by Raphael Dudler | May 16, 2026 | meta ai
Google and Meta — two companies competing directly in AI, advertising and social media — have quietly become collaborators on Android. Instagram is now fully optimised for Android tablets. AI-powered Instagram editing tools including video upscaling, night sight and audio separation have landed on Android. And Instagram Edits for Android is getting a major AI upgrade. In the AI arms race, even rivals find reasons to cooperate. gafam.ai examines what this unlikely partnership reveals about the future of the GAFAM landscape. Published by gafam.ai — The European Eye on Big Tech & Artificial Intelligence.
by Raphael Dudler | May 16, 2026 | google ai
Three days to Google I/O 2026. The keynote streams May 19 at 10am PT — 19:00 CET. Google has already revealed Googlebooks, Gemini Intelligence and Android 17 features through The Android Show. What remains for the main stage: Gemini upgrades, Veo video generation, Android XR glasses, the possible debut of Project Aura AR glasses with Xreal, and the full reveal of Aluminium OS. gafam.ai’s complete preview — from a European perspective. Published by gafam.ai — The European Eye on Big Tech & Artificial Intelligence.
by Raphael Dudler | May 15, 2026 | apple ai
Apple is caught in a contradiction of its own making. It currently bans vibe coding tools and AI agents from the App Store — but developer demand is surging and competitors are moving fast. Engineers are quietly drafting a framework to allow AI agents under controlled conditions, with WWDC 2026 as the likely announcement window. Apple’s App Store rules are about to face their biggest test since the app economy began. Published by gafam.ai — The European Eye on Big Tech & Artificial Intelligence.
by Raphael Dudler | May 15, 2026 | amazon ai
Amazon launched Alexa for Shopping on May 14 — an AI shopping agent powered by Alexa+ that replaces Rufus across mobile, desktop and Echo Show. It compares products, tracks prices, schedules recurring orders and reaches outside Amazon through a “Buy for Me” feature that purchases at other retailers on your behalf. This is not a chatbot. This is an AI agent with your credit card. Published by gafam.ai — The European Eye on Big Tech & Artificial Intelligence.
by Raphael Dudler | May 15, 2026 | gafam watch
Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon and Microsoft are spending $725 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026. That infrastructure runs on electricity — staggering, grid-straining, climate-threatening amounts of it. Global data centre electricity consumption could exceed 1,000 terawatt-hours by 2026. Meta’s Hyperion campus in Louisiana alone could consume as much power as 4.2 million homes. This is the story Big Tech is not telling. gafam.ai is.
