Welcome to Top Tech News Today! Today’s roundup covers breakthroughs in AI and space, key updates in cybersecurity, regulations, and startup funding. Let’s dive in!
1. ChatGPT Gets a Shopping Makeover
OpenAI has quietly turned ChatGPT into a smarter shopping assistant. The platform now shows product images, reviews, and direct shopping links right inside your chat—without ads or commissions. Using GPT-4o, this upgrade helps users get personalized recommendations while skipping the usual search clutter. With ChatGPT now handling over a billion queries weekly, this could genuinely shake up how we shop online.
(Source: OpenAI)
2. Intel Reboots Its AI Ambitions
Intel is gearing up to take on Nvidia’s AI dominance. CEO Lip-Bu Tan acknowledged the company’s past missteps in AI chips and announced a renewed push to build in-house solutions tailored to AI trends like robotics and assistants. While he warns it’s no overnight fix, the move shows Intel is serious about playing catch-up in the booming AI hardware market. (Source: MarketScreener)
3. NASA’s Lunar Drill Passes Moon Test
NASA has a new reason to celebrate: the PRIME-1 drill, sent by Intuitive Machines, successfully operated on the Moon. Despite the IM-2 mission wrapping early, the drill and its onboard spectrometer returned key soil data under harsh conditions. This milestone clears a major hurdle for the Artemis program, bringing us closer to extracting usable resources from the lunar surface. (Source: NASA.gov)
4. Six Rockets, Eighteen Hours – Space Goes Supersonic
In a record-setting frenzy, six rockets were launched around the world within just 18 hours. Missions ranged from SpaceX deployments to Amazon’s Kuiper broadband satellites and an ESA climate-monitoring payload. This dizzying pace highlights just how fast the space industry is scaling—with private and public players worldwide racing to orbit. (Source: Times of India)
5. FTC Clamps Down on Children’s Privacy Online
The FTC is tightening rules around how websites and apps handle kids’ data. Starting June 2025, companies must add better security, delete data more aggressively, and get clear parental consent before sharing children’s information with advertisers. This is a big step toward protecting online privacy for the youngest internet users. (Source: SC Media)
6. EU Slaps Apple and Meta with $700M in Fines
The EU just sent a powerful message with €700 million in fines for Apple and Meta under the new Digital Markets Act. Apple was penalized for limiting app developers from sharing cheaper options outside the App Store, while Meta was dinged for its “Consent or Pay” data model. Europe’s message? Big Tech has to play fair. (Source: EU Digital Strategy)
7. Near Space Labs Secures $20M to Snap Earth from Above
Near Space Labs has raised $20 million to expand its network of high-altitude imaging balloons. These “Swift” aircraft float above the weather to capture crystal-clear images for clients like insurers tracking wildfire damage. With over $40M in funding now, this startup is redefining how we observe Earth—no satellite needed.
(Source: TechCrunch)
8. Cybersecurity Chiefs Push for Global Rules
A global coalition of CISOs from firms like AWS and Mastercard are calling on G7 and OECD leaders to align cyber regulations. They’re urging unified rules and mutual recognition between countries to ease compliance burdens. The logic? Streamlined standards mean stronger, faster security responses and less bureaucratic gridlock. (Source: SC Media)
9. GitHub Copilot Now Powers JetBrains IDEs
GitHub’s AI coding assistant, Copilot, is now live in JetBrains IDEs like IntelliJ and PyCharm. With “Copilot Edits,” developers can highlight code and get instant AI-powered suggestions—perfect for refactoring, formatting, or expanding functionality. This update brings Copilot’s productivity boost to a wider range of devs beyond VS Code. (Source: GitHub Blog)
10. SEC Says Stablecoins Aren’t Securities (Probably)
The SEC has issued guidance suggesting that fully-backed, dollar-pegged stablecoins won’t be classified as securities. This clarity—though non-binding—gives crypto firms some breathing room and legal footing to keep issuing and operating these digital dollars. It’s a small win in the regulatory maze for blockchain players. (Source: DLA Piper)
11. New SEC Boss Talks Crypto-Friendly Future
Paul Atkins, the new SEC chair, says it’s time to rethink crypto rules. Speaking on a public panel, he advocated for innovation-forward, principle-based frameworks that reflect how digital assets work. His stance could lead to a lighter, smarter touch on crypto regulation—potentially making the U.S. more attractive for blockchain startups.
(Source: PYMNTS)
12. Fintech Funding Bounces Back Strongly
Fintech is hot again. Q1 2025 saw startups raise $10.3 billion globally—the best quarter in years. Highlights include Plaid’s $575M stock sale and Felix’s $75M Series B. It signals renewed investor confidence in digital banking, remittances, and blockchain-powered finance. (Source: TechCrunch)
13. Airvet Gets $11M to Expand Pet Telehealth
Airvet just closed an $11 million funding round to grow its virtual vet services. Offered as a workplace benefit by many employers, Airvet lets pet parents access care conveniently from home. With the pet care market booming, virtual health for pets is clearly having a moment. (Source: Crunchbase News)
14. AI Tackles Toxic Land Cleanup at Remedy Scientific
Remedy Scientific, an Oakland startup, raised $11M to clean up toxic land faster. Its AI platform analyzes polluted soil and speeds up the cleanup of stubborn “forever chemicals.” With thousands of contaminated sites across the U.S., this tech could dramatically cut both costs and timelines. (Source: Crunchbase News)
15. Doctronic Raises $5M for AI Health Assistant
Doctronic is building the “AI Doctor” of the future—and just raised $5 million to do it. Their app offers instant, anonymous health advice and easy follow-up with human doctors for under $40. It’s a smart blend of AI triage and affordable telehealth, part of a growing wave of AI-driven healthcare tools. (Source: Crunchbase News)
That’s the top tech news today. The tech world never sleeps – from AI breakthroughs to space milestones and new regulations, these developments shape our digital future. Stay tuned tomorrow for more updates on the innovations and issues driving the tech world forward.
