Google Waymo Launches New Cities Alongside Trump Also's AI Framework

Wall Street experienced a significant downturn on Friday, with main stock averages dropping to their lowest points of the day. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell by 1.74%, closing at 23,182.85 points, and the S&P 500 also saw declines. This pressure on the artificial intelligence sector was largely attributed to concerns surrounding Broadcom (AVGO), which led the overall market decline. Meanwhile, the regulatory landscape for AI is seeing considerable activity. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul reportedly weakened Assemblyman Alex Bores's AI safety bill, the RAISE Act, due to pressure from Big Tech. The original bill's strict safety protocols, 72-hour incident reporting, and a ban on new AI models with "unreasonable risk" were altered, extending reporting to 15 days and removing the ban. An AI industry PAC, Leading the Future, launched an intimidation campaign against Bores, though he notes strong public support for reasonable AI regulations. On a federal level, Trump also signed an executive order to create a framework aimed at simplifying AI regulations across states. In terms of AI applications and investment, Waymo, owned by Alphabet (google), is rapidly expanding its fully autonomous operations, planning to launch in five new US cities by early 2026, bringing its total to 10. This includes new services in Miami, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando, alongside existing operations in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, and Atlanta. Waymo also aims for international expansion in London and Tokyo. Honda Motor Co. is set to release hybrid and electric vehicles with AI-powered self-driving technology in Japan by fiscal 2027, partnering with Helm.ai for a camera-based system that avoids expensive 3D maps. Rivian also showcased its AI and autonomy plans, unveiling a proprietary RAP1 chip, advanced software, and a new AI assistant, with updates to its hands-free driving system expected this month. The broader AI investment landscape suggests significant growth, particularly in the application layer of AI-powered end-user products. Currently, 45% of US companies use paid AI subscriptions, up from 25% this year, with early adopters seeing $3.70 returns for every $1 invested. The rapid growth of AI is also driving increased US electricity demand, with data centers potentially consuming 9% of total US electricity by 2035. This trend makes the power and resources sector attractive for investors, with global grid investment projected to reach $500 billion in 2026. In other developments, Luvvoice AI, a voice generator, offers text-to-speech and voice cloning, though its emotional expression can sound unnatural. Infinum, a tech consultancy, highlighted at Shift 2025 how combining AI with accessibility can create substantial business value, noting that 16% of the global population lives with a disability, emphasizing the importance of inclusive digital solutions.

Key Takeaways

  • Wall Street's main stock averages, including the Nasdaq Composite (down 1.74%) and S&P 500, dropped due to selling pressure in the AI sector, primarily driven by concerns about Broadcom.
  • New York Governor Kathy Hochul weakened the RAISE Act, an AI safety bill, by removing a ban on "unreasonable risk" AI models and extending incident reporting from 72 hours to 15 days.
  • An AI industry PAC, Leading the Future, launched an intimidation campaign against New York Assemblyman Alex Bores following the weakening of his AI safety bill.
  • President Trump also signed an executive order to establish a federal AI framework, aiming to streamline regulations across states.
  • Waymo, owned by Alphabet (google), is expanding fully autonomous operations to 10 US cities by early 2026 and plans to launch in London and Tokyo.
  • Honda Motor Co. will launch hybrid and electric vehicles with AI-powered self-driving technology in Japan by fiscal 2027, utilizing a camera-based system developed with Helm.ai.
  • Rivian unveiled its proprietary RAP1 chip, an advanced software system, and a new AI assistant, with plans for full autonomy in future vehicles.
  • The application layer of AI is expected to see the fastest growth, with 45% of US companies now using paid AI subscriptions and early adopters seeing $3.70 returns for every $1 invested.
  • Rapid AI growth is projected to increase US electricity demand, with data centers potentially using 9% of total US electricity by 2035.
  • Global grid investment is projected to reach $500 billion in 2026, making the power and resources sector attractive for investors due to increasing AI-driven electricity demand.

Wall Street falls as AI stocks face pressure

On Friday, Wall Street's main stock averages dropped to their lowest points of the day. This happened because the artificial intelligence sector faced strong selling pressure. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell by 1.74%, closing at 23,182.85 points. The S&P 500 also saw declines.

AI stock pressure causes Wall Street to drop

On Friday, Wall Street's main stock averages dropped to their lowest points of the day. This happened because the artificial intelligence sector faced strong selling pressure. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell by 1.74%, closing at 23,182.85 points. The S&P 500 also saw declines.

Broadcom concerns hit Nasdaq and AI stocks

Wall Street's main stock averages closed lower on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq ending the week down. The artificial intelligence sector faced pressure, mainly due to concerns about Broadcom (AVGO). Broadcom's performance led the overall decline in the market.

New York AI safety bill weakened by Governor Hochul

New York State Assemblyman Alex Bores claims Governor Kathy Hochul rewrote his AI safety bill, the RAISE Act, due to pressure from Big Tech. The original bill required strict safety protocols, 72-hour incident reporting, and banned new AI models with "unreasonable risk." Hochul's changes removed the ban, extended reporting to 15 days, and weakened penalties. Senator Andrew Gounardes also criticized the changes, while some experts like TechNYC's Julie Samuels support aligning with California's standards. President Trump also signed an executive order to create a federal AI framework, aiming to simplify regulations across states.

AI industry PAC targets New York lawmaker Bores

An AI industry PAC called Leading the Future launched an intimidation campaign against New York State Assemblyman Alex Bores. This happened after Governor Kathy Hochul reportedly weakened Bores' AI safety bill, the RAISE Act. The PAC's ad claimed the bill would harm innovation and jobs in New York. Bores believes the campaign aims to pressure Governor Hochul, who faces reelection in 2026. Despite the ads, Bores says 84% of New Yorkers and 80% of Americans support reasonable AI regulations.

Luvvoice AI voice generator review 2025

This 2025 review tests Luvvoice AI, an AI voice generator specializing in text-to-speech and voice cloning. The platform offers a library of AI voices and can create digital copies from user voice samples. While Luvvoice performs well for clear narration, its emotional expression often sounds unnatural or exaggerated. Voice cloning creates a recognizable but artificial voice, needing more data for a perfect digital twin. The web interface is easy to use, but it lacks direct integration with video or audio editing software, requiring manual file imports.

Investing in AI and power for future growth

This investment framework suggests investing across three AI layers: enabling, intelligence, and application. The application layer, which includes AI-powered end-user products, is expected to see the fastest growth as AI moves from testing to widespread use. Currently, 45% of US companies use paid AI subscriptions, up from 25% this year. Early AI adopters are seeing $3.70 returns for every $1 invested. Additionally, rapid AI growth is increasing US electricity demand, with data centers potentially using 9% of total US electricity by 2035. Global grid investment is projected to reach $500 billion in 2026, making the power and resources sector attractive for investors.

Waymo expands self-driving cars to 10 US cities

Waymo, owned by Alphabet, will launch fully autonomous operations in five new US cities, bringing its total to 10 by early 2026. Rider-only service began in Miami on December 12, with Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando following soon. This expansion builds on existing services in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, and Atlanta. Waymo plans to launch in London and Tokyo in the coming months. The company attributes its rapid growth to a "generalizable Driver" AI and a strong operational plan, claiming its autonomous vehicles have 11 times fewer serious injury collisions than human drivers.

Honda to launch AI self-driving hybrids and EVs in 2027

Honda Motor Co. plans to release hybrid and electric vehicles with AI-powered self-driving technology in Japan by fiscal 2027. Honda partnered with US startup Helm.ai, in which it invested, to develop this system. The technology uses on-board cameras to assess surroundings and does not need expensive 3D maps, helping reduce costs. While drivers must still supervise, the AI handles steering and acceleration. This move aims to boost autonomous driving adoption in Japan, especially by including hybrids, which made up over 60% of new car sales in 2024.

Rivian unveils AI and autonomy plans

Rivian impressed Wall Street with its first "Autonomy and AI Day" in Palo Alto, California. The electric vehicle maker announced a proprietary chip called RAP1, an advanced software system, and a new AI assistant. Rivian plans to update its hands-free driving system this month and aims for full autonomy in future vehicles. Analysts like Needham raised price targets, seeing potential for licensing deals and future software revenue. However, challenges like low EV demand and capital concerns still remain for Rivian.

Infinum highlights AI and accessibility at Shift 2025

At Shift 2025, Infinum showcased how combining accessibility and AI can create real business value in digital products. Infinum's Accessibility Lead, `ekerija, emphasized that accessible products reach a larger market, as 16% of the global population lives with a disability. Infinum's AI expert, Akmad~a, demonstrated how these technologies provide tangible value. Infinum, a tech consultancy founded in 2005, works with global brands to deliver innovative digital solutions across various industries. The company aims to create experiences everyone can use and enjoy.

Sources

NOTE:

This news brief was generated using AI technology (including, but not limited to, Google Gemini API, Llama, Grok, and Mistral) from aggregated news articles, with minimal to no human editing/review. It is provided for informational purposes only and may contain inaccuracies or biases. This is not financial, investment, or professional advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please verify all information with the linked original articles in the Sources section below.

AI Stocks Wall Street Stock Market Nasdaq S&P 500 Broadcom Investment Market Trends AI Regulation AI Safety Legislation New York State Governor Kathy Hochul Alex Bores RAISE Act Big Tech Lobbying Political Pressure Federal AI Framework AI Voice Generator Text-to-Speech Voice Cloning AI Tools Product Review AI Investment Market Growth Electricity Demand Data Centers Power Sector Investment Strategy AI Applications Autonomous Vehicles Self-Driving Technology Waymo AI in Automotive Expansion Safety Honda Electric Vehicles Hybrid Vehicles Helm.ai Cost Reduction AI Chips AI Assistant Rivian Software Accessibility Digital Products Business Value Tech Consultancy User Experience Disability Inclusion

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