Briefing Desk
Latest Briefings
Concise reporting on the developments shaping internet governance and infrastructure. Browse each area for recent news, context and watchpoints.
Coverage
Market / Trends / Africa Trends / Africa Cloud Services Trends
In this section: 1 briefingAfrican fintech Union54 launches chat + payment app
Zambia-based fintech company Union54 has launches a new social commerce platform called ChitChat, aiming to accelerate commerce across Africa. New social commerce platform ChitChat provides convenience for businesses in Africa ChitChat, the new social commerce platform developed in partnership with …
Coverage
Market / Trends / Europe and Middle East Trends / Europe and Middle East Institutional Trends
In this section: 1 briefingUK fintech needs to be become ‘ubiquitech’ to benefit next generation
OUR TAKE:The report reveals the urgency of combining fintech with other sectors like healthcare and agriculture, through the digital economy. The UK has to perfect the legislation and investigation rules about fintech since the technologies are emerging at an astonishing speed. Otherwise, there will…
Coverage
Market / Trends / Global Trends / Global Cloud Services Trends
In this section: 30 briefingsGoldman Sachs raises Arista Networks target 14% to $356
Goldman adjusts its outlook on Arista Networks by increasing the stock’s price target to 356$ from the previous 313$.
Meet Cherry, an AI shopping assistant that helps you discover products using images
A new app from a startup called Cherry aims to transform the online shopping experience with its AI assistant, which allows users to discover products on the internet using only screenshots or images. The online shopping app Cherry The startup was founded by Ryan Kim, a software engineer with 20 yea…
GitHub’s latest AI tool can automatically fix code vulnerabilities
GitHub on Wednesday announced that it’s making a feature called code scanning auto-fix in public beta for all Advanced Security customers to provide targeted recommendations to avoid introducing new security issues. Work with Copilot “Powered by GitHub Copilot and CodeQL, code scanning auto-fix cove…
Zelis and Availity to enhance healthcare payer-provider efficiency
Zelis, a healthcare and financial tech firm, partners with Availity, a health plan provider, to optimise the healthcare process efficiency.
Tech services firm Synechron confidentially files for 2024 IPO
Synechron, a tech consultancy, plans a $3 billion IPO after filing confidentially, signalling a market resurgence.
Digital Realty launches high-density colocation for AI workloads
Digital Realty, a global provider of cloud- and carrier-neutral data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions, has unveiled its latest offering: high-density colocation services available on PlatformDIGITAL®, the company’s global data center platform. These services feature high-performance…
Bank of America puts banking, investing, retirement into one app
Bank of America integrates banking, investing, and retirement services into a single app, streamlining financial management for customers.
UNGA passes first resolution draft on AI
The UN General Assembly’s AI resolution aims to ensure equitable access, uphold human rights, and establish global AI governance.
Phemex transforms community engagement into crypto rewards
OUR TAKE:Phemex’s introduction of PhemexPulse represents a significant step towards community-driven innovation in the crypto sphere. By integrating social trading and digital collectibles, Phemex is fostering engagement and rewarding participation, shaping a dynamic ecosystem for traders and enthus…
BlackRock obtains memecoins, NFTs following $100M USDC deposit
BlackRock has been found to possess over $40,000 worth of memecoins and NFTs, signaling a shift towards cryptocurrency investments.
Tesla’s Texas battery factory can supply 1,000 Cybertrucks weekly
Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas now produces enough batteries to support the weekly production of 1,000 Cybertruck electric pickup trucks.
Volkswagen to introduce auto-driving features with Mobileye
Mobileye and Volkswagen collaborate to implement auto-driving features across Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Porsche.
Tesla Giga Berlin achieves 100% recycling of industrial wastewater
Tesla’s Giga Berlin resolves wastewater concerns, achieving 100% recycling, with plans to boost production to one million vehicles yearly.
Digital Realty directs $6B in green bonds for sustainable growth
Digital Realty, one of the largest global provider of cloud- and carrier-neutral data centers, colocation, and interconnection solutions, has successfully allocated $6.0 billion in green bonds to support sustainable growth. The latest allocation, completed in January 2024, amounted to approximately …
Chinese AI chatbot Kimi handles 2 million characters, up from 200k
Alibaba-backed Moonshot AI claims breakthrough in expanded Chinese-character prompt for Kimi chatbot. The chatbot Kimi Chinese artificial intelligence company Moonshot AI claims that its Kimi chatbot can now handle up to 2 million Chinese characters in a single prompt. The instruction or query a use…
New crypto ecosystem to showcase promising blockchain projects
XT.COM and Cobak are to create a new crypto ecosystem, helping Cobak expand its business areas and enhancing the full support of XT.COM for the growth of promising Korean crypto projects. XT.COM and Cobak will create a new crypto ecosystem together On 15 March, XT.COM, a global crypto-asset exchange…
Shipping industry to go paperless with blockchain bill of landing
The Global Shipping Business Network has recently unveiled its electronic bill of landing prototype product in collaboration with Ant Group.
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak wins fake video lawsuit v YouTube
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has secured a legal victory in the latest round against YouTube over 2020 bitcoin scam.
Samsung Electronics eyes sales of over $100M for advanced chip packaging business
Samsung Electronics expects revenue to exceed $100 million from its advanced chip packaging business, maintain competitive edge in AI field.
Robinhood expands its crypto wallet access to Android users
Robinhood has expanded its crypto wallet access to Android users, available on Google Play. Crypto wallet from Robinhood is now available on Google Play, whose iOS version has got a great amount of users According to the March 20 announcement, the Robinhood Wallet app is now available on Google Play…
Alipay partners with Avalanche to create a Web3-powered voucher programme
Alipay has collaborated with Avalanche in building a Web3-powered voucher programme, aiming to expand further cooperation with other blockchain-powered brands. Alipay is developing a Web3-powered voucher program together with Avalanche, planning to roll it out in Southeast Asian milk tea stores Onli…
Neobank Revolut launches iPad point-of-sale app for hospitality
Revolut, a global neobank and financial technology company, has launched an iPad point-of-sale application designed for companies in the hospitality sector. Revolut introduces POS solution Neobanks are fintech firms that offer apps, software, and other technologies to streamline mobile and online ba…
Nvidia’s next-generation data centres to work with cloud providers
Nvidia’s GTC event in 2024 unveils blueprint for next generation data centre to build ‘efficient AI infrastructure’ with Partner support.
Solana presales top $149M as meme coin frenzy takes off
ZachXBT’s report: Solana token presales net nearly $149.2M since March 12, with 796,000 sol raised by influencers for meme coin ventures.
Crypto exchange Bybit launches zero-fee model for P2P trading
Bybit, the third-largest crypto exchange, has introduced a zero-fee model for its P2P trading system, benefiting both buyers and sellers.
Super Micro Computer rides AI server boom to join S&P 500
OUR TAKESuper Micro Computer’s integration of Nvidia and AMD chips in its AI servers strengthens its competitive edge, which helps it launch products faster than rivals Dell and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. With the introduction of AI, Super Micro’s revenues more than doubled in the last three months…
Apple in talks to let Google’s Gemini power iPhone AI features
Apple is in talks to build Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence engine into the iPhone. The potential corporation A potential deal between the firms could help Google expand the use of its AI services to more than 2 billion active Apple devices, boosting the search giant’s efforts to catch up wit…
Orange launches new GenAI offers end-to-end for French clients
Orange Business has introduced new trusted GenAI solutions, establishing comprehensive support for French enterprises’ digital journeys. These offerings encompass infrastructure (IaaS) and applications (SaaS), positioning Orange Business as the the first on the market in providing end-to-end assista…
Digital bank Onyx Private shuts down retail services, shifts focus to B2B
Onyx Private, a Miami-based digital bank supported by Y Combinator, is shuttering its banking operations and shifting focus to a B2B model.
Microsoft ceases cloud services in Russia amid Western sanctions
Microsoft will halt cloud services for Russian users this week, prompting the need for data backups advised through a Telegram channel.
Coverage
Market / Trends / North America Trends / North America Cloud Services Trends
In this section: 6 briefingsChinese chip maker SMIC may have violated US law to make Huawei chip
Chinese chip maker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) “potentially” broke American law if it manufactured a processor for sanctioned telecoms giant Huawei Technologies, a senior US official has said. The Chinese chip When asked by Representative Michael McCaul if Semiconduc…
Micron hits record high as AI demand powers strong forecast
Micron Technology shares surged Thursday, reaching US$113.50, an all-time high, based on data back to 1984, aided by a faster-than-expected recovery in the memory-chip market. Values Micron’s high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, which refer to ultrafast semiconductors used in the development of AI app…
TikTok faces stagnant user growth in the US
TikTok faces its first U.S. user growth slowdown amid disputes, competition from Instagram Reels, and regulatory threats.
Instagram’s Threads rolls out trending topics to all users in the US
Threads, Meta’s Twitter-like app, is rolling out trending topics to all users in the US. Threads The official rollout comes a month after the app started testing the feature with a select number of users in the country. Trending topics are available on the search page and in the app’s For You feed. …
Chinese tech giant Lenovo boosts AI efforts with Nvidia’s new servers
Lenovo Group has unveiled a series of servers and computers powered by technology from US chip designer Nvidia, to bring artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to businesses and cloud service providers. Servers applications Lenovo said it has added two new Nvidia graphics-processing-unit (GPU) syste…
BYD and other Chinese automakers will use Nvidia’s new in-vehicle chip ‘Drive Thor’
U.S. chipmaker Nvidia is expanding its partnership with Chinese EV maker BYD to include auto manufacturing and in-car computing, which can compete in global markets. Drive Thor Drive Thor is powered by Nvidia’s latest AI chipset, Blackwell, which was unveiled on the same day. The chipset is designed…
Coverage
Market / Trends / Europe and Middle East Trends / Europe and Middle East Cloud Services Trends
In this section: 2 briefingsTop tech news stories today: March 22, 2024
Let’s dive into Goldman Sachs raises Arista Networks target, Apple’s legal case, UK fintech’s rise and CMC network’s satellite connectivity.
Micropayment and Tink join forces to expand payment options in Europe
Micropayment, a Berlin-based payment services provider, has forged a partnership with Tink, a platform specialising in payment services.
Coverage
Market / Trends / Asia-Pacific Trends / Asia-Pacific Cloud Services Trends
In this section: 7 briefingsWorld’s longest internet shutdown: How it wreaked havoc in Manipur
Disruption in Manipur: What happens when the Internet shuts down? When the Internet goes dark, its absence casts a profound shadow over communities. In early May 2023, in Manipur, a state in northeastern India, life was upended by outbreaks of violence between communities, followed swiftly by a gove…
China’s Zhipu looks to Sora to chase artificial general intelligence
Beijing Zhipu Huazhang Technology says they are developing Sora-like technologies as a way to achieve artificial general Intelligence (AGI). Impact of sora OpenAI’s text-to-video generator Sora, will be available to the public later this year, prompting many firms in China – where Microsoft-backed O…
Dutch chipmaking firm VDL to build semiconductor parts factory in Vietnam
Dutch high tech firm VDL will build a new factory to make semiconductor manufacturing components in Vietnam, it said on Wednesday, as the Asian country grows in importance as an assembly and packaging hub in the chipmaking industry. Why in Vietnam Against the background of the degradation of the sta…
Alipay launches blockchain vouchers at milk tea shops in Asia
Alipay has joined forces with Avalanche, a smart contract blockchain platform, to introduce a voucher program powered by Web3 technology.
Top tech news stories today: March 21, 2024
Keep up with the latest tech trends, exploring the future with us together. You will see Hong Kong’s CBDC trial, SpaceX building US spy satellites, Nvidia expanding their partnership, and Intel’s investment in the US. 1. Apple co-founder wins against YouTube in bitcoin scam lawsuit Apple co-founder…
Game tech firm Square Enix boosts Web3 gaming with HyperPlay
Japan’s Square Enix teams up with HyperPlay, a web3 games platform, aiming to expand the HyperPlay game store.
Global patent trends: Huawei, Samsung, and Qualcomm lead, India surges
China-based firm Huawei Technologies, Samsung Electronics of the Republic of Korea, and U.S.-based Qualcomm emerged as the top users of WIPO’s international patent system in 2023. Meanwhile, innovators in India witnessed a nearly 50% surge in patent filing activity, despite a slight softening in glo…
Coverage
Market / Trends / North America Trends / North America Institutional Trends
In this section: 1 briefingBiden to give $8.5billion to Intel to build more chip factories
Intel expects to receive $8.5 billion in funding from the U.S. government and an $11 billion loan to expand its chip manufacturing capacity.
Coverage
Market / Trends / Global Trends / Global Institutional Trends
In this section: 1 briefingTON Blockchain launches $115M community incentive program
The Open Network Foundation developed the namesake TON blockchain to power Telegram’s new advertising platform, which officially went live in March 2024. The community engagement of the TON blockchain ecosystem is revolutionized by the Open Network Foundation The Open Network Foundation is set to re…
Coverage
Governance / IETF
In this section: 1 briefingHow can Thailand solve its air quality and forest fire problems?
Adisorn Lertsinsrubtavee has given a presentation on the SEA-HAZEMON Project at IETF 119. The SEA-HAZEMON Project is a real-time air quality monitoring and forest fire detection platform. Forest fires are an often unsung and misunderstood part of rural life around the world. But since the 1970s, peo…