Sundar Pichai shared updates on Google's AI adoption, reporting significant user growth across several platforms:

• AI Overviews: Reached 2 billion monthly users.
• Gemini App: Expanded to 450 million monthly active users with a 50% increase in daily requests from Q1.
• AI Mode: Gained over 100 million monthly active users in the U.S. and India, with upcoming upgrades.

Developer engagement is also strong, with over 9 million building with Gemini and nearly 1 million using Google Vids. Additionally, 50 million people used AI-powered meeting notes in Google Meet.

Google is processing 980 trillion monthly tokens across its platforms, showcasing significant AI product portfolio demand. However, increased capital expenditure plans for AI development led to a negative investor reaction.

Meta researchers are developing a wristband that enables users to control computers with hand gestures, utilizing surface electromyography (sEMG) to interpret muscle activity and intended actions.

The goal is to provide less invasive tools for people with motor disabilities, with collaborations with Carnegie Mellon to test the wristband on individuals with spinal cord injuries.

Unlike invasive projects like Neuralink, Meta's wristband offers a simpler, non-surgical alternative, operating at a higher frequency than EEG-based headsets.

The Trump administration has released its AI Action Plan, signaling a shift from cautious regulation to aggressive development and deployment of AI technologies.

Key aspects include:

• Deregulation: Reducing environmental and other regulations to accelerate the construction of data centers and AI infrastructure.
• Focus on Open AI: Encouraging the development of open-source AI models aligned with American values.
• National Security: Integrating AI into defense and intelligence, and countering foreign AI threats, particularly from China.
• Free Speech: Aiming to ensure AI systems reflect truth and are free from ideological bias, while raising concerns about potential impacts on freedom of speech.

The plan aims to foster innovation, secure American leadership in AI, and protect against national security risks, but faces criticism for potentially compromising environmental safeguards and freedom of speech.

The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has proposed designating Apple and Google's mobile platforms with "strategic market status."

This designation would allow the CMA to create rules impacting app store operations and mobile software.

The aim is to foster a more competitive app economy and enhance user choice.

Apple and Google have resisted the proposals, citing concerns over user security and privacy.

A final decision is expected in October after both companies present their arguments.

If approved, the CMA could address issues such as commission rates, app review processes, app rankings, developer access, and default settings.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney voiced disappointment that the proposal doesn't allow for competing app stores.

European officials have confirmed the arrest of the alleged administrator of XSS.is, a long-standing Russian-language cybercrime forum.

The arrest occurred in Ukraine, with a law enforcement notice indicating the domain has been seized.

French authorities obtained a court order to surveil a Jabber server used by the administrator, revealing illicit cybercrime and ransomware activities, and identifying at least $7 million in proceeds.

XSS.is, a closed-access forum with over 50,000 registered users, was a key marketplace for stolen data and hacking tools.

Seized data will be used to further ongoing investigations.

Google Photos is introducing new AI-driven features, accessible through a centralized "Create" tab, allowing users to transform photos into videos and remix them in styles like anime, comics, or 3D animations.

The "Create" tab will house both AI-powered and traditional creative tools, including options for collages and highlight videos.

The photo-to-video feature, utilizing Google’s Veo 2 model, enables users to create short videos from their photos, with options for subtle movements or a random "I’m feeling lucky" effect.

The Remix feature, powered by Google’s Imagen AI model, allows users to transform photos into different styles instantly.

Both features will include SynthID digital watermarks to identify them as AI-generated, and Google will collect user feedback to improve these experimental tools. The Create tab will be available starting in August.

TRIC Robotics, based in California, is tackling pesticide use in strawberry farming with UV-C light and autonomous robots. Strawberries are the most popular berry in the U.S. but also heavily reliant on pesticides.

The company's robots use UV-C light to kill bacteria and pests, treating up to 100 acres. They operate as a service for farmers, replacing traditional spraying methods.

Initially focused on 3D printed robots for SWAT teams, TRIC Robotics pivoted to agriculture in 2020 to have a greater impact. They collaborated with the USDA to commercialize UV light technology for pest control.

TRIC Robotics has raised $5.5 million in seed funding to expand its robot fleet and eventually target other crops. Currently, they work with four major strawberry producers and have nine robots deployed, with three more on the way.