Americans are using AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini to understand candidates and form voting decisions, NYT reported. Firms have safeguards to prevent chatbots from directly telling users whom to vote for, but nuanced questions can still influence their decisions. The report says 2026 US midterms could be first US election where many voters rely on AI research.

A Greek politician's phone was hacked thrice between 2022 and 2023 using Israel's Pegasus spyware while he was serving on an investigatory committee probing the same surveillance tool's abuse, Canadian tech watchdog Citizen Lab said. Stelios Kouloglou's phone was hacked through a vulnerability in Apple software that wasn't known at the time. Notably, only government bodies can access Pegasus.

Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace has announced a July 12-August 4 launch window for the maiden test flight of Vikram-1, India's first privately developed orbital-class rocket, from Sriharikota under "Mission Aagaman." The rocket will carry customer payloads, with the primary objective of demonstrating its ability to place satellites into orbit and strengthen India's private space sector.

China's UBTech unveiled U1, the world's first full-size ultra-bionic humanoid robot designed for mass production, starting from nearly ₹17 lakh. The AI-powered robot, which recognises 20+ emotional states and can show lifelike expressions, got over 13,000 orders before it even launched. Senior UBTech executive Michael Tam said, "[U1] will never betray you...and will love you unconditionally."

Amazon has confirmed it is developing its own chips for devices as part of an AI-first strategy, marking a shift after 20 years of relying on external processors. The company is partnering with Alchip for chip design and aims to ship 40 million units annually. Amazon's free cash flow fell 95% to $1.2 billion in 2026 amid higher technology investments.

A Guardian investigation found that OpenAI's Stargate UK project, which intended to build a massive data centre with Nscale and Nvidia, was hypothetical. No OpenAI executive ever met with local authorities to plan the data centre, the construction of which was paused in April. "[The plan] caught [Nscale] completely unaware...It was effectively just a government PR stunt," a source said.

Australian Space Agency is investigating mysterious debris that washed up on beaches in Australia's Queensland. The local fire department said several of the "potentially hazardous objects" have been discovered and warned against touching them. "A 50-metre exclusion zone is still in place," it added. An expert said these might be "space balls" that are often left over after space launches.

Google Maps is developing a Gemini AI-powered food ordering feature, according to an Android Headlines report. Spotted in the latest Google Maps beta for Android (v26.27.00.941319029), the feature would let users order food using natural prompts through the Ask Maps feature. The tool aims to help commuters and travellers discover nearby restaurants and place food orders directly within the app.

US startup Orbital has sought Federal Communications Commission's approval to deploy 1,00,000 satellites hosting space-based AI data centres. The planned constellation reportedly aims to deliver 10 GW of computing power using solar energy in orbit, reducing terrestrial constraints. The firm says orbital computing could support AI workloads and lower energy costs and environmental impact over time.

BJP leader Sambit Patra revealed that his WhatsApp account has been hacked and asked people to avoid sending money to anyone asking for it in his name. NDTV reported that their reporter also received a scam message from Patra's hacked account asking for a ₹55,000 UPI transfer. After the reporter offered to give cash in-person, the scammer refused.