The past week highlighted significant acceleration across the technology landscape, particularly in artificial intelligence. French startup Mistral AI demonstrated strong growth, tripling its revenue shortly after launching its enterprise chatbot and achieving a $6 billion valuation, with notable expansion outside the US driven by a focus on data sovereignty.

Innovation continued with Hugging Face releasing an open-source AI agent, while Google is actively testing a "Live for AI Mode" for real-time, multimodal interactions via voice and camera. Microsoft aimed to broaden access to AI by announcing new, more affordable Surface laptops powered by Qualcomm chips and featuring Copilot+ AI tools.

Regulatory and public pressure led OpenAI to confirm its nonprofit arm will retain control of the company, and Perplexity AI is preparing to launch its AI-integrated Comet browser, potentially disrupting traditional browsing and digital marketing. Even the subtle act of using polite language with AI models was noted as potentially yielding better responses.

Beyond technology, global markets and various industries also saw notable developments. US stock markets experienced a significant rebound, regaining earlier losses, fueled by optimism surrounding trade talks, including a new US-UK deal and hopes for progress with China. Earnings season largely concluded with most S&P 500 companies reporting results that surpassed expectations, despite some cautious outlooks for the next quarter.

The cryptocurrency sector continued to attract institutional interest, particularly with the growth of Bitcoin ETFs, although volatility and regulatory uncertainty persist.

Across industries, retail giants are increasing investments in automation and robotics while brick-and-mortar stores focus on creating experiential spaces, often utilizing AI and AR.

Supply chains are also adopting advanced technologies like AI, IoT, and potentially blockchain for improved efficiency and transparency.

Finally, the startup ecosystem remains vibrant, especially within AI development tools and fintech innovation.

Tech & Business Week in Review: May 5-11, 2025

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