Google has announced that it's helping to financially support the electrical training ALLIANCe (etA), an organization formed by the National Electrical Contractors Association and the International Brotherhood of Electricians. The goal is to train "100,000 electrical workers and 30,000 new apprentices in the United States" to meet the growing power demands of AI. Using AI will unlock unspecified, but positive economic opportunities, Google's new white paper, "Powering a New Era of American Innovation," claims. In order to take advantage of them, though, the US power grid needs to become more capable and efficient. That's largely because the data centers used to run and train AI models require vast amounts of energy. The white paper claims that new data centers could demand an additional "15-90 GW" of energy by 2030, something that more efficient chips and model training can't account for. For a sense of the scale, the US Department of Energy says 1 Gigawatt is the equivalent to 103 offshore wind turbines.  Google's paper calls for investments in alternative energy sources like nuclear power, but also notes that expanding the electrical workforce is necessary. "McKinsey estimates that 130,000 additional electricians will be needed by 2030 to build out data centers and manufacturing facilities," the company writes. Currently, though, retiring electricians outnumber newly trained ones. "Nearly 10,000 American electricians either retire or change careers each year, while only about 7,000 new entrants join the field." Investing in electrical training is Google's attempt to help change that. It would be nice if it was paired with a clearer explanation around what that AI will be doing with all that extra power — Google notes that there's a "causal relationship between energy consumption and economic growth" — but skilled job training isn't a bad thing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-is-funding-electrician-training-to-help-meet-the-power-demands-of-ai-221320678.html?src=rss

LG announced a hybrid two-stack OLED display with blue fluorescence in the lower stack and blue phosphorescence in the upper stack that gets us closer to the dream of a perfect OLED TV.

If rising costs do push businesses to boost efficiency, Microsoft, with its Copilot artificial intelligence assistant, could be helpful, CEO Satya Nadella said.

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. There’s a Japanese proverb that perfectly captures what resilience means to me: “Fall seven times, get up eight.” Not just bouncing back after setbacks, but actually finding ways to advance despite them.  Resilience has been on my mind a lot lately. Between the inevitable aging parent health concerns, making sure “the kids are all right,” and navigating the constantly shifting business landscape (seriously, there is a reason they call us the sandwich generation!) I’ve been thinking about how we build that muscle—not just to survive challenges but to grow stronger through them.  I wanted to share some thoughts on building resilience across the many dimensions of our lives—because let’s face it, the only constant is change, and we all need strategies to keep moving forward.  Personal resilience: Know your North Star  I think resilience starts with being clear about your core values; they are your map when everything is swirling and you feel lost.  I saw this with my brother recently. He’s an integrative doctor with a growing practice, helping patients with chronic conditions like Lyme disease. His practice had gotten so busy that he started burning out. He realized that if he didn’t prioritize his own self-care, he wouldn’t be able to help anyone else. (There’s a reason flight attendants remind you to put on your own oxygen mask first!)  That’s the foundation of resilience right there—understanding what matters most to you and making choices that align with those values, especially when things get tough. It’s not always easy.  I’ve learned this in past toxic work environments. Looking back, even painful experiences taught me important lessons. Each one made me more clear about what I didn’t want and helped me become more discerning about what was right for me.  When you’re clear on your values, you can weather almost any storm because you have an internal compass guiding you.  Team resilience: Create psychological safety  Team resilience builds on personal resilience, but it’s about creating an environment where everyone can thrive together.  At FINN, our weekly status meetings sometimes turn into emotional check-ins, especially after difficult world events. There are times when we spend the entire hour talking about how we’re feeling, supporting each other through life’s challenges. Sure, the work is critical, but we see each other as human beings first. This psychological safety is vital. It allows us to be vulnerable, to fail without fear, and to learn together.  Another aspect of team resilience is embracing diverse perspectives. Our team spans nearly every generation, from boomers to millennials to Gen Z, with team members across the country and around the world. This diversity creates an incredible symbiotic learning environment where we all teach each other.  Organizational resilience: Clarity in your mission  What makes organizations resilient? It comes down to clarity around mission, and an almost stubborn practice of values—that North Star principle again, but at the organizational level. We’ve built a culture of communication where leadership is honest about challenges and potential risks, and are very committed to our principles. We’ve remained steady; we’re a safe harbor in the storm because we have utter clarity about who we are and what we stand for.  This reminds me of companies that jumped on the DEI bandwagon without genuine commitment. When pressure started to mount, they abandoned these initiatives because they had been responding rather than operating from core values. True organizational resilience requires authenticity—knowing what you stand for and sticking to it—even when it’s hard.  Another crucial element is having a brain trust—eyes and ears beyond your core team. You need people connected to your culture and customers, who can tell you what’s really happening. Are there trends or threats on the horizon? What’s the client feedback saying? What are best practices we’re missing?  You can’t be resilient if you’re not willing to subject yourself to unfiltered truth. You need to see blind spots before they become bigger problems.  Brand resilience: Anticipate challenges  I’ve noticed that when we prepare for the worst, the worst seldom happens. Brand resilience is like that. How brands interrogate their purpose, weather storms and maintain trust through difficulties requires a huge amount of planning and soul-searching. Companies that do the hard work of anticipating challenges, examining vulnerabilities, and shoring up weaknesses are going to emerge from crises, perhaps even growing in the process.  One interesting approach is to anticipate your organization’s worst-case scenarios, real monster-under-the-bed situations, and working through those potential crises before disaster hits. This proactive stance means analyzing the data and asking tough questions. How transparent should you be about vulnerabilities while still projecting strength? What resilience stories will resonate most with your stakeholders?  I experienced this firsthand at a previous agency. As marketing lead, I had to stand in front of the company weekly, reporting on new business pitches we consistently lost because, despite our best marketing efforts, the executive leadership wasn’t truly committed to investing in the necessary resources to level up. I tried to put the best face on things, sharing messages of hope while knowing behind the scenes that fundamental changes weren’t happening.  It taught me that transparency has its limits in leadership. You need to be transparent enough that people feel secure, but sometimes you need to carry certain burdens yourself. Finding that balance is part of resilience.  The resilience mindset  Resilience isn’t about never falling—we all fall. It’s about finding the lesson in each setback and using it to move forward with greater wisdom and strength.  So when you face your next challenge—whether personal, professional, or somewhere in between—remember: Each time you get up again, you’re not just returning to where you were before, you’re moving toward somewhere new.  Celia Jones is global chief marketing officer at FINN Partners. 

We rarely think about it, but the average human is essentially a sophisticated water balloon – roughly 60% H2O wrapped in skin. This liquid legacy makes the quality of water we consume not just a wellness choice but a fundamental building block of our existence. It’s also the very essence of our everyday lives, whether it’s while we brush our teeth, bathe, wash our fruits, make food, or just hydrate ourselves. In a lot of ways, the gift of clean water can be the most fundamentally important gift to a loved one. The irony isn’t lost on me that while we’ll spend hundreds on supplements, skincare regimens, and wellness retreats, many of us still grimace through tap water that tastes vaguely of swimming pool chemicals or decades-old pipes. Waterdrop Filter has quietly been addressing this disconnect, creating filtration systems that treat water not as a commodity but as the cornerstone of health it truly is. Their approach recognizes something beautifully simple: when your water is right, everything from your morning coffee to your evening shower becomes an upgrade to your daily experience. And with Mother’s Day just around the corner, these thoughtfully designed solutions might just be the most meaningful kind of gift – one she’ll truly feel. Now with rather eye-grabbing discounts, here are some Waterdrop Filter’s solutions that transform how you hydrate, cook, and care for your body, both inside and out. Designer: Waterdrop Filter Waterdrop Filter X12 RO System: Ultimate Powerhouse for Modern Kitchens If you’ve ever tried timing how long it takes to fill a large pot of water with a typical under-sink filter, you’ll know the wait can feel eternal, like buffering in the age of dial-up. The Waterdrop Filter X12 skips that drama entirely. Designed for under-sink installation, this tankless reverse osmosis system delivers a staggering 1200 gallons per day, which means it fills up an entire cup in just 3 seconds. That large capacity also makes it perfect for bigger households. Its 11-stage filtration is where things get nerdy: a 0.0001μm RO membrane layered 16 times, tested to reduce everything from PFOS to fluoride, all while retaining alkaline minerals like calcium and magnesium. That gives your water a pleasant, stable pH of around 7.5, so it’s not just clean, it tastes like something your body recognizes and welcomes. And because it’s tankless, you get pure water on demand without wasting space or patience. But where the X12 truly excels is in how it integrates into your life. The smart faucet does more than dispense – it informs, tracks filter life, and even lets you pre-set water volume. Whether you’re cooking, hydrating post-run, or topping off the dog bowl, it delivers with precision. Its 3:1 pure-to-drain ratio minimizes waste, while a 24-month filter life cuts down on maintenance and environmental impact. For large families, renters, or even RV travelers, the X12 blends high-spec performance with thoughtful design, proving that good water shouldn’t feel like a luxury – it should feel like a well-earned upgrade. Click Here to Buy Now: $974.05 $1299 ($324.95 off, use coupon code “YANKOX12”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours! Waterdrop Filter G3P800 RO System: Compact Powerhouse for Modern Kitchens If the X12 is the muscle car of under-sink RO systems, the G3P800 is its precision-engineered cousin with a lab coat. Designed for families who treat hydration as seriously as nutrition, this system balances compact elegance with sterilization-level cleanliness. With a slightly lower but still impressive 800 GPD flow rate, this model strikes the perfect balance between quality and affordability.. Its 10-stage filtration process tackles the usual suspects like PFAS, chlorine, fluoride, and heavy metals, but then takes it a step further with an internal UV sterilizer. This isn’t just about clarity and taste – it’s about actively neutralizing 99.9% of bacteria and viruses before they touch your glass. Where the X12 plays up mineral retention and volume, the G3P800 is laser-focused on hygiene and smarts. That smart faucet? It’s not just a readout; it’s a dashboard, showing you real-time TDS levels and filter lifespan with the kind of transparency you’d expect from a good mechanic or a great doctor. The 3:1 pure-to-drain ratio keeps things eco-conscious, and the system’s slim footprint means you won’t be sacrificing cabinet space for purity. Whether you’re outfitting a family kitchen or a micro-office pantry, the G3P800 feels more like a water lab quietly humming under your sink, keeping you safe, sip after sip. Click Here to Buy Now: $709.05 $999 ($289.95 off, use coupon code “YDG3P800”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours! Waterdrop Filter A2: Your Personal Countertop Water Sommelier Think of the A2 as the countertop appliance you never knew you needed – until your third perfect cup of tea, or your toddler’s bottle is ready without the stovetop hassle. This compact powerhouse delivers hot and cold water on demand, pairing reverse osmosis filtration with smart functionality in a sleek, touch-friendly design. It’s built for those who want pure water without crawling under the sink with a wrench. Whether you’re brewing coffee, hydrating after a workout, or cooling off in summer, the A2 adjusts to your life in real-time – no waiting, no plumbing, just plug-and-play convenience. What it lacks in raw filtration muscle compared to under-sink RO models, it makes up for in sheer usability. The five-stage filtration system still handles the heavy lifting – removing chlorine, lead, and other contaminants – but adds instant temperature control to the mix. That kind of flexibility makes it ideal for apartments, dorms, offices, or even RVs. The digital display gives you a full readout of water quality and filter status, and the compact footprint means it won’t dominate your counter like some high-maintenance kitchen gadgets. If the X12 is about full-home integration, the A2 is personal, precise, and proudly countertop – a hydration sidekick that makes every pour feel like an upgrade. The 40-ounce portable pure water pitcher makes hydration simple and convenient. Now, instead of lugging a pot to the kitchen sink, you can fill it up right on the stovetop. Click Here to Buy Now: $374.05 $499 ($124.95 off, use coupon code “YANKOA2RO”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours! Waterdrop Filter C1H—Tailored Heat, Clean Water, and Countertop Zen If your idea of hydration involves temperature preferences and cup volume presets, the C1H might just be your soulmate in appliance form. It brings lab-grade filtration to your countertop, paired with the kind of thermal precision you’d expect from a high-end espresso machine. This isn’t just a hot water dispenser – it’s a five-temperature, five-volume wizard that lets you dial in everything from room-temp sips to a steaming 203°F pour, all from a sleek digital display that feels like it belongs on a spaceship. Tea lovers, instant meal connoisseurs, and anyone who’s ever juggled a kettle while half-asleep will appreciate the C1H’s intuitive, one-touch design. In spirit, it shares some DNA with the A2, but the C1H edges ahead when it comes to personalized control. Both systems offer reverse osmosis filtration and zero-install convenience, but the C1H goes granular, offering exact volumes and a broader range of temperatures, making it the better fit for people who live by routines and rituals. With a 3:1 pure-to-drain ratio and a compact build, it’s eco-conscious without taking over your kitchen. It doesn’t just clean your water – it elevates your experience. And if you’ve ever wanted a hydration system that’s as meticulous as you are, the C1H meets you where you are and heats it to perfection. Click Here to Buy Now: $216.05 $299 ($82.95 off, use coupon code “YANKOC1H”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours! Waterdrop Filter Skincare Water Softening System – Your Skin Deserves Better Than Tap Water Clean water isn’t just for drinking – your skin and hair crave it too. While installing a full-blown reverse osmosis system in your shower might be overkill (and not exactly eco-friendly with its 3:1 wastewater ratio), the Waterdrop Filter Skincare Water Filter offers a smarter, more practical solution. This sleek, under-sink filter is designed to transform your bathroom tap into a source of soft, purified water, making every rinse a gentle, skin-loving experience that turns your shower into a spa after a long, tiresome day of ‘mothering’.​ Equipped with a 7-stage filtration system, this filter effectively reduces 99.9% of bacteria, 95% of chlorine, TDS, and other impurities that can irritate sensitive skin. It’s enriched with strontium, a mineral known to help reduce skin inflammation and enhance the skin’s barrier function, providing an extra layer of care with every use. The result? Softer water that helps maintain your skin’s moisture balance, reduces dryness and irritation, and leaves your hair feeling smoother and more manageable. Installation is a breeze – no tools required, and it fits neatly under your sink without taking up much space. With a filter lifespan of approximately three months, it’s a low-maintenance addition to your daily routine that offers high-impact results. Whether you’re dealing with dry, sensitive skin or simply want to elevate your skincare regimen, the Waterdrop Skincare Water Filter is a simple yet effective way to ensure that the water you use is as clean and nourishing as the products you apply. Click Here to Buy Now: $76.49 $89.99 ($13.50 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!The post Give Mom the Gift of Clean Water with Waterdrop Filter’s 48-Hour Deals first appeared on Yanko Design.

And that’s the point.

At a buzzy event in San Francisco, World announced a series of Apple-like stores, a partnership with dating giant Match Group, and a new mini gadget to scan your eyeballs.

The Silicon Valley company made the revenue projection as it reported a 35 percent rise in profit in the first quarter.

Macworld If it seems like we’ve been writing about this Epic vs. Apple Fortnite case for years, it’s because we have. The case has been raging since 2020, and finally ended (sort of) with a ruling in 2021. The gist of it is that Apple makes developers who sell digital goods process all payments through its own in-app purchase system and payment processing, and takes a cut of up to 30 percent. However, if a vendor sells physical goods and services (such as Amazon and Uber), it can use its own external payment systems. As such, Epic Games wanted to have a button in Fortnite that allowed users to buy the game’s in-game V-bucks currency on their website, avoiding Apple’s commission. Back then, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple was not a monopolist, but it did engage in anticompetitive conduct under the law and ordered the following remedy: Apple…is hereby permanently restrained and enjoined from prohibiting developers from including in their apps and their metadata buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms, in addition to In-App Purchasing and (ii) communicating with customers through points of contact obtained voluntarily from customers through account registration within the app. Apple spent years fighting the decision, appealing to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld it. Then it took the case to the Supreme Court, which decided not to take it up. Apple’s proposed solution, after several delays and evidentiary hearings (a stall tactic, as the court found), was to impose a whopping 27 percent commission on all purchases made outside the App Store, instead of the 30 percent commission for using App Store payments. It would also place a set of restrictions on how apps would be allowed to communicate that these external purchase options even exist. Apple would offer discounts to that 27 percent rate for some developers who participate in certain other programs, such as the Video Partner Program or News Partner Program. Judge Rogers is not pleased Apple’s compliance offer was not in keeping with the remedy imposed by the court back in 2021. In fact, one could say it’s just as bad or worse than the status quo, making it even harder to developers to simply sell their own things on their own sites without paying the so-called “Apple Tax.” It was, in effect, a middle finger to the court, telling them that they’ll comply only under protest and in the most twisted way possible, to keep effectively charging all app developers its cut. Judge Rogers is having none of it, writing: It chose to defy this Court’s order and manufacture post hoc justifications for maintaining an anticompetitive revenue stream. Apple’s actions to misconstrue the Injunction continue to impede competition. This Court will not play “whack-a-mole,” nor will it tolerate further delay. As a result of the decision, Fortnite may be returning to the App Store.Foundry The judge concludes her document with this fierce wording: Apple willfully chose not to comply with this Court’s Injunction. It did so with the express intent to create new anticompetitive barriers which would, by design and in effect, maintain a valued revenue stream; a revenue stream previously found to be anticompetitive. That it thought this Court would tolerate such insubordination was a gross miscalculation. As always, the cover-up made it worse. For this Court, there is no second bite at the apple. As a result, Apple is going to pay the price. The court has imposed several new rules on Apple, summed up here: It can impose no fees on any purchase a consumer makes outside the app, and cannot monitor, track, audit, or require developers to report such purchases. It can’t restrict the way developers choose to link to outside purchases; not the language, formatting, placement, flow, or anything else. It can’t prohibit any kind or category of app from obtaining the links necessary to make purchases outside the app. It can’t interfere with the link out of the app in any way other than to have a neutral message that tells users they’re leaving the App Store to an external site. The court is not giving Apple any time to make these changes—they are to take effect immediately. And Apple doesn’t get to file for a stay: “The Court will not entertain a request for a stay given the repeated delays and severity of the conduct.” What’s more, the Judge has referred this matter to the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California to investigate whether or not this constitutes a criminal contempt charge. Fortnite is coming back in the U.S. In response to this ruling, Tim Sweeney (CEO of Epic Games) said that Fortnite will be coming back to the App Store in the U.S. beginning “next week.” He also offered a truce of sorts, saying, “If Apple extends the court’s friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we’ll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic.” But this has implications far beyond Fortnite. Now, any app developer that wants to sell in-app purchases on its own outside of the App Store and Apple’s payment processing systems can do so. They can simply put up a button or link anywhere they want directing users to an external site to make the purchase, just as countless apps that sell physical goods and services can choose to do. You can read the entire court order here.

Microsoft on Wednesday released a statement aimed at convincing global IT leaders, and particularly those in Europe, that it can still be trusted, but analysts in Europe said its statement was not persuasive. Much of the European nervousness comes from American tariffs and the inevitable responding tariffs from the European Union (EU). But the fears go beyond that, with some European IT and cybersecurity executives worried about what American technology firms might be forced to do by the Trump administration. Those fears are fueled by the recent politicization of security clearances.  Microsoft’s detailed statement, attributed to vice-chair and president Brad Smith, spent a lot of words recapping all of what Microsoft has done in Europe over the years. “Our economic reliance on Europe has always run deep. We recognize that our business is critically dependent on sustaining the trust of customers, countries, and governments across Europe,” Smith wrote. “We respect European values, comply with European laws, and actively defend Europe’s cybersecurity. Our support for Europe has always been — and always will be — steadfast. In a time of geopolitical volatility, we are committed to providing digital stability.” Increasing European capacity “Today, we are announcing plans to increase our European datacenter capacity by 40% over the next two years,” the statement said. “We are expanding datacenter operations in 16 European countries. When combined with our recent construction, the plans we’re announcing today will more than double our European datacenter capacity between 2023 and 2027. It will result in cloud operations in more than 200 data centers across the continent.” It added, “this expansion will play an important role in boosting Europe’s economic growth and competitiveness. We believe that broad AI diffusion will be one of the most important drivers of innovation and productivity growth over the next decade. Like electricity and other general-purpose technologies in the past, AI and cloud datacenters represent the next stage of industrialization.” However, the closest Smith got to addressing the core concerns within the European IT community was a promise to legally fight to continue to maintain its European relationships.  “In the unlikely event we are ever ordered by any government anywhere in the world to suspend or cease cloud operations in Europe, we are committing that Microsoft will promptly and vigorously contest such a measure using all legal avenues available, including by pursuing litigation in court,” his statement said. “By including a new European Digital Resilience Commitment in all of our contracts with European national governments and the European Commission, we will make this commitment legally binding on Microsoft Corporation and all its subsidiaries.” It continued: “Microsoft has a demonstrated history of pursuing litigation when that has been needed to protect the rights of our customers and other stakeholders. This includes four lawsuits we filed against the US Executive Branch during President Obama’s tenure, including to protect the privacy of our customers’ data in the United States and Europe. It also included, during President Trump’s first term, a successful decision before the US Supreme Court to uphold the rights of employees who are immigrants. When necessary, we’re prepared to go to court.” Must decide ‘where loyalty lies’ Analysts felt the promises didn’t deliver much. Michela Menting, digital security research director at ABI Research, said that even Microsoft can only fight for so long. “Microsoft can say everything they want on their record of litigation and promising to defend European interests, but ultimately they cannot guarantee that they can continue to do so,” Menting said. “They can fight for it, but that is not the same thing as winning that fight.” “It is not possible for them to guarantee that, under this administration, that they can uphold those rights,” Menting said.  When pushed for an example, Menting said if the Trump administration wants Microsoft “to siphon all kinds of customer data from European companies, or whatever crazy idea comes into his head, they might well have to do Trump’s bidding.” “These lists of what they have done in the past, it stands for nothing today,” Menting said. “If the rule of law changes in the US, they will have to adapt.” Menting dismissed the Microsoft statement as “marketing fluff. It’s not soothing anyone. Indeed, it does the opposite. The fact that they are putting out that statement probably means that they are already receiving threats on their end. Microsoft is clearly worried, and this statement shows it.” Forrester VP/research director Pascal Matzke was even more blunt, suggesting that European IT leaders are worried about what Microsoft, and other tech giants including Google, ServiceNow, and Salesforce, will do when the pressure is turned on. “Microsoft has to decide where its loyalty lies — [with] the Trump administration or with its clients?” Matzke said. “There is a concern that they will ultimately be listening more to Trump.” Anxiety is ‘huge’ Matze said the key fear is that the European tech infrastructure has allowed itself to be far too intertwined with various American tech giants, including Microsoft. European government officials are likely to fight the tariffs with their own, “and the whole thing will spiral out of control. Can we continue then to work in the same collaborative manner?” Matze’s argument is that European IT “anxiety is huge” and that some are starting to fear trusting American companies in the same way that they now fear working with Chinese companies. But because of the deep, years-long reliance on American tech players, he fears that a pullback would “kill innovation,” if it was even possible. “I don’t see a way back. We are now in this global state,” Matze said, adding that those who think they can separate are wrong. “That’s an illusion. There is just no way. The boat has sailed, that train has left the station.” Another analyst, Phil Brunkard, executive counselor at Info-Tech Research Group, said, “Microsoft’s new pledges look like they’re designed to calm three groups at once. EU policymakers pressing for digital sovereignty; big European firms drowning in DORA/NIS 2/CRA [regulations]; and global enterprises fearing the next geopolitical shock that could knock out a US hyperscaler.” Brunkard said he was impressed by Microsoft’s promise for increased capacity. “The capacity promise is pretty eye-catching: 40% more compute within 2 years, more than double by 2027 across 16 countries and roughly 200 facilities,” Brunkard said. “But the Digital Resilience Commitment is the real headline here. Microsoft is saying that it will fight in court against any foreign order to pull the plug on its EU cloud and, if forced offline, will hand Swiss-escrowed source code to local partners. Add in EU-only data center boards and a Deputy CISO for Europe, and Redmond is telling Brussels ‘OK, we’ll play by your rules now.’” Is it enough? But is that enough? Brunkard is not certain. “Does this make Microsoft less toxic? Partly. Sovereignty optics do improve a bit, but antitrust and licensing complaints are still there, and the CRA will be judging on audited technical controls, not blog posts,” Brunkard said. “Respect for European law is a start and a bold statement, but until auditors and eventually regulators can confirm the new safeguards, the jury’s still out.” ABI’s Menting said there is yet another problem lurking behind these arguments.  “Despite all that blinding compliance speak, it’s hard to ignore the elephant in the room: the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI). If it comes into play, and the current climate is totally amenable to such a state, this could cripple Microsoft’s ability to operate successfully and lucratively in Europe,” Menting said. “The current US tariff imposition on Europe can most certainly be seen as economic coercion, and the EU would be within its rights to trigger the ACI and hit back against US digital services.” And if that doesn’t work, Microsoft can leverage its power in controlling how and where it pays taxes. Its statement doesn’t discuss how the company will pay its taxes in Europe. “How will they be reporting their revenues derived in the European territory? It’s all too common for US digital service providers to route those revenues through their various regional subsidiaries — hello Ireland — and then back to the US, effectively gaming the European tax system,” Menting said. “If things become dire, it can still play its tax card. At best, it could totally divest its European business, with completely separate and independent companies operating in Europe. But that is not the American way of doing business and Microsoft is very much an American company.”