Weekly Technology News Roundup: April 18, 2025

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) finalized Special Publication 800-61 Revision 3, aligning incident response with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0. The new guidance emphasizes integrating incident response into overall risk management and business operations, shifting away from treating incidents as isolated emergencies. It recommends organizations use a lifecycle approach that includes governance, identification, protection, detection, response, and recovery, and encourages the use of playbooks and clear roles for all stakeholders. This update is expected to shape how US organizations prepare for, detect, and recover from cyberattacks, and it comes at a time of heightened cyber threats.

Albert Saniger, founder and former CEO of Nate, was indicted by federal prosecutors and sued by the SEC for allegedly defrauding investors by claiming his shopping app was powered by advanced AI, when it actually relied on overseas human labor. Saniger reportedly raised over $42 million by touting “proprietary AI technology” and staged fake demos for investors. The case is the first major “AI washing” prosecution under the new administration and signals a crackdown on startups misrepresenting their use of AI. Nate collapsed in 2023 after the fraud was exposed, leaving investors with nearly total losses.

The US Department of Commerce imposed new export license requirements on Nvidia’s H20 and AMD’s MI308 AI chips, effectively banning sales to China, Hong Kong, Macau, and other countries under arms embargoes. Nvidia expects a $5.5 billion charge due to unsellable inventory, while AMD warned of up to $800 million in potential losses. The move is part of a broader effort to curb China’s access to advanced US technology and follows China’s rapid progress in AI, exemplified by DeepSeek’s R1 model. The restrictions are seen as a strategic setback for US chipmakers and could shift market share to Chinese competitors like Huawei.

In a significant policy shift, the Trump administration exempted key tech products—including smartphones, computers, and semiconductors—from sweeping new reciprocal tariffs, including the planned 145% tariff on Chinese goods. The exemption, effective for products entering the US or leaving warehouses after April 5, was prompted by concerns over potential price spikes for consumer electronics and supply chain disruptions. Major tech firms like Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft stand to benefit, as most of their hardware is manufactured in China. The administration maintains higher tariffs on other sectors but aims to avoid major disruptions in the tech market.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a $57 million fine that the FCC had imposed on AT&T for failing to protect customer location data. The court ruled that the FCC’s in-house adjudication process violated AT&T’s constitutional right to a jury trial, referencing the Supreme Court’sJarkesydecision. The judges stated that monetary penalties for private rights must be decided by Article III courts, not administrative agencies. This landmark ruling strips the FCC of a major enforcement tool, raising questions about its ability to impose monetary penalties in the future and potentially affecting other regulatory agencies that use similar processes. The decision is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court.