Microsoft’s new Report is a wake-up call for AI Access

Today, Google Maps is rolling out its most developer-friendly AI tools powered by Gemini. The goal? Let anyone generate interactive maps and spatial apps with just a few words. Also, Microsoft published a landmark report on AI adoption and it’s sounding the alarm. While 1.2 billion people now use AI tools, nearly 4 billion are locked out due to poor digital infrastructure.

In today’s post:

• Microsoft’s new AI report reveals a massive global divide

• New NSF-funded project could reshape how we power AI

• Google Maps just got a major AI upgrade

What’s Trending Today

RESEARCH

1.2B people are using AI but 4B are being left behind

Microsoft just published its first AI Diffusion Report. It shows explosive growth and an urgent warning.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• Over 1.2 billion people have used AI tools in under three years faster than the rise of smartphones or the internet.

• Microsoft analyzed data from 100+ countries to map how fast AI is spreading globally.

• The report introduces three new indices to track AI: Frontier, Infrastructure, and Diffusion.

• Unsurprisingly, adoption is fastest where digital infrastructure is strongest.

• Nearly 4 billion people still lack the connectivity needed to use AI tools.

• The report stresses: without better access, AI could widen global inequality.

• Microsoft calls for coordinated action on infrastructure, digital skills, and responsible policy.

The real story isn’t AI’s speed, it’s its skew. The diffusion gap Microsoft outlines isn’t just a tech challenge; it’s a geopolitical one. And if left unchecked, it could define this decade more than AI itself.

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STRATEGY

Texas Tech just landed $12M to rethink data centers

Texas Tech is leading a major national infrastructure effort. And it’s not your typical data center project.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• The university won a $12.25M NSF grant to launch REPACSS, a new power-aware computing research initiative.

• Unlike hyperscalers, this project focuses on flexible infrastructure for scientific computing.

• REPACSS will be hosted at the Texas Tech Reese National Security Complex and serve researchers nationwide.

• The system is designed to run on multiple energy sources from solar to nuclear based on availability and cost.

• It’s a key piece of NSF’s push to create decentralized, energy-smart computing infrastructure.

• The program also supports training for students to manage large-scale AI and data workloads.

• It aligns with recent regional mega-projects like Stargate and Fermi America, giving Texas a central role in the future of AI infrastructure.

This isn’t just about research, it’s about influence. Whoever figures out how to scale AI affordably and sustainably controls the next phase of innovation. And Texas Tech, quietly, is making a move.

UPGRADE

Build interactive maps with a single prompt

Google is giving Maps a serious developer boost. New AI tools are now live and they’re not just cosmetic.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• The new builder agent lets you describe a map project in plain language and instantly generate a prototype.

• You can create things like real-time weather maps, pet-friendly hotel searches, or Street View tours.

• A styling agent lets you match maps to brand aesthetics using themes and color codes.

• Google’s Grounding Lite feature allows developers to plug their AI models into Maps data, enabling real-time, context-aware responses.

• Contextual View helps AI assistants answer spatial questions using visual components like lists, 3D views, or traditional maps.

• A new MCP server acts as a code assistant, linking Gemini models to Maps documentation for real-time API guidance.

• Last month, Gemini command-line extensions were released making it easier for devs to pull Maps data straight into projects.

Google is turning Maps into a platform, not just a product. This shift from static navigation to dynamic, AI-powered tools could make Maps a core layer for future apps. The question is whether developers will build with it… or just marvel at the demos.

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