What happened?
Customs War – US rise rates
On April 2, 2025, in a symbolic speech named by Donald Trump "Liberation Day", the president of the United States announced the introduction of fresh tariffs. As of 5 April, the basic 10% rate will cover all imported goods, excluding steel, aluminium or automotive parts. The highest rates for circumstantial countries are 34% for China, 20% for the European Union and 24% for Japan.
Commentary and sources:
- Increase the cost of AI services and cloud solutions. While semiconductors have been spared in common duties, another components needed to grow and keep large data centres may affect AI and cloud services prices (source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/with-trump-tariffs-even-ai-could-get-more-expensive-83a8f06e?mod=tech_feat2_ai_pos2). On the another hand, cloud solutions providers specified as Amazon, Google or Microsoft already have a large network of data centers in Europe, so the possible impact on business in Europe does not should be that big.
- The European Union is considering fresh regulatory, taxation and customs measures as part of the implementation of retaliation measures. In practice, this may mean that companies specified as Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Alphabet, having their own companies in Europe, may endure ricochet in the form of penalties for non-compliance with guidelines on e.g. Digital Services Act or large Tech taxation (source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-05/eu-answer-to-trump-may-involve-data-use-by-big-tech-france-says).
AI buys X – or theo pouring from empty into vain?
Elon Musk executed the acquisition of his social platform X (formerly Twitter) by his artificial intelligence company, xAI. The transaction was announced on March 28, 2025 and was based on an exchange of shares, which valued xAI at $80 billion, and X at $33 billion considering $12 billion in debt. The aim of the merger was to combine advanced AI xAI technologies with an extended X user base, which is to lead to innovative functions and services. Both companies are now part of a fresh corp called xAI Holdings Corp., registered in Nevada, with Musk as president.
Commentary and sources:
- Two types of data are needed to make generic artificial intelligence: training data, based on which models learn to admit patterns, and feedback data, which are utilized to optimize algorithms. In the case of the latter, this may be the interaction of users on the advertisements presented, suggested content, etc. The xAI connection with X gives the first access to 600 million users, publishing 500 million tweets a day (source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/cateoflahertyuk/2025/03/31/elon-musks-xai-buys-x-heres-what-that-means-for-you/)
- In addition, it is worth noting that integration of AI in social media is accelerating highly dynamically. Meta Platforms just released another version of its Liam model (source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-06/meta-announces-release-of-new-llama-4-ai-models?srnd=php-technology)
TickTok for sale – fresh face of data conflict
The subject of TikTok is equally loud in the shade of tariffs. On 5 April, the deadline set by the Trump administration for the sale of U.S. application operations – after the release of the 20 January executive regulation, which postponed the enforcement of the ban by 75 days. Conversations are ongoing with possible buyers, and companies like Oracle, Blackstone or Amazon appear on the list.
Commentary and sources:
- From China's point of view, extortion of sales is simply a "pure robbery". From the U.S. perspective, this is simply a question of national safety and control of user data. In fact, however, we are faced with a precedent: a global technology platform is set against the wall by political forces. This launches a fresh kind of retaliatory action on Donald Trump's customs, which is already open: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-05/eu-answer-to-trump-may-involve-data-use-by-big-tech-france-says
Who am I?
My name is Bartosz Skudlarek. For 25 years, I have been creating software for clients in the financial, media and public administration sectors. I manage Eversis, a software home implementing projects for companies specified as BNP Paribas, mBank, European Space Agency or CERN. My work ethos is based on the effective usage of technology by business – I aid my customers exploit the possible of cloud-based solutions, automation and AI. I actively share knowledge, analyses and scenes of IT projects in social media.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bought/
