Apple Moving Assembly to India, AI and Biohazards, and Shopify’s Mandatory AI Policy

Apr 29, 2025

Read in Browser 

 

Apr 29, 2025                        Read in Browser 

Welcome, Tech Insiders!

For today’s Tuesday treat, we’ve got a potential game-changer in the United States iPhone supply chain, talk of AI causing biohazards, and some significant changes at Intel. Let’s get into it!

Here's What You Need to Know Today:

  • Apple Eyes Assembling US iPhones in India, Shifting Away from China
  • AI is Outperforming Virologists, Sparking Bioweapon Concerns
  • New Intel CEO Institutes ‘Engineering-Focused’ Reforms
  • Shopify Makes AI Mandatory in the Workplace
Advertise in Daily Tech Insider

Apple Reportedly Moving US iPhone Manufacturing to India

Goodbye China, Hello India? 

Apple is reportedly shifting the manufacturing of its iPhones sold in the U.S. from China to India, with the goal of having it done by the end of 2026. 

According to Reuters, Apple is allegedly in talks with manufacturers Foxconn and Tata to get the move done. This, in theory, would help bring costs down amid the Trump administration’s ongoing trade and tariff war with China. All three companies have yet to make official statements on the pivot.

Apple Reportedly Moving US iPhone Manufacturing to India

Source: Unsplash / Tao Xia

In response, some analysts have questioned whether the shift is a realistic solution to the tariffs. They mentioned how many iPhone components would still originate from China, despite having the factories reside in India.

Why It Matters: Since its inception, most iPhones sold in the U.S. have been manufactured in China. A pivot to having major assembly lines in India would be a drastic shift in Apple’s iPhone supply chain. The transition could yield significant changes in their production process, quality standards, and maybe even end-user pricing. 

Whether it’s made in China or India, one thing’s for sure: You’ll still need a brand new charger.

Share this newsletter!

FacebookXLinkedIn

Beta Tested

  • 📒 Mem AI – AI-powered notes app that organizes your notes for you
  • 📹 Camo– Use your smartphone as a 4K webcam for video meetings and recordings
  • ✍️Miro AI  – AI-based whiteboard and brainstorming tool for fast summarization
  • 💻 Bloop AI – Code search engine to help manage large codebases
  • ⚙️ Tana– Automated task and knowledge management for maximized productivity

Insider Intel

Shopify Makes AI Mandatory For Employees, Marking Growing Trend in the Workplace

Earlier this month, Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke announced on X that AI would now be mandatory for all employees, including its executive team.

The announcement listed key changes on AI within Shopify, such as sharing AI-related learnings in monthly meetings, adding AI usage questions to performance and peer reviews, and discussing AI utilization before asking for additional employee headcount.

Shopify Makes AI Mandatory For Employees

“Using AI effectively is now a fundamental expectation of everyone at Shopify. It's a tool of all trades today, and will only grow in importance,” said Lütke.

In his note, Lütke said he decided to publicly share what was supposed to be an internal memo in Shopify, “because it was in the process of being leaked and (presumably) shown in bad faith.”

While AI in the workplace remains a hotly debated topic, many businesses are looking to leverage its benefits. A recent McKinsey & Company survey found that 78% of respondents say their organizations use AI in at least one business function, which is up from 72% in 2024 and 55% in 2023.

AI is quickly becoming part of daily workflows — and we want to hear your take.

Has your organization started using AI? Has it made your work easier? What’s your reaction to Shopify making AI adoption mandatory?

Share your thoughts — and let us know what you thought of today’s newsletter too by leaving a quick rating and comment.

Flash Bytes

Hostinger: Secure and Fast Website Hosting Today 🛡️

Hostinger is an industry-leading web hosting service that keeps your websites secure and fast for your readers without breaking the bank.

 

Best Project Management Software in 2025 📨

The right project management software can drive success regardless of your business size. Explore our top picks for 2025, including each platform’s key features, pros, cons, and best use-cases.

 

10 Ways to Immediately Improve Workstation Ergonomics (Free Download) 🖥️

Boost comfort and productivity with better workstation ergonomics. This guide offers practical tips to reduce strain, improve posture, and create a healthier work environment.

 

💻 This section contains sponsored tech insights.

Security Alerts

Report: AI Could Be Used To Produce Bioweapons

A different kind of security alert…

A recent artificial intelligence study has found that top AI models can now surpass expert virologists in lab tasks, sparking concerns of bioweapon and biohazard risks via AI.

AI Could Be Used To Produce Bioweapons

The study tested top AI models (such as GPT-4o) against the Virology Capabilities Test (VCT), a testing benchmark designed to assess virology knowledge and lab protocols.

Here are some results from the VCT from AI models:

  • OpenAI’s o3 model scored 43.8%, outperforming 94% of expert virologists who answered specific questions on their expertise
  • DeepSeek-R1 scored 38.6%
  • Google’s Gemini 2.5 Proscored 37.6%
  • OpenAI’s o4-mini scored 37%; GPT-4 with 35.4%

For context, human experts given access to the internet scored an average of 22.1% accuracy on the VCT.

While the findings give optimism in the achievement of biomedical breakthroughs and research with the help of AI,it’s clear that the same innovations could bring forth darker possibilities, such as bioweapons and biohazards.

“The VCT’s results underscore the urgent need for thoughtful access controls to balance beneficial research with safety concerns,” the researchers said.

In the right hands, there are endless possibilities for medicine, tech, and more. In the wrong ones, well … let’s just say most bioweapon horror movies don’t have the happiest of endings.

 

Industry Shakeups

New Intel CEO Implements ‘Engineering’ Reforms, As Major Changes Take Shape

Intel’s new CEO just hit Ctrl+Alt+Reset on the whole company.

Just over a month after assuming the role, new Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has mandated that the company “get back to our roots and empower our engineers.” This comes as the struggling chip manufacturer aims to keep up with the AI boom, as NVIDIA is currently leading the charge.

New Intel CEO Implements ‘Engineering’ Reforms, As Major Changes Take Shape

Source: Intel Newsroom

In a company-wide memo, Tan called for engineering empowerment and improved operational discipline, instituting a swath of reforms to revitalize Intel. This has meant elevating engineering functions to the company’s executive team and investing in engineering talent and resources.

Other changes outlined were:

  • Simplifying its organizational structure by flattening hierarchies
  • Reducing bureaucracy and scaling back rigid reporting requirements
  • Upping in-person work to four days per week, from their current three-day policy

Of course, the most significant announcement from Tan is Intel’s plan to reduce its workforce by Q2. While no specific figure was given, reports have noted that the layoffs to cover around 20% of its current staff.

Meet Our Author

Luis Millares Headshot

Luis Millares

Senior Staff Writer at TechnologyAdvice

Luis Millares is a seasoned tech writer with broad experience reviewing consumer gadgets and enterprise software, offering clear, reliable insights across the latest in technology. 

 

We're Hiring! 📝

We're looking for talented writers to help shape Daily Tech Insider. If you're passionate about tech news, apply to join our team!

Apply now!
Sign Up
Contact Us

Daily Tech Insider is a TechnologyAdvice business

© 2025 TechnologyAdvice, LLC. All rights reserved.

TechnologyAdvice, 3343 Perimeter Hill Dr., Suite 100, Nashville, TN 37211, USA.

FacebookXLinkedIn

Want to change how you receive these emails? Update your preferences or unsubscribe here.