Meta plans massive AI infrastructure expansion with $65 billion investment

Meta is set to dramatically increase its AI infrastructure spending to between $60 billion and $65 billion, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. As reported by Meghan Bobrowsky in The Wall Street Journal, this represents a roughly 70% increase over 2024 expenditure levels. The announcement comes shortly after competing tech companies unveiled the $500 billion Stargate … Read more

Consumer spending on AI apps reaches $1.1 billion milestone

Consumer spending on AI apps hit $1.1 billion in 2024, marking a 200% increase from the previous year. According to a “State of Mobile” report by Sensor Tower, as reported by Sarah Perez for TechCrunch, users spent approximately 7.7 billion hours using AI applications. The surge was led by apps like ChatGPT, which reached 50 … Read more

OpenAI and partners announce $500 billion AI infrastructure project amid controversy

OpenAI, along with SoftBank, Oracle, and MGX, has announced “The Stargate Project,” a planned $500 billion investment over four years to build AI infrastructure in the United States. The initiative, unveiled at the White House, includes an immediate deployment of $100 billion, with SoftBank taking financial responsibility and OpenAI handling operations under the chairmanship of … Read more

US: Major tech companies plan $500 billion AI infrastructure venture

OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle are planning a joint venture called Stargate to build artificial intelligence infrastructure in Texas, with investments of up to $500 billion over four years. According to Reuters reporter Steve Holland, President Donald Trump will announce this private sector initiative at the White House. The companies have committed an initial $100 billion … Read more

France’s AI sector shows promise amid challenges

France is emerging as a potential “AI powerhouse”, with its startup ecosystem showing significant growth, according to an analysis by John Thornhill in the Financial Times. The country’s Station F incubator has fostered 7,000 businesses since 2017, including successful AI companies like Hugging Face and Mistral. French startups benefit from well-trained engineers, lower labor costs … Read more

Atlanta Restricts Data Center Growth to Protect Urban Development

Atlanta has implemented new restrictions on data center construction amid concerns about their impact on urban development. According to Will Parker’s report in The Wall Street Journal, the city council banned new data centers near transit and the popular Beltline area in September 2024. The decision comes as Atlanta experiences a 76% increase in data … Read more

Animation Guild members accept new contract with AI provisions

The Animation Guild has approved a new three-year contract with major studios, with 76.1% of members voting in favor. According to Variety reporter Gene Maddaus, the agreement includes wage increases of 7%, 4%, and 3.5% over three years, plus AI-related protections. While the contract establishes that AI work will be covered and cannot undermine members’ … Read more

Data center boom transforms rural Washington

The rapid expansion of data centers in central Washington is transforming rural communities as tech giants like Microsoft drive massive construction projects to support AI infrastructure. According to a report by Karen Weise in The New York Times, the region’s abundant hydroelectric power has attracted major technology companies, bringing an influx of electrical workers and … Read more

Analysis: OpenAI adopts Visa-like market dominance strategy

OpenAI appears to be following Visa’s business model to maintain market dominance in the artificial intelligence sector, according to an analysis by Taylor Lorenz in User Magazine. The company is actively pursuing regulatory influence and exclusive partnerships to secure its position, despite growing competition from tech giants. OpenAI’s revenue is projected to reach $100 billion … Read more

AI platforms pose existential threat to traditional media business models

Technology journalist Om Malik warns that AI platforms are fundamentally changing how people consume media content. In his recent article, Malik argues that AI’s ability to provide precise summaries and personalized responses threatens traditional media revenue streams. Unlike search engines, AI platforms like OpenAI and Claude deliver direct answers rather than directing traffic to publisher … Read more