QtrendsWaymo recalls nearly 4,000 robotaxis over risks of driving into highway construction zones. The global AI race intensifies as ByteDance doubles down on AI chips, US restricts foreign access to advanced AI models, and Apple's Tim Cook warns AI-driven memory costs will force iPhone price increases. Marvell pushes to 1.4nm chip tech while Tokyo Electron navigates China's self-sufficiency push.
Waymo has issued a recall for over 3,800 robotaxis after discovering a software flaw that could cause the vehicles to drive into highway construction zones. The recall covers nearly its entire active fleet and involves updating navigation software to recognize closed freeway sections. This is one of the largest autonomous vehicle recalls to date and raises fresh questions about the safety of self-driving technology at highway speeds.
ByteDance's aggressive AI expansion is fueling demand for Chinese chip startups, as Beijing pushes for semiconductor self-sufficiency. Meanwhile, Marvell has announced it will use TSMC's next-generation 1.4-nanometer process technology to stay competitive in the AI data center race. Tokyo Electron's chief acknowledges the edge Japan still holds in chip-making equipment despite China's growing independence efforts.
Anthropic will disable its most advanced AI models in certain regions after a US government order limiting foreign access to cutting-edge AI technology. The move reflects growing global tensions over AI dominance, with world leaders expressing concern that American-controlled AI infrastructure could be turned off at any time. Critics argue that an absolutist approach to AI safety is breaking public understanding of the technology, while others warn dangerous models are coming regardless of regulation.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has warned that iPhone price increases are 'unavoidable' due to an AI-driven memory and chip crunch. The rising cost of high-bandwidth memory and advanced processors—commodities now in high demand for AI workloads—is squeezing Apple's margins. Analysts say the same AI boom that powers new iPhone features is ironically making the hardware more expensive to build.