Texas Governor Greg Abbott has frozen state spending on Flock cameras, a manufacturer of AI-powered surveillance systems, as backlash over the technology mounts. The freeze came ahead of a Texas Tribune investigation revealing the state had spent over $30 million on Flock cameras, with much of that money raised by adding a $1 fee to insurance policies. The move signals growing political resistance to algorithmic surveillance deployments even in conservative jurisdictions that have traditionally embraced law-enforcement technology. Source
Caterpillar, the heavy-equipment manufacturer, is applying decades of experience automating remote mining operations to the deployment of AI systems more broadly. The company's track record managing autonomous machines in isolated industrial sites gives it practical expertise in the logistical and operational challenges of scaling autonomous systems in the field, a capability it is now extending into the wider AI deployment market. Source
Meta is testing robots in its data centers to perform tasks typically handled by technicians, marking another step in the company's push to automate infrastructure operations. The robots are being deployed on assignments that can be completed without human intervention, allowing the company to reduce manual labor in its largest facilities. Source
Elon Musk says a secretive new SpaceX foundry will enable the company to cast its own turbine blades and bring gas-powered electricity generation online 18 months faster than competitors. The bet on accelerated turbine production comes with environmental costs: gas turbines are already triggering lawsuits and health studies at locations where Musk's and other companies' turbines have been deployed. Source
The United States is tightening restrictions on foreign-made drones and robots, but China's manufacturing scale may render these barriers largely ineffective as global competition in the sector simply shifts to other markets. The move reflects growing national-security concerns over critical hardware, though it leaves open the question of whether domestic supply chains can match Chinese production capacity. Source