Hardware Nachrichten: 6 September 2025

October 23, 2025, 3:12 PM EDT. Microsoft is pushing a human-centered AI rewrite of Copilot by giving it a face: a customizable blob called Mico that can listen, react, and change colors during interaction. This echoes retro ideas like Clippy, Microsoft Bob, and Rover from the '90s and early 2000s, but Microsoft says the goal is to pair a conversational AI model with expressive UI. The new approach contrasts with past Cortana struggles by aiming to extend Copilot's usefulness through voice controls and dynamic feedback rather than flat prompts. Critics have long noted that character-based assistants can be annoying if they only handle limited inputs; Microsoft argues a more capable AI and flexible interface could make Copilot feel less intrusive and more helpful.

October 23, 2025, 3:10 PM EDT. Michigan has terminated the planned EV battery plant with Gotion Inc., demanding repayment of roughly $23.6 million in incentives after the project collapsed amid years of local opposition and national scrutiny. The state says no eligible activities occurred for more than 120 days on the site near Big Rapids, triggering a default on the grant. An additional $26.4 million of unspent funds will be returned, while a separate $125 million grant was not distributed. The decision comes amid community concerns in Green Township, where opponents helped recall local officials in 2023. Gov. Whitmer backed the factory in 2022, arguing it would bolster Michigan manufacturing and create thousands of jobs, though critics cited environmental and national-security concerns about Gotion and its ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Some lawmakers had sought to block such investments.

October 23, 2025, 3:08 PM EDT. China's battery maker Gotion has scrapped its plan for a $2.4 billion plant in Michigan to produce critical materials for EV batteries. The project, announced in October 2022, would have created about 2,350 jobs, but drew lawmakers' scrutiny over Chinese ownership. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) said none of a $125 million state grant was disbursed and it will seek repayment of another $23.6 million award used to acquire the site. Volkswagen - the largest single shareholder in Gotion High-Tech with around 30% - has been cited by US lawmakers as evidence of effective control. Gotion did not comment; VW declined. Earlier, in March 2024, Gotion sued Green Township for allegedly breaching the agreement to build the factory.

October 23, 2025, 3:04 PM EDT. Apple could face up to £1.5bn in damages after the Competition Appeals Tribunal found it abused its dominant position by charging a 30% commission on App Store sales and in-app purchases. The case, backed by 36 million UK users, is a landmark collective action under the UK regime. Apple says it strongly disagrees and will appeal. The CMA also designated Apple and Google as having strategic market status, potentially forcing rivals to offer their own app stores in the UK, a major change to Apple's closed system. Apple argues 85% of apps do not pay commission and highlights a small business programme that halves the rate. Dr Rachael Kent led the case. The tribunal ruling could reshape how app marketplaces operate in the UK.

October 23, 2025, 3:02 PM EDT. Apple is shipping American-made AI servers from its Houston facility ahead of schedule, accelerating its push to onshore manufacturing for U.S. data infrastructure. The servers power Apple Intelligence and the Private Cloud Compute platform, and are touted as energy-efficient as Apple data centers run on 100% renewable energy. Apple says it will expand production next year, hiring locally through partnerships with Houston City College and contractors. In Washington, officials frame the move as delivering on President Trump's call to bring jobs back onshore and strengthen domestic tech capacity, with Apple's broader $600 billion commitment underscoring a reshaped American supply chain. The development highlights how hardware and software ecosystems are converging to emphasize security, resilience, and local job creation.