AI for Public Defense: New Jersey’s Office of the Public Defender launched the OPD Resource Library, a secure, custom AI system built with Princeton researchers to help defenders quickly find briefs, motions, training materials, and internal expertise—after testing showed off-the-shelf tools weren’t up to public-defense security and legal-work needs. Youth Social Media Trial: Meta is facing a landmark youth-safety case in which four states, including New Jersey, are seeking up to $1.4 trillion in penalties over claims Facebook and Instagram were designed to keep minors hooked; Meta calls the calculation baseless and says it will fight the demands. Data Center Power Pressure: Arizona paused new data-center tax incentives for three years, citing concerns about groundwater, utility strain, and whether residents should subsidize large tech firms—an issue New Jersey is also wrestling with as AI-driven demand reshapes electricity costs. Extreme Heat & Grid Strain: After a deadly heat wave, New Jersey reported 29 heat-related deaths and lingering outages affecting thousands of customers, with storms and downed trees worsening power restoration. Workforce & STEM Pipeline: NJ funded aviation training at Kean University, Atlantic Cape, and Warren County Community College to grow the air-traffic-controller pipeline amid ongoing national shortages. Health & Tech in NJ: Shin-Etsu Silicones of America showcased new cosmetic raw materials and formulations from its NJ-area lab, targeting texture and sensory-feel trends. Construction Safety Watch: A Manhattan high-rise conversion near Grand Central was stabilized after buckling columns, with some evacuations lifted—another reminder of how tech-era infrastructure projects can carry real-world risk.