Fintech
1. Russia weighs risk of embracing crypto for international payments
Russia should accelerate the creation of infrastructure for payments in cryptocurrencies but carefully weigh the associated risks, its money laundering watchdog said on Wednesday, ahead of a parliamentary vote on digital assets legislation. (Microsoft Start)
IT ifrastructure
2. Chip stocks shed over $500 billion in value on China trade fears
Wall Street’s semiconductor index lost more than $500 billion in stock market value on Wednesday in its worst session since 2020 after a report said the United States was mulling tighter curbs on exports of advanced semiconductor technology to China. (Yahoo finance)
3. Mercedes-Benz unit partners with Starbucks for fast-charging stations in US
Mercedes’ charging subsidiary will install high-powered EV charging stations at 100 Starbucks in new partnership with coffee chain. (Fox Business)
4. US to award Taiwan’s GlobalWafers up to $400 mln to boost US semiconductor wafer production
The US Commerce department said on Wednesday it planned to Taiwan’s GlobalWafers up to $400 million in government grants to significantly increase production of silicon wafers. (Times of India)
Tech trends
5. EU antitrust regulators want to know if Google and Samsung’s chatbot deal hinders rivals
EU antitrust regulators are asking industry participants if Googles multi-year generative artificial intelligence (AI) deal with Samsung hinders rival chatbots on Samsung smartphones, according to an EU document seen by Reuters. (Investing.com)
6. Google acquisition target Wiz another fruit of Israel’s military intelligence
An elite Israeli military intelligence unit may once again be about to prove its value to the nation’s tech economy as Google’s parent eyes cybertech company Wiz for an eyewatering $23 billion. (Microsoft Start)
7. Google, Microsoft offer Nvidia chips to Chinese companies, the Information reports
U.S. export controls forbid Chinese frms from buying Nvidia’s advanced artificialintelligence chips. But companies in China can still gain access to some of those chips byrenting Nvidia-powered servers at data centers outside China from Google, Microsoftand other global firms underlining a gap in U.S. export rules. (the Information)
8. Apple backs $50 mln fund to support Bay Area affordable housing
Apple is partnering with the philanthropic arm of real estate firm Sobrato and two other California-based groups to launch a fund with an initial investment of $50 million to support affordable housing projects in the San Francisco Bay Area. (Investing.com)
AI
9. Samsung Agrees to Acquire British Startup Oxford Semantic for AI
Samsung Electronics said on Thursday it agreed to acquire Oxford Semantic Technologies, a British startup specialising in technology that can be used for more sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) applications. (US news)
10. Meta decides to suspend its generative AI tools in Brazil
Meta Platforms said on Wednesday it decided to suspend use of generative artificial intelligence tools in Brazil in response to the government’s objections to its new privacy policy regarding personal data and AI. (Reuters)
11. More than 40% of Japanese companies have no plan to make use of AI
Nearly a quarter of Japanese companies have adopted artificial intelligence (AI) in their businesses, while more than 40% have no plan to make use of the cutting-edge technology, a Reuters survey showed on Thursday. (Market Screener)
12. Britain’s new government aims to regulate most powerful AI models
Britain’s new Labour government has said it will explore how to effectively regulate artificial intelligence models, but stopped short of proposing any specific laws. (Reuters)
