China’s cyber regulators have introduced draft regulations aimed at strictly overseeing artificial intelligence that mimics human personalities or fosters emotional connections with users. These rules require service providers to monitor for psychological risks, such as user addiction or extreme emotional states, and mandate proactive intervention when necessary. Companies must prioritize data security and algorithm transparency while ensuring their products do not generate content that threatens national security or public order. By imposing these ethical and safety standards, the government seeks to control the social impact of consumer-facing AI technologies throughout their entire lifecycle.
Amazon has officially terminated its initiative to implement commercial drone shipping services across Italy, despite recently completing trial runs in the Abruzzo region. Although the technology performed well during testing, the company cited a restrictive regulatory environment as the primary reason the project no longer aligns with their long-term corporate goals. Italy’s national aviation authority expressed surprise at the move, suggesting that internal financial pressures within the global tech giant likely influenced the sudden withdrawal. This strategic pivot marks a significant retreat from the European market for Amazon's specialized aerial delivery program.
LandSpace's Zhuque-3 rocket design has captured the attention of SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who remarked on its integration of Starship features with a Falcon 9 framework, stating, "They have added aspects of Starship...which would enable it to beat Falcon 9." As LandSpace prepares for another launch following a December failure, it looks to emulate SpaceX's reusability success. Musk notes, however, that "Starship [is] in another league," highlighting the competitive landscape of rocket technology.
Google is set to enhance Chrome's privacy features by introducing Global Privacy Control (GPC), allowing users to easily opt out of data sharing. This legal signal automatically instructs websites to cease sharing personal information, streamlining browser privacy management. Recognized by California's privacy laws, GPC aims to eliminate intrusive cookie consent banners and is a response to emerging regulations. With implementation expected by 2027, Chrome aligns with other privacy-centric browsers, marking a significant step in online data protection.
In a surprising turn, President Donald Trump has embraced big tech by lifting restrictions on AI chip exports and facilitating a $1.4 trillion investment by Amazon, Apple, and others into US data centers. “The conservative party stands for the free market,” noted Isabel Sunderland from Issue One, critiquing Trump's backing of tech giants raising concerns among Republicans. This alliance signifies a pivotal shift in tech policy, with implications likely to resonate through the upcoming midterm elections.
Google's December 2025 core update, announced on December 11, 2025, aims to enhance relevant content in search results, rolling out through January 1, 2026. This update has devastated many publishers, with one experiencing a 98% drop in Google Discover impressions, which account for two-thirds of Google’s news traffic. SEO analyst Glenn Gabe noted ongoing fluctuations in rankings during the three-week rollout, creating challenges for ad revenue during peak holiday spending.
Google has commenced a global rollout allowing users to change their Gmail addresses while keeping their old ones as aliases. This update addresses a long-standing user experience issue, enabling individuals to move away from outdated or embarrassing email addresses. When an address changes, users can still log in with either the new or old address but cannot create additional new addresses for 12 months. This change signifies a milestone in Gmail's evolution since its launch in 2004.
Coupang, South Korea's e-commerce giant, will compensate 33.7 million account holders with 1.69 trillion won ($1.18 billion) following a significant data breach. Each affected customer will receive vouchers worth 50,000 won. Founder Kim Bom publicly apologized but will not attend impending parliamentary hearings due to prior commitments. Critics, including lawmaker Choi Min-hee, argue that the voucher system serves as a marketing tactic rather than genuine restitution. The situation has intensified scrutiny of the company's handling of the crisis.
Italy’s antitrust authority mandates Meta to enable rival AI chatbots access to WhatsApp, addressing concerns over market competition. Meta plans to appeal the ruling, asserting it disrupts their system and challenges WhatsApp's design for AI services. The investigation follows Meta AI's March 2025 launch, with broader scrutiny from the European Commission. This decision reflects increasing regulatory pressure on tech giants, underscoring competition in the burgeoning AI services market.
As 2025 wraps up, Snowflake’s stock stabilizes near $225, reflecting a 46% year-to-date increase after reporting a 29% revenue jump to $1.21 billion. CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy highlights the company’s $100 million AI revenue run rate achieved ahead of schedule, spurred by the rapid adoption of agentic AI. Meanwhile, Microsoft, despite strong fundamentals with a stock hovering around $488, faces scrutiny over capital expenditures and must demonstrate AI monetization to remain competitive. The AI arms race intensifies.