GlobalFoundries announced a $3 billion investment to expand US chip manufacturing, boosting domestic supply amid US tariffs and supply chain concerns. This move enhances advanced semiconductor production, focusing on photonics and GaN technologies, strengthening America’s position in the global chip industry.
▶️ Internet Infrastructure
Website Uses Hashcash Proof-of-Work to Block AI Scraping and Verify Users
The website employs Anubis with Hashcash-based Proof-of-Work to block AI scraping, requiring JavaScript and disabling certain plugins, to reduce server load and identify legitimate users.
- The webpage uses Anubis to prevent AI scraping via a Proof-of-Work challenge based on Hashcash
- The challenge requires JavaScript and disables plugins like JShelter, aiming to distinguish legitimate users from automated scrapers
- The system introduces a 1156ms delay with 59224 iterations to verify human interaction and mitigate mass scraping
Chrome Plans to Restrict Local Network Access for Improved Security
A Chrome proposal introduces a “local network access” permission, gating requests crossing address spaces, prompting user approval, and integrating with fetch, WebRTC, and permissions policies to enhance user control and security.
- The proposal aims to restrict sites from accessing a user’s local network without explicit permission, building on Chrome’s Chrome Secure Web and Network team.
- It introduces a “local network access” permission, organized by address spaces: localhost, private IPs (RFC1918), and public IPs, with requests crossing these boundaries considered local network requests.
- Local network requests are defined as crossing from
publictolocal/loopback,localtoloopback, orpublictoloopback, with prompts for user permission if not already granted.
GlobalFoundries Invests $3 Billion in US Chip Manufacturing Expansion
GlobalFoundries invests $3 billion more in US fabs for silicon photonics, GaN, and packaging, totaling $16 billion, to enhance domestic chip production amid US tariffs and supply chain security.
- GlobalFoundries commits an additional $3 billion to US semiconductor manufacturing, raising total investment to $16 billion, focused on silicon photonics, gallium nitride, and advanced packaging.
- The funding supports emerging technologies amid US tariffs, with a focus on reducing reliance on foreign chips and strengthening domestic supply chains.
- The company has historically supplied high-volume, specialized semiconductors for Apple, SpaceX, and other firms, with manufacturing primarily in the US, benefiting from US CHIPS Act funding and prior expansion plans.
Infinidat Promotes Sustainable Storage to Cut Data Center Energy and Costs
Infinidat promotes storage solutions to reduce datacenter energy use and costs, supporting sustainability with up to 162% ROI and 48% OPEX savings over five years, amid rising AI-driven power demand.
- Goldman Sachs Research estimates datacenter electricity demand will increase by 50% between 2023 and 2027 due to AI workloads, large language models, and massive compute clusters
- Infinidat advocates for sustainable storage systems, citing a five-year ROI of up to 162% and up to 48% reduction in operational expenses (OPEX), detailed in an IDC white paper
- Focus is on reducing power, cooling, recycling costs, and minimizing downtime while meeting sustainability and economic goals
GAO Warns Login.gov Backup Policies Risk Data Loss During Cyberattacks
GAO warns Login.gov’s unverified backup testing policy poses a risk of system failure or data loss during cyberattacks, with recent policy establishment lacking evidence of full implementation or effectiveness.
- GAO reports Login.gov has not demonstrated effective backup testing policies, risking data loss during cyberattacks or system failures
- GSA manages Login.gov, which has only recently established a backup testing policy after staffing issues; policy implementation and effectiveness are unverified
- Despite backing up data critical to Login.gov’s functionality, the agency has not fully tested or validated backup integrity, risking complete data loss if compromised
F5 Transforms ADCs Into AI-Native Secure Multi-Cloud Delivery Platform
F5 reimagines ADCs as AI-native platforms, integrating security, traffic management, and edge inference to support scalable, secure AI workloads in hybrid multi-cloud enterprise architectures.
- F5 has evolved its application delivery controller (ADC) into the unified Application Delivery and Security Platform (ADSP) to support AI workloads
- ADCs now manage real-time traffic, threat detection, and policy enforcement across hybrid and multi-cloud environments, addressing vulnerabilities like model theft and prompt injection
- The platform integrates networking, security, and compute-aware services, enabling deployment of inference services at the edge with low latency and compliance with data residency regulations
IBM Cloud Faces Second Outage and Critical Security Vulnerability in June 2025
IBM Cloud faced a recurring outage on June 5, 2025, disrupting access and support, while a critical vulnerability in IBM security tools exposed passwords, increasing security risks.
- IBM Cloud experienced a second outage within a week on June 5, 2025, affecting console access and support case viewing, with no official cause provided
- The outage lasted from 9:03 AM UTC to 1:20 PM UTC, impacting authentication services
- IBM’s security bulletin revealed a critical vulnerability (CVE-2025-2502, score 9.6) in QRadar threat detection and Cloud Pak for Security due to an exposed password, along with four other flaws rated 7.2, 6.5, 4.8, and 4.0
Ukrainian IPv4 Space Declines 18.5% as Carriers Lease Addresses Abroad
Ukrainian carriers leased IPv4 addresses amid war, causing an 18.5% reduction in local IPv4 space and migration to international providers, raising concerns over broker practices and market stability
- Ukrainian telcos and ISPs have leased IPv4 addresses to sustain operations during the war with Russia
- Kentik’s analysis indicates at least an 18.5% decline in Ukrainian announced IPv4 space from February 2022 to May 2025
- Large IPv4 holdings have migrated out of Ukraine to cloud providers, hosting services, and international telecoms, often with broker assistance
▶️ Open Source
IRS Releases Open-Source Code for Direct File Software Early
The IRS open-sourced most of Direct File’s code on GitHub, demonstrating transparency and fulfilling legislative obligations ahead of schedule.
- IRS published most of Direct File’s source code on GitHub as open-source on May 30, 2025
- The release fulfills the SHARE IT Act requirement, three weeks ahead of schedule
- Direct File is in the public domain, enabling public review and assessment of IRS-developed software
The BEAM Book Chronicles a Decade of BEAM VM Internals and Community Growth
Happi Hacking’s The BEAM Book documents BEAM VM internals, focusing on schedulers, memory management, garbage collection, and performance, after a decade of development and community feedback.
- The author started writing The BEAM Book on October 12, 2012, initially using DocBook, then switching to AsciiDoc, with multiple project cancellations before final publication.
- The book covers BEAM internals including schedulers, process memory, garbage collection, data tagging, compiler and VM operations, tracing, debugging, performance tuning, and system architecture.
- The project was publicly released on GitHub on April 7, 2017, gaining community contributions, stars, and recognition in Erlang and BEAM conferences; the paperback is available on Amazon.
Circle Raises $1.1 Billion in Upsized IPO Amid Growing Stablecoin Confidence
Circle’s IPO raised $1.1 billion by selling 34 million shares at $31, above the initial range, reflecting increased investor confidence in stablecoin companies.
- Circle Internet Group Inc. and shareholders raised nearly $1.1 billion in an upsized IPO, priced above a marketed range
- Sold 34 million shares at $31 each on June 4, 2025
- The IPO indicates growing acceptance of stablecoin issuers in public markets
▶️ Management and Leadership
OpenAI Challenges Court Order to Preserve All ChatGPT User Logs
OpenAI opposes a court order to preserve all ChatGPT logs, including deleted chats, citing privacy risks, lack of evidence for data destruction, and significant operational burdens, amid ongoing litigation over evidence preservation.
- OpenAI is contesting a court order to preserve all ChatGPT user logs, including deleted and sensitive chats, after news organizations sued over copyright claims.
- The order, issued on May 13, 2025, requires OpenAI to “preserve and segregate all output log data” that would otherwise be deleted, impacting user privacy and data retention policies.
- OpenAI argues the order was rushed, lacks justification, and risks violating user privacy, breaching contractual commitments, and incurring substantial engineering costs; it also claims no evidence supports allegations of data destruction or copyright infringement-related deletions.
ChatGPT Adds Cloud Integrations and Deep Research Connectors to Boost Enterprise Productivity
OpenAI’s ChatGPT now offers integrations with cloud services, meeting recordings, and deep research connectors, enhancing enterprise productivity and data access capabilities for paid users.
- ChatGPT adds meeting recording, transcription, and connector features for Google Drive, Box, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Dropbox.
- Enables search across user’s own services, generating notes with timestamps and action items, and converting actions into Canvas documents.
- Introduces deep research connectors for HubSpot, Linear, and select Microsoft and Google tools, supporting detailed research reports and MCP connection for paid users.
Elon Musk resumes criticism of Trump’s $2.4T bill on X
Elon Musk reversed his political hiatus by criticizing Trump’s $2.4 trillion spending bill on X, urging opposition amid concerns over debt and EV tax credit reductions, after previously pledging to focus on Tesla.
- Elon Musk pledged to focus more on Tesla and step back from politics but resumed posting critically against Trump’s $2.4 trillion “Big Beautiful Bill” on X.
- Musk called the bill “a disgusting abomination” and urged followers to contact senators to oppose it, citing concerns over increased debt and EV tax credit cuts.
- Musk’s recent political activity follows a prior announcement of winding down involvement with the White House DOGE office and a $260 million political spend supporting Trump in 2024.
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI Military Tech in a Sign of Silicon Valley’s Renewed Defense Ties
Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth announced a partnership with Anduril to develop AI-driven military technology, emphasizing its private funding and potential consumer applications, marking a renewed Silicon Valley-military relationship.
- Meta announced a partnership with defense startup Anduril on a US military project, described as a “return to grace” for Silicon Valley-military relations.
- The project incorporates Anduril’s AI-powered command system Lattice, Meta’s Reality Labs technology, and Llama AI models, funded privately to save the military billions.
- Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth stated the partnership is initially experimental, with no current plans to turn it into a business segment, emphasizing that Meta develops consumer-targeted technology with potential multi-use applications.
9th Circuit Denies Apple Stay in Epic Games App Store Ruling
The 9th Circuit Court denied Apple’s bid to pause a court order requiring the company to open its App Store, impacting its control over in-app transactions and fees in the Epic Games case.
- The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Apple’s request to stay parts of a federal judge’s order requiring open access to the App Store, in the Epic Games antitrust lawsuit.
- The April 2025 court order mandates Apple to end practices like a 27% fee on external app purchases and restricts linking to outside payment options.
- Apple argued the ruling impairs control over its core business; Epic claimed the ruling promotes competition and better consumer choice.
HPE Optimistic About $14B Juniper Deal Amid Strong Cloud and AI Growth
HPE anticipates US regulatory approval for its $14 billion Juniper merger by July 2025, with alternative plans in place if blocked; Q2 revenue rose 6% to $7.6 billion amid strong hybrid cloud and AI growth.
- HPE CEO Antonio Neri remains optimistic about US regulators approving the $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks, expected to close by end of 2025.
- The US Department of Justice sued in March to block the merger; Neri predicts a July trial will determine the outcome.
- Neri stated HPE has alternative plans, including capital return and portfolio actions, if the deal falls through.
- HPE’s Q2 2025 revenue increased 6% YoY to $7.6 billion, with a $1.1 billion non-cash impairment related to legacy hybrid cloud goodwill.
- Hybrid cloud revenue reported double-digit YoY growth for three consecutive quarters; AI sales totaled $1.1 billion with a $3.2 billion backlog.
- HPE forecasts Q3 revenue of $8.2–8.5 billion and full-year growth of 7–9%, driven by large AI deals and enterprise adoption.
- The company reduced its workforce to 59,000 employees, the lowest since 2015, partly due to a planned 5% headcount cut.
- HPE’s “VM Essentials” virtualization stack, introduced in 2024, claims up to 90% cost reduction; Danfoss plans to replace 75% of its virtual estate with it.
- HPE benefited from lower-than-expected tariffs during trade policy changes, with ongoing cost controls expected to mitigate future tariff impacts.
Intel CEO mandates 50% gross margins for new products to boost profitability
Intel’s CEO mandates new products must achieve 50% gross margins, emphasizing disciplined product planning and reduced reliance on post-production chip redesigns to improve profitability.
- Intel requires new products to demonstrate at least 50% gross margin to receive approval
- The company aims for products to generate at least double the development cost in revenue
- In Q1 2025, Intel’s gross margin declined to 36.9%, compared to AMD’s 50% and Nvidia’s 60.5%; previous margins exceeded 60%
HashiCorp Joins IBM Focuses on New Products and Cultural Integration
HashiCorp, now an IBM subsidiary, discussed product launches, cultural integration challenges, and licensing concerns, including moving to a Business Source License in 2023 and supporting mainframes and Red Hat ecosystem integrations.
- HashiCorp became an IBM company, announced at the London HashiDays event on June 5, 2025
- Supports new products including HCP Vault Radar, Boundary transparent sessions, and Vault Enterprise post-quantum cryptography updates
- CTO Armon Dadgar highlighted cultural differences, noting HashiCorp’s product management focus versus IBM’s diverse corporate culture and open source involvement
Reddit Sues Anthropic Over Unauthorized Data Scraping and AI Training
Reddit sues Anthropic for unlawfully scraping over 100,000 site visits post-block, using user data without licensing or consent, amid ongoing AI training data licensing disputes.
- Reddit filed a lawsuit against Anthropic on June 4, 2025, in California, alleging unauthorized use of its data for commercial AI training.
- Reddit claims Anthropic accessed its site over 100,000 times after stating it had blocked its bots, without licensing or user consent.
- Reddit has licensing agreements with OpenAI and Google; Anthropic’s 2021 research paper highlighted Reddit data’s usefulness for AI training.
▶️ Technology
Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Sparks High Demand and Record Pre-Orders
Nintendo’s Switch 2 launched globally with strong pre-orders and in-store demand, despite higher price points, aiming to revitalize gaming amid supply constraints and trade tariffs.
- Nintendo launched Switch 2 with high demand, leading to queues and midnight store openings worldwide.
- Pre-orders exceeded expectations, with over 2.2 million online pre-orders in April, surpassing supply forecasts.
- The console features a larger screen, improved graphics, upgraded controllers, and is priced around $450, 50% higher than original Switch.
xAI Uses Human Conversations to Make Grok’s Voice More Natural
xAI trains Grok’s voice models using Scale AI contractors recording natural conversations on topics like Mars, zombies, and plumbing, aiming for more human-like AI speech with over 100 projects underway.
- xAI launched an early voice mode for Grok in February, with training data obtained via Scale AI involving diverse conversational prompts.
- Contractors record natural-sounding conversations on topics like Mars colonization, zombie apocalypses, plumbing fails, and political issues, paying $1-$3 per task.
- Over 100 AI training projects are underway for xAI, including efforts to make models sound less robotic and more human-like, with at least 10 projects active as of April.
Cursor 1.0 Launches with BugBot, Background Agent, Jupyter Support and UI Updates
Cursor 1.0, launched on June 4, 2025, introduces BugBot, Background Agent for all users, Jupyter cell editing, Memories, MCP one-click setup, OAuth, visual chat responses, and UI enhancements, expanding remote coding and collaboration capabilities.
- Cursor 1.0 released on June 4, 2025, introducing BugBot, Background Agent, Jupyter support, Memories, MCP one-click install, OAuth, richer chat responses, and UI updates
- BugBot automates PR code reviews, highlighting issues with GitHub comments and fix prompts
- Background Agent is now available to all users, accessible via chat icon or
Cmd/Ctrl+E, supporting remote coding tasks - Agent can create and edit multiple cells within Jupyter Notebooks, initially supporting Sonnet models
- Memories feature stores conversation facts per project, enabling future referencing, available in beta via Settings → Rules
- MCP server setup now supports one-click installation and OAuth authentication; official MCP servers listed at docs.cursor.com/tools
- Cursor enhances chat with visualization support, including Mermaid diagrams and Markdown tables
- Updated Settings and Dashboard provide usage analytics, team management, and model controls, with improvements like PDF parsing, network diagnostics, parallel tool calls, and collapsible tool calls
- Enterprise users restricted to stable releases; team admins can disable Privacy Mode; Admin API introduced for usage metrics
- Max mode added for Gemini 2.5 Flash model
AI PC Sales Slow Down Amid High Prices and Security Concerns
AI PC sales are hindered by high prices, lack of compelling applications, security issues, and economic uncertainty, with adoption gradually increasing due to new product rollouts and integrated NPUs.
- AI PC sales are slower than expected due to lack of killer apps, security concerns, and high prices—average €1,000 for AI notebooks versus €500 for traditional ones.
- Economic uncertainty, tariff disputes, and cautious corporate spending are delaying adoption; 40% of notebooks sold via distribution in early Q2 were AI PCs.
- Major vendors like Lenovo, HP, Dell, and Microsoft are promoting AI devices, with AI PCs expected to dominate shipments by 2026, despite current slow demand.