Axios

The State Department is granting $25 million to the Costa Rican government to help with recovery from a series of brutal ransomware attacks last year, according to a senior administration official.

Why it matters: The new funding sets a precedent that the Biden administration will send aide to allies when faced with cyberattacks from foreign adversaries.

Dozens of scientists, experts and tech leaders, including Twitter and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, recently signed a letter calling on labs generating artificial intelligence (AI) to slow down production so potential risks can be studied —and researched.

Why it matters: AI programs like ChatGPT and GPT-4 have come a long way in capturing public interest, but they still have trouble convincing tech's biggest leaders that society is ready for them.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), chair of the House China select committee, told Axios that Beijing views artificial intelligence as an "instrument or weapon with which to perfect its Orwellian techno-totalitarian surveillance state."

Why it matters: The speed of recent developments in AI has caused alarm among some policymakers and tech leaders. Gallagher said his "primary concern" is that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will use the technology to "perfect" and "export" its authoritarian model beyond its borders.

Twitter's ship has not capsized as many feared it might when Elon Musk took its helm five months ago. Instead, it has wandered off course, sprung leaks, and cast much of its crew adrift — driving many passengers to the life rafts.

Driving the news: In a recent stock-option offering to employees, Musk reportedly valued the company at $20 billion — less than half the full $44 billion price tag for his acquisition.

The first commercially available human-shaped robots designed for warehouse work were unveiled last week by a company called Agility Robotics, for delivery in 2025.

Details: Digit, which is built to work alongside humans, can lift and move plastic bins in a warehouse or distribution center.

A shortage of truck drivers and skilled machine operators is inspiring the development of autonomous vehicles for use in construction, farming, heavy industry and even freight rail.

Why it matters: Off-road autonomy is every bit as revolutionary as self-driving cars, helping to reduce costs and improve productivity for a variety of industries.

Arkansas officials filed lawsuits against Meta and TikTok under the state's Deceptive Trade Practices Act on Tuesday in a move they said was designed to protect children.

The big picture: The two lawsuits against TikTok and parent company ByteDance and a third against Meta come at a time of heightened scrutiny from state and federal lawmakers.

Manchester United will face off against Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham AFC in a friendly soccer match in San Diego, California, on July 25.

The big picture: The game at San Diego State University will be part of Wrexham's first-ever U.S. tour, kicking off in Cary, North Carolina. The Welsh soccer club, one of the oldest in the world, found new fame when actors Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought the team in 2020.

Apple CEO Tim Cook for the first time since the pandemic traveled to China this weekend, where he touted the company's strong relationship with the country at a business conference organized by the Chinese government.

Why it matters: Cook’s trip, which came just days after a bipartisan group of lawmakers grilled TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew on Capitol Hill, demonstrates the thin line tech executives must straddle between currying favor with their home countries and the foreign markets they rely on.

Microsoft is enlisting ChatGPT to join the front lines of the security world.

Driving the news: The tech giant unveiled its first generative AI cybersecurity tool today during the virtual Microsoft Secure event.

Researchers have identified a new state-backed hacking group in North Korea: APT43.

Driving the news: Mandiant, a threat intelligence firm owned by Google, said in a report today that APT43 has been engaging in espionage campaigns to support the North Korean regime.

Alibaba, the Chinese tech giant with a $228 billion market cap, said it will split into six businesses that will be able to pursue independent fundraising and IPOs.

Why it matters: This is Big Tech breaking itself up amid increased regulation and competition.

As some states try to regulate children's social media use and TikTok emerges as a geopolitical chew toy, a new clearinghouse has emerged for mediating between tech companies and those concerned about their products' impact on kids: the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Why it matters: Young people live their lives on social media, and it's not going away — so parents and pediatricians need to learn to recognize when it becomes a problem, says pediatrician Michael Rich, the lab's founder.

Twitter CEO Elon Musk announced Monday evening that only tweets by verified users will show up in the platform's default main feed of "For You" recommendations starting April 15.

Driving the news: Musk tweeted that the move "is the only realistic way to address advanced AI bot swarms taking over and that voting in polls "will require verification for same reason."