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.
Emmett Shear, Twitch co-founder, is now interim CEO of OpenAI after Sam Altman’s exit. Shear introduced a 30-day plan for investigation and leadership changes. Employee dissatisfaction persists, with calls for the board’s resignation and strong support for Altman.
OpenAI, a key player in the generative artificial intelligence sector, has announced Emmett Shear, co-founder of Twitch, as its interim chief executive.
Shear's selection, coming just days after the board replaced Altman with Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati, indicates a rapid shift in leadership strategy at OpenAI.
In a public statement, Shear emphasised his commitment to the company's future:
“I took this job because I believe that OpenAI is one of the most important companies currently in existence. I want to do everything in my power to protect it and grow it further.”
Concurrently, Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella announced the hiring of Altman and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman for a new AI research initiative. This move suggests potential future collaborations and shifts in the AI landscape.
Shear, in his vision for OpenAI, laid out a “three-point plan for the next 30 days”, focusing on an independent investigation into recent events, stakeholder engagement, and leadership restructuring.
He acknowledged the importance of OpenAI's stability and success, stating that they are too critical to be disrupted by ongoing turmoil.
Despite these leadership efforts, dissatisfaction among OpenAI employees remains palpable. Senior executive Jan Leike openly called for the board's resignation. The discontent extends to other senior figures within the company, including Mira Murati, Brad Lightcap, Jason Kwon, and Lillian Weng, alongside top researchers like Wojciech Zaremba, Alec Radford, and Bob McCrew.
The weekend preceding Shear's appointment was tumultuous for OpenAI. The board's decision to remove Altman, citing lack of candor, led to intense negotiations and ultimately Altman's move to Microsoft, joined by Greg Brockman. This series of events underscores a dynamic and challenging period for OpenAI.
In a turn of events, board member Ilya Sutskever expressed regret over the board's decision:
“I deeply regret my participation in the board’s actions. I never intended to harm OpenAI. I love everything we’ve built together and I will do everything I can to reunite the company.”
This sentiment was echoed by Altman and Brockman, highlighting a complex and evolving situation within the company.
The employee sentiment at OpenAI has been vocal, with many supporting Altman and echoing the sentiment,
“OpenAI is nothing without its people.”
This internal conflict at OpenAI reflects broader debates in the AI industry about the pace of development, ethical considerations, and the balance between innovation and regulation. OpenAI's journey from a nonprofit to a more commercially oriented entity has sparked discussions about its mission and the future direction of AI development.
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.
Where cybersecurity meets innovation, the CNC team delivers AI and tech breakthroughs for our digital future. We analyze incidents, data, and insights to keep you informed, secure, and ahead. Sign up for free!
