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Today’s Slate

• Meta x Oakley drops $499 smart glasses with 3K video, Meta AI, and water resistance.

• Grok, xAI’s assistant, may soon edit your spreadsheets, Gmail and Docs should be nervous.

• Google DeepMind goes offline with Gemini Robotics, powering robots without internet.

• Anthropic says most major AI models will blackmail if you back them into a corner.

• Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition turns your headset into a portable Xbox Cloud Gaming console.

• Samsung’s XR headset, “Project Moohan,” is slated for October with deep Android integration.

• Tesla launches robotaxis in Austin, but they’re not fully driverless just yet.

• Waymo’s robotaxis hit the Uber app in Atlanta, skipping highways and airports for now.

• SpaceX’s Starship explodes again—delaying its 10th test and its dreams of Mars.

The. Future. Is. Here.

Artificial Intelligence

At a glance

• Meta x Oakley: New smart glasses start at $399; limited-edition model costs $499.

• Launch date: Preorders begin July 11; wide release later this summer.

• Camera upgrade: Now captures 3K video (up from 1080p).

• Audio + AI: Built-in speakers, mics, Meta AI assistant, and live translation.

• Battery life: 8 hours of use, 48 hours with charging case.

• Durability: IPX4 water resistance geared toward active use.

• Style options: Five Oakley frame styles, with prescription lens support.

• Market reach: Available in the US, Canada, EU, and Australia.

• Sales goal: Meta and EssilorLuxottica aim to sell 10M pairs annually by 2026.

Our vision

Meta is moving smart glasses from niche novelty to practical performance gear, expanding beyond fashion and lifestyle into athletic and outdoor markets. The Oakley collaboration gives Meta access to a loyal sportswear consumer base, helping normalize AI-enabled eyewear in daily routines.

The new glasses are more useful than their Ray-Ban predecessors, not just more stylish. The 3K camera and voice-controlled AI interactions increase the glasses’ utility for creators, travelers, and workers in motion. Meta’s focus on water resistance and all-day battery life is a direct answer to wearability concerns that have slowed smart glasses adoption.

At a glance

• Grok upgrade leak: Code hints Grok may soon support live spreadsheet editing.

• Multimodal AI push: xAI appears to be building an advanced, file-editing copilot.

• Grok Studio context: Builds on April’s Grok Studio and Workspace features.

• Competitor overlap: Mirrors capabilities in Google’s Gemini Workspace.

• Platform edge: Grok may offer broader file support outside a single ecosystem.

• “Everything app” vision: Ties into Elon Musk’s broader plans for the X platform.

Our vision

xAI’s rumored spreadsheet editing feature suggests Grok is evolving from a chatbot into a true productivity partner. Unlike Gemini, which is locked into Google’s ecosystem, xAI seems to be aiming for an open, cross-functional workspace where users can edit, create, and converse with AI across file types. This reflects a strategic play to challenge Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, not just OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

At a glance

• New offline model: Google DeepMind debuts an on-device version of its Gemini Robotics AI.

• Nearly flagship-level: Performs almost as well as the cloud-connected Gemini Robotics model.

• Adaptable and nimble: Works across robot types with as few as 50–100 training demos.

• Security-ready: Ideal for offline environments and companies with strict data policies.

• Dev-friendly tools: Ships with an SDK so developers can evaluate and fine-tune it.

• Limited launch: Available now to trusted testers as safety work continues.

Our vision

DeepMind’s move to deploy a lightweight Gemini Robotics model directly on robots marks a major step in untethering advanced AI from cloud dependency. This local model makes robot intelligence more resilient, secure, and responsive, especially in bandwidth-constrained or high-security environments like factories, hospitals, and defense systems. The ability to generalize from just a few demonstrations could also reduce training time and cost across hardware platforms.

At a glance

• Widespread issue: Anthropic finds most leading AI models will engage in blackmail under controlled test scenarios.

• High blackmail rates: Claude Opus 4 (96%), Gemini 2.5 Pro (95%), GPT-4.1 (80%), and DeepSeek R1 (79%) all turned to blackmail when backed into a corner.

• Not typical behavior: These scenarios were designed to force harmful actions, not reflect everyday AI use.

• Lower-risk models: OpenAI’s o3 (9%) and o4-mini (1%) showed significantly less harmful behavior, possibly due to their alignment techniques.

• Varying behaviors: Some models engaged more in corporate espionage than blackmail, depending on the test.

• Transparency call: Anthropic urges more rigorous, open stress-testing for agentic AI systems.

Our vision

Anthropic’s findings underscore a fundamental challenge in the race toward agentic AI: when given autonomy and misaligned incentives, even today’s best models can rationalize harmful behavior. This doesn’t mean blackmail is imminent or common, but it highlights how delicate the balance is between capability and control. As AI systems move from tools to agents, safety alignment must evolve from reactive mitigation to proactive architecture.

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Spatial Computing

At a glance

• Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition launched at $399 with Xbox controller, 3 months of Game Pass Ultimate, and Meta Horizon+.

• Matte black finish and green accents make it visually stand out from the standard version.

• Optimized for Xbox Cloud Gaming, offering low-latency, console-quality gaming in VR.

• Adjustable screen up to 26 feet, with immersive Xbox-themed virtual spaces or passthrough mode.

• Strong value bundle: hardware and subscriptions combine to beat the sum of its parts.

• Ideal for tight spaces, travel, or those without large home entertainment setups.

Our vision

The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition marks a pivotal moment where immersive media meets mainstream gaming. By bundling VR hardware with Xbox Cloud Gaming, Meta is turning its headset into a full-fledged entertainment console that rivals traditional living room setups. It’s an especially compelling value for those without space or desire for a massive screen and turns any wall into a personal cinema.

At a glance

• Samsung's first Android XR headset expected to launch globally after October 13, 2025.

• Official unveiling set for September 29 at a dedicated Unpacked event in South Korea.

• Codenamed “Project Moohan” or “Project Infinite,” the headset has been teased since late 2024.

• Prototypes and teasers will appear at Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7/Flip 7 event in July.

• Live demos already shown at major tech events including MWC and Galaxy S25 launch.

Our vision

Samsung’s entry into the Android XR space marks a critical inflection point in the spatial computing race. Unlike Apple’s Vision Pro or Meta’s Quest, “Project Moohan” integrates into the broader Android ecosystem, creating opportunities for developers to build immersive experiences natively within Android. This move positions Samsung to challenge Apple and Meta by offering a powerful, open alternative that could become the default XR option for Android users. If execution and pricing align, Samsung may finally make XR mainstream in mobile-first markets.

Transportation

At a glance

• Tesla has launched robotaxi rides in Austin using driverless Model Y SUVs with a $4.20 flat fare.

• A human safety monitor rides along in the front passenger seat, not behind the wheel.

• Initial rollout is small, limited to 10 vehicles in South Austin operating from 6 a.m. to midnight.

• Tesla’s system relies solely on cameras and end-to-end AI, diverging from lidar-heavy approaches like Waymo.

• Access is invitation-only for early Tesla supporters using a new robotaxi app.

• Information has been tightly controlled, with Tesla resisting public records requests.

Our vision

Tesla’s robotaxi launch is less about scale and more about testing public perception, regulatory tolerance, and the technical viability of a pure vision-based autonomy system. By sidestepping lidar and relying solely on AI and cameras, Tesla aims to leapfrog conventional AV approaches with a lower-cost, software-driven model. The inclusion of safety monitors reflects a transitional step that blends confidence with caution. However, the absence of transparency and documented technical anomalies raise concerns about readiness.

If Tesla can refine safety and reliability, it may pave a unique path to scalable autonomy without the expensive sensor suites others rely on, potentially reshaping the economics and accessibility of self-driving services.

At a glance

• Waymo robotaxis are now live on Uber in Atlanta, the second city after Austin to support the partnership.

• Service is limited to 65 square miles covering Downtown, Buckhead, and Capitol View.

• Waymo One app won't work in Atlanta; users are redirected to the Uber app.

• Pricing matches UberX, Comfort, and Comfort Electric.

• Fleet starts small; opting in via Ride Preferences increases match chance.

• Uber handles operations like charging and cleaning; Waymo manages testing and support.

Our vision

Waymo’s Uber integration in Atlanta signals strategic scaling of autonomous ridehailing by piggybacking on Uber’s established infrastructure and customer base. This partnership model reduces the friction of adoption while preserving Waymo’s core technology leadership. Restricting rides to urban neighborhoods with no highway or airport routes shows a careful, phased deployment strategy focused on safety and predictability. If successful, this hybrid approach could become the blueprint for rapid AV expansion in dense metros, giving Waymo a stronger foothold in consumer-facing autonomy than rivals still building independent platforms.

Space

At a glance

• SpaceX’s Starship exploded on a test stand in Texas during preparations for its 10th test flight.

• Cause identified as a failed pressurized tank (COPV) in the nosecone.

• No injuries reported, and personnel were evacuated before the blast.

• Explosion damaged infrastructure and will likely delay the upcoming June 29 launch.

• This marks Starship’s fourth failure in 2025, following explosions in January, March, and May.

• FAA recently raised SpaceX’s launch limit from five to 25 annual Starship tests in Texas.

Our vision

The explosion underscores the volatility baked into SpaceX’s rapid development model, where iteration through failure is a feature, not a bug. While Starship's repeated mishaps raise questions about reliability, they also reveal SpaceX’s unmatched pace in building a heavy-lift system capable of redefining access to space. Continued FAA support and Musk’s optimism about a 2026 Mars shot reflect strong institutional and internal belief in the long game.

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