Business

Some tech shares are plunging – what does that mean for the AI revolution?

Published

3 hours ago

30 July 2026

Currency dealers watch monitors as an electronic screen shows South Korea's benchmark stock index (KOSPI) in a foreign exchange dealing room at the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on July 28.

The euphoria for this technology has boosted the value of some world’s biggest companies even as they spend hundreds of billions of dollars on the building blocks of the technology.

But over the last few weeks, the value of some of the companies that make those building blocks has plummeted – prompting some to question whether what some have dubbed “the AI bubble” is about to burst.

Some of the sharpest falls have been in Asia, with shares in Korean chip makers such as SK Hynix and Samsung down 46% and 35% respectively over the last month as investors worry the recent boom in demand for the chips that power AI is unsustainable.

Yet these shares still are up threefold and fivefold respectively over the last year, leading many to conclude that some caution and profit taking after such massive gains was inevitable – and indeed healthy.

The South Korean stock market is notoriously volatile, but concerns have spilled over into the big US companies.

Shares in Google and Tesla plunged briefly before recovering last week after both firms pledged to spend billions more on AI in the months and years to come despite so far it losing them money.

And with other big names such as Meta, Microsoft and Amazon reporting their latest financial results this week, investors have the opportunity to scrutinise just how much these companies are now betting on AI.

On Wednesday, the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the trading day about 9% below its June record high, driven down in part by worries over heavy AI spending.

“There is still a healthy degree of scepticism about the ability of these investments to generate a commensurate level of return,” Russ Mould, an investment director at AJ Bell, said.

But according to leading tech investor Eileen Burbidge despite the concerns there’s not yet a serious reckoning.

“The AI bubble hasn’t burst but it’s letting out air,” she told the BBC.

Business

FCC bans certain foreign-made robot vacuums under new security rules

Published

5 minutes ago

30 July 2026

NewsAdmin

FCC bans certain foreign-made robot vacuums under new security rules

FOX Business correspondent Grady Trimble reports live from Chicago’s Automate Show, showcasing advanced humanoid robots designed for entertainment and practical applications on ‘Varney & Co.’

Certain robotic vacuum cleaners, including some Roomba-style devices, will be banned under the new U.S. policy restricting foreign-made advanced robotics, federal regulators told FOX Business Thursday.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said robotic vacuums fall under its updated “Covered List” rules adopted Tuesday, making certain new foreign-produced models ineligible for FCC equipment authorization due to national security and cybersecurity risks to U.S. critical infrastructure.

While the agency did not identify specific brands, an FCC spokesperson confirmed to FOX Business that robotic vacuums are among the devices covered by the restrictions.

Major manufacturers including iRobot, SharkNinja, Dyson, Samsung and LG sell robotic vacuums in the U.S., with most production taking place in China, alongside manufacturing operations in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

FCC BLOCKS NEW FOREIGN-MADE POWER INVERTERS AND ADVANCED ROBOTS OVER NATIONAL SECURITY RISKS

A black Roomba vacuum on display in a store.

A Roomba robot vacuum is displayed on a shelf at a Bed Bath and Beyond store Aug. 5, 2022, in Larkspur, Calif. Certain newly authorized foreign-made robotic vacuums are now subject to expanded FCC national security restrictions. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

However, the restrictions apply only to newly authorized devices and will not affect the many robotic vacuums already in consumers’ homes.

“This action does not impact a consumer’s continued use of devices they previously acquired,” the FCC spokesperson said.

The agency added that previously authorized models may continue to be sold, imported and marketed in the U.S., and it does not “prevent retailers from continuing to sell, import or market relevant models approved previously through the FCC’s equipment authorization process.”

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An iRobot Roomba 980 robotic vacuum cleaner sits on a ceramic floor Dec. 10, 2016. It is unclear which models will be affected. (iStock / iStock)

“We are aware of the FCC’s recent action and are working with them to better understand its implementation and potential impact,” iRobot said. “We remain committed to serving our customers and will share updates as more information becomes available.”

Under the FCC’s new rules, many household robotic cleaners qualify as “advanced robotic devices” because they are mechanical mobile devices capable of locomotion, navigation and obstacle avoidance.

Covered devices generally weigh more than 4.4 pounds and operate near human operators. Their autonomous navigation is either powered by firmware, AI models or sensors via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or cellular technology.

That definition could encompass products such as iRobot’s Roomba lineup, SharkNinja’s Shark robotic vacuums, Dyson’s 360 series, Samsung’s Jet Bot line and LG’s CordZero robotic cleaners.

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A robotic arm grabs materials for storage in the workshop of Jiangxi Suqiangge Hydraulic Co., Ltd. July 29, 2026, in Yichun, Jiangxi Province of China. (Zou Zhong/VCG / Getty Images)

Roomba, one of the first robotic vacuum brands to gain widespread popularity in the U.S., was introduced by American company iRobot in 2002 but is now owned by Shenzhen Picea Robotics and Santrum Hong Kong.

Picea Robotics, which operates development and manufacturing facilities in China and Vietnam, sells Roomba models starting at $200.

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By comparison, American robotics startup Matic, one of the few U.S.-based competitors that designs and assembles its products domestically in California, sells its robotic vacuums for about $1,245.

FOX Business reached out to SharkNinja, Dyson, Samsung and LG for comment.