AI spreads from farms to courts and the Vatican

AI is being woven into everyday industries and institutions, from cow-milking robots and weed-zapping lasers on farms to small-business owners managing fleets of AI agents for finances, email and customers. California’s public universities spent $16.9 million on AI during a financial crisis, with the rollout marked by chaos.

The technology is also creating pressure in courts and politics. Self-represented litigants using AI are flooding dockets with home-brewed lawsuits, while China is applying AI to predictive surveillance aimed at identifying people who could pose political risks. Pope Leo has warned about misuse and overuse of AI in a 42,300-Word encyclical, adding a Vatican voice to a debate dominated by tech companies.

Chipmaking and model competition remain central themes. Nvidia is pursuing AI-capable personal computers, Intel’s chip business shows signs of life after years of struggle, and advanced chip packaging has become a choke point that deepens U.S. reliance on Taiwan. OpenAI and Broadcom unveiled a custom AI chip design tied to 10 gigawatts of electricity consumption, while Chinese company Z.ai is described as nearing Anthropic and OpenAI at lower cost.