How Bill Gates’s fellowship program is adapting to global uncertainty, plus a California bill that would regulate AI companion chatbots is close to becoming law

TechCrunch Industry News

There’s plenty of uncertainty to go around this year, including a global trade war, shifting policy priorities, and an economy that’s starting to stumble. Breakthrough Energy, a climate tech organization founded by Bill Gates, has also been shifting in response. The group always placed long bets, though it appears to be reappraising some of them. Its policy team was scrapped in March, for example, and it didn’t continue funding a publication that covered the climate tech world.

In other news, the California State Assembly took a big step toward regulating AI on Wednesday night, passing a bill that regulates AI companion chatbots in order to protect minors and vulnerable users.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices