Energy independence undermined: A group is using propaganda to keep other countries dependent on rare-earth minerals from China. As more disinformation looms, social media companies could help stop it.

Silicon Valley goes global: The Great Resignation and remote work have pushed tech companies to hire international software developers. It could significantly change Silicon Valley and emerging tech hubs worldwide.

Gigafactories = ‘gigantic money furnaces’: Supply chain disruptions grind Tesla’s new factories to a near halt. Even when things come back online, the mineral shortage will still be a scourge.

AVs have surveillance potential: Chinese officials’ recent restrictions on Teslas are just a fraction of more widespread concerns about vehicle digital privacy. Regulators and automakers should preemptively take action.

Nuclear-powered space ‘tug’ boats: Getting satellites to the right orbit is a pressing problem that Atomos Space plans to solve with nuclear fission reactors. But better energy sources need investment.

Big Tech post-Roe: As tech giants like Google respond to abortion rights loss, they face a quagmire of choices about strengthening digital privacy, censorship, and where to do business.

As EV adoption accelerates, the necessary charging infrastructure to support it lags behind in the US. The Biden administration has ambitious goals to get the country up to speed, but well-crafted implementation will be crucial to protecting the electrical grid. Part of the solution is harnessing the full potential of EV batteries to bolster energy supplies.

Storm clouds for Big Tech: Following record-high cloud spending, the top cloud providers saw declines in April. Economic upheaval means a rocky road ahead, but cloud demand will endure.

The slippery AI consciousness debate: More controversy in Google’s AI team exposes the foggy world of artificial sentience. Mounting concerns about AI warrants more Big Tech accountability and transparency.

Startups to watch: Greentech companies are raising millions for diverse sustainability strategies. With no end in sight to climate change, the money will likely keep rolling in.

Goodbye gas, hello gravity: Mining companies demonstrate how gravity can replace diesel as a fuel for trucks and trains. It could transform clean energy and help reduce mortality from pollution.

VR fitness will stick long after the pandemic: We detail how the tech will help make exercise more accessible and reduce preventable diseases.

New games, same ideology: Beijing regulators approved dozens of video games this week. But it may end up benefiting the broader tech sector and economy more than the gaming industry.

AI replaces metal detectors: Amid alarming rates of gun violence, Evolv Technology is deploying AI scanners to track guns in public places. But it has a lot of learning to do.

Mineral moon pies: Humans haven’t set foot on the moon in half a century, but plans are accelerating to return, this time for resource extraction. Geopolitical conflict could be a barrier.

Competitive talent requires competitive pay: The overall economy and tight labor market mean companies like Microsoft have to sweeten compensation to keep top talent. But will it be sweet enough?

An underdog’s cloud effort: Google gives expanding its cloud market share another try with its AlloyDB database service that’s priced to sell. Its other cloud products could reap benefits too.

Big Tech gets corrected: Tech industry stocks have taken a beating so far in 2022, but given the pandemic’s upheaval, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Another reincarnation looms.

The factory has eyes: Startup Invisible AI will deploy its computer vision analytics system in all of Toyota’s factories in North America. But the unprecedented insight could have some downsides.

Big Tech gets old-fashioned: Apple summoning its employees back to the office isn’t going over well. As workers threaten to quit, other tech companies could fill the satisfaction gap.

Is AI becoming Big Brother? Human presence and emotional-state detection technologies are raising civil rights alarms bells. Although they could have merits for productivity, they’re also invasive and error-prone.

The push to rein in cloud spending sprees: Pressure to digitally transform has spurred out-of-control cloud spending. The near-term burden will likely fall on cloud customers to cut costs.

‘Green’ energy targets Greenland: Billionaire-backed KoBold Metals begins mining operations in Greenland to secure minerals for EV batteries. But the advent of new battery technologies might make the venture unnecessary.

‘This is what we’ve always needed’: We talk with Delta CleanTech’s Lionel Kambeitz about what Big Tech’s plan to invest $925 million in carbon removal technologies means for his industry.

The latest wealth-builder—used EVs: Expensive fuel and slow vehicle production have triggered a stampede for used hybrids and EVs, sending prices skyrocketing. Without better batteries, prices will continue to soar.