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Time:2026-07-02T16:30:33Z

July 4th deals drive discounts on 3D printers and gaming PCs, while Intel raises desktop chip prices. OpenAI is in early talks to give the US government a 5% equity stake. Microsoft launches an AI deployment company with $2.5 billion, and Meta's plan to rent AI compute causes AI stocks to drop. Tesla exceeds Q2 expectations with a 25% sales jump. China advances quantum computing, industrial 5G, and AI infrastructure.

July 4th tech deals and Intel price hikes

July 4th tech deals and Intel price hikesRetailers are offering steep discounts on 3D printers, gaming PCs, and laptops for the July 4th sales weekend, with savings up to $1,300 on select models. Meanwhile, Intel has raised pricing on its flagship desktop processors by as much as $50. The contrasting trends highlight a market split between promotional consumer electronics and rising component costs.

Sources:
Save up to $300 on a new 3D printer this weekend, thanks to these July 4th dealsPublished2 July 26 (Tom's Hardware)
Intel hikes pricing for its flagship desktop PC chips by up to $50Published2 July 26 (Tom's Hardware)
Save $521 on this 4K-capable RTX 5070 gaming PC from CyberPowerPC, now just $1,349Published2 July 26 (Tom's Hardware)
HP has slashed $1,300 off this colossal 5080 gaming laptop for July 4Published2 July 26 (Tom's Hardware)

OpenAI offers 5% equity to US government

OpenAI offers 5% equity to US governmentOpenAI is in early discussions to donate 5% of its equity to a US sovereign wealth fund, a move reportedly influenced by the Trump administration. The proposed stake is far lower than Senator Bernie Sanders' earlier demands for a larger government share. The talks come just days after Washington delayed the release of GPT-5.6, intensifying scrutiny of the company's governance.

Sources:
OpenAI ‘in early talks to give 5% stake to US government’ (The Guardian)
OpenAI proposed donating 5% of its equity to a US sovereign wealth fund (TechCrunch)
Trump gets OpenAI to offer US 5% stake, far lower than Sanders’ target (Ars Technica)
OpenAI mulling giving US gov't a 5% stake in the company, days after Washington delayed GPT-5.6Published2 July 26 (Tom's Hardware)

AI industry shakeup: Microsoft and Meta moves

AI industry shakeup: Microsoft and Meta movesMicrosoft launched its own AI deployment company backed by a $2.5 billion commitment, signaling a major infrastructure push. Meanwhile, Meta reportedly plans to rent out its AI compute capacity, a move that sent AI stocks tumbling as investors feared oversupply. Adding to the political dimension, Donald Trump was reported to have purchased tech stocks on the same day he announced his AI Action Plan.

Sources:
Microsoft launches its own AI deployment company with $2.5 billion commitment (TechCrunch)
Donald Trump bought a bunch of tech stock the same day he announced his AI Action Plan (Engadget)
Meta reportedly plans to rent out its AI compute, sending AI stocks tumblingPublished2 July 26 (Tom's Hardware)

Tesla Q2 sales surge 25%

Tesla Q2 sales surge 25%Tesla reported a 25% increase in sales for the second quarter of 2026, surpassing market expectations. The strong performance suggests that backlash against CEO Elon Musk may be cooling among consumers. Analysts pointed to price cuts and improved delivery logistics as key drivers of the rebound.

Sources:
Tesla sales surpass expectations for second quarter as Musk backlash seems to cool (The Guardian)
Tesla saw a massive sales jump in the second quarter (TechCrunch)
Tesla sales increase by 25% in Q2 2026 (Ars Technica)

China accelerates quantum and 5G infrastructure

China accelerates quantum and 5G infrastructureShanghai has unveiled a quantum computing hub as part of China's push for technological supremacy. The central government also released an industrial internet roadmap targeting 50,000 private 5G networks by 2030. Guangdong province announced plans to scale up its future industry initiatives, while a Guangzhou tech company is expanding to meet AI-era demands.

Sources:
Shanghai unveils quantum computing hub as China races for tech supremacy (SCMP)
China unveils industrial internet road map, with AI and 5G at core of upgradePlan sets target of 50,000 industrial 5G private networks by 2030, with industrial internet sector’s value added to exceed 2.5 trillion yuan. (SCMP)
Guangdong to scale up future industry drive (China Daily)
Guangzhou tech company rises to meet the demands of the AI era (China Daily)