it comes under intense US scrutiny. Allegedly, it has been detected that semiconductor chips that are integral to AI development have passed through Malaysia and ended up in China. The allegation has been made that the chips in question are made by the US-based company Nvidia, which is banned from selling technology to China.

In response, the US is demanding that Malaysia tracks the movement of Nvidia chips that enter the country. Concurrently, it is investigating whether or not DeepSeek, the popular Chinese AI tool, is developing software with US chips, which it has been prohibited from doing. China, relatedly, has launched a probe into Nvidia.

Since President Trump’s return to the White House, the US has doggedly pursued China in the unfolding AI race. While some commentators are calling for better relations between the two superpowers, especially where AI is concerned, it’s unlikely that the government would countenance closer collaboration. The two countries have enjoyed a particularly hostile relationship in the last decade or so.

US Pressures Malaysia to Investigate Flow of AI Chips

The US has told Malaysia to tighten regulations surrounding the export of US-made semiconductors. The Nvidia chips, which form a key building block of AI technology, have reportedly been making their way to China via Malaysia.

There are concerns that when the chips arrive in Malaysia, some of them are rerouted to pass into China. This could potentially explain the meteoric rise of Chinese AI platform DeepSeek.

Malaysian Trade Minister Zafrul Aziz told The Financial Times: “[They’re] asking us to make sure that we monitor every shipment that comes to Malaysia when it involves Nvidia chips. They want us to make sure that servers end up in the data centers that they’re supposed to and not suddenly move to another ship.”

Paranoia Abounds Over China AI Successes

As it puts pressure on Malaysia, the US is also conducting an investigation into whether or not China’s latest AI developments have been built on US semiconductor technology. Nvidia, which powers much of the AI development around the world, is not allowed to sell its advanced chips to China.

This has not deterred the superpower. In recent months, China has rolled out two genuinely game-changing AI propositions – DeepSeek and, more recently, Manus AI. The groundbreaking impact of these models has raised suspicions in the US. It is now thought that China has continued to build its latest innovations with US-made semiconductors.

In December 2024, meanwhile, China’s antimonopoly regulator launched a probe into Nvidia. It is currently investigating whether or not the US chipmaker has violated the country’s antitrust laws.

US-China Hostilities Unlikely to Abate

The race for AI supremacy is a hotly-contested battle between the US and China, with no clear winner at this point in time. Recent innovations from the eastern superpower, including DeepSeek and Manus, have attracted global attention. At the same time, the US continues to pour vast sums into meeting its own ambitions, such as the $500 billion investment into Project Stargate.

Meanwhile, Stephen Orlins, who heads up the National Committee on United States-China Relations (NCUSCR), has called on the two superpowers to set aside their differences and cooperate on AI. With so much bad blood between the two countries in the last decade or so, it would require a herculean diplomatic effort to bring about the kind of mutually-beneficial relationship that Orlins is proposing.

And with President Trump back in the White House, the US is pursuing a hostile trade strategy where China is concerned. It’s very unlikely that the current administration would entertain such a relationship.

Do androids dream of electric sheep? Very soon we might be able to ask them directly. That’s according to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who believes that the rollout of humanoid robots is less than five years away. The comments came at the annual GTC developer conference, during which the chipmaker boss was asked by reporters when AI could be considered ubiquitous.

Huang also unveiled a new innovation from Nvidia, known as Isaac GR00T N1, an open-source foundation model that promises to accelerate the burgeoning humanoid robot race. Across the world, tech companies are doubling their efforts to win the space, with a number of landmark developments taking place this week alone.

The return of President Donald Trump to the White House, and subsequent tariff wars with Europe and China, has undoubtedly given the humanoid robotics movement a shot in the arm.

Humanoid Robots Will Be Ubiquitous in a Few Years, Says Nvidia Boss

The widespread use of humanoid robots is less than five years away, says the Nvidia CEO. According to Huang, who heads up the global chipmaker, robots that resemble humans could become a fixture in everyday life in just a few years’ time.

The remarks came after a keynote at the annual Nvidia developer conference, during which Huang was asked by reporters which signs would indicate that AI had become ubiquitous. Said the CEO: “When, literally, humanoid robots are wandering round, which is not five years away. This is five-years-away problem, this is a few-years-away problem.”

Heralded as the “Super Bowl of AI,” GTC 2025 brings together thought leaders and industry players from the world of AI for a four-day long conference. During a two-hour long keynote earlier in the day, Huang reflected on the “extraordinary progress” that AI has made in recent years.

Chipmaker Outlines Vision for Robot Future

As part of his address, Huang introduced Isaac GR00T N1, an open-source foundation model for the development of humanoid robots. In order to develop simulated training data for robots, this model will be paired with Cosmos AI, another Nvidia innovation.

Through Isaac GR00T N1 and his remarks, Huang appeared to set out a vision for the near-future in which humanoid robots are an intrinsic part of the human workforce. Elaborating on his comments, he stated: “I think it ought to go to factories first. And the reason for that is because the domain is much more guard-railed, and the use case is much more specific.”

He continued: “The value of it is very, very easy to determine. The going rate for renting a robot is probably $100,000 and I think it’s pretty good economics.” The news is unlikely to be welcomed in some quarters, with fears mounting that AI will begin to take over more and more jobs in the coming years.

Trump’s Return Sees Race Heat Up

Huang’s comments don’t exist in a vacuum. Across the world, the race to develop advanced humanoid robots is progressing at breakneck speed. This week, European robotics company Neura Robotics revealed that it was to launch the so-called “best robot on the market” as early as June, known as 4NE-1.

Meanwhile, the newest iteration of Boston Dynamics’s Atlas robot was filmed breakdancing in a video posted to YouTube on March 19. And Apollo, a human-like machine created by Apptronik, this week assembled an engine part in a live demonstration of its prowess.

Since Trump returned to the White House, tech activity has reached fever pitch in the US, with companies across the space investing heavily in innovation and development. Against a backdrop of unfolding international trade wars, there’s an extra incentive for this increase in activity – putting US tech squarely on the map.

Baidu is going after its fellow Chinese rival, DeepSeek, launching a reasoning model it claims is as good as DeepSeek R1 but far cheaper.

The new Baidu reasoning model, Ernie X1, was also accompanied by the unveiling of Ernie 4.5, the latest version of the company’s foundational model.

The news comes just days after Alibaba made its bid for a top AI spot with a new AI assistant built on its Qwen LLM; and the launch of Manus AI, the world’s first fully autonomous AI agent.

Can Baidu Contend With DeepSeek?

It seems that the AI launches are coming thick and fast from China in a trend that will be alarming AI ventures in the US. Baidu’s latest launches take aim squarely at DeepSeek’s much lauded – and much villainized – R1 chatbot.

Reuters shared a Baidu statement in which the company claimed: “Ernie X1 delivers performance on par with DeepSeek R1 at only half the price.”

It adds that X1 has “stronger understanding, planning, reflection, and evolution capabilities.” It also makes the claim that the reasoning model is its first to use tools autonomously.

However, for Western users, the key advantage is that the Baidu models are currently not in the crosshairs of any governments. DeepSeek, in contrast, has already been banned in several countries, including Italy, over data usage concerns.

Playing Catchup

Despite the controversy, DeepSeek still hit number one in both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store in January.

Baidu is facing strong competition from Alibaba as well, whose stocks surged upon the launch of its QwQ-32B, which is free to download and use, even commercially. However, it was DeepSeek and OpenAI that Alibaba waved its gauntlet at and not Baidu, giving a strong sense of where the ecommerce giant sees its greatest competition.

Baidu, however, is pushing hard. It made grand claims for its Ernie bot in April last year, saying that it had exceeded 200 million users. The company also relaunched its AI development competition, offering a prize of 50 million yuan ($7 million). There are rumors that an Ernie 5 model is imminent.

There Can Be Only One (Percent)

Baidu’s CEO seems to be pretty confident that his company will manage to sustain, despite the huge competition in the AI battle for supremacy; and that’s not just from rival Chinese ventures.

In October, Robin Li predicted the demise of 99% of AI companies. He said:

“Probably one percent of the companies will stand out and become huge and will create a lot of value or will create tremendous value for the people, for the society. And I think we are just going through this kind of process.”

He explained that the main issue with chatbots – accuracy – will be solved in the next 18 to 20 months. However, the sheer volume of companies is not sustainable. It seems, though, that he is self-assured that Ernie will be one of the survivors.

It’s a rare moment, but Elon Musk and Sam Altman have actually agreed on something: The two tech CEOs have decided that they both would like to fast track the trial over OpenAI’s shift to becoming a for-profit venture.

Musk, who co-founded OpenAI with Altman, is suing, arguing that the conversion will create a monopoly to stamp out competitors.

He is perhaps particularly referring to his own AI project, xAI. Musk has also made a bid to buy OpenAI, which was rejected with a polite “no thank you” from Altman.

What’s Been Agreed?

According to Reuters, the rival billionaires have decided that they both want the case over and done with as soon as possible.

They have jointly proposed a trial in December. The filing in US District Court for the Northern District of California adds that they have also agreed to delay a decision on whether the case will be decided by a jury or just by a judge.

“We welcome the court’s March 4 decision rejecting Elon Musk’s latest attempt to slow down OpenAI for his personal benefit,” OpenAI said in a blog post.

What Does the Case Hinge Upon?

Musk filed the lawsuit last year. Initially, his claim was that Altman and co had “manipulated him” to “Shakespearean proportions” into co-founding the AI company under the guise of it being a for-profit enterprise focused on developing humanity.

He later added the gripe that OpenAI was behaving in an anticompetitive way.

However, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, threw out some of Musk’s claims, damning them as being a “stretch,” and causing “irreparable harm.” He also argued that OpenAI should not be forced to stop its bid to become a for-profit business.

He did not throw them out entirely, so a court standoff is now likely.

Why Does Altman Want the Change?

The AI pioneer says that the change of structure is necessary to ensure that his company can keep innovating. This is because, he argues, developing AI technology is pricey.

Reuters reports that OpenAI’s last fundraising round of $6.6 billion, and a new round of up to $40 billion under discussion with SoftBank Group are conditioned on its change of structure.

The company also has lofty goals, focused on creating Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) – a theoretical type of AI that can match or surpass human intelligence.

As the launches come thick and fast from China – Alibaba and Baidu unveiled new tools in the last week alone – there is a lot at stake for American AI ventures. OpenAI is arguing that this change of structure is what will give it the best chance of thriving in the face of fierce competition.

Google is slowly going to mothball its mobile phone assistant as it pushes uptake of its AI chatbot, Gemini.

In a move that will surprise no one, Google is going to phase out Assistant stating that it won’t be accessible “on most mobile devices” or for new download “later this year.”

Google has been pushing Gemini hard in the past few year, adding new AI functionality to Sheets and plying developers with Google Gemini Code Assist. This latest news will see Gemini as the assistant on all Google phones as AI becomes central to the company’s offerings.

What Will Happen for Google Phone Users?

Brian Marquardt, the senior director of product management for the Gemini app, gave details of the fate of Google Assistant, which was launched in 2016. He says that it was designed to “unlock a more natural way to get help from Google” but now AI will “reimagine” the experience.

He explained in a blog post: “Over the coming months, we’re upgrading more users on mobile devices from Google Assistant to Gemini; and later this year, the classic Google Assistant will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices or available for new downloads on mobile app stores.”

He does add that for phone owners whose device doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements to run Gemini, “Google Assistant functionality will not change at this time.”

More Than Mobiles

But the move will not just impact phone owners, with Marquardt stating that an AI glow-up is also coming for the “tablets, cars and devices that connect to your phone, such as headphones and watches.”

There aren’t details as yet but Gemini will also be integrated into home devices like speakers, displays, and TVs. Marquardt promised information on what this will look like “in the next few months.” He added that Google Assistant will continue to be available on these devices for the foreseeable future.

What’s Next From Gemini?

In a post comparing Assistant to Gemini, Google says that interactions will change for users as “Gemini can understand natural language.” It also says that, while “Gemini might not always get it right,” it will improve and “get faster.”

In February, Google detailed all six of the AI improvements it had made for Pixel phones. These included an extension to let Gemini control smart devices in users’ homes, and a redesigned interface.

But it’s not just Google phones, which have integrated Gemini capabilities. At the beginning of the month, iPhone users got new Gemini lock screen widgets with the latest version of the app for iPhones. The updated app also allows users to share text, images, and links directly to Gemini from any app on their iPhone.

Google is obviously hoping that Gemini will become so integrated into phone users’ experiences that it becomes a go-to, especially as AI Siri is still not where Apple wants it to be.

Three of the biggest names in tech have come together to figure out some standards for data governance as AI technology continues to evolve.

Microsoft, IBM, and Cisco are among the names who have backed a committee, which is trying to standardize data provenance protocols.

This touches upon everything from the copyright issues that have plagued AI ventures to privacy and authenticity.

What Are the Tech Giants Hoping to Achieve?

The trio have put their backing behind the OASIS Data Provenance Standards Technical Committee.

This is the brainchild of OASIS Open, a global open source and standards organization, and the Data & Trust Alliance, which describes itself as “a consortium dedicated to developing data and AI practices that create business value and earn trust.”

Their hope is that by bringing key players to the table, they can agree what they describe in a blog post as “a standardized metadata framework for tracking data origins, transformations, and compliance, helping businesses establish clearer governance practices.”

What Are the Next Steps?

This is all about transparency. The framework being worked upon will hopefully provide some guardrails for companies as they move from talking about standards to actual implementation.

As the Oasis team says in its blog post, the standards will ideally enable data producers “to deliver clear and consistent data lineage information.” This means that they will be in a better position to ensure that they are data compliant and that they are not heading into dangerous waters in terms of data privacy, security, and intellectual property rights.

Questionable AI Data Usage

Interestingly, the standards also talk about “data acquirers” having “transparency around the data they aim to acquire and a mechanism to determine whether to trust and use the data on offer.” This is particularly pertinent if companies are working with AI ventures, building their own systems on LLMs provided by others.

Microsoft works closely with OpenAI, for example, and has recently been involved in a spat with Chinese upstart, DeepSeek, which it accused of “improperly” obtaining OpenAI data to train its model.

IBM currently uses an open-source foundation for its platform, watsonx, but has written a detailed blog post about the benefits of open-source versus proprietary AI LLMs. In this, it talks specifically about the dangers of “incomplete, contradictory, or inaccurate data.” But it also nods to the issues of ensuring “training data was gathered with accountability” and that this data harvesting is “compliant with laws and regulations.”

Here, however, lies the issue, as AI frameworks are still being churned out in the USat quite a clip. Worse, there has been huge friction between those arguing for safety nets and those pushing for innovation – notably OpenAI. Also notably, OpenAI is not at this table.