xAI is a problem for SpaceX's IPO

US Cloud Act collides with EU tech sovereignty push

Europe’s push for technological sovereignty just stepped up, with the European Commission proposing a new law that would probably shut US Big Tech firms out of the lucrative public sector cloud market, thanks to US surveillance law. Cloud Act, meet the Cloud and AI Development Act. Tech Gets Real is a show about staying in control in a time of rapid technological change, presented from a European perspective. I'm veteran tech journalist David Meyer, and I've been covering topics like online privacy and freedom for two decades. If you like this, please hit like and subscribe, and share it with others who might find it useful. REFERENCES: European Commission press release on Tech Sovereignty Package https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_1187 [https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_1187] Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA) https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/proposal-cloud-and-ai-development-act-cada [https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/proposal-cloud-and-ai-development-act-cada] My ISMG article on the Tech Sovereignty Package recently being delayed https://www.govinfosecurity.com/europe-again-delays-digital-sovereignty-push-a-31760 [https://www.govinfosecurity.com/europe-again-delays-digital-sovereignty-push-a-31760] The EFF on the US Cloud Act https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/02/cloud-act-dangerous-expansion-police-snooping-cross-border-data [https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/02/cloud-act-dangerous-expansion-police-snooping-cross-border-data] CCIA Europe on Cloud and AI Development Act https://ccianet.org/news/2026/06/discriminatory-eu-cloud-and-ai-development-act-risks-severe-market-fragmentation/ [https://ccianet.org/news/2026/06/discriminatory-eu-cloud-and-ai-development-act-risks-severe-market-fragmentation/]

Temu's €200M safety fine is a bit geopolitical

Europe has fined Temu for selling illegally dangerous stuff on its platform. This is a reminder that the Digital Services Act isn’t all about online speech, nor is it all about punishing US companies. But that doesn’t mean this €200 million DSA fine isn’t geopolitical – after all, the EU has big problems with China too these days. Tech Gets Real is a show about staying in control in a time of rapid technological change. I'm veteran tech journalist David Meyer, and I've been covering topics like online privacy and freedom for two decades. If you like this, please hit like and subscribe, and share it with others who might find it useful. REFERENCES: European Commission statement on Temu fine https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_1178 [https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_1178] Tech Policy Press on the Trump administration’s X fine reaction https://www.techpolicy.press/trump-administration-locks-arms-with-musks-x-against-eu-tech-enforcement/ [https://www.techpolicy.press/trump-administration-locks-arms-with-musks-x-against-eu-tech-enforcement/] Industrial Accelerator Act legislative timetable https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-a-new-plan-for-europe-s-sustainable-prosperity-and-competitiveness/file-industrial-decarbonisation-accelerator-act [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-a-new-plan-for-europe-s-sustainable-prosperity-and-competitiveness/file-industrial-decarbonisation-accelerator-act]

Google's AI search revamp looks cool, but...

Google is overhauling its search experience to expand the role of AI – and make it even less likely that you will look at the list of web links that used to define Google Search. This will further erode investment in the web, and create new opportunities for propagandists. Tech Gets Real is a show about staying in control in a time of rapid technological change. I'm veteran tech journalist David Meyer, and I've been covering topics like online privacy and freedom for two decades. If you like this, please hit like and subscribe, and share it with others who might find it useful. REFERENCES: Google’s blog post on its search overhaul https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/search/search-io-2026/ [https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/search/search-io-2026/] Guardian on Eric Schmidt getting booed https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/18/eric-schmidt-ai-university-commencement-speech-booed [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/18/eric-schmidt-ai-university-commencement-speech-booed]

We've always wanted tech to bring us together

Harvard Kennedy School fellow Krystian Łukasik joins Tech Gets Real to discuss his new project, the Techno-Optimism Archive. It’s a valuable reminder of how new technologies have been hyped since the nineteenth century – and a lot of these claims will sound very familiar to those tracking the hype around AI. Here’s the site: https://technooptimism.org/ [https://technooptimism.org/] Tech Gets Real is a show about staying in control in a time of rapid technological change. I'm veteran tech journalist David Meyer, and I've been covering topics like online privacy and freedom for two decades. If you like this, please hit like and subscribe, and share it with others who might find it useful. REFERENCES: Musk on work being optional https://fortune.com/2026/01/19/when-does-elon-musk-say-work-will-be-optional-and-money-will-be-irrelevant-ai-robotics/ [https://fortune.com/2026/01/19/when-does-elon-musk-say-work-will-be-optional-and-money-will-be-irrelevant-ai-robotics/] Pessimists Archive https://pessimistsarchive.org/ [https://pessimistsarchive.org/]

Hacker-friendly AI is changing everything

The latest AI models, which have serious cybersecurity capabilities, are having a rapid impact on policy in the US, where the Trump administration has suddenly realised it’s not a great idea to maintain its hands-off policy to AI development. But in Europe, which lacks early access to models like Anthropic’s Mythos and OpenAI’s GPT-5.5, the situation presents a threat to which the European Commission has no useful answer. Tech Gets Real is a show about staying in control in a time of rapid technological change. I'm veteran tech journalist David Meyer, and I've been covering topics like online privacy and freedom for two decades. If you like this, please hit like and subscribe, and share it with others who might find it useful. REFERENCES: UK AI Security Institute on GPT-5.5 https://www.aisi.gov.uk/blog/our-evaluation-of-openais-gpt-5-5-cyber-capabilities [https://www.aisi.gov.uk/blog/our-evaluation-of-openais-gpt-5-5-cyber-capabilities] My ISMG article on the MEPs’ letter to the Commission https://www.govinfosecurity.com/european-meps-push-for-stronger-post-mythos-cybersecurity-a-31599 [https://www.govinfosecurity.com/european-meps-push-for-stronger-post-mythos-cybersecurity-a-31599] Wednesday’s European Parliament IMCO committee debate https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/webstreaming/committee-on-internal-market-and-consumer-protection-ordinary-meeting_20260506-1430-COMMITTEE-IMCO [https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/webstreaming/committee-on-internal-market-and-consumer-protection-ordinary-meeting_20260506-1430-COMMITTEE-IMCO] CNN on OpenAI wanting to expand GPT-5.5 access https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/29/tech/openai-cybersecurity [https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/29/tech/openai-cybersecurity] New York Times on Trump administration’s change of heart https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/04/technology/trump-ai-models.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/04/technology/trump-ai-models.html] US Center for AI Standards and Innovation announces early access deal with Google, Microsoft and xAI https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2026/05/caisi-signs-agreements-regarding-frontier-ai-national-security-testing [https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2026/05/caisi-signs-agreements-regarding-frontier-ai-national-security-testing]