Roundup: Underground film festival / Google HiLight / GM’s $4.5B deal

Indie takes centerstage: The second annual Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival runs Aug. 27-30 at Manship Theatre, featuring dozens of independent films, including Baton Rouge native Steven Soderbergh’s film. Founded by four LSU filmmaking alumni, the festival aims to revive Baton Rouge’s independent film scene while providing workshops, panels and networking opportunities for aspiring industry professionals. This year’s lineup includes nine feature films, two shorter features, 56 short films and sessions with award-winning industry figures and Louisiana filmmakers. 225 has the full story.

AI in action: AI assistants increasingly work in the background, creating a need for visible signals that show users what they are doing. Google’s new HiLight feature brings back the old notification-light concept, using the phone’s camera bar to indicate when Gemini is processing a request, much like Alexa’s light ring or privacy indicators on Apple devices. The broader trend suggests that as AI becomes more autonomous, simple hardware and software status signals are becoming important for building user trust and making invisible AI activity understandable. Inc. has the full story.

Securing scarce parts: General Motors has secured a $4.5 billion parts-purchasing facility with Procura Auto Parts and major banks to prepay suppliers for scarce or critical components. The arrangement helps GM lock in supplies while preserving cash and keeping inventory costs off its books until the parts are actually used. The move reflects ongoing supply chain risks involving semiconductors, rare earths and other components, intensified by tariffs and efforts to reduce reliance on Chinese suppliers. CNBC has the full story.