How the White House and governors want to fix AI-driven power shortages and price spikes

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House and a bipartisan group of governors are taking aim at power shortages and price spikes from data centers for artificial intelligence. Trump administration officials on Friday cast the effort as part of its bid to win the artificial intelligence race against China, and rising electric bills are a concern for voters. They're trying to pressure the operator of the mid-Atlantic power grid to get tech companies to bid on contracts to build new power plants. Consumer advocates say ratepayers in the grid — which stretches from New Jersey to Illinois — are paying billions of dollars in higher bills to underwrite the cost to supply power to data centers.

YouTube relaxes monetization policy on videos with controversial content

YouTube is updating its guidelines for videos containing what advertisers define as controversial content, like abortion and self-harm, allowing more creators to earn full ad revenue when they tackle sensitive issues in a nongraphic way. YouTube videos that dramatize or cover issues including domestic abuse, suicide, adult sexual abuse and sexual harassment without graphic descriptions or imagery are now eligible for full monetization. Ads will remain restricted on videos that include content on child abuse, child sex trafficking and eating disorders. The Google-owned company said it wanted to allow creators telling sensitive stories to earn full ad revenue.

ChatGPT's free ride is ending: Here's what OpenAI plans for advertising on the chatbot

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — OpenAI plans to introduce ads for ChatGPT users who aren't paying for the premium version. The company announced Friday that it will start testing ads in the coming weeks. OpenAI aims to monetize its chatbot, which has over 800 million users, most of whom use it for free. Despite being valued at $500 billion, the startup is losing more money than it makes. The digital ads will appear at the bottom of ChatGPT's answers when there's a relevant sponsored product or service. OpenAI assures that the ads will be clearly labeled and separated from the organic answers.

Supreme Court will decide on use of warrants that collect the location history of cellphone users

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has agreed to decide the constitutionality of broad search warrants that collect the location history of cellphone users to find people near crime scenes. The case the justices stepped into Friday involves what is a known as a “geofence warrant” that was served on Google in a police hunt for a bank robber in suburban Richmond, Virginia. Geofence warrants, an increasingly popular investigative tool, seek location data on every person within a specific location over a certain period of time. Police used the information to arrest Okello Chatrie in the 2019 robbery of the Call Federal Credit Union in Midlothian. Chatrie eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nearly 12 years in prison.

Social media platforms removed 4.7 million accounts after Australia banned them for children

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Social media companies have revoked access to about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children in Australia. This follows the country’s ban on platform use by those under 16. Communications Minister Anika Wells announced the figures on Friday, highlighting the success of the law enacted in December. The ban has sparked debates about technology use, privacy, and child safety. Platforms like Facebook, YouTube and X face hefty fines if they fail to comply. Officials say the measure is encouraging, though some young users have found ways to bypass restrictions. Other countries, such as Denmark, are considering similar bans.

Wikipedia inks AI deals with Microsoft, Meta and Perplexity as it marks 25th birthday

LONDON (AP) — Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia written by volunteers, is embracing artificial intelligence to mark its 25th anniversary. The site has signed up new AI partners, including Meta and Microsoft, alongside existing ones with companies like Google. These companies are paying to access Wikipedia content, supporting its nonprofit mission. Founder Jimmy Wales welcomes AI training on Wikipedia data, emphasizing its human-curated nature. The Wikimedia Foundation urges AI developers to pay for access, as bots heavily tax its servers. Wikipedia plans to use AI to assist editors and improve search experiences, while addressing criticism of bias and competition from rivals like Grokipedia.

Grok blocked from undressing images in places where it's illegal, X says

BANGKOK (AP) — Elon Musk’s X says its AI chatbot Grok won't be able to edit photos of real people in revealing clothing in places where that is illegal. The announcement followed a backlash over sexualized images of women and children, including bans and warnings by some governments. A statement posted on X said it has taken technological measures to stop users from editing images to show real people in bikinis, underwear and other revealing attire. It said the rule applies to paid subscribers as well as others. It added that any image creation or editing will now be available only to paid subscribers so those who abuse the technology can be held accountable.

An app’s blunt life check adds another layer to the loneliness crisis in China

BEIJING (AP) — In China, the names of things are often either ornately poetic or stunningly direct. A new, wildly popular app among young Chinese people is definitively the latter. It’s called, simply, “Are You Dead?” In a vast country whose young people are increasingly on the move, the new, one-button app is essentially exactly what it says it is. People who live alone and may be at risk or perceived as such by friends or relatives can push an outsized green circle on their phone screens and send proof of life over the network to a friend or loved one.

Lawmakers propose $2.5B agency to boost production of rare earths and other critical minerals

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of lawmakers has proposed creating a new agency with $2.5 billion to boost production of rare earths and the other critical minerals. This comes as the Trump administration takes aggressive steps to reduce reliance on China, which dominates the market for these materials. The Pentagon has spent nearly $5 billion over the past year to secure supply chains. The bill introduced Thursday by Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Todd Young aims to stabilize prices and encourage domestic and allied production. The U.S. is under pressure to cut its dependence on China, after a trade truce last year.

US and Taiwan sign $250B trade deal, cutting tariffs on Taiwanese goods

HONG KONG (AP) — The U.S. and Taiwan have signed a trade deal involving $250 billion in new investments by Taiwan's semiconductor and tech companies in the U.S. In exchange, the Trump administration will cut tariffs on Taiwanese goods. The deal aims to establish a strategic economic partnership and boost U.S. industrial infrastructure. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (TSMC) announced plans to increase capital spending by nearly 40% this year. TSMC's revenue rose 21% in the last quarter, driven by strong demand for AI technologies. The company is speeding up construction of new plants in Arizona to meet demand.