News/AI Infrastructure
OpenAI ponders South Korea data center amid Samsung and SK partnerships
OpenAI is considering building a data center in South Korea while expanding partnerships with major Korean conglomerates like Samsung and SK, according to remarks made during the launch of its Seoul office. The move aligns with South Korea's push for AI sovereignty and positions OpenAI to tap into the country's advanced semiconductor ecosystem as it prepares to manufacture its own AI chips. What you should know: OpenAI's Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon confirmed the company's openness to Korean infrastructure investments during a September 10 press conference. "When it comes to the hardware chip side, I think we have a lot...
read Sep 10, 2025EVs show flexible nature as Nissan helps drive Silicon Valley grid during peak demand
Nissan and ChargeScape have launched a new vehicle-to-grid pilot program in Silicon Valley, where Nissan EVs will export stored battery energy back to the power grid during peak demand periods. The initiative aims to support the region's rapidly growing energy needs driven by AI-powered data centers, while demonstrating how electric vehicles can function as distributed energy resources rather than just transportation tools. How it works: The pilot operates through Nissan's Advanced Technology Center using bidirectional charging technology to manage two-way power flow. Fermata Energy's bidirectional chargers handle the technical aspects of moving energy between EV batteries and the grid. ChargeScape...
read Sep 9, 2025CoreWeave launches $1B+ venture fund to back AI startups
CoreWeave, a cloud infrastructure company specializing in AI workloads, has launched a venture capital arm called CoreWeave Ventures to invest in AI-focused startups. The announcement sent the company's stock surging 4.67% as investors see the move as a strategic expansion that could create a pipeline benefiting both earnings and future demand for computing power. What you should know: CoreWeave Ventures offers startups a comprehensive package beyond traditional funding, combining capital investment with technical resources and market access. The venture arm provides direct capital investment, compute for equity arrangements, and access to CoreWeave's AI-optimized cloud and production-grade testing clusters. Startups also...
read Sep 9, 2025EPA eases air quality permits to accelerate AI infrastructure buildout
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has announced changes to the New Source Review program that will allow companies to begin construction on new facilities before obtaining air quality permits, as long as the initial work doesn't involve "emissions units" that release air pollution. The move is designed to accelerate the construction of data centers and power plants needed to support America's artificial intelligence infrastructure, with Zeldin calling the current permitting system "broken." What's changing: The EPA will now permit companies to start certain building activities before receiving full Clean Air Act construction permits. Companies can begin work on elements like installing...
read Sep 9, 2025UAE releases 32B-parameter AI model that matches OpenAI performance
The United Arab Emirates has released K2 Think, an open-source AI reasoning model that matches the performance of much larger systems from OpenAI and DeepSeek while using just 32 billion parameters compared to their 200+ billion. Developed by researchers at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi and backed by tech conglomerate G42, this represents one of the strongest indicators yet that the UAE's massive AI investments are yielding competitive results in the global race for AI supremacy. What you should know: K2 Think is specifically designed for advanced reasoning tasks rather than being a complete large...
read Sep 9, 2025Fermi files for Nasdaq IPO to build nuclear-powered AI data centers
Texas-based data center developer Fermi has filed for an initial public offering on Nasdaq under the symbol "FRMI," less than a year after its founding by former U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry. The company aims to build the world's largest data-energy complex powered by nuclear, natural gas, and solar energy to support AI workloads, representing the first major nuclear-related investment since President Trump's executive orders to accelerate nuclear project approvals. What you should know: Despite generating no revenue yet, Fermi has secured significant funding and strategic partnerships for its ambitious energy infrastructure project. The company raised $100 million in August...
read Sep 8, 2025Microsoft signs $17.4B AI infrastructure deal with Nebius Group
Nebius Group has signed a $17.4 billion deal to provide Microsoft with GPU infrastructure capacity over five years, marking one of the largest AI infrastructure partnerships to date. The agreement underscores the massive capital investments tech giants are making to secure computing power for generative AI development, with Nebius shares surging 33% in after-hours trading following the announcement. What you should know: This represents a significant strategic partnership between Microsoft and Nebius, an AI infrastructure specialist formerly known as Yandex's international business.• The five-year agreement is valued at $17.4 billion, positioning it among the largest AI infrastructure deals in the...
read Sep 5, 2025Trump’s coal-powered AI plan faces data center opposition
President Trump's fossil-fueled AI agenda is putting state and local governments in a challenging position as they balance federal energy directives with community opposition to data centers. The administration's push to power AI infrastructure with coal and other fossil fuels conflicts with local climate goals and growing resident activism against energy-intensive data centers, potentially complicating government AI initiatives. The big picture: Trump's administration is actively promoting coal and fossil fuels as the primary energy sources for AI infrastructure, dismissing renewable alternatives despite their lower costs and scalability. At a cabinet meeting on August 26, Trump stated: "Whether we like it...
read Sep 5, 2025Germany puts “Jupiter,” Europe’s first exascale supercomputer, in orbit. So to speak.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz inaugurated the Jupiter supercomputer at the Juelich research centre, marking Europe's first Exascale-class supercomputer and the world's fourth-fastest computing system. The milestone represents a strategic push by Germany and Europe to compete with the United States and China in AI development and high-performance computing capabilities. What you should know: Jupiter represents a major technological achievement for European computing infrastructure and research capabilities. The supercomputer can perform one billion times one billion calculations per second, equivalent to the power of about 10 million standard notebook computers. It was assembled through a collaboration between Nvidia (the chip manufacturer),...
read Sep 5, 2025AI data centers drive up electricity costs, making it a central issue in 2025 elections
Rising electricity costs are emerging as a major political issue in the 2025 elections, with candidates across New Jersey, Virginia, and other states making utility bills a central campaign theme. The surge is driven largely by America's aging power grid struggling to meet explosive demand from AI-powered data centers, which consumed nearly a quarter of Virginia's electricity in 2023 and are projected to double or triple energy use by 2028. What you should know: Political campaigns are responding aggressively to voter concerns about skyrocketing utility bills, with both parties proposing dramatically different solutions. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Mikie Sherrill, a U.S....
read Sep 4, 2025NSF launches national AI research operations center to scale pilot
The National Science Foundation has launched a solicitation for proposals to establish the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Operations Center (NAIRR-OC), a community-based initiative designed to create a comprehensive management framework for national AI research infrastructure. This represents a critical step in transitioning the successful NAIRR Pilot program into a sustainable, scalable national resource that could significantly accelerate AI research capabilities across the United States. What you should know: The NAIRR-OC will serve as the organizational backbone for America's national AI research infrastructure, building on the foundation established by the current pilot program.• The center will develop overarching frameworks, management...
read Sep 3, 2025Huawei unveils 245TB AI SSDs to bypass costly HBM restrictions
Huawei has unveiled three new AI SSDs designed to reduce reliance on expensive high-bandwidth memory (HBM), addressing supply restrictions that Chinese firms face in accessing advanced memory chips. The OceanDisk series includes the industry's largest SSD at 245TB capacity, positioning solid-state storage as a partial alternative to costly HBM in AI workloads. What you should know: Huawei's new OceanDisk series targets the "memory wall" and "capacity wall" problems that currently bottleneck AI training and inference performance. The OceanDisk EX 560 delivers extreme performance with 1,500K IOPS write speeds, sub-7µs latency, and can increase fine-tunable model parameters on a single machine...
read Sep 3, 2025NSF launches national AI research center to scale America’s computing power
The U.S. National Science Foundation announced a new solicitation to establish the National AI Research Resource Operations Center (NAIRR-OC), marking a pivotal transition from the successful NAIRR pilot program to a sustainable national AI research infrastructure. This initiative directly supports the White House's AI Action Plan and aims to expand access to critical AI resources for researchers and educators across the country, addressing a significant gap in computational tools needed for AI innovation and training. What you should know: The NAIRR-OC represents a strategic investment in scaling America's AI research capabilities through a community-based operational framework. The solicitation invites proposals...
read Sep 2, 2025Kiwis and clouds: AWS launches New Zealand region with NZ$7.5B investment
Amazon Web Services has officially launched its Asia Pacific (New Zealand) Region, allowing organizations to store data and run applications within the country for the first time. The infrastructure investment represents Amazon's largest commitment to New Zealand's digital economy, with plans to spend NZ$7.5 billion over 15 years while creating over 1,000 jobs annually and contributing an estimated NZ$10.8 billion to the country's GDP. What you should know: The new AWS region begins operations with three Availability Zones located in the Auckland area, each consisting of one or more data centers designed to improve redundancy and resilience. Organizations can now...
read Sep 2, 2025OpenAI plans 1 gigawatt data center in India as part of $500B Stargate expansion
OpenAI is planning to construct a massive data center in India with at least 1 gigawatt of capacity, according to local press reports citing people familiar with the matter. The facility would rank among India's largest data centers and represents part of OpenAI's ambitious $500 billion Stargate infrastructure expansion, which already includes major projects in the United States, Norway, and Abu Dhabi. What you should know: OpenAI is actively seeking local partnerships to establish the gigawatt-scale facility in the world's most populous nation. The company is in discussions with potential Indian partners, though the specific location and construction timeline remain...
read Sep 2, 2025Self, yes, but sufficient? Alibaba builds AI chip entirely in China amid US export controls
Alibaba has developed a new AI chip designed to handle a broader range of inference tasks, marking a significant shift toward domestic semiconductor production as the chip is being manufactured entirely in China. This development represents a strategic pivot away from foreign suppliers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which produced Alibaba's earlier AI processors, and aligns with Beijing's broader push for technological self-sufficiency amid ongoing U.S. export restrictions. What you should know: The new chip is currently undergoing testing and represents Alibaba's latest effort to reduce dependence on foreign AI semiconductor suppliers. Unlike previous generations of Alibaba's AI processors...
read Sep 1, 2025Alibaba shares surge 19% as cloud growth and AI chip development fuel rally
Alibaba's Hong Kong-listed shares surged more than 19% on Monday following strong quarterly results driven by its cloud computing division and reports of new AI chip development. The rally represents the stock's highest level since March, as investors respond positively to the company's accelerating cloud growth and strategic AI investments that position it to compete with tech giants like Microsoft and Google. What you should know: Alibaba's cloud computing unit delivered impressive growth that exceeded previous quarters and fueled investor confidence. Cloud revenue jumped 26% annually, marking an acceleration from the previous quarter's growth rate. AI-related product revenue "maintained triple-digit...
read Sep 1, 2025Techno Digital opens $175M AI-ready data center in Chennai
Techno Digital, the digital infrastructure arm of Techno Electric and Engineering Company Limited, has opened a 36MW AI-ready hyperscale data center in Chennai with a $175 million investment, marking a significant expansion of India's digital infrastructure capabilities. The facility is part of the company's ambitious $1 billion commitment to building sustainable, future-ready digital infrastructure across the country, positioning Chennai as a strategic hub for AI, cloud computing, and 5G-driven enterprise solutions. What you should know: The data center spans 200,000 square feet at SIPCOT IT Park in Siruseri, offering hosting capacity for over 2,400 high-density racks with flexible power densities...
read Sep 1, 2025Landlocked in: Kazakhstan makes AI mandatory for 390,000 university students
Central Asia's Kazakhstan has made artificial intelligence a mandatory subject across all universities, with 93 institutions already integrating AI into their academic programs and 20 universities launching 25 new educational tracks. This nationwide initiative positions Kazakhstan to compete with leading AI-adopting countries like China, Finland, and the United States while preparing students for an AI-driven economy. Key implementation details: The Aisana project will be included in university curricula starting this academic year, giving every student hands-on experience with AI technologies. So far, 390,000 students have completed specialized AI courses, with 3,000 earning official certificates. Deputy Minister of Science and Higher...
read Aug 29, 2025MongoDB jumps 44% as software tech stocks capture AI boom profits too
MongoDB led a surge in enterprise tech stocks this week, with shares jumping 44% in their best week on record alongside strong gains from Pure Storage (33%), Snowflake (21%), and Autodesk (8.4%). The rally signals that AI's financial benefits are finally flowing to downstream software companies, easing Wall Street concerns about whether artificial intelligence would boost or displace traditional enterprise technology businesses. The big picture: While Nvidia and cloud giants like Microsoft and Google have dominated AI's early winners' circle, this week's earnings results suggest enterprise software vendors are starting to capture meaningful value from the AI boom. MongoDB CEO...
read Aug 29, 2025Electric Feel: Japan’s data centers risk straining grid, tripling power use by 2034
Japan's data center expansion is about to reshape the country's entire electrical grid. By 2034, these digital powerhouses will consume as much electricity as 15-18 million households combined, driving 60% of the nation's total power demand growth and fundamentally altering how utilities plan and invest in infrastructure. This surge stems from a government-backed digital transformation initiative that selected Oracle, Google, and Microsoft as official cloud providers, triggering approximately $28 billion in hyperscaler investments. Hyperscalers—the massive cloud computing companies that operate data centers at enormous scale—are racing to build the digital backbone that will support Japan's AI ambitions and cloud computing...
read Aug 29, 2025Kuala Lumpur data centers to grow 31% annually through 2030
Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, are emerging as key data center markets in Southeast Asia, driven by hyperscale cloud expansion and surging AI infrastructure demand, according to new research from Structure Research, an independent research firm. The growth represents a strategic shift as both cities capitalize on regional spillover effects from Singapore and position themselves as critical hubs for the next wave of digital infrastructure deployment. What you should know: Both markets are experiencing explosive growth trajectories, with Kuala Lumpur leading the charge in percentage terms while Jakarta offers larger absolute market value. Kuala Lumpur's data center...
read Aug 29, 2025Operation Chrome: AI companies battle for browser as DOJ forces Google’s $34.5B divestiture
The Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google has created an unexpected opportunity in the tech world: the potential forced sale of Chrome, the world's most popular web browser. With over 60% of the global browser market, Chrome represents far more than just a way to surf the internet—it's a strategic gateway that controls how billions of people access information online. Now AI companies are circling, recognizing that owning a browser could provide unprecedented access to user data and behavior patterns that are crucial for training advanced AI systems. The stakes are enormous, and the implications stretch far beyond typical...
read Aug 29, 2025New AI ETF QBIG holds just 8 stocks—here’s why that matters
The Invesco Top QQQ ETF (QBIG) offers investors a streamlined approach to artificial intelligence investing by holding just eight stocks—the Magnificent Seven plus Broadcom. This actively managed fund, which launched last December, eliminates the complexity of stock-picking while providing exposure to mega-cap AI companies across multiple segments of the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence landscape. What you should know: QBIG's concentrated portfolio strategy focuses on the biggest players in AI, positioning investors to benefit from the technology's continued expansion. The ETF holds eight stocks total: the seven "Magnificent Seven" companies plus Broadcom (AVGO), creating what's described as an efficient proxy for...
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