AI is no longer merely writing phishing emails. It is probing networks, exploiting access and directing intrusions at scale. As investigations expose both malicious agents and runaway security tools, businesses face a defining question: who controls the software acting on their behalf in real time?
IBM survived Washington and still lost the layer that mattered. Wall Street now fears the same fate for AI: the Nasdaq in correction, Seoul halting trades, CoreWeave’s default insurance at a record. Congress may not stop the race. Whoever controls the power, chips and credit may decide it instead.
Wall Street’s post-election relief gave way to a sharp AI sell-off last night, as investors weighed construction delays, borrowing costs and political scrutiny. With chipmakers leading the losses, the question is becoming more urgent: which businesses can afford to wait for the promised returns?
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.
Wall Street’s post-election relief gave way to a sharp AI sell-off last night, as investors weighed construction delays, borrowing costs and political scrutiny. With chipmakers leading the losses, the question is becoming more urgent: which businesses can afford to wait for the promised returns?
ServiceNow’s AI Passport aims to govern what enterprise AI agents can do, using signed credentials and runtime checks. With NVIDIA supporting enforcement, the test is whether permissions can be upheld and revoked across third-party systems as businesses move agents into production safely at scale.
Nine years late, Tesla’s Roadster flipped, hovered and leapt over its siblings at a SpaceX rocket test site. Shares jumped, then fell. Social feeds caught fire. What Musk really unveiled was one engineering stack wearing two corporate badges. Success is not guaranteed. Excitement, as ever, is.
Donald Trump has handed America's highest science honours to Musk, Huang, Brin, Su, Nadella and Dell, crowning the builders of AI's chips, clouds and rockets. His maxim that whoever wins AI wins leaves no silver medal, and middle powers like Australia must now choose between partner and tenant.
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