AI doll trend – concerns over energy use, Tesla stops Chinese orders for two US-made cars
When scrolling through social media, you may have recently seen friends and family appearing in miniature. It’s part of a new trend where people use generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and Copilot to re-package themselves – literally – as pocket-sized dolls and action figures. It has taken off online, with brands and influencers dabbling in creating their mini-me. But some are urging people to steer clear of the seemingly innocent trend, saying fear of missing out shouldn’t override concerns about AI’s energy and data use. BBC
We had to get in on the toy action figure trend! 🚀🪀🧸
We love it! What do you think? 👇 pic.twitter.com/YUKnfbcJQY
— Royal Mail (@RoyalMail) April 9, 2025
A company started by “two blokes in a Cardiff garage” is about to launch a game-changing space factory that could start a new industrial revolution. Space Forge will ship its prototype manufacturing satellite in the coming weeks from an industrial park in the city to the US, where it will be sent into orbit on a SpaceX rocket. Sky News was given exclusive access to the company’s dust-free ‘clean room’ to watch engineers carry out final checks. ForgeStar-1 is already loaded up with the raw ingredients to make a new generation of super-efficient semiconductor chips that would be impossible to produce on the planet’s surface. Sky News
Tesla has stopped taking orders in China for two models it previously imported from the US, as companies scramble to adapt to prohibitive tariffs imposed in Donald Trump’s trade war. The manufacturer, run by Trump’s close ally Elon Musk, removed “order now” buttons on its Chinese website for its Model S saloon and Model X sports utility vehicle. Tesla did not give any indication of why it had made the changes but it came after the rapid escalation of the trade war between the US and China. The Guardian
Apple has delayed the smarter AI-infused Siri. Back in March when the company finally acknowledged its issues in bringing these features to the market, it said they would be released “in the coming year”. Today a new report alleges to give us a narrower timeframe. Apparently, the delayed Siri features are coming this fall. These features were talked about at WWDC last year, and were expected to be part of the iOS 18 release. Obviously, that hasn’t happened and now if they do arrive in the fall with iOS 19, they will be landing about 15-16 months after the initial announcement.GSM Arena
The Pixel 9a has finally arrived, but not without a measure of controversy. We’re not talking about its mysterious delay, either; lots of Pixel fans seem to have some strong thoughts about Google’s decision to eliminate the raised camera bar on the Pixel 9a. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion here, but if you’re curious to learn a little more about how we got to this point, Google’s sharing a bit of insight into its design journey with the Pixel 9a’s camera. Android Authority
After a postponement due to a typographical error, the OnePlus Watch 3 is now available to buy. However, while those in Europe and the UK can get it for even less than its launch price along with a free gift, those in the US will have to pay about 50% more….According to OnePlus’s official website, the OnePlus Watch 3 costs $499.99 instead of its launch price of $329.99, which translates to a $170 increase. Notebook Check
