Thomas Ricker

US-based miner MP Materials and Saudi Arabia’s Maaden have taken the first step in developing an alternative supply chain for the production of rare-earth magnets — 90 percent of which come from China, which restricted their export in response to Trump’s tariffs. That’s a problem because those magnets are needed for the advanced motors found in everything from EVs, to robots, missiles, spacecraft, drones, and steering wheels.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s recent embrace of the infamously transactional US president has already secured a Huawei AI chip clampdown and a reversal of limits placed on Nvidia’s AI chip exports. Now, according to Reuters, The UAE could be allowed to import 500,000 of Nvidia’s most advanced AI chips per year starting in 2025. It’s all part of a US deal to build a massive artificial intelligence campus in the UAE — measuring 10 square miles with 5 gigawatts of power for AI data centers — something that wouldn’t have been allowed previously over concerns that China would gain access to the tech.

Tesla’s Optimus robot has been plagued by fakery since it launched with a dancer in a suit followed by remote manipulation at the cybercab event. So what is this? Generative AI? A man behind the curtain in a mocap suit?

The $249 46-mm running watch has a bright 1.32-inch OLED display and weighs just 36g. It offers up to 12 days of battery life — or up to 20 hours of always-on dual-band GPS tracking — and 34 modes to track everything from a short recovery run, training session, or marathon. It’s the latest option for athletes worried about Garmin’s shift to subscriptions.

After yesterday’s leak, Sony has announced a date for what’s certainly the successor to its flagship WH-1000XM5 noise cancelling headphones. That’s noon ET on May 15th for those of you who don’t speak Australian.