Amazon has introduced Lens Live, an AI-powered feature that lets shoppers identify and buy products by pointing their phone camera at real-world items.
The tool builds on Amazon Lens by adding a live, real-time element to product discovery.
Lens Live is integrated with Amazon’s AI assistant Rufus, which provides AI-generated product summaries, suggested questions and insights to help users make informed decisions.
It is powered by Amazon SageMaker and AWS-managed OpenSearch, enabling machine learning at scale.
The feature has launched on the Amazon Shopping app for iOS, initially available to tens of millions of US shoppers, with no word yet on an international rollout.
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Donald Trump’s AI Action Plan, released in July 2025, places domestic semiconductor manufacturing at the heart of US efforts to dominate global AI. The plan supports deregulation, domestic production and export of full-stack technology, positioning chips as critical to national power.
Lawmakers and tech leaders have previously flagged tracking chips post-sale as viable, with companies like Google already using such methods. Trump’s plan suggests adopting location tracking and enhanced end-use monitoring to ensure chips avoid blacklisted destinations.
Trump has pressed for more private sector investment in US fabs, reportedly using tariff threats to extract pledges from chipmakers like TSMC. The cost of building and running chip plants in the US remains significantly higher than in Asia, raising questions about sustainability.
America’s success in AI and semiconductors will likely depend on how well it balances domestic goals with global collaboration. Overregulation risks slowing innovation, while unilateral restrictions may alienate allies and reduce long-term influence.
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Bluesky, a decentralised social media platform, has ceased operations in Mississippi due to a new state law requiring strict age verification.
The company said compliance would require tracking users, identifying children, and collecting sensitive personal information. For a small team like Bluesky’s, the burden of such infrastructure, alongside privacy concerns, made continued service unfeasible.
The law mandates age checks not just for explicit content, but for access to general social media. Bluesky highlighted that even the UK Online Safety Act does not require platforms to track which users are children.
US Mississippi law has sparked debate over whether efforts to protect minors are inadvertently undermining online privacy and free speech. Bluesky warned that such legislation may stifle innovation and entrench dominance by larger tech firms.
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Google has introduced a new version of its Gemini AI platform tailored specifically for US government use, called Gemini for Government. The platform combines features such as image generation, enterprise search, and AI agent development, with compliance to standards like Sec4 and FedRAMP.
Gemini includes pre-built AI agents for research and idea generation, while also offering tools to create custom agents. US government customers will pay $0.50 per year for basic access, undercutting rivals OpenAI and Anthropic, who each launched $1 government-focused AI packages earlier this year.
Google emphasised security, privacy, and automation in its pitch, positioning the product as an all-in-one solution for public sector institutions. The launch follows the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, which seeks to promote AI growth.
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US President Donald Trump has dismissed national security and privacy concerns surrounding TikTok as ‘highly overrated,’ signalling once again that the popular video-sharing platform is unlikely to face a ban anytime soon. Although Congress passed legislation requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its controlling stake or face a nationwide ban, Trump has repeatedly pushed back enforcement deadlines, with the next one set for 17 September.
Trump has already issued three extensions since taking office for his second term. The first came on 20 January, after TikTok briefly went offline when the court-approved ban took effect. Another followed in April, when a potential US buyout collapsed after China objected to Trump’s tariff moves. Trump insists that American buyers remain interested but says the process is ‘complex,’ justifying further delays.
Despite the legal framework for a ban, Trump’s administration has not faced significant legal challenges over his executive orders keeping TikTok active, which contrasts with many of his other directives. The White House even launched its own TikTok account this week, underscoring the platform’s mainstream role in US politics. Trump himself admitted he is a fan, noting its popularity among his children and younger voters.
Public opinion on TikTok remains deeply divided. A Pew Research Center survey found only about one-third of Americans now support a ban, a sharp decline from half of respondents in 2023. Roughly equal shares oppose a ban or remain undecided. Among supporters of restrictions, most cite concerns about user data security. Still, with Trump downplaying risks and signalling a willingness to keep the app alive, TikTok’s future in the US looks increasingly secure.
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US tech stocks have stumbled after a sharp rally, with investors increasingly cautious over AI-linked valuations and shifting market conditions. The S&P 500 tech sector has dropped around 2.5% this week, while the Nasdaq has slipped 2%, led by losses in Nvidia and Palantir.
The fall follows a 50% surge in tech shares since April, far outpacing the broader market and pushing valuations to year-highs. Concerns are growing that investor enthusiasm around AI has become overheated, with some funds reducing their exposure ahead of expected interest rate guidance.
US market watchers are now focused on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s speech at Jackson Hole, which could signal if rate cuts are on the horizon. Tech stocks, already heavily weighted in many portfolios, are particularly vulnerable to higher rates due to their stretched price-to-earnings ratios.
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Citi has expanded its digital client platform, CitiDirect Commercial Banking, with new AI capabilities to improve customer service and security.
The platform now supports over half of Citi’s global commercial banking client base and handles around 2.3 million sessions.
AI features assist in fraud detection, automate customer queries, and provide real-time onboarding updates and guidance.
KYC renewals have been simplified through automated alerts and pre-filled forms, cutting effort and processing time for clients.
Live in markets including the UK, US, India, and others, the platform has received positive feedback from over 10,000 users. Citi says the enhancements are part of a broader effort to make mid-sized corporate banking faster, more innovative, and more efficient.
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Honda has entered a multiyear partnership with US-based startup Helm.ai to enhance self-driving systems in its vehicles.
The collaboration focuses on developing advanced driver assistance for Honda’s mass market range, with a target launch set for 2027.
Helm.ai, backed by over $100 million in funding, specialises in AI camera-based perception software and simulation technologies.
Honda has held an equity stake in the firm since 2021, having invested at least $30 million to support early-stage development.
The move places Honda among major global carmakers aiming to deliver partial automation on highways and regular roads. Existing systems like GM’s SuperCruise and Tesla’s Autopilot have already pushed ahead in the driver assistance space.
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OpenAI chief Sam Altman has warned that the US may be underestimating China’s rapid advancement in AI.
Speaking to CNBC, Altman explained that China’s use of open-source models and its manufacturing capacity may allow it to move faster in some areas of development.
He questioned the effectiveness of export controls, noting that chip restrictions may not be enough to curb long-term innovation. Chinese firms like DeepSeek and MoonshotAI are gaining traction with open-weight models that rival US offerings in cost and capability.
Altman’s comments echo concerns voiced earlier by Nvidia’s CEO, who said firms like Huawei continue to grow despite restrictions.
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Japanese technology giant SoftBank has announced plans to buy a $2 billion stake in Intel, signalling a stronger push into the American semiconductor industry.
The investment comes as Washington debates greater government involvement in the sector, with reports suggesting President Donald Trump is weighing a US government stake in the chipmaker.
SoftBank will purchase Intel’s common stock at $23 per share. Its chairman, Masayoshi Son, said semiconductors remain the backbone of every industry and expressed confidence that advanced chip manufacturing will expand in the US, with Intel playing a central role.
The move follows SoftBank’s increasing investments in the US, including its role in the $500 billion ‘Stargate’ AI project announced earlier this year.
Once a dominant force in Silicon Valley, Intel has struggled against rivals such as Nvidia and AMD. Under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan, the company is cutting 15% of its workforce and reducing costs to stabilise operations.
After a private meeting, Trump recently criticised Tan’s leadership but later softened his stance.
Shares in both companies slipped following the announcement, with SoftBank down 2.2% in Tokyo and Intel falling 3.7% in New York.
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