SoftBank has finalized its $40 billion investment in OpenAI, increasing its stake above 10%. The funding supports AI infrastructure initiatives, joint ventures, and OpenAI’s broader growth, including plans for a potential IPO.
Meta Platforms has agreed to acquire Singapore-based AI startup Manus for about $2 billion, gaining a rare revenue-generating AI agent platform. The deal strengthens Meta’s AI strategy as investor scrutiny grows around heavy infrastructure spending.
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants will discontinue remote exams from March 2026, citing rising misconduct linked to AI tools. Most candidates will return to in-person test centers.
OpenAI is hiring a Head of Preparedness to study emerging risks tied to rapidly advancing AI models, including mental health impacts and cybersecurity threats. The move reflects rising concern over how frontier capabilities could be misused as models grow more powerful.
Amazon is adding four new integrations to its AI-powered Alexa+ assistant, enabling users to book hotels, schedule services, and access lifestyle apps. The update extends the assistant’s capabilities across multiple sectors starting in 2026.
OpenAI is rolling out “Your Year with ChatGPT,” an annual review feature that summarizes how users interacted with the chatbot over the past year. The tool is available to eligible users across several English-speaking markets, including the United States.
Alphabet announced plans to acquire Intersect for $4.75 billion, aiming to expand data center capacity and accelerate energy innovation. The acquisition includes in-development projects and Intersect’s technical team.
Chinese generative AI startups MiniMax and Zhipu AI have disclosed their financials ahead of potential Hong Kong listings, highlighting modest revenues and mounting losses compared with U.S. peers.
Artificial intelligence has become a major factor behind U.S. job cuts in 2025, with companies citing automation and efficiency gains as reasons for workforce reductions. More than 55,000 layoffs this year have been directly attributed to AI adoption.
OpenAI is in talks to raise up to $100 billion in new funding, a deal that could value the ChatGPT maker as high as $830 billion. The discussions reflect rising capital needs as AI development and infrastructure costs accelerate.
OpenAI and Anthropic are rolling out new safety measures aimed at protecting teenage users as AI chatbots become more embedded in education and social life. The updates focus on age-appropriate interactions, parental oversight, and stricter content controls.
ChatGPT now features an app directory across iOS, Android, and web, allowing users to connect apps for productivity, lifestyle, and entertainment while exploring new AI-powered workflows.
Visa said it successfully completed hundreds of AI-driven transactions in a pilot program testing agent-based payments. The effort reflects a broader push across fintech to let AI agents handle purchases on behalf of consumers.
Google released Gemini 3 Flash, a new AI model designed to deliver frontier-level reasoning with significantly lower latency and cost. The model is rolling out across Google products, developer platforms, and enterprise services worldwide.
Amazon is reportedly in early talks to invest up to $10 billion in OpenAI in a deal tied to the use of its AI chips. The discussions reflect a broader trend of circular partnerships shaping the AI infrastructure market.