Joby Aviation, a leader in urban air mobility, is reportedly considering the acquisition of Blade Air, an air mobility and travel brand. The potential deal could boost Joby’s presence in air taxi services and expand its urban-flight network. Industry sources suggest the move could fast-track efforts to commercialize eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) flights and strengthen Joby’s competitive positioning as cities prepare for next-generation air transport solutions. No official statements have been made, and talks are ongoing.
Airtel has unveiled its new sovereign cloud and AI platform, targeting enterprise and government clients who require strict data localization and privacy compliance. The platform promises robust security, seamless deployment, and industry-leading AI capabilities designed for Indian regulatory standards. Airtel’s move underscores growing demand for local cloud solutions as businesses accelerate digital transformation and rely more on AI-driven insights. The telecom giant aims to position itself as a leading one-stop solution for cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence in the Indian market.
A new leak suggests the PlayStation 6 could offer triple the rasterization and 3D rendering performance of the PS5, all at a starting price of $499. The rumor, supposedly based on a leaked AMD presentation to Sony, points to PS4 and PS5 backwards compatibility, and manufacturing starting in mid-2027. Sony is also said to be working on a handheld companion device with advanced features like haptics and dual mics. While these specs aren’t confirmed, Sony’s strategy seems focused on value and maintaining a competitive edge in pricing for its next-gen console launch window, expected between late 2027 and early 2028.
Apple is gearing up to shake things up in the AI world with a brand-new ChatGPT-style AI feature launching alongside the iPhone 17. With tech giants like OpenAI and Google already making waves, Apple is ready to bring its own spin on smart, conversational AI right to your pocket.
Reports reveal that Apple has quietly set up a dedicated team—called the “Answers” or “AKI” team—tasked with creating an AI answer engine that goes beyond basic voice commands. This AI will make it easier and more natural for you to get answers, whether you’re chatting with Siri, searching with Spotlight, or browsing in Safari. Instead of typing keywords, you’ll be able to ask questions in everyday language and get detailed, helpful responses in real-time.
What sets Apple apart is its strong focus on privacy. Most of the AI work will happen directly on your iPhone, keeping your data safe and private. And if your question needs extra processing in the cloud, Apple will always ask for your consent before sending any personal info. This privacy-first approach is a game-changer compared to other AI tools that often send data to external servers.
While some of these AI upgrades will arrive gradually—Siri’s big AI overhaul is expected to roll out through 2026—the iPhone 17 will showcase some of Apple’s exciting new AI capabilities. This means your next iPhone won’t just be a phone; it will be your smart assistant, creative partner, and personal guide, all while keeping your privacy front and center.
In short, Apple’s AI on the iPhone 17 looks set to change how we interact with our devices, making things more intuitive, helpful, and secure. It’s an exciting leap toward smarter, more personal technology that just might redefine what we expect from our phones.
Indian mobile gaming platform STAN has raised $8.5 million in a Series A round led by Google’s AI Futures Fund and top Japanese gaming firms. With 25 million downloads and rapid product-driven growth, STAN now supports 5.5 million monthly users and has scaled revenues to $7.87 million in FY25. The funding will support expansion to other mobile-first markets and boost its AI-powered personalization and blockchain-based gamer profiles. In a booming Indian gaming market expected to hit $9.1 billion by 2029, STAN stands out with voice clubs and mobile-focused features targeting tier-2/3 cities.
Reddit is intensifying its ambition to become a primary search engine by unifying its traditional search with Reddit Answers, an AI-powered Q&A tool now serving 6 million users across a dozen countries. CEO Steve Huffman announced that a newly prominent search box and global rollout of Reddit Answers are core to this plan, leveraging Reddit’s vast community-generated knowledge. With over 70 million weekly search users, the company’s Q2 revenue soared 78% to $500 million, driven mainly by ads and new AI-powered marketing tools that let brands tap into real-time community trends and sentiments, strengthening Reddit’s position in the search and advertising landscape
Google has launched Gemini 2.5 Deep Think, its most advanced multi-agent AI model, exclusively for AI Ultra subscribers. Priced at $249.99/month, Deep Think sets a new benchmark in parallel reasoning, outperforming OpenAI and xAI on tests like Humanity’s Last Exam and LiveCodeBench V6. The model’s unique parallel thinking allows it to explore multiple solutions at once, boosting problem-solving power, especially in math and coding challenges. While a research variant won gold at the 2025 International Mathematical Olympiad, the consumer version delivers faster, bronze-level performance on similar tasks.
Italy’s antitrust regulator, AGCM, has launched a formal investigation into Meta Platforms for allegedly abusing its dominant market position by embedding its AI assistant directly into WhatsApp without explicit user consent. Integrated since March 2025, Meta AI appears in the app’s search bar, offering virtual assistant features. The authority suspects this practice forces users into Meta’s AI ecosystem, potentially stifling fair competition and disadvantaging rival AI providers. Inspections were conducted at Meta’s Italian offices. Meta defends the integration as user-friendly and cooperative with regulators. Violations could trigger EU fines up to 10% of global turnover
Amazon has agreed to pay The New York Times between $20 million and $25 million annually under a multiyear agreement that allows Amazon to use content from the Times’s news, cooking, and sports sections, including The Athletic, to train its AI models and enhance Alexa features. This deal, announced in May and recently detailed by The Wall Street Journal, represents about 1% of the Times’s expected 2024 revenue. It marks the Times’s first AI content licensing partnership with a tech giant amid its ongoing copyright litigation against OpenAI and Microsoft over unauthorized AI training
Google is investing $6 billion to build a 1-gigawatt hyperscale data center in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, marking the largest such facility in Asia by capacity and investment. This project includes a $2 billion allocation for renewable energy to sustainably power the data center, supporting India’s growing digital infrastructure needs. The investment aligns with Google’s global $75 billion expansion plan across Asia, also involving countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Andhra Pradesh aims to develop 6 gigawatts of data center capacity over five years, bolstered by new high-capacity cable landing stations enhancing connectivity and regional tech growth.
