Tech News Digest: Friday, 19 June 2026

Today in tech, we're seeing the 'inference gold rush' reach fever pitch while local giants push back against aggressive software licensing. It’s a busy Friday as OpenAI gears up for its public debut and we all consider if it’s time to trade our doom-scrolling for a bit of 'slow tech' instead.

OpenAI bulks up with heavy hitters ahead of IPO

OpenAI is clearly tidying the house for its highly anticipated IPO by bringing on board heavyweights like Transformer co-inventor Noam Shazeer. This strategic hiring spree suggests the company is transitioning from a high-growth startup into a structured corporate powerhouse ready for the scrutiny of the public markets.

Tesco ditches VMware amid 'abusive' licensing rows

In a move that will resonate with IT departments across Britain, Tesco is migrating 40,000 workloads off VMware following what it describes as Broadcom’s 'abusive conduct.' This is a significant blow to the software giant and serves as a warning that even the UK’s largest enterprises are willing to undergo massive migrations to escape predatory pricing.

Adobe integrates Firefly AI across the Creative Cloud

Adobe is making its AI assistant a core part of the professional experience, bringing Firefly directly into flagship apps like Premiere, Illustrator, and InDesign. For UK creatives and freelancers, this represents a massive shift toward automated workflows, allowing users to handle complex edits and design tweaks via simple AI prompts.

The 'Slow Tech' movement looks to solve our attention crisis

As the smartphone era’s impact on mental health becomes clearer, a new wave of 'slow tech' is emerging to help us reclaim our focus. From apps like Mivo that encourage mindful screen time to devices designed to be less addictive, the tech industry is finally acknowledging that sometimes the best feature is the one that helps you put the phone down.

General Intuition raises $300M for robots that 'see' like us

This startup is using a staggering dataset of 2 billion videos to train 'embodied AI'—essentially teaching robots how to understand and navigate the physical world. It’s a vital step toward bringing automation out of the factory and into our homes, making the dream of truly helpful domestic robots feel closer than ever.

Have a brilliant weekend, and perhaps try putting the phone in a drawer for a few hours to enjoy the sunshine!