The Trump administration’s long-awaited AI action plan is here, and it’s hitting notes likely familiar to watchers of the administration’s AI policy so far: slashes to “onerous regulation,” opposition to “woke AI,” antagonism toward states that regulate AI, and fostering “global AI dominance.”

The administration released the plan this week to follow through on a deadline it set in January, when Trump repealed former President Biden’s AI executive order shortly after his inauguration. The plan encompasses a set of policy guidelines along with three executive orders covering expansion of tech exports to allies, speeding data center construction, and attempting to curb ideological bias in models.

Here are some takeaways:

The tech industry cheered the plan, while safety groups criticized it: Tech executives like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and AMD’s Lisa Su reportedly spoke in support of the plan at an unveiling event in Washington, DC, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Tech industry trade group NetChoice, which counts Amazon, Google, and Meta as members, also welcomed the plan.

“NetChoice applauds the White House’s AI Action Plan overall and is encouraged to see the focus on red tape reduction and investment in America’s future,” Patrick Hedger, NetChoice’s director of policy, said in a statement.

Keep reading here.—PK

The debate over how the US will satisfy energy demand from data centers, EVs, and rising electrification continued this week in a divided Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing.

Republicans and Democrats offered different solutions to the problem, and were split on recent energy permitting executive orders from the Trump administration.

Committee Chairman Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) opened the hearing by claiming that wind and solar power aren’t reliable sources of energy—even when paired with battery storage—and that the US has “spent much of the last 20 years shutting down the generation that can actually meet that demand,” like coal- and natural gas-fired power plants.

“The federal government has been investing heavily in certain green energy technologies for decades, handing out tax credits like candy,” Lee said. “Renewables and storage have a place. They’re capable of helping do their part to make the grid more resilient and reliable, but scalability is an issue.”

Keep reading here.—TC

You may have noticed a new tab appearing alongside the familiar news, images, and shopping options on the Google homepage: AI Mode.

It’s the tech giant’s latest answer to surging search competition from AI apps like ChatGPT and Perplexity, and the next step after the AI Overviews it now inserts atop many results pages. AI Mode taps Google’s Gemini models to offer a more conversational search experience while drawing from content around the web.

Google started testing the feature in March, rolling it out to users nationwide in recent weeks.

Generative AI tools are already reshaping the way people access information on the web. With AI Mode tucked beside the familiar lists of links, it could accelerate these changes. We spoke with Soufi Esmaeilzadeh, director of product management for Google Search, about what this might mean for the future of search.

“Fan out”: Esmaeilzadeh said Google has been encouraged by how AI Overviews have led to more complex and nuanced queries. AI Mode is designed to build on that with an under-the-hood feature called “fan outs” that breaks questions into subtopics for the model to explore.

“It brings forward a comprehensive response that gives users an overview and then enables them to go deeper themselves when they want to go into various websites and dig in further,” Esmaeilzadeh said.

Keep reading here.—PK

Usually, we write about the business of tech. Here, we highlight the *tech* of tech.

A lot going on at the moment: There’s been a good bit of activity in the computers-on-wheels industry of late: Automakers are pausing or outright canceling production of EVs, and one automaker facing sales in freefall is offering discounts and incentives ahead of the expiration of the EV tax credits. What’s that mean for consumers looking to scoop up an EV? Now’s the time to buy.

Put down the phone: Trying to cut back on screen time, but not yet ready to abandon Instagram? Perhaps Opal is worth a try. The New Yorker’s Kyle Chayka detailed how the app helped him limit his smartphone use “through a combination of mild friction, encouragement, and guilt.”

Humanoids, drones, and mobile machines are no longer on the horizon—they’re here, and they’re clocking in to work. Discover how physical AI is reshaping industries, unlocking innovation, and creating serious buzz in boardrooms. Tune in July 29 for a free virtual event full of trends, takeaways, and plenty of bot-worthy insights. Register now.