🔐 Apple’s Privacy Fight, OpenAI-Google Deal, Copilot Flaw Exposed

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🔐 Apple’s Privacy Fight, OpenAI-Google Deal, Copilot Flaw Exposed

Plus: Meta Snags AI Talent; States Battle AI Bill.

Jose Montes de Oca

Jun 12, 2025

Transcript

Good morning. It’s Thursday, June 12. Today we are covering:

WhatsApp backs Apple in its legal row with the UK over user data
Why OpenAI and Google's surprising new alliance makes a lot of AI sense
Microsoft Copilot flaw raises urgent questions for any business deploying AI agents
Meta Hires Top Researchers From Google, Sesame for New AI Lab
A Political Battle Is Brewing Over Data Centers

Let’s dive in

WhatsApp backs Apple in its legal row with the UK over user data

By Zoe Kleinman via BBC

WhatsApp has publicly backed Apple in its legal battle with the UK Home Office, warning that the demand to access encrypted data sets a “dangerous precedent” threatening global user privacy.
Apple’s court case challenges a Technical Capability Notice (TCN) allegedly requiring it to create access to end-to-end encrypted iCloud content, sparking concern among US politicians and civil liberties groups over a potential breach of cybersecurity and individual rights.
The Home Office argues its actions are necessary for national security, but critics—including WhatsApp, privacy campaigners, and major news outlets—warn that forcing backdoors into encryption compromises privacy for millions and could be exploited by bad actors.

Why OpenAI and Google's surprising new alliance makes a lot of AI sense

By Webb Wright via ZDNET

OpenAI and Google have formed a strategic partnership, with OpenAI gaining access to Google Cloud’s infrastructure to support its AI model training—marking a surprising move between longtime rivals in the generative AI race.
This collaboration reflects OpenAI’s effort to reduce reliance on Microsoft, its main backer and exclusive cloud provider until early 2025, and follows earlier deals with Oracle and SoftBank to diversify its compute resources.
For Google, the deal serves as a potential boost to its cloud business and AI monetization strategy, as it faces mounting pressure to show returns on its projected $75 billion AI investment while confronting threats to its search dominance from tools like ChatGPT.

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Microsoft Copilot flaw raises urgent questions for any business deploying AI agents

By Sharon Goldman via Fortune

A critical vulnerability in Microsoft Copilot has raised alarms across the tech industry, exposing how embedded AI agents might be exploited in enterprise settings.
The flaw, dubbed "Echoleak", was uncovered by security researchers and demonstrates how attackers could extract sensitive internal data by manipulating Copilot’s integrations with company systems.
This incident underscores the urgent need for robust security protocols when deploying AI copilots in business environments, as companies increasingly integrate these tools into daily workflows.

Meta Hires Top Researchers From Google, Sesame for New AI Lab

By Shirin Ghaffary via Bloomberg

Meta has formed a new team targeting artificial general intelligence (AGI), recruiting top talent from competitors to advance its ambitions in cutting-edge AI.
The company has hired Jack Rae, a principal researcher from Google DeepMind, to join its so-called “superintelligence” team.
Meta has also brought on Johan Schalkwyk, a machine learning lead from voice AI startup Sesame AI, as part of the recruitment push.

𝕏: Meta Scale AI deal is wild Lotta folks are criticizing it Multiple labs now backing away from Scale data Meta fell behind despite lotta spend on compute + team + data Snagging @alexandr_wang + crazy salaries for talent Is it desperation or leadership? What should they have done? - Dylan Patelb (@dylan522p)

A Political Battle Is Brewing Over Data Centers

By Molly Taft via WIRED

President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" includes a 10-year moratorium on state-level AI regulation, prompting backlash from lawmakers like Rep. Thomas Massie, who argues it undercuts local authority over AI data center zoning and weakens community oversight.
Critics across the political spectrum—including the National Conference of State Legislatures and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene—warn the moratorium could fuel unchecked expansion of AI data centers, which consume vast water and power resources and are increasingly facing bipartisan local resistance due to environmental, economic, and property concerns.
While proponents like Rep. Jay Obernolte and adviser David Sacks defend the moratorium as a move toward federal AI policy cohesion, opposition in the Senate, including from Sen. Josh Hawley, signals a growing political fight over how AI development intersects with infrastructure, state rights, and public accountability.

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