We're just a few days away from one of Apple's most-anticipated developer conferences in recent memory.

To put it simply, Google's last major tech conference put Apple on the defensive and some say the latter is now playing catch up. Many argued that the internet search giant delivered AI tools that Apple has been promising for more than a year.

Will Tim Cook's company be able to close the chasm created by Google?

It's a critical question, but regardless of the outcome, it's the consumers who ultimately benefit from the intense competition.

While we wait for Apple's announcements on Monday, we'll take a look at what shook the technology world earlier this week.

The Big Story

Chipping in

In brief | US-based semiconductor manufacturer GlobalFoundries, owned by Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company, announced plans on Wednesday to invest $16 billion to expand semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging in the states of New York and Vermont.

In terms of labour and economic boosts, the planned investment was celebrated on several levels.

Why it matters | The recent announcement of a UAE-US AI Campus centred mainly on how it would impact the Emirates.

But that deal also sparked confidence in the form of a lengthy current and future technology partnership between the two countries.

With UAE-backed GlobalFoundries set to benefit, the US will soon have more peace of mind as semiconductor production becomes paramount in the quickening AI race.

It's no surprise that so many companies – such as Apple, Qualcomm and General Motors – are giving it the stamp of approval.

Quoted | “We’re excited to see GlobalFoundries expand right here in the US. These chips are an essential part of Apple products like iPhone, and they’re a powerful example of American manufacturing leadership”

– Tim Cook, Apple chief executive

Future in focus

New threat | How the global space race could blast another hole in the ozone layer

Keeping score | Scale AI's Alexandr Wang says US is trailing China on data

Technology trouble | Why AI agendas are fuelling demonstrations and protests

Non-invasive neurotechnology | IBM and Inclusive Brains team up to develop mind-controlled computing

Jet jamming | Fighter plane future rests on mastering electronic warfare

Predicting the future: Signal or noise?

The exhibition booth for the International Committee for the Red Cross at the AI+ military defence conference in Washington definitely stood out – and that was the whole point. “When technology makes it into a battlefield, it's going to have consequences,” Jonathan Horowitz, legal adviser to the Red Cross, said at the ICRC’s exhibit, which focused on the potential problems in the use of artificial intelligence conflicts.

This is a signal: As AI begins to creep into just about every aspect of our lives, expect to see more organisations try to resist to some extent. It's not a surprise that military entities want to use it to gain a competitive advantage, but with the technology being developed so quickly, the human factor is being forgotten. As groups like the Red Cross have shown, a resistance is starting to form, and it probably won't be subsiding any time soon.

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