Quidnet Energy, a Texas-based startup, has taken a novel approach to long-duration energy storage by utilizing the Earth itself as a massive battery. The company successfully completed a demonstration that stores electricity for up to six months by injecting water deep underground, an innovative adaptation of century-old pumped hydropower. Unlike traditional setups dependent on specific geographic features, Quidnet aims to deploy this versatile method more widely, bringing cost-effective and adaptable long-term storage solutions to regions previously left out by conventional technologies.
In parallel, significant developments are unfolding in federal policy around Artificial Intelligence. Donald Trump´s administration, having recently returned to office, released an Artificial Intelligence Action Plan intended to clarify its vision for America’s technological future. Prominent goals include accelerating data center growth by relaxing environmental regulations, penalizing states that enact what the administration deems ´burdensome Artificial Intelligence regulations,´ and contracting exclusively with firms whose Artificial Intelligence models are verified to be free from ideological biases. Yet, a closer look at the plan reveals opaque details and hints at broader strategic priorities, prompting concerns about federal overreach and the stifling of state-level innovation and regulation in the Artificial Intelligence domain.
The publication also highlighted ongoing tensions in technology policy and commercial dynamics. Democratic lawmakers express alarm over the Trump administration’s decision to ease export restrictions on Nvidia chips to China, citing national security fears, while both parties in Congress consider further legislation targeting Chinese tech interests. Meanwhile, U.S. tariffs have reached their highest levels since before the Second World War, foreshadowing possible global trade upheavals with uncertain effects on American manufacturing. In the tech world, utility companies seek increased payments from Big Tech for their high-powered data centers, and gamification´s advanced creep into everyday life raises new questions about autonomy, motivation, and societal control. The confluence of these disparate developments captures a technology landscape shaped by fast-paced innovation, policy battles, and ever-evolving economic stakes.
