DeSantis Defies Trump Order, Says Florida Can Regulate AI

As we step into 2026, the world of artificial intelligence continues to accelerate at a breathtaking pace, blending groundbreaking innovations with heated policy debates and practical applications across industries.

From Florida Governor Ron DeSantis asserting state rights to regulate AI despite a federal executive order from President Trump, to revolutionary tools enhancing baseball training and government modernization efforts, the landscape is evolving rapidly.

This roundup explores key developments, including AI’s role in sports analytics, browser enhancements for multitasking users, upgrades to creative AI models, and expert predictions for the year ahead. These stories not only highlight technological advancements but also underscore the growing tensions between federal oversight and state autonomy, as well as the transformative potential of AI in everyday life and professional fields.

DeSantis Defies Trump on AI Regulation: ‘We Have a Right to Do This’

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has firmly positioned himself as a defender of state sovereignty in the realm of artificial intelligence regulation, declaring that Florida has the authority to implement its own AI rules regardless of President Trump’s recent executive order.

The order, signed in December 2025, seeks to establish a national framework for AI development, emphasizing federal preemption over state laws to prevent a patchwork of regulations that could stifle innovation.

DeSantis, speaking at a press event, argued that Trump’s directive does not supersede states’ rights, stating, “We have a right to do this,” in reference to Florida’s proposed “AI Bill of Rights.” This measure aims to protect consumers from AI biases, ensure transparency in algorithmic decisions, and crack down on deepfakes and misinformation, reflecting DeSantis’s broader agenda to rein in Big Tech companies he accuses of lacking sufficient oversight.

The governor’s stance emerges amid reports that Trump’s order threatens litigation and funding cuts against states pursuing independent AI policies. DeSantis dismissed these pressures, asserting that Florida’s approach complements rather than contradicts national goals, focusing on ethical use and consumer safeguards without hampering technological growth.

He has previously criticized federal inaction on tech issues, positioning his state as a leader in addressing what he calls “unfettered AI” that could harm citizens. Supporters of DeSantis’s position, including some Republican lawmakers, view it as a necessary check against overreach from Washington, while critics argue it could lead to fragmented standards that confuse businesses and slow AI adoption nationwide.

This clash highlights a growing federal-state divide on emerging technologies, reminiscent of past battles over data privacy and environmental regulations. As AI permeates sectors from healthcare to finance, states like Florida are increasingly stepping in to fill perceived voids in federal policy, potentially setting up court challenges that could define the balance of power in tech governance for years to come.

AI-Powered Bat Tracking: Giving Baseball Players the Edge with Theia’s Markerless Innovation

In a game-changing advancement for America’s pastime, AI biomechanics company Theia has unveiled the world’s first commercially available markerless bat and body tracking system, promising to revolutionize how baseball players analyze and refine their swings.

Launched in December 2025, this video-only technology captures full 3D bat trajectory and body biomechanics in real-world baseball environments—whether on the field, in batting cages, or during games—without requiring sensors, reflective markers, wearables, or specialized lab setups.

By leveraging deep-learning models trained on millions of movement data points, Theia’s system processes high-speed video footage to deliver precise metrics on bat path, attack angle, sequencing, and overall mechanics, offering insights that were previously accessible only through expensive, cumbersome motion-capture systems.

Theia tested the technology across more than 300 athletes and over 2,000 live swings in collaboration with organizations like Driveline Baseball and Point Loma Nazarene University, demonstrating accuracy with less than 3 degrees of bat-plane error and strong alignment with traditional marker-based methods.

Professional teams and training facilities are already adopting it to enhance player development, injury prevention, and performance optimization. For instance, coaches can now break down a hitter’s swing in intricate detail, identifying inefficiencies like poor kinetic chain transfer or suboptimal bat speed without interrupting natural gameplay.

This innovation arrives as baseball increasingly embraces data analytics, from Statcast’s in-game tracking to wearable tech for training. Theia’s markerless approach democratizes access, making elite-level analysis available to amateur leagues, colleges, and youth programs at lower costs.

However, it also raises questions about privacy and data ownership in sports tech, as AI systems collect vast amounts of biometric information. As adoption grows, expect ripple effects in other sports, potentially transforming training paradigms across athletics.

Trump Admin Launches ‘Tech Force’ to Recruit 1,000 Technologists for Government Modernization

The Trump administration made a bold move to infuse federal operations with cutting-edge expertise by announcing the U.S. Tech Force initiative on Monday, December 15, 2025—a program aimed at recruiting approximately 1,000 early-career technologists and engineering managers for two-year stints across government agencies.

Spearheaded by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), this cross-government effort focuses on accelerating artificial intelligence adoption and modernizing outdated systems, aligning with Trump’s vision for a more efficient, tech-savvy bureaucracy.

The first cohort, targeted for onboarding by March 2026, will prioritize AI specialists, software engineers, data scientists, and product managers to tackle priorities like cybersecurity enhancements, legacy system upgrades, and AI-driven service improvements in areas from healthcare to defense.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other officials emphasized the program’s role in bridging public-private divides, drawing talent from top tech firms, startups, and universities. Participants will receive competitive salaries, professional development, and exposure to high-impact projects, with potential for permanent roles post-service.

This comes after significant federal workforce reductions earlier in 2025—over 300,000 positions eliminated through attrition and restructuring—creating gaps that Tech Force aims to fill with innovative minds.

The initiative draws inspiration from programs like the U.S. Digital Service but scales ambitiously, emphasizing AI to streamline processes and reduce costs. Critics, however, question recruitment feasibility amid perceptions of government bureaucracy and recent politicized firings, while supporters see it as essential for competing globally in tech. As applications open, success will hinge on attracting diverse talent and delivering measurable efficiencies.

Hands-Free Tech: Chrome on Android Turns Webpages into AI-Powered Podcast Summaries

Google has rolled out an innovative AI feature for Chrome on Android that transforms dense webpages into engaging, hands-free audio summaries, powered by its Gemini model. Launched in late 2025 and expanding globally by early 2026, the tool generates concise podcast-style overviews where two virtual hosts converse about key content, making it ideal for multitasking during commutes, workouts, or household chores.

Users activate it via a simple button in Chrome’s menu, with Gemini analyzing the page to extract essentials, highlight insights, and discuss implications in a natural, dialogue format lasting 2-5 minutes.

This builds on Gemini’s existing summarization capabilities, now enhanced for audio delivery with customizable voices, speeds, and accents. Early adopters praise its utility for news articles, research papers, or long-form blogs, reducing screen time while retaining comprehension.

Privacy measures ensure processing occurs on-device or with user consent for cloud enhancements.

The feature arrives amid growing demand for accessible content consumption, competing with tools like Apple’s Siri summaries or Microsoft’s Copilot reads. However, limitations include potential biases in AI interpretations or inaccuracies on complex topics. As adoption grows, expect refinements for multilingual support and integration with other Google apps, further blurring lines between reading and listening in the digital age.

‘More Usable’: OpenAI Upgrades ChatGPT Images for Faster, Smarter Generation

OpenAI has unveiled a significant update to its ChatGPT Images tool in December 2025, promising up to 4x faster generation speeds, superior instruction adherence, and enhanced editing precision.

Dubbed GPT Image 1.5, the model excels at rendering detailed elements like dense text, small faces, and intricate scenes while preserving user-specified details across iterations. Users report smoother workflows for creative tasks—generating logos, illustrations, or product mockups with fewer revisions.

The upgrade addresses prior frustrations with inconsistent outputs, making the tool “more immediately usable” for professionals in design, marketing, and education. OpenAI attributes gains to refined training on millions of images, emphasizing ethical sourcing and bias mitigation. Premium subscribers access it via ChatGPT Plus, with broader rollout planned.

This evolution intensifies competition in AI imagery—rivaling Midjourney’s artistic flair or Stability AI’s customization—while raising IP concerns over generated content. As capabilities advance, expect integration into workflows like Adobe’s tools, transforming visual creation.

Eyes to the Future: Goldman Sachs CIO Predicts AI’s Breakout Year in 2026

Goldman Sachs Chief Information Officer Marco Argenti has forecasted 2026 as a pivotal “breakout year” for artificial intelligence, particularly in personal agents and business automation, during a recent interview. Argenti envisions AI evolving into intuitive “operating systems” that proactively manage tasks, from scheduling to decision-making, reshaping workflows and competition globally.

He predicts agentic AI—systems acting autonomously with human oversight—will drive monumental shifts, with 7% of workers potentially displaced within a decade as generative adoption hits 50%.

Emphasizing preparation, Argenti urges upskilling “AI natives”—younger generations fluent in tools—to harness opportunities. At Goldman, AI already enhances trading, risk assessment, and client services, with broader applications looming in finance.

His outlook aligns with industry trends: Intensifying global rivalry, personalized agents boosting productivity, but ethical challenges like job transitions and bias. Argenti stresses collaboration between humans and AI for optimal outcomes.

Why It Matters

These developments collectively illustrate AI’s dual-edged sword: Empowering innovations across sports, government, browsing, creativity, and finance while provoking regulatory clashes.

DeSantis’s defiance of Trump’s order exemplifies federalism strains—states like Florida pushing consumer protections against perceived federal overreach, potentially leading to patchwork laws hindering national AI strategies. Trump’s Tech Force counters by centralizing talent for modernization, but success depends on attracting apolitical experts amid politicized environments.

Theia’s bat tracking democratizes biomechanics, reducing barriers for athletes but raising data privacy concerns in sports analytics. Chrome’s audio summaries enhance accessibility, yet risk oversimplification or misinformation if AI biases creep in.

OpenAI’s upgrades streamline creation, but ethical sourcing and IP disputes persist. Argenti’s predictions warn of workforce upheavals, advocating reskilling to mitigate inequality.

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As AI integrates deeper into daily life—from state regulations to athletic training and federal operations—the year ahead promises accelerated adoption tempered by debates over control and ethics. With Trump’s order clashing against state initiatives, court battles may clarify boundaries.

Tech Force could catalyze government efficiency, while tools like Theia’s and Gemini’s signal consumer-level transformations. OpenAI’s enhancements foreshadow creative AI ubiquity, and Argenti’s insights urge proactive adaptation.

The trajectory is clear: AI’s potential to elevate humanity is immense, but so are risks of division. Staying informed and engaged will be key as these technologies unfold.