Australia’s National AI Plan is a welcome start on skills and safety, but it plays too safe. While the US, Europe and the Gulf pour sovereign capital into chips, compute and energy, Canberra is still talking about catalysing investment rather than committing.
A significant supply chain attack has struck the US financial sector, with fintech vendor Marquis Software Solutions confirming a ransomware incident that exposed the sensitive data of hundreds of thousands of customers from dozens of American banks and credit unions.
South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang has confirmed a massive data breach exposing the personal information of 33.7 million customers. The incident, which began in June 2025, is one of the largest in the nation's history and is linked to a former employee's active credentials.
The race for tech supremacy heats up as OpenAI pushes toward 1 billion users with cutting-edge AI advancements, while the U.S. reshapes the global chip landscape with strategic investments. In this battle for dominance, AI and semiconductors fuel the future of power and innovation.
OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, is pushing aggressively toward its goal of reaching 1 billion users by 2025. Key to this effort is the launch of AI-driven "agents," an advanced search engine, and integration with Apple’s ecosystem, which spans over 2 billion devices. Backed by a $6 billion infrastructure investment, OpenAI is building proprietary data centers and focusing on scalable subscription models to make AI tools accessible globally. CFO Sarah Friar underscores the company’s commitment to advancing AI research while delivering transformative, user-friendly applications. However, this rapid expansion comes as AI faces questions about the sustainability of its current growth model.
Amid this push, OpenAI is embracing a paradigm shift in AI methodology, as industry leaders like Dr. Ilya Sutskever explore innovative approaches that move beyond the “bigger is better” philosophy. This evolution coincides with intensifying geopolitical competition, where AI is increasingly a battleground for global influence. OpenAI’s policy chief, Chris Lehane, advocates for a U.S.-led "democratic" AI framework to counter China’s advancements in the sector. By prioritizing public-private partnerships and ethical practices, OpenAI aims not only to lead in AI innovation but also to define the global standards for its use, placing itself at the intersection of technological advancement and geopolitical strategy.
The global semiconductor industry is undergoing a significant transformation, with the U.S. strategically repositioning itself in the race for technological leadership. The Biden administration recently adjusted Intel’s CHIPS Act funding, reducing its award by $600 million following the company’s $3 billion military contract. Intel now plans to invest $90 billion in U.S. chip manufacturing by the decade’s end, reflecting a recalibration of its strategy to align with national security priorities. These efforts are part of a broader initiative under the CHIPS Act, which allocates $52.2 billion for U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and research, aiming to secure supply chains and reduce dependence on overseas production.
Complicating the landscape is the emergence of new players, such as Gulf-based entities like G42, which are injecting significant investments into advanced chip manufacturing and AI. This global race is further intensified by shifting geopolitical alliances, with both the U.S. and China vying for dominance. The Biden administration is working to finalize CHIPS Act agreements before potential policy shifts under the incoming Trump administration, underscoring the urgency to lock in support for U.S. chipmakers.
Australia’s National AI Plan is a welcome start on skills and safety, but it plays too safe. While the US, Europe and the Gulf pour sovereign capital into chips, compute and energy, Canberra is still talking about catalysing investment rather than committing.
NVIDIA’s blockbuster quarter has reset the AI narrative, turning fears of a bursting tech bubble into renewed conviction in a structural shift. With record data-centre sales and sold-out Blackwell GPUs, NVIDIA now looks less like a chip stock and more like core AI infrastructure in the AI build-out
Australia is entering the age of agentic intelligence as startups like Firmus Technologies and Sharon AI build sovereign compute, renewable powered data infrastructure and AI platforms. Infrastructure is accelerating while enterprise adoption remains slow, creating a widening national gap.
Riyadh just roared into 2025 as AI’s “third pillar”. At FII9, sovereign capital met limitless energy and world-class talent to turbocharge hyperscale data centres and model labs. HUMAIN leads the charge. The Gulf isn’t following. The Gulf is setting the pace.
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