Meta Spends Record $4.6 Million Lobbying California on AI Policy in 2025

• A new US science and technology council has been established including leaders from Meta, Nvidia, Oracle, Google, and AMD to guide national AI strategy and policy. • The council will shape policy in response to global competition, particularly with China, while prioritizing innovation acceleration and reducing regulatory barriers. • This government-industry alignment reflects the administration's emphasis on AI competitiveness and signals closer integration between policymaking and tech sector interests.

• A judge dismissed X's lawsuit against an advertising boycott, labeling it a 'fishing expedition,' marking a significant legal setback for Musk's platform. • The ruling highlights ongoing complexities surrounding free speech protections, corporate accountability, and advertiser rights in the digital platform economy. • The decision underscores judicial skepticism toward X's legal strategy and may embolden further advertiser actions against the platform.

• UBS announced on March 27, 2026, that its US subsidiary, UBS Bank USA, was approved by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a national bank charter. • This approval expands UBS's US banking operations amid fintech sector growth. • The move positions UBS to compete more directly in the US digital banking landscape.

• Stryker, a major US medical device manufacturer, suffered a cyberattack causing widespread business disruption, reported on March 27, 2026. • The company stated operations are steadily improving toward full capacity after the incident. • This incident highlights ongoing cybersecurity vulnerabilities in US healthcare tech supply chains.

• Shield AI, a San Diego-based defense tech firm, raised new funding that more than doubled its valuation to $12.7 billion on March 27, 2026. • The company projects revenue exceeding $540 million this year, driven by its Hivemind autonomy software used in drones and fighter-jet programs. • This funding underscores growing investor confidence in AI-powered military autonomy amid rising defense tech demand in the US.

• Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed eight of nine AI-related bills passed by the legislature this year, advancing state-level AI governance. • Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed four of five AI bills post March 12 adjournment, including measures on AI safety and implementation. • These laws address AI in advertising, children's safety, and administrative use, signaling growing state regulation of AI technologies.

• U.S. District Judge Rita Lin ruled in favor of AI firm Anthropic, temporarily blocking the Pentagon from branding it a supply chain risk after failed defense contract talks. • The ruling also halts President Trump's directive for federal agencies to stop using Anthropic's Claude AI, following a hearing on March 24 in San Francisco federal court. • Judge Lin criticized the measures as punitive rather than protective, noting the government could simply cease using Claude without broader actions.

• Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms are collectively projected to spend approximately $630 billion on data centers and AI chips in 2026 alone, representing massive capital commitments to AI infrastructure. • Industry analysts suggest this $630 billion splurge may still prove insufficient to meet the surging computational demands for artificial intelligence development and deployment. • The investment reflects intensifying competition among tech giants to secure AI capabilities and infrastructure advantages in an increasingly AI-dependent market.

• The U.S. has implemented a ban on consumer routers manufactured outside the country, marking a significant shift in domestic technology supply chain policy. • The move reflects broader efforts to strengthen U.S. technological independence and reduce reliance on foreign-manufactured networking hardware. • This regulatory action represents part of a wider trend toward reshoring critical technology infrastructure and supply chain resilience.

• A Los Angeles jury on Wednesday found Meta and Google liable in a case involving a young woman's depression linked to social media platform use, challenging existing legal protections for tech companies. • The verdict represents a significant legal development challenging Section 230 liability shields that have historically protected technology companies from user-generated content lawsuits. • This ruling potentially opens the door to broader litigation against social media platforms regarding mental health impacts, marking a notable shift in tech industry legal liability exposure.

• Taiwan-based DRAM chipmaker Nanya Technology secured NT$78.72 billion (US$2.47 billion) through private share placements from SK Hynix subsidiary Solidigm, Japan's Kioxia, and U.S. companies Cisco Systems and SanDisk Technologies. • Following the investment, SK Hynix will hold a 2 percent stake, Kioxia 2 percent, SanDisk 4 percent, and Cisco 2 percent in Nanya Technology, positioning the company strategically amid the AI boom. • The capital will be directed toward investing in advanced memory manufacturing facilities and production equipment, strengthening Nanya's competitive position in the high-demand semiconductor market.