Elon Musk's SpaceX is acquiring his artificial intelligence (AI) start-up, xAI, in a deal that values the combined entity as the world's most valuable private company, according to Reuters. The merger aims to unify Musk's business interests, bringing AI, rockets, space-based internet, and media under one roof, according to a memo from Musk posted on SpaceX's website.
The deal values xAI at $125 billion and SpaceX at $1 trillion, according to a source familiar with the matter. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Musk described the combination as an "innovation engine."
In other news, China has banned hidden door handles on electric vehicles (EVs) due to safety concerns, making it the first country to do so, according to AFP via Getty Images. The new regulations, set to take effect on January 1, 2027, require cars to have a mechanical release both inside and outside the doors. This decision follows scrutiny of EVs by safety watchdogs after several deadly incidents, including two fatal crashes in China involving Xiaomi EVs where power failures were suspected of preventing door openings.
Meanwhile, Air India grounded a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner jet after a pilot reported a possible defect in the aircraft's fuel control switch, according to Cherylann Mollan of the BBC. The airline stated on Monday that it had informed India's aviation regulator about the issue and was getting the pilot's concerns checked on a "priority basis." A Boeing spokesperson said they were in contact with Air India and supporting their review of the matter. The grounding occurs amid an ongoing investigation into a plane crash last June involving an Air India aircraft of the same model.
In Europe, the European Commissioner for finance, Valdis Dombrovskis, told the BBC that Brussels is "openminded" about discussing closer trade ties with the UK, including the possibility of working together on a customs union. Speaking after talks with ministers including Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Dombrovskis said the bloc was "ready to engage" if the UK wanted to explore the move. He also suggested that Britain and the EU could remove "most" food checks between them.
Separately, a backlash is brewing against AI-generated content, or "AI slop," transforming social media, according to Joe Tidy, Cyber correspondent for BBC World Service. Théodore, whose last name was not provided, described an AI-generated image of two emaciated South Asian children with beards, one missing limbs, sitting in the rain with a birthday cake, as the image that "tipped him over the edge." The image went viral on Facebook, garnering nearly one million likes and heart emojis, despite its obvious AI origins. Théodore stated, "It boggled my mind. The absurd AI mad."
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