WSJ Tech News Briefing

The tech revolution drove Pope Leo XIV's decision to select his papal name, and gave the world a glimpse of his priorities leading the Catholic Church. WSJ reporter Margherita Stancati discusses the long-running dialogue between Silicon Valley and the Vatican. Plus, Oracle is lending a hand to small tech companies that want to do business with the U.S. government. WSJ CIO reporter Belle Lin brings us the exclusive details of a new program, and what's in it for the multinational tech giant. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: More than $90 million is drained from Iran's biggest crypto exchange. And, Texas Instruments to invest $60 billion in made-in-America production. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senators gave the go ahead to legislation called the Genius Act, which seeks to regulate the stablecoin industry. But some say the new rules don't go far enough. WSJ Heard on the Street columnist Telis Demos explains what it all means. Plus, the conflict between Israel and Iran could spread beyond the physical battlefield. We hear from WSJ reporter James Rundle about growing cybersecurity concerns. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Robinhood unveils new features to woo traders. And Oracle unveils initiative to help small tech companies sell to the Pentagon. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump Organization took the wraps off a golden smartphone it says will be made in the U.S. and sell for just under $500. WSJ deputy tech and media editor Wilson Rothman walks us through the promised specs and why it isn't possible to make it in America by August. Plus, Gulf states are spending billions of dollars to develop their own artificial-intelligence industries. WSJ Heard on the Street columnist Asa Fitch explains why U.S. companies benefitting from the windfall should be wary. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Southwest Airlines adds pilot alerts to increase runway safety. And, crypto tycoon Justin Sun takes Tron Group public via reverse merger. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since 2021, more than $2-billion of venture capital funds have been plowed into next-gen nuclear technology. WSJ tech and national security reporter Heather Somerville explains how AI growth, competition with China, and President Trump's desire to dominate the field are ushering in a new era of American nuclear power. Plus, we all need a shoulder to cry on or an empathetic ear once in a while. What if that reassurance came from a digital companion? WSJ family and tech columnist Julie Jargon talks to NYC seniors about whether such conversations are helpful.  Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Congress weighs crackdown on mortgage lenders' spam calls. And, Brookfield strikes deal to buy internet-service provider Hotwire. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

X launched a strong-arm campaign against advertisers to revive its ad-sales business. WSJ advertising editor Suzanne Vranica tells us about the unusual tactic. Plus, the "unsubscribe" button at the bottom of marketing emails may be an easy way to opt out. But writer Heidi Mitchell will tell you why you shouldn't be so quick to click. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: BioNTech to buy CureVac to develop cancer treatments. And JetZero says it will start building its futuristic planes for commercial use. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two-year old French startup Mistral wants to show that European AI can compete with American and Chinese companies that dominate the industry. WSJ tech reporter Sam Schechner reports from the Viva Technology conference in Paris. Plus, the United Nations estimates half of all people on Earth experience severe water scarcity at least one month of the year. WSJ tech columnist Christopher Mims tells us about a 1960s-era technology that might hold a key to easing that problem. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: China puts limits on rare-earths export licenses. And Switch 2 becomes Nintendo's fastest-selling console. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Criminals are exploiting the trust that young iPhone users have in the device's built-in message platform to make relentless demands for money. WSJ family and tech columnist Julie Jargon reports on the tragic results of those scams, and what parents need to know. Plus: Artificial intelligence companies have been the leading backers of technologies like solar energy and battery storage. Now, WSJ tech and crypto reporter Amrith Ramkumar reports those firms are trying to convince Congress to leave their clean-energy tax credits alone. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Uber and Wayve announce self-driving car trials on London's public roads. And, U.S. agencies tracked Elon Musk's foreign visitors. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple hyped its latest software updates at day one of its Worldwide Developers Conference in California. But WSJ personal tech columnist Nicole Nguyen says the announcements didn't quite deliver on lofty expectations for AI upgrades. Plus, phishing scams are nothing new, but packaging them up as a subscription-based DIY hacking kit is. WSJ cybersecurity reporter Angus Loten tells us why it's now a lucrative business. Victoria Craig hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Warner Bros. Discovery splits into two companies, separating HBO Max from its cable channels. And Qualcomm reaches a $2.4 billion deal for UK-listed Alphawave IP. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Worries about tariffs, legal battles, and the future of artificial intelligence have weighed on Apple's stock price so far this year. WSJ Heard of the Street columnist Dan Gallagher explains what investors are looking for this week from the tech giant's developers conference. Plus: WSJ commodities reporter Ryan Dezember takes us to America's South to find out why the sheen is coming off the promise of solar energy. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: President Trump plans to extend the TikTok deadline for a third time as he puts China trade talks back on the books. And the Winklevoss twins crypto exchange, Gemini, files to go public. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The passive relationship between humans and technology is moving into a new, more personalized era. WSJ Pro's enterprise technology bureau chief, Steven Rosenbush, explains the more “Cheers”-like approach to human-machine interaction. Plus, a conversation between WSJ reporter Keach Hagey and OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap at the WSJ Future of Everything event. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Senate Republicans try to shield NASA programs slated for funding cuts. And Circle shares pop post-IPO. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google's driverless unit, Waymo, recently hit 10 million rides. WSJ Science of Success columnist Ben Cohen says this marks a critical inflection point for robotaxis as they go from novel to normal. Plus, from the WSJ's Future of Everything event stage, the CEO of Match Group explains how he hopes to respark younger generations' love with dating apps. Julie Chang hosts. Further listening: Could Amazon's Zoox Beat Tesla and Waymo in the Robotaxi Race? Driverless: Waymo and the Robotaxi Race—Waymo Takes the Lead Driverless: Waymo and the Robotaxi Race—Under the Hood Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, Meta courts Disney, A24 and other Hollywood studios for exclusive content to be featured on its upcoming VR headset. And cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike says it's cooperating with federal authorities over last year's outage that delayed thousands of flights. Julie Chang hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The secret to unlocking your deepest desires and professional abilities might not lie exclusively in deep thinking and considered contemplation. WSJ reporter Angel Au-Yeung writes that in California's Bay Area - home to Silicon Valley - more professionals are turning to psychedelics to aid in that process. Plus: WSJ tech columnist Christopher Mims explores the wild world of tech development and whether a trade war really can slow Chinese innovation. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: TSMC sees limited impact of Trump's tariffs. And, Victoria's Secret delays earnings release due to an information-security incident. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The CEO of General Motors says the automaker remains committed to an all-electric-vehicle future. That's despite the company lobbying Congress to repeal California's emissions rules and backpedaling on plans to build out an EV motor plant. Mary Barra spoke at the WSJ's Future of Everything event last week. Plus, even non-coders can make apps thanks to generative artificial intelligence tools. We'll tell you more about “vibe coding” with writer Jasmine Sun. Julie Chang hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, Germany's antitrust regulator flags Amazon's pricing mechanism. And the fight for AI agent customers heats up as cloud-based data-warehousing company Snowflake agrees to buy database startup Crunchy Data. Julie Chang hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's tech billionaire Elon Musk's first official week following his stint in the Trump administration. WSJ columnist Tim Higgins and WSJ reporter Becky Peterson assess the record of the Department of Government Efficiency that Musk created and look ahead to the challenges he faces as he returns focus to his companies, including Tesla and SpaceX. Victoria Craig hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Chinese tech stocks falter on pessimism over U.S.-China trade progress. And Ray-Ban maker pushes into medical AI with Optegra deal. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jobs that allow employees to work from home have allowed for more flexibility. But in the quest to achieve a better work-life balance, we've helped open the door for hackers looking to capitalize on America's workforce. Bob McMillan covers computer security, hackers, and privacy for the Wall Street Journal. He joins host Victoria Craig to discuss how laptop farms have allowed North Korean scammers to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars to the sanctioned country. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Meta teams up with former VR chief for high-tech military headsets. And United Airlines CEO encourages travelers to book flights at Newark. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artificial intelligence that listens and summarizes your conversations can be deployed during doctor's appointments. But WSJ contributor Laura Landro explains why some experts say it's only the beginning of how it can be used across medicine. Plus: Tens of millions of Americans lack access to broadband Internet connectivity. WSJ reporter Patience Haggin tells us that's pushing some states to consider subsidies for satellites over fiber cables to get more people online faster. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: GM's CEO Mary Barra still sees an all-EV future. And Telegram looks to raise $1.5 million in a new bond offering. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TuSimple shared with Beijing data on its best-in-class autonomous driving system. WSJ reporter Heather Somerville explains how it became an example of Washington's shortcomings in keeping critical technology in the U.S. Plus: Rental-data company RealPage is clashing with state and local governments over its algorithmic pricing systems for apartments. WSJ reporter Rebecca Picciotto tells us why the GOP tax bill could provide relief for the company. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Tesla's EU sales halved in April. And President Trump's media company plans to raise $2.5 billion to buy bitcoin. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says we're in the era of “sovereign AI.” We explain what that means and what it tells us about Nvidia's future, with WSJ Heard on the Street columnist Dan Gallagher. Plus, the next generation of robots may not be humanoid, but rather, inspired by animals such as turtles and worms. WSJ enterprise tech reporter Isabelle Bousquette visited an MIT lab rethinking robot design. Julie Chang hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, Apple CEO Tim Cook calls on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to stop an online child-safety bill. And the U.S. Senate votes to end California's EV mandate. Julie Chang hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Austin, Texas became a tech-hub darling about five years ago. But WSJ CIO Journal reporter Isabelle Bousquette reports on exclusive data that show the city is losing talent now to their coastal counterparts San Francisco and New York. Then, sifting through streaming platforms can be an overwhelming experience for viewers. But bundles and tiered subscription offerings have helped the entertainment companies turn a profit. WSJ media reporter Isabella Simonetti has those details. Victoria Craig hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Strava reaches $2.2-billion valuation. And Hinge Health makes its NYSE debut. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you find out that sensitive personal information is being bought and sold on the dark web, what should you do? WSJ personal tech columnist Nicole Nguyen explains how to know it's happened and what you can do to protect yourself afterward.Then, OpenAI's co-founder Sam Altman is joining forces with Apple's chief architect of the iPhone to create what they hope will take artificial intelligence off screens and into the next generation of tech devices. WSJ reporter Keach Hagey has the details. Victoria Craig hosts.  Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: An outage on the Bloomberg terminal that disrupted some government-bond trading has been resolved. And, a planned OpenAI data center gets a fresh injection of funding. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google rolls out a new real-time translation service for its Meets video platform. WSJ personal tech columnist Nicole Nguyen tries it out and tells us how accurate it is. Then, we chat with WSJ European economics reporter Tom Fairless about why American dominance in the global tech industry is a problem for European prosperity.  Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Tesla's CFO is the highest paid in modern recordkeeping. Meanwhile, Honda plans to scale back its electric-vehicle investment. And Google unveils new “AI Mode” search to take on AI chatbots. Victoria Craig hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices