TechCapsules

People first, then technology: Lessons from cities leading on AI

The article highlights how several cities are integrating AI to improve public services, citing Jakarta’s flood‑risk forecasting, Aberdeen’s generative‑AI council assistant, and Raleigh’s AI‑powered traffic twin that could save commuters $9.7 million. ThoughtLab’s research surveyed 200 cities, finding that leaders prioritize people, cybersecurity, and data sovereignty. Examples include Abu Dhabi’s TAMM platform, Finland’s Tampere VIP assistant, and Munich’s AI voice operator for non‑urgent transport calls. The piece underscores a global shift toward human‑centered AI in municipal governance.

💡 By foregrounding residents’ needs, these cities demonstrate that AI can deliver tangible, cost‑saving benefits while maintaining control over sensitive data, setting a benchmark for responsible public‑sector innovation.

Axiom Math wants to keep AI slop out of mathematics

Axiom Math, a $1.6 billion startup, announced on Wednesday that it has formally verified the Stacks Project, a 7,654‑page open‑source compendium of algebra, geometry and number theory. Using its own AI agents, the company translated the library into roughly 16 million lines of Lean code, preserving every logical connection across the massive hierarchy of theorems. The effort required a loosely structured, parallel workflow that let agents self‑assign tasks and develop a “taste” for mathematical rigor. CEO Carina Hong, a former Stanford Ph.D. dropout, said the verification fills a long‑standing gap in formalized mathematics, especially in algebraic geometry, and creates reusable building blocks for future AI‑driven proofs and software verification. Axiom raised a $200 million Series A in March to fund the project.

💡 By turning the Stacks Project into machine‑checked code, Axiom gives AI systems a reliable mathematical foundation, enabling them to generate provably correct software and scientific results.

HomeView will support third-party AI chatbots, suggests code

Code uncovered in the iOS 27.3 beta indicates that Apple’s HomeView platform will soon support third‑party conversational AI assistants such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini. The discovery follows earlier leaker hints about an unused “ConversationalApps” flag and is confirmed by a new beta snippet showing PebblePlay—the CarPlay bridge for HomeView—assigned to the Conversational Apps category. The update also introduces bidirectional audio routing, session management and interruption handling, laying groundwork for full integration. Although the feature is not yet fully wired, Apple’s flag system suggests it will regulate which AI apps can run on HomeView, similar to its CarPlay controls. The same leak hints at future HomeKit security‑camera capabilities for HomeView.

💡 Enabling popular AI chatbots on HomeView could turn the hub into a central voice‑controlled command center, expanding Apple’s smart‑home ecosystem beyond its current closed‑loop model.

Microsoft says Copilot is coming to Windows 11’s Search UI this year,…

Microsoft announced that the revamped Windows 11 Search interface will receive an optional Copilot integration later this year. New Search UI, unveiled last month, replaces the previous design with faster native rendering, more accurate file and app results, and the ability to adjust settings, answer messages, and preview content without leaving the search pane. Building on the previously previewed Ask Copilot feature, the upcoming integration will allow users to invoke quick answers inline or launch the Copilot app for deeper conversations. Microsoft emphasized that the Copilot layer will be opt‑in and will initially roll out to select markets before a broader release. The change follows a recent pledge to reduce Copilot bloat across Windows and retire mandatory Ask Copilot experience.

💡 Offering Copilot as an opt‑in feature lets power users keep a lean search experience while still unlocking AI assistance on demand, reshaping how Windows 11 balances productivity and personalization.

Open source AI is booming. Hugging Face explains who profits.

Hugging Face’s Chief Policy Officer and SVP of Strategy, Irene Solaiman, told TechCrunch’s Equity podcast that open‑source AI models are moving from niche projects to mainstream infrastructure for enterprises, governments and startups seeking lower costs, greater control and flexibility. She explained that while the proliferation of capable, freely available models creates new opportunities, companies must devise strategies to capture value, such as building proprietary tooling, offering managed services, or leveraging data advantages. Solaiman also highlighted the rapid rise of Chinese open‑source models, warning that American firms must accelerate innovation and ecosystem support to stay competitive. The discussion covered practical guidance for startups on selecting tools, infrastructure, and navigating trade‑offs that will shape the future of open AI.

💡 The race to monetize open‑source AI is forcing firms to rethink business models, turning the technology itself into a platform for services rather than a standalone product.

AI PACs spent millions trying to shape Congress — here’s how they…

Political action committees tied to artificial‑intelligence sector poured $4.8 million into midterms, backing candidates on parties. American Mission, the spending arm of OpenAI president Greg Brockman’s Leading the Future (LTF), funded South Carolina Senate hopeful Darline Graham and House candidates Aaron Flint (MT) and Laurie Buckhout, all of whom were defeated. LTF’s Democratic counterpart, Think Big, succeeded with Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz. Pro‑regulation groups saw mixed outcomes: Anthropic‑backed Public First lost several Republicans but helped Democrats and contributed $3 million to California