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Logged Off: Britain Moves to Ban Under-16s From Social Media

Britain announced a ban on under-16s using major social media apps including TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat, drawing pushback from tech giants.

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Britain is drawing a hard line on kids and social media. The UK government announced it will ban children under 16 from using a range of major apps — including TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook and X — to protect young people from harmful content and excessive screen time. The sweeping move, fiercely contested by tech…

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Britain is drawing a hard line on kids and social media. The UK government announced it will ban children under 16 from using a range of major apps — including TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook and X — to protect young people from harmful content and excessive screen time. The sweeping move, fiercely contested by tech giants, makes the UK a leader in a fast-growing global push to tighten online safety for children.The ban's scopeIt is broad and strict. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that some 10 social media platforms will be completely off-limits to under-16s, with the legislation going further than Australia's world-first ban by adding curfews for older teens and restrictions on AI chatbots. The measure targets the platforms where young people spend much of their time.Why the government actedChild safety is the driver. Officials cite concerns over harmful content, mental health and excessive screen time among young users. The ban reflects mounting political and public pressure to shield children from the documented risks of social media, even at the cost of restricting access.Tech pushes backThe platforms are fighting it. Meta warned that bans risk isolating teens and driving them to unregulated alternatives lacking safety features and parental controls, while Snap argued an outright ban may simply push teens to less safe platforms. TikTok pointed to its dozens of built-in teen safety settings.A global movementThe UK is not alone. The move makes Britain part of a growing wave of countries tightening online protections for children, following Australia's pioneering ban. As more governments act, the pressure on social media companies to address youth safety is intensifying worldwide.Enforcement questionsThe challenge is real. Verifying ages and enforcing a ban across global platforms raises thorny practical and privacy questions. How the UK implements age checks without creating new risks will be closely watched, and the answers could shape similar efforts elsewhere.Why it mattersThe stakes reach beyond Britain. The ban tests whether governments can rein in the role of social media in children's lives and sets a precedent others may follow. It also forces a reckoning over platform responsibility, free access and the balance between protection and connection in the digital age.The bottom lineBritain is moving to ban under-16s from major social media apps including TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat, going further than any country before with curfews and AI chatbot limits. Tech giants are pushing back hard, warning of unintended consequences. As part of a global movement, the UK's ban could reshape how children experience the internet.

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The Federal Reserve’s Paralysis Problem: Why Powell Can’t Cut, Can’t Hike, and Is Running Out of Time

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With inflation stuck above target, unemployment creeping higher, and an election cycle turning every word into a political football, the Fed finds itself in the most uncomfortable position it has occupied in a generation. Jerome…

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<em>With inflation stuck above target, unemployment creeping higher, and an election cycle turning every word into a political football, the Fed finds itself in the most uncomfortable position it has occupied in a generation.</em>

Jerome Powell has been in tighter spots. But not many.

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The Office Debt Cliff: How $1.5 Trillion in Commercial Real Estate Loans Is About to Hit a Wall

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Post-pandemic office reckoning underestimated. Bill now due. Loan maturities + closed refinancing market + record vacancy = one of largest credit events in commercial property history. $1.5 trillion CRE debt matures in US through end-2027.…

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Post-pandemic office reckoning underestimated. Bill now due. Loan maturities + closed refinancing market + record vacancy = one of largest credit events in commercial property history.

$1.5 trillion CRE debt matures in US through end-2027. Originated under cheap money, full offices, rising rents — none of which hold now.

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Apple’s $4 Billion Bet on Neural Silicon: How the M4 Ultra Is Quietly Rewriting the AI Hardware Race

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While Nvidia dominates the data-centre conversation, Apple has been building something more subversive — a vertically integrated AI compute stack aimed squarely at the enterprise desktop and the professional edge. The M4 Ultra is the…

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<em>While Nvidia dominates the data-centre conversation, Apple has been building something more subversive — a vertically integrated AI compute stack aimed squarely at the enterprise desktop and the professional edge. The M4 Ultra is the opening shot.</em>

The war for AI compute supremacy has, until now, been fought in the data centre. Apple is about to open a second front.

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The AI Jobs Squeeze: Tech Layoffs Hit 1,100 a Day in 2026

Tech layoffs have surged in 2026, with over 185,000 jobs cut at a pace of 1,100 a day, as companies cite AI and pour record sums into automation.

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The tech industry is shedding jobs at a relentless pace — and AI is at the center of the story. In 2026, layoffs have surged past 185,000 workers, averaging roughly 1,100 cuts every working day,…

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The tech industry is shedding jobs at a relentless pace — and AI is at the center of the story. In 2026, layoffs have surged past 185,000 workers, averaging roughly 1,100 cuts every working day, as companies cite artificial intelligence, efficiency and cost control. Even as the giants pour record sums into AI, the human toll of the transition is mounting, raising fears of an AI-driven labor crisis.A staggering paceThe numbers are sobering. By mid-June 2026, hundreds of layoff events had displaced more than 185,000 workers across tech, finance and healthcare — about 1,115 jobs lost each working day, nearly double the 2025 pace. The acceleration marks one of the most turbulent stretches for tech employment in years.The big cuttersMajor names lead the reductions. Meta began 8,000 job cuts announced in April, Amazon eliminated nearly 30,000 corporate roles across multiple rounds, and firms from LinkedIn to Intuit and Block trimmed staff. The breadth of cuts shows the trend reaches across the industry, not just a few troubled companies.AI as the driverArtificial intelligence is the common thread. AI has emerged as the single largest factor cited in 2026 layoff announcements, as companies restructure around automation and productivity. Whether AI is truly replacing roles or providing cover for broader cost-cutting, it has become the defining rationale for the cuts.Spending over staffingThe money is shifting, not disappearing. The four biggest spenders — Amazon, Alphabet, Meta and Microsoft — are pouring about $725 billion into AI capital expenditure in 2026, up sharply. The contrast is stark: tens of thousands of workers cut while record sums flow into the infrastructure meant to replace or augment them.Do the cuts pay off?The results are unproven. Reports note that despite citing AI and efficiency, many layoffs have failed to boost returns, raising questions about whether the cuts deliver the promised gains. The uncertainty suggests companies may be betting on AI's payoff before it has materialized.Why it mattersThe shift reshapes work and the economy. Mass layoffs paired with massive AI investment signal a structural transformation of tech employment, with profound implications for workers, skills and the broader job market. How the industry balances automation with its workforce will define the coming years.The bottom lineTech layoffs hit roughly 1,100 a day in 2026, topping 185,000 cuts as companies cite AI and pour $725 billion into automation. With giants like Meta and Amazon leading reductions and the payoff still unproven, the AI jobs squeeze has become one of the year's defining tech stories — and a warning of disruption to come.

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Cloud Surge: AWS and Azure Ride the AI Boom to Blowout Growth

Amazon and Microsoft posted blowout cloud growth as AI demand surges, with AWS up 28% and Azure up 40%, fueling a record wave of infrastructure spending.

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The cloud giants are riding an AI tidal wave. Amazon and Microsoft posted blowout growth in their cloud divisions as demand for AI infrastructure surges, with AWS revenue up 28% and Microsoft's Azure up 40%.…

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The cloud giants are riding an AI tidal wave. Amazon and Microsoft posted blowout growth in their cloud divisions as demand for AI infrastructure surges, with AWS revenue up 28% and Microsoft's Azure up 40%. The results underscore how the AI boom is fueling the cloud business — and triggering a record wave of capital spending as the giants race to build capacity.AWS reacceleratesAmazon's cloud engine is humming. AWS recorded 28% revenue growth in the first quarter, beating estimates, as customers piled into AI services. Spending on Bedrock, its platform for building AI agents and applications, jumped 170% from the prior quarter — consuming more tokens in a single quarter than in its entire history.Azure powers aheadMicrosoft is right behind. Azure and other cloud services grew 40%, topping analyst estimates and reaffirming Microsoft's strength as the second-largest cloud provider. The robust growth reflects surging enterprise demand for AI capabilities delivered through the cloud, a core pillar of Microsoft's strategy.The capex explosionSpending is staggering. Capital expenditures have ballooned nearly fourfold, from about $53 billion in fiscal 2023 to close to $200 billion in fiscal 2026, as the giants build data centers and buy chips. The scale of investment reflects conviction that AI demand will keep climbing for years.AI demand is realThe growth is grounded in usage. The surge in cloud revenue and token consumption shows enterprises moving AI from experiments into production, paying for compute at scale. That tangible, growing demand is what distinguishes this boom from pure speculation — and what justifies the massive buildout.Custom silicon risesThe giants are building their own chips. Alongside buying from Nvidia, cloud providers are increasingly deploying custom silicon to power AI workloads more efficiently. The push reflects a drive to control costs and capacity as AI compute becomes the central battleground of the cloud wars.Why it mattersThe cloud is the engine of the AI economy. Blowout growth at AWS and Azure signals that AI demand is translating into real revenue, while the capex surge shapes the entire tech supply chain. The health of the cloud giants is a key barometer for whether the AI boom is sustainable.The bottom lineAmazon and Microsoft rode the AI boom to blowout cloud growth, with AWS up 28% and Azure up 40%, while capital spending surged toward $200 billion. The results show AI demand is real and accelerating, fueling a historic infrastructure buildout. The cloud giants are betting big — and, for now, the bet is paying off.

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Eyes on the Prize: The Smart Glasses Wars Heat Up in 2026

Smart glasses have become tech's hottest battleground in 2026, with Meta dominating and Samsung, Google, Snap and Apple racing to launch AI-powered eyewear.

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The next big computing platform may sit on your face. Smart glasses have become one of tech's hottest battlegrounds in 2026, with Meta dominating and rivals racing to catch up. As AI-powered eyewear moves from…

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The next big computing platform may sit on your face. Smart glasses have become one of tech's hottest battlegrounds in 2026, with Meta dominating and rivals racing to catch up. As AI-powered eyewear moves from novelty to mainstream, Samsung, Google, Snap and Apple are all chasing a market that some believe could eventually challenge the smartphone itself.Meta's commanding leadMeta is the one to beat. The company sold over 7 million Ray-Ban smart glasses in 2025 and controls roughly 82% of the global smart glasses market. New Ray-Ban models are reportedly coming with faster chips and a Live AI feature that lasts hours instead of minutes — extending Meta's head start.Samsung enters the ringA major challenger is near. Samsung is reportedly first out of the gate among the new wave, with Galaxy Glasses expected at a July Unpacked event. A heavyweight like Samsung entering the category signals that smart glasses have graduated from experiment to strategic priority for the biggest device makers.Google and Snap join inThe field is crowding fast. Google and Samsung's "Intelligent Eyewear" is set for fall 2026 with designs by Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, while Snap has revealed next-gen Specs blending AR glasses and headset capabilities. The rush of entrants underscores the intensifying race for the face.Apple bides its timeThe giant is circling. Apple is developing its own smart glasses, codenamed N50, testing four frame designs for a target launch around late 2027. Apple's deliberate approach mirrors its past playbook of entering categories later but aiming to define them — a looming threat to early movers.Why glasses, why nowAI changed the equation. The leap in on-device AI has made glasses genuinely useful — offering real-time assistance, translation and information hands-free. That utility, paired with sleeker designs, has turned a once-clunky concept into a compelling everyday wearable with mass-market potential.Why it mattersThe stakes are a new platform. If smart glasses become the next major computing interface, the company that leads could shape how billions interact with technology — and with AI. The battle is about more than eyewear; it is about owning the gateway to the AI-powered future.The bottom lineThe smart glasses wars are heating up in 2026, with Meta dominating at 82% of the market and Samsung, Google, Snap and Apple racing to launch AI-powered eyewear. As glasses emerge as a potential next computing platform, the competition is fierce. The race for the face is on — and the prize could be enormous.

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Year of the Robotaxi: Tesla and Waymo Race to Put Driverless Cars Everywhere

2026 is shaping up as the year of the robotaxi, as Tesla and Waymo race to expand driverless ride-hailing across dozens of cities.

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The driverless future is arriving on city streets. 2026 is shaping up as the year of the robotaxi, with Tesla and Waymo racing to expand autonomous ride-hailing across dozens of markets. After years of hype,…

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The driverless future is arriving on city streets. 2026 is shaping up as the year of the robotaxi, with Tesla and Waymo racing to expand autonomous ride-hailing across dozens of markets. After years of hype, self-driving taxis are scaling fast — reshaping urban transport, challenging ride-hailing incumbents and setting up a high-stakes battle between two very different approaches to autonomy.Tesla floors itTesla is expanding aggressively. After launching its robotaxi service in Austin in 2025, the company is estimated to enter as many as 30 U.S. markets by the end of 2026. It has begun offering rides without in-car safety monitors in some cases, deploying trailing vehicles instead — a sign of growing, if contested, confidence in its system.Waymo's proven leadWaymo brings a track record. The Alphabet unit completed 14 million fully driverless trips in 2025, generating over $286 million in revenue at an average fare around $20. Waymo is expanding into as many as 20 markets in 2026 and plans to launch in London — underscoring its position as the established leader.Two roads to autonomyThe rivals differ sharply. Waymo relies on a sensor-heavy approach with lidar and detailed mapping, while Tesla bets on a camera-based, AI-driven system it argues can scale more cheaply. The contrast in philosophy will shape costs, safety and how quickly each can expand — a defining tension in the industry.A booming marketThe prize is enormous. The global robotaxi market, valued around $789 million in 2024, is projected to reach nearly $97 billion by 2032. That explosive growth potential is fueling intense investment and competition, as companies race to capture an industry that could transform mobility.The skepticsDoubts persist. Critics question the readiness and safety of some rollouts, and the removal of safety monitors has drawn scrutiny. Scaling autonomy safely across varied cities and conditions remains a formidable challenge, and missteps could invite regulation and erode public trust.Why it mattersRobotaxis could reshape cities and jobs. Widespread driverless ride-hailing promises cheaper, more convenient transport but threatens to disrupt millions of driving jobs and reshape urban planning. How the technology scales — and how safely — carries profound implications for daily life and the economy.The bottom line2026 is becoming the year of the robotaxi, as Tesla races into 30 markets and Waymo expands its proven lead toward 20 cities and London. With a market projected near $97 billion and two rival approaches competing, driverless taxis are scaling fast. The autonomous future is no longer hypothetical — it is hailing a ride.

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