From CNBC Technology · 6 stories
Geopolitical tensions and AI spending concerns contribute to stock market decline
The stock market experienced its second consecutive weekly loss, with the S&P 500 down 0.6% and the Nasdaq down 2.1%, driven by rising oil prices due to Middle East tensions and investor scrutiny of AI spending by tech companies. This indicates a market sensitivity to geopolitical events and a demand for clearer returns on significant technology investments.
JPMorgan Report: AI-Themed ETFs Among Top Five by Assets Despite Q2 Volatility
J.P. Morgan Asset Management's "Guide to ETFs" indicates that AI-themed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are a top five category by assets under management, even after experiencing volatility in the second quarter. This trend reflects a broader shift in investment towards AI and its surrounding ecosystem, including infrastructure, as mutual fund inflows decline.
Pollen Robotics and Hugging Face launch Microduck, an open-source, retrainable robot
Pollen Robotics, in collaboration with Hugging Face, has launched Microduck, a small, open-source robot designed for reinforcement learning. Users can retrain its behaviors in simulation and deploy them on the physical robot, with all software components available under an Apache-2.0 license.
Liquid Death and Garage Beer launch ad campaign targeting AI data center water use
Liquid Death and Garage Beer, co-owned by Jason Kelce, released an ad campaign encouraging people to send their urine to AI data centers to protest their water consumption. The campaign uses humor to highlight public concerns about data center water usage, which has led to local water supply issues in some areas.
Game Theory Offers Framework for AI Investment Amidst Slowdown Debate
An opinion piece suggests using game theory to guide AI investment decisions, arguing that the pace of AI spending will not slow down despite calls for caution from figures like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. The article highlights the ongoing debate about AI safety and development speed, emphasizing geopolitical competition as a key driver for continued investment.
Current AI regulatory proposals lack a long-term, comprehensive framework
Despite over 2,000 AI regulatory proposals across state and federal levels, none address establishing a durable, future-focused regulatory framework. The author argues for a proactive national regulatory body to oversee AI, rather than waiting for a crisis.