Google launches Gemini Nano as Amazon invests $17 billion in France

Key Takeaways

• American Express launched two AI training programs for small businesses on May 6, 2026: the AI Upskilling for Small Business program (with Generation) and Smart Futures for Small Business Scholarships (with Scholarship America, offering up to $1,000 for AI certification).
• Google Chrome downloads a 4GB file (weights.bin) for Gemini Nano without user consent, potentially violating GDPR; users can disable it via chrome://flags.
• Private equity firms Blackstone, KKR, and EQT are in talks with Alphabet to distribute Google's AI models to portfolio companies, following similar deals by Anthropic and OpenAI.
• Amazon plans to invest over $17 billion in France from 2026 to 2028, creating more than 7,000 jobs, with a focus on logistics, cloud, and AI.
• Datadog launched GPU Monitoring in April 2026 to help customers track AI infrastructure health, usage, and cost.
• CGI reported higher Q2 fiscal 2026 sales and earnings, and announced a Microsoft Copilot specialization, an AI Center of Excellence in Portugal, and sovereign AI offerings in Finland.
• Bristol Myers Squibb uses AI to monitor bioreactor conditions during cancer drug production, helping prevent drug shortages.
• ATTOM launched an AI-powered property valuation model with a median error of 2.9%, available via APIs and cloud platforms including Snowflake and Databricks.
• Boise, Idaho paused AI development after a year-long study found job losses and lower wages; the city council will reassess in six months.
• monday.com updated its platform to let non-technical users deploy AI agents for tasks like lead qualification, support ticket closure, and onboarding.

Amex launches AI training programs for small businesses

American Express announced two new AI training and scholarship programs for small businesses on May 6, 2026. The AI Upskilling for Small Business program, created with nonprofit Generation, offers free courses in English and Spanish with three training tracks. The Smart Futures for Small Business Scholarships, run by Scholarship America, gives eligible U.S. small business employees up to $1,000 for AI certification programs. The American Express Foundation is providing the scholarship funding.

American Express launches AI training and scholarship programs

American Express announced new AI training and scholarship programs to help small business owners learn about AI technologies. The programs include online courses, workshops, webinars, and one-on-one coaching. A scholarship program will provide financial support for small business owners who want to pursue further education in AI. The company says these programs will help small businesses grow and succeed in the digital economy.

American Express launches AI training for small businesses globally

American Express announced two new AI training and scholarship programs for small businesses on May 6, 2026. The AI Upskilling for Small Business program, created with nonprofit Generation, is open globally and offers courses in English and Spanish. It has three training tracks: AI Generalist, Digital Marketing, and Digital Customer Success. The Smart Futures for Small Business Scholarships, run by Scholarship America, gives eligible U.S. small business employees up to $1,000 for AI certification programs. Jennifer Skyler, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at American Express, said the programs help small businesses move from exploring AI to using it in practical ways.

American Express launches AI training and scholarship programs

American Express announced two new AI training and scholarship programs for small businesses on May 6, 2026. The AI Upskilling for Small Business program, created with nonprofit Generation, offers courses in English and Spanish with three training tracks. The Smart Futures for Small Business Scholarships, run by Scholarship America, gives eligible U.S. small business employees up to $1,000 for AI certification programs. Jennifer Skyler, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at American Express, said the programs help small businesses move from exploring AI to using it in practical ways.

American Express launches AI training and scholarship programs

American Express announced new AI training and scholarship programs for small businesses on May 6, 2026. The programs are designed to help small businesses develop skills and knowledge for the digital economy. They provide access to AI training and education, plus scholarships to help cover the costs of implementing AI solutions. The company says these programs are part of its commitment to supporting small businesses.

Chrome downloads 4GB AI file without asking users researcher says

A computer scientist named Alexander Hanff discovered that Google Chrome downloads a 4GB file called weights.bin without asking users. The file contains data for running Gemini Nano, Google's on-device AI model. Chrome does not prompt users before downloading the file, and deleting it causes Chrome to download it again. Hanff says this may violate European privacy laws like GDPR and could have a large environmental cost. Google has not commented on the issue.

Google Chrome may have installed AI model on your device without asking

Google Chrome has been installing a 4GB AI model called Gemini Nano on some devices without asking users. Researcher Alexander Hanff discovered the file named weights.bin in a hidden folder. A Google spokesperson said Gemini Nano only installs on devices that meet hardware requirements and that users can turn it off in Chrome settings. To remove it, users can type chrome://flags into their browser and disable the optimization guide feature. Hanff says this may violate European privacy laws and have environmental impacts.

Datadog launches GPU monitoring for AI infrastructure

Datadog launched a new GPU Monitoring product in April 2026 that gives customers visibility into AI infrastructure health, usage, and cost. The product helps control AI-related spending by tying GPU performance directly to workloads. This launch supports Datadog's AI observability story and could help the company deepen its role with AI customers. However, investors should consider the company's high valuation and risks around pricing pressure and customer cost optimization.

CGI focuses on secure AI and cloud workloads

CGI reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 results with higher sales and earnings and announced a quarterly dividend of CAD$0.17 per share. The company unveiled several AI-focused initiatives including a Microsoft Copilot specialization, a new AI Center of Excellence in Portugal, and sovereign AI offerings in Finland. These moves show CGI's push to deepen its role in secure, regulated AI and cloud workloads for public-sector and large enterprise clients. The Microsoft Copilot specialization fits with CGI's focus on large enterprises already using Microsoft 365.

Google in talks with Blackstone and KKR to distribute AI models

Private equity firms Blackstone, KKR, and EQT are in talks with Alphabet to get access to Google's AI models for their portfolio companies. The discussions follow the creation of two separate companies set up by Anthropic and OpenAI with several PE firms. These companies will employ technical consultants to help integrate AI into the PE firms' portfolio companies.

Bristol Myers Squibb uses AI to make cancer drugs

At a Bristol Myers Squibb facility in Devens, Massachusetts, scientists use AI to monitor the production of cancer drugs. The AI carefully tracks variables like temperature and oxygen levels in bioreactors where living cells grow to produce proteins. Tiny changes in these conditions can stop cell growth and cause drug shortages. The AI alerts technicians if there are problems, helping prevent issues during the fragile production process.

Amazon plans over 17 billion dollar investment in France

Amazon plans to invest more than $17 billion in France between 2026 and 2028, its largest investment in the country to date. The investment will cover new logistics centers, supply chain improvements, and cloud and AI capabilities. Amazon says it will create more than 7,000 permanent jobs, starting with three distribution centers opening in 2026. The company will use AI to decide where to stock products for faster deliveries and lower prices. Amazon has invested more than $35 billion in France since 2010.

UC investment office uses AI agents for financial analysis

The University of California's investment office is using AI agents to speed up financial analysis. Investment chief Jagdeep Singh Bachher believes the technology will fundamentally change how institutional investors and companies operate. The move is part of a broader bet that AI will reshape the investment industry.

ATTOM launches AI-powered property valuation tool

Property data provider ATTOM announced a new AI-powered automated valuation model (AVM) on May 5, 2026. The tool analyzes relationships between property features, historical pricing, and local trends to create property values even in areas with little data. In testing, the model had a median error of 2.9% and over 80% of valuations were within 10% of the actual sale price. The new AVM is available through APIs, bulk delivery, and cloud platforms like Snowflake and Databricks.

Boise Idaho pauses AI development to study its impact

The city of Boise, Idaho has voted to pause the development of artificial intelligence after a year-long study on its effects. The study found that while AI has brought benefits like increased efficiency, it has also led to job losses and lower wages for some workers. Mayor Lauren McLean said the pause is temporary and allows for further study and discussion. The city council will reassess the situation in six months. Boise will work with local businesses to develop strategies for managing AI's negative effects.

monday.com lets teams deploy AI agents without coding

monday.com announced a major platform update that lets team members configure and deploy AI agents without any technical background. The AI agents can draft campaigns, qualify leads, close support tickets, onboard new hires, and process purchase requests. The agents work alongside humans using live data from across the business. Co-founder Roy Mann said the platform is now a place where people and agents work side by side. The company says this helps close the gap between AI investment and real-world impact.

Sources

• Amex Debuts AI Training Programs for Small Businesses
• American Express Launches New AI Training and Scholarship Programs for Small Businesses
• American Express Launches AI Training for Small Businesses
• American Express Launches New AI Training and Scholarship Programs for Small Businesses
• American Express Launches New AI Training and Scholarship Programs for Small Businesses
• Chrome Downloads A 4GB AI File Without User Consent, Researcher Alleges
• Google Chrome Might Have Installed an AI Model Onto Your Device Without You Knowing
• Is Datadog’s (DDOG) GPU Monitoring Launch Quietly Reframing Its AI Observability Investment Narrative?
• Is CGI (TSX:GIB.A) Quietly Repositioning Its Core Moat Around Secure AI And Cloud Workloads?
• Google in Talks With Blackstone, KKR to Distribute AI Models
• American Factories Lag in Adopting A.I. This Drugmaker Is an Exception.
• Amazon plans $17B-plus investment in France logistics centers, AI
• UC’s passive-only endowment outperforms as CIO bets AI agents might replace complex strategies
• ATTOM Unveils AI-Powered AVM
• Pause AI Boise pushes to stop advancement of artificial intelligence
• monday.com lets teams deploy AI agents without coding in workflows