The Tech Rundown Podcast

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This week on The Tech Rundown Podcast, I’m sharing the latest on NASA’s next moon mission, SpaceX’s historic IPO, Apple’s Siri upgrades, OpenAI’s latest vision for AI, Google’s new translation technology, and the rise of “MANGOS” in the tech world.

Plus, I share what I learned while building my first AI agents in my newsletter at annalysagayle.substack.com, and we take a look at how Maryland-based IonQ is helping position the DMV as a hub for quantum computing and cybersecurity.

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Read more details in my latest newsletter here, and listen to the full episode for more.

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On Wednesday, Instagram launched “Instants.” They say it’s a new way to share in the moment.

Meta says it wants to make it easier for people to share casual, everyday photos that disappear after friends view them, similar to Snapchat.

“Instants” will live in the bottom-right corner of your Instagram inbox.

The photos will go to close friends or mutual friends.

Users also have the option to turn off the feature.

Trending now: Bumble is getting rid of its popular swipe feature.

Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd made the announcement in an interview with Axios late last week.

The company says it will overhaul the app later this year amid a decline among paid users.

Based on comments on Instagram, users seem to be open to the change.

One person said maybe AI chatbots will initiate the first conversation to see whether users are a match.

According to TechCrunch, Bumble is working on an AI dating assistant called “Bee.”

President Donald Trump is in China for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week.

He was joined by Elon Musk, as well as Tim Cook, Larry Fink and others.

The president is expected to discuss trade, AI chip sales and the conflict in the Middle East with Xi Jinping.

The Maryland Tech Council is hosting a data center listening summit Saturday from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the Frederick Innovative Technology Center to take questions from community members about future development plans.

County officials also held a similar meeting back in February.

At the time, County Executive Jessica Fitzwater released a statement saying:

“We have now made data centers the most heavily regulated industry in Frederick County, and we cut the number of acres available for data center development in half. We learned the lessons of Loudoun County and regulated the industry before the first data center even came online.”

The United States Secret Service is hiring a drone pilot in Landover. Applications are due by May 25.

According to the job description, the Secret Service is hiring an unmanned aircraft systems operator, which is the official title for the drone pilot position.

The agency says operators will conduct aerial surveillance and site assessments in direct support of protective operations for the vice president, president and others under Secret Service protection.

There are many use cases for robots these days, and quite a few variations have already appeared across the DMV.

The latest was at the AI Expo, where one robot is being used for public safety.

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From the high-stakes halls of the Pentagon to the futuristic skies of New York City, here is the latest in technology and innovation.

The Pentagon says it has now entered into agreements with eight of the world’s leading artificial intelligence companies, including SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, NVIDIA, Reflection, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Oracle, to deploy their advanced AI capabilities on the Department’s classified networks for operational use. Interestingly, that list did not include Anthropic, which filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon after the Secretary of Defense ordered all government agencies to immediately stop using Anthropic tools.

Soon there will be a new way to pay for items on your phone. Cash App announced that they are testing the “Nearby Payment” option, which allows people nearby to pay you faster. In the example they shared, it works similar to a Bluetooth feature; you can just hold up your phone to another person’s phone to share the payment. They say it’s currently being tested in Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Chicago.

Flying air taxis took one step closer to being reality above the skies of New York City. Joby Aviation recently completed the first-ever point-to-point eVTOL flight in NYC history. Eric Allison, Joby’s Chief Product officer, said it’s a critical proof of concept, with the company targeting passenger flights as soon as the second half of 2026.

According to the Baltimore Sun, Westminster’s Mayor says SpaceX, which is owned by Elon Musk, purchased a property at 1121 Independence Way. Several job opportunities for the location have already been posted.

There’s a legal battle brewing between Elon Musk, the owner of ‘X’, and Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. Jury selection began this week for a civil lawsuit filed by Musk, accusing Altman and other top leaders of double-crossing him by straying away from the San Francisco company’s founding mission. His main issue, according to the suit and his posts on ‘X’, is that they shifted to a moneymaking model behind his back.

AI Expo DC: We’re learning more about the AI Expo coming up in D.C. starting next Thursday. The free, three-day event (May 7th – May 9th) now has over 150 confirmed speakers, including military commanders, and will feature live tech demonstrations, a drone area, and a robot cage.

Self-Driving Taxis: This week also featured a deeper dive into new legal efforts to get self-driving taxis here in the District. I sat down with Councilmember Charles Allen to find out how the plan could benefit the city financially.

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In this episode of The Tech Rundown, we cover major developments across AI, tech policy, and innovation in the DMV and beyond. Topics include a new free AI literacy course from the Department of Labor, a DMV-based VR autism therapy awaiting FDA review, and a new innovation space at Howard University’s College of Engineering. We also break down Apple’s upcoming leadership transition, OpenAI’s latest product updates including ChatGPT Images 2.0 and workplace AI agents, and new school screen time guidelines in Los Angeles. Plus, we look at a report on where AI is expected to create jobs, DC Startup Week speaker applications, and a local STEM open house at the Anacostia Library.

Today, I also spoke with Charles Allen about the bill he recently introduced to bring self-driving taxis to Washington, D.C.

More on that next week in my Tech Talk.

Let me know what you’d like to hear more of on the podcast.

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This week in tech, we’re exploring new insights on artificial intelligence, and several new developments in the DMV.

Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, shared new insights into the evolution of AI, emphasizing its rapid advancement and growing role in everyday business operations.

Closer to home, Wes Moore announced a new headquarters coming to College Park, signaling continued investment in Maryland’s tech ecosystem and workforce development.

Meanwhile, the Montgomery County Council is weighing new regulations for data centers, a move that reflects increasing concerns around energy use, land development and the region’s expanding digital infrastructure.

At the academic level, Howard University is pushing innovation forward with a new center inside its College of Engineering, designed to foster research, entrepreneurship and the next generation of tech leaders.

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Headlines:

Listen for more details.

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I made the difficult decision to change the name of the podcast to reflect what the show is truly about, which is tech. I hope you will continue to follow me on this journey, as I passionately cover a space that I think could use more attention, especially in these times we are living.