Quick Peek:

1. Waymo Rolls Out Next-Gen Autonomous Tech in Washington D.C.

2. H&M Embraces AI “Digital Twins” with Full Consent of Models

3. BlackRock’s Bitcoin Fund Launches in Europe

4. Fidelity Experiments with a Stablecoin

5. GameStop Raises $1.3B for a Bitcoin Pivot

6. Canadian-U.S. Air Travel Slumps 70%, Signaling Tourism Trouble

7. Rivian-Backed Startup Bets Big on Micro EVs

8. Trump Teases Tariff Trade-Off for TikTok Deal

9. OpenAI Eyes a $300B Valuation Backed by Microsoft

Waymo, Alphabet’s Self-Driving Taxi, Rolls Out Enhanced Safety Tech in DC

Waymo announced plans to launch its fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Washington, D.C., via the Waymo One app in 2026. The company began deploying vehicles in the capital in January 2025 to test its enhanced safety tech in Washington D.C. By choosing a complex, high-density urban environment with political visibility, Alphabet is demonstrating confidence not only in its tech but in its ability to align with government and regulatory partners.

What makes this move particularly strategic is that safety remains the Achilles’ heel of public acceptance for autonomous vehicles. Winning in D.C. isn’t just about mapping intersections or dodging traffic, it’s about winning hearts and minds. If Waymo can build trust with city officials and the commuting public in one of America’s most scrutinized cities, it sets the tone for national rollout.

And speaking of intelligent systems reshaping industries—let’s shift gears from streets to runways.

H&M Embraces AI Digital Twins for Models, with Full Consent

Fashion has always been about reinvention, but H&M’s use of AI-generated digital twins of its models signals a deeper shift. The initiative involves creating digital replicas of 30 models, provided they consent to the process.

These AI-generated models will be used primarily in social media posts and advertisements, with clear labeling to indicate their AI origin, adhering to platform regulations like those on Instagram and TikTok. That’s not just good PR—it’s smart governance.

This move raises essential questions: What does it mean to "own" your digital self? Will virtual models ever replace physical ones, or will they enhance brand storytelling? And how do companies monetize digital identity without exploiting it?

By using AI to simulate human presence in marketing campaigns, while ensuring transparency and permission, H&M might be charting a responsible path for other industries facing similar ethical dilemmas.

From digitizing people to digitizing payments, the next story brings us to the front lines of financial transformation.

BlackRock Debuts a Bitcoin Fund in Europe Sparked by Prior Success

BlackRock’s Bitcoin fund in Europe isn’t just about accessing a new asset class; it’s about normalizing crypto within traditional investment frameworks. Coming on the heels of its iBit success, this new fund is aimed squarely at European investors looking for regulated, institutional-grade exposure to digital assets.

It signals that crypto is no longer a fringe experiment for BlackRock, it’s a calculated product expansion. And it reflects growing demand among high-net-worth and institutional clients to access Bitcoin in a safer, more familiar wrapper.

This isn’t hype. It’s infrastructure. And it’s a reminder that crypto’s next chapter will be shaped as much by traditional finance as it will by Web3 natives.

Speaking of traditional finance getting creative with crypto—Fidelity’s recent move deserves attention of its own.

Fidelity Dips Its Toes Into Crypto with a Stablecoin Test

Fidelity, another giant of the financial world, is dipping its toes deeper into the crypto ecosystem by experimenting with its own stablecoin. While details remain under wraps, the initiative is rumored to be a stepping stone toward integrating blockchain into mainstream asset management and fund flows.

Stablecoins have the potential to enable real-time settlement, lower transaction costs, and enhance liquidity for everyday investors. If Fidelity nails the execution and aligns with regulatory frameworks, we could see stablecoins become foundational tools for everything from payments to portfolio management.

Institutional momentum is clearly building in crypto, but what happens when a retail brand tries to leap across the same chasm? Let’s turn to GameStop.

GameStop’s Bold Shift: Raising $1.3 Billion to Dabble in Bitcoin

GameStop’s $1.3 billion capital raise and its interest in Bitcoin may seem like a pivot of desperation but it’s actually a case study in brand evolution. Once mocked as a brick-and-mortar relic, GameStop is now trying to transform into a digital asset platform.

But here’s the catch: reinvention without a roadmap can be risky. Will this investment create a new business model or simply delay an inevitable decline?

GameStop’s move reflects a broader trend: companies with legacy baggage turning to crypto not just as a product, but as a narrative of relevance, similar to MicroStrategy's approach under Michael Saylor, leveraging convertible debt to build a Bitcoin reserve

While GameStop navigates its transformation, another tech titan is doubling down on the sector that may define the decade: artificial intelligence.

Rivian-Backed Startup Secures $105M to Roll Out Affordable Electric Micro Vehicles

A Rivian supported startup is rolling out an affordable, micro electric vehicle platform with $105 million in backing. Their target, dense urban centers where full-size EVs aren’t always practical or desirable.

The micro mobility movement isn’t niche anymore. It’s a growing market for last-mile delivery, commuter transport, and green mobility. Rivian’s interest signals a diversification strategy and a bet on future city infrastructure aligning with compact, low-speed EVs.

From micro EVs to macro geopolitics—let’s look at Trump’s latest trade proposition involving a tech giant and a familiar controversy…

Trump Floats Tariff Swap to Secure TikTok Deal

In a bold political play, former President Trump suggested lowering tariffs on Chinese imports in exchange for securing a TikTok deal in the U.S. This proposal could mark a shift in how the U.S. negotiates data security, market access, and geopolitical leverage.

Fill the French Press