NerdNews

OpenAI is launching its first AI data center in Europe, Stargate Norway, in partnership with Nscale and Aker. The center will have 230 MW capacity, run on 100,000 Nvidia GPUs, and prioritize Norway's AI ecosystem. It will be powered by renewable energy and incorporate closed-loop cooling.

Meta is building gigawatt datacentres to power its superintelligence AI models, with a focus on personal AI capabilities and developing the next generation of AI models. The company is investing heavily in its Meta Superintelligence Labs and plans to extend the useful life of its servers to offset increasing infrastructure costs.

Apple is reportedly working on a stripped-down AI chatbot to compete with ChatGPT, with a dedicated team called 'Answers, Knowledge and Information' tasked with developing the in-house AI service. The team, led by Robby Walker, aims to create a new ChatGPT-like search experience that can crawl the web to respond to questions, potentially supporting AI capabilities for Apple's Siri, Spotlight, and Safari.

Silicon Valley's tech giants, including Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon, have reported significant increases in AI spending, with Microsoft expecting to spend over $100 billion next year. The investments are paying off, with Meta's ad revenue and Microsoft's cloud computing platform Azure exceeding expectations. However, there is a risk of overspending if demand for AI does not scale up accordingly.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and senior vice president Craig Federighi addressed Apple employees, discussing the scope and scale of artificial intelligence, Siri, and the road forward for Apple. Cook emphasized the importance of AI, stating that Apple must invest in it to stay ahead. Federighi also discussed the delayed improved Siri, citing the difficulty of integrating a large language model with day-to-day smartphone use.

Uber is partnering with multiple self-driving vehicle companies to offer robotaxi services through its app, aiming to become the dominant player in the industry. With the potential to save billions by replacing human drivers, Uber is positioning itself to be the Kleenex of ride-hailing, regardless of who develops the underlying technology.

Google's Gemini 2.5 Deep Think AI model uses multiple agents to solve complex problems and is available for $250/month. It outperformed rival models in benchmark tests and achieved a gold-medal standard in the International Mathematical Olympiad.

Mark Zuckerberg's 'personal superintelligence' plan involves using AI to fill users' free time with engaging content, rather than competing directly with ChatGPT. Meta will focus on maximizing engagement and monetizing it, playing to its core strengths. The company plans to use AI to make its apps more engaging via personalized ads, surfacing better Reels to watch, and encouraging interactions with AI personas.

Apple CEO Tim Cook emphasized the importance of AI, stating that the company 'must' figure it out and will make the necessary investments. Cook believes AI is as big or bigger than the internet, smartphones, and cloud computing. Apple has been slow to roll out some AI features, but Cook is optimistic about the company's approach to developing AI.

Apple has formed a new team, Answers, Knowledge and Information, to develop in-house AI services, including a new Siri search experience similar to ChatGPT. The team aims to improve Siri's contextual understanding and search capabilities, potentially debuting in 2026.

Top AI researchers are being offered salaries of up to $250 million, dwarfing those of historic scientific endeavors like the Manhattan Project and the Space Race. This is due to the high stakes in the race to create artificial general intelligence, with companies like Meta and Google competing for a limited talent pool.

Forrester warns that major enterprise software vendors like Oracle, SAP, and Salesforce are using AI to end discounting and push high-margin products, increasing vendor lock-in and strategic risk for customers.

The SEC has launched 'Project Crypto', a roadmap to regulate cryptocurrency, aiming to make the US 'the crypto capital of the world'. The project involves updating rules, encouraging experimentation with new technology, and reclassifying most crypto assets as investment contracts rather than securities.

A report by Flashpoint reveals a staggering 800% increase in infostealer credential theft, with 1.8 billion credentials stolen in the first half of 2025. This surge in identity-based attacks is concerning, as compromised credentials can give threat actors access to corporate resources. The report also notes a significant increase in disclosed vulnerabilities and ransomware-related breaches.

The UK's AI Security Institute is teaming up with international partners to lead a £15m project focused on researching AI alignment, ensuring AI systems work as intended and don't pose a risk to national security.

Microsoft's stock price has risen, passing a $4 trillion market valuation due to better-than-expected earnings and Azure revenue growth. The company's investment in cloud computing positions it well for future AI computing needs.

Microsoft's latest quarterly results show a 27% growth in its cloud business, with revenue of $46.7bn. The company's Azure cloud service saw a 39% growth, driven by increased adoption of its AI services, including Copilot. However, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has raised concerns over Microsoft's licensing practices, which it believes may be limiting competition in the public cloud market.

SAP announced the acquisition of SmartRecruiters, a recruiting software company, to complement its existing HR tools. The deal is expected to close in Q4 2025, with terms not disclosed. SmartRecruiters' software will help SAP customers manage the entire candidate lifecycle in a single system.

A crypto-stealing NPM package appears to have been written by AI, as evidenced by its liberal use of emojis and other telltale signs. The malware, known as Kodane, was discovered by security firm Safety and is designed to drain cryptocurrency wallets on Windows, macOS, and Linux systems.

A Florida jury found Tesla partially liable for a fatal 2019 crash involving a vehicle operating in Autopilot mode, awarding $243 million in damages. The crash occurred when a Tesla Model S failed to brake at an intersection, killing one person and injuring another. Tesla was found 1/3 responsible for the crash, with the driver bearing 2/3 of the responsibility.