South Korea’s Trade Minister said Samsung and SK Hynix will avoid the 100% US tariffs on semiconductor imports. The exemption follows both companies’ significant investments in US chip manufacturing facilities.
Trump had warned that countries failing to produce semiconductors domestically would incur steep tariffs but offered relief for those building factories in the US.
Samsung operates two chip fabrication plants in Texas, supported by the CHIPS and Science Act. Meanwhile, SK Hynix is building a packaging plant in Indiana with government grants and loans.
Samsung’s partnership with Apple will see chips manufactured at its Texas facility supply the iPhone line, particularly image sensors for next-generation models. Analysts expect this collaboration to boost Samsung’s semiconductor sales.
Apple also announced plans to invest an additional $100 billion in US operations over the next four years, highlighting the growing importance of domestic chip production.
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The technology offers eye-catching scenarios like flying over mountains, exploring volcanoes, or swimming through deep oceans. Although the graphics still show AI hallmarks, the functionality is advanced enough to raise concerns across the game industry.
Many fear that Genie 3 could render traditional development tools, such as Unity and Unreal, less essential, especially for prototyping or indie games. With just a few words, AI can now build what teams of artists and designers once did.
Job losses driven by AI are already happening in other sectors. Customer support, design, and language learning platforms have replaced humans with bots. Game developers may be next in line as studios seek to cut costs.
Some players may continue to favour human-made games, but the pressure is growing. Genie 3 shows that AI is no longer just assisting developers; it’s beginning to replace them.
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Taiwan’s Digital Minister, Huang Yen-nun, discussed deeper cooperation in digital and AI technologies with the United States during the recent APEC conference in Incheon—the talks from 3 August to 6 August marked a new phase in bilateral tech collaboration.
Huang confirmed that the APEC gathering had produced its first joint ministerial statement on digital and AI policy. Ministers pledged to enhance connectivity, prevent digital exclusion, promote trustworthy AI, and accelerate the adoption of responsible technology across the Asia-Pacific region.
Digital goals of Taiwan closely align with the APEC declaration, Huang said, particularly in areas such as online fraud prevention, resilience-building, and expanding the digital economy. He framed the agreement as a strong alignment with national priorities.
Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, was highlighted as a key ally. Huang also held talks with representatives from Japan and Southeast Asia to explore regional cooperation in emerging technologies.
Cybersecurity and semiconductors remain central to Taiwan’s leadership in the technology sector. However, Huang acknowledged that further investment and collaboration with digital trailblazers, such as those in the United States, are needed to maintain the country’s edge in high-value innovation.
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A new law in a US state has banned the use of AI for delivering mental health care, drawing a firm line between digital tools and licensed professionals. The legislation limits AI systems to administrative tasks such as note-taking and scheduling, explicitly prohibiting them from offering therapy or clinical advice.
The move comes as concerns grow over the use of AI chatbots in sensitive care roles. Lawmakers in the midwestern state of Illinois approved the measure, citing the need to protect residents from potentially harmful or misleading AI-generated responses.
Fines of up to $10,000 may be imposed on companies or individuals who violate the ban. Officials stressed that AI lacks the empathy, accountability and clinical oversight necessary to ensure safe and ethical mental health treatment.
One infamous case saw an AI-powered chatbot suggest drug use to a fictional recovering addict, a warning signal, experts say, of what can go wrong without strict safeguards. The law is named the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act.
Other parts of the United States are considering similar steps. Florida’s governor recently described AI as ‘the biggest issue’ facing modern society and pledged new state-level regulations within months.
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OpenAI is preparing to add a payment system into ChatGPT, allowing users to complete purchases without ever leaving the chatbot. Retail leaders are calling it a turning point in e-commerce, as it may significantly simplify how people shop online.
The company is expected to take a cut of transactions and work with platforms such as Shopify to streamline operations. With over 77 million users, ChatGPT has the reach to become a dominant shopping tool, potentially bypassing platforms like Amazon.
Executives worry visibility could depend on revenue-sharing, forcing brands to pay for prominence in the chatbot. Some fear this pay-to-play model could leave smaller retailers behind and limit consumer choice.
At the same time, personalised AI-driven recommendations may enhance user experiences while raising questions about data use and bias. Entrepreneurs on X are already predicting widespread AI-led shopping within a year.
Retailers are now adjusting strategies to remain visible in this new market. While some early adopters show success using AI to complete purchases, others highlight technical challenges in integration and website compatibility.
Observers say search engines could lose relevance as shoppers turn to AI instead. Regulators remain cautious, particularly in markets like Australia, where many consumers are open to AI-led transactions.
The industry faces a shift where chatbots may evolve into full-scale digital marketplaces. Brands are urged to act quickly, or risk losing out as AI commerce becomes the norm.
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According to EY Ireland, global investment in generative AI surged to $49.2bn in the first half of 2025, eclipsing the full-year total for 2024. Despite a drop in deals, total value doubled year-on-year, reflecting a pivot towards more mature and revenue-focused ventures.
Average late-stage deal size has more than tripled to $1.55bn, while early and seed-stage activity has stagnated or declined. Landmark rounds from OpenAI, xAI, Anthropic, and Databricks drove much of the volume, alongside a notable $3.3bn agentic AI acquisition by Capgemini.
Ireland remains a strong adopter of AI, with 63% of startups using the technology. Yet funding gaps persist, particularly between €1m and €10m, posing challenges for growth-stage firms despite a strong local talent base.
Sprout Social’s acquisition of Irish analytics firm NewsWhip, though not part of the H1 figures, points to growing international interest in Irish AI capabilities. Meanwhile, US firms still dominate global deal value, capturing 97%, with the Middle East rising fast and Europe trailing at just 2%.
EY forecasts that sector-specific GenAI platforms, especially in cybersecurity and compliance, will become the next magnet for venture capital through late 2025 and beyond.
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Elon Musk has predicted a major shift in software development, claiming that AI is turning coding from a job into a recreational activity. The xAI CEO believes AI has removed much of the ‘drudgery’ from writing software.
Replying to OpenAI President Greg Brockman, Musk compared the future of coding to painting. He suggested that software creation will be more creative and expressive, no longer requiring professional expertise for functional outcomes.
Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, left the organisation after a public dispute with the current CEO, Sam Altman. He later launched xAI, which now operates the Grok chatbot as a rival to ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude.
Generative AI firms are accelerating efforts in automated coding. OpenAI recently launched Codex to create a cloud-based software engineering agent, while Microsoft released GitHub Spark AI to generate apps from natural language.
xAI’s latest offering, Grok 4, supports over 20 programming languages and integrates with code editors. It enables developers to write, debug, and understand code using commands.
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Apple is quietly developing its own AI-powered ‘answer engine‘ as part of a push to compete in the growing intelligent search field. The initiative is led by a new team called ‘Answers, Knowledge, and Information’.
The project aims to create a system that can respond to user questions by pulling from web-based content.
The tool may be launched as a standalone app or integrated into existing Apple platforms such as Siri and Safari. Although Apple has added ChatGPT support to Siri, plans for a more advanced, personalised AI assistant have faced repeated delays.
Apple is hiring engineers with search expertise, signalling a long-term plan to reshape how users access information across its products.
The company may also need to revise its longstanding search partnership with Google following the tech giant’s antitrust defeat, further pushing Apple towards building its solution.
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Mark Zuckerberg is boldly pushing to replace the smartphone with smartglasses powered by superintelligent AI. The Meta CEO described a future where wearable devices replace phones, using sight and sound to assist users throughout the day.
Meta is heavily investing, offering up to $100 million to attract top AI talent. Zuckerberg’s idea of ‘personal superintelligence’ merges AI and hardware to offer personalised help and build an Apple-style ecosystem under Meta’s control.
The company’s smartglasses already feature cameras, microphones and speakers, and future models could include built-in screens and AI-generated interfaces.
Other major players are also chasing the next computing shift. Amazon is acquiring a startup that builds AI wearables, while OpenAI’s Sam Altman and former Apple designer Jony Ive are working on a new physical AI device.
These efforts all point to a changing landscape in which mobile screens might no longer dominate.
Apple CEO Tim Cook responded by defending the iPhone’s central role in modern life, though he acknowledged complementary technologies may emerge. While Apple remains dominant, Meta’s advances signal that the competition to define the next computing platform is wide open.
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Long-standing dominance over Android app distribution has been declared illegal by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, reinforcing a prior jury verdict in favour of Epic Games. Google now faces an injunction that compels it to allow rival app stores and alternative billing systems inside the Google Play Store ecosystem for a three-year period ending November 2027.
A technical committee jointly selected by Epic and Google will oversee sensitive implementation tasks, including granting competitors approved access to Google’s expansive app catalogue while ensuring minimal security risk. The order also requires that developers not be tied to Google’s billing system for in-app purchases.
Market analysts warn that reduced dependency on Play Store exclusivity and the option to use alternative payment processors could cut Google’s app revenue by as much as $1 to $1.5 billion annually. Despite brand recognition, developers and consumers may shift toward lower-cost alternatives competing on platform flexibility.
While the ruling aims to restore competition, Google maintains it is appealing and has requested additional delays to avoid rapid structural changes. Proponents, including Microsoft, regulators, and Epic Games, hail the decision as a landmark step toward fairer mobile market access.
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