Tech

Tata Electronics has signed a strategic MOU with Intel to jointly develop manufacturing, advanced packaging, and AI‑optimized PC solutions at Tata’s upcoming fab and assembly sites in India. The partnership aims to build the country’s first pure‑play semiconductor foundry for AI, automotive, HPC and storage chips, supporting India’s push to reduce chip imports under the India Semiconductor Mission. Leveraging Intel’s mature technology, Tata seeks to fast‑track domestic supply chains, while Intel targets India’s booming PC and AI markets, creating new revenue streams and localized jobs.

Saudi Arabia is pursuing “data embassies”—foreign‑located data centers that remain under Saudi law—to secure AI compute capacity while retaining jurisdiction, following Estonia’s 2017 model. The plan, outlined in a draft Global AI Hub Law, aims to make the kingdom a cost‑effective, data‑export hub despite water‑scarcity and reliance on fossil‑fuel electricity, raising ESG concerns. Bilateral treaties will be needed, but no universal legal framework exists. Experts warn that legal, technical and geopolitical challenges could hinder the model’s mainstream adoption.

President Trump announced that Nvidia may ship its H200 AI chips to approved Chinese customers, with the United States receiving 25% of sales revenue. Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed the plan. The same revenue‑sharing model will apply to AMD, Intel and other U.S. chipmakers. The policy is presented as a way to protect American jobs, sustain domestic manufacturing and generate tax income while avoiding a full export ban. Analysts see modest share gains, increased competition, and a shift toward calibrated engagement that could become a template for future high‑tech export agreements.

China’s AI device market is booming, leveraging its manufacturing strength to turn software breakthroughs into consumer and enterprise hardware. Over 70 firms now offer smart‑glasses, while Alibaba’s DingTalk A1 AI assistant and Le Le’s “Native Language Star” translator exemplify new office and education gadgets. The surge creates a data feedback loop that sharpens AI models and fuels further hardware demand. However, global concerns over privacy, data governance, and the U.S. lead in core AI research mean China must still launch iconic, high‑quality products to dominate the AI race.

The creator of ICEBlock, an app that crowdsources ICE agent sightings, sued the U.S. government, claiming Apple’s removal of the app violated his First‑Amendment rights. Apple, citing its policy against content that harms targeted groups, pulled the app after pressure from the Trump administration; Google imposed a similar ban on Android. The case highlights growing tensions between platform gatekeeping and free speech, the commercial risk for independent developers, and the regulatory challenges of geospatial data‑driven civic tools.

Paramount Skydance launched a $30‑per‑share all‑cash hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, outbidding Netflix’s $27.75 offer, sending both stocks higher. Nvidia received U.S. clearance to ship its H200 AI chips to approved Chinese customers, with part of earnings required to return to the U.S. Markets remain cautious ahead of the Fed’s likely 25‑bp rate cut; equities slipped despite tech gains. Berkshire Hathaway announced a leadership reshuffle, and Ray Dalio urged investors to bet on solid AI moats. China posted a $1‑trillion trade surplus in November.

Apple has seen a wave of senior departures, including its AI chief John Giannandrea, its lead corporate lawyer, and the Vision Pro software architect, while chip‑design SVP Johny Srouji hinted at leaving but remains. The exits come as Apple’s AI initiatives lag behind expectations, prompting deeper ties with Google and Anthropic. Analysts view 2026 as pivotal, with rumored AI‑focused devices, a foldable iPhone, and a 50th‑anniversary showcase, even as the company faces antitrust scrutiny. The turnover may signal a strategic reset toward a stronger AI‑driven ecosystem.

Google announced its largest investment in Germany and a 2026 launch of AI‑powered smart glasses developed with Samsung, Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, the latter securing a $150 million partnership. The first model is audio‑only, enabling conversation with Gemini AI; a second adds an in‑lens micro‑display for navigation, translation and contextual data, both running Android XR. The move follows Sergey Brin’s admission of past Glass failures and aims to capture a share of the projected $30 billion AI‑wearables market, competing with Meta, Snap and Alibaba. Pricing and seamless Gemini integration will be critical for adoption.

words.Broadcom’s shares hit a record as its custom‑chip portfolio gains AI traction, with Microsoft reportedly considering a shift from Marvell to Broadcom and Amazon eyeing similar moves. ASICs offer higher efficiency and lower cost than Nvidia GPUs, appealing to hyperscale operators seeking performance‑optimized, power‑light solutions. The shift signals cloud providers’ diversification of silicon sources and could cement Broadcom’s role alongside Google’s TPUs. Strong networking demand, ongoing VMware software growth, and solid fundamentals suggest Broadcom is well positioned to capture a larger share of the multi‑billion‑dollar AI accelerator market.

Tiger Global announced its new venture‑capital fund, Private Investment Partners 17, targeting $2.2 billion—mirroring the strategy of PIP 16, which holds OpenAI and Waymo and is up 33% YTD. The smaller raise signals a move from its earlier “spray‑and‑pray” approach to a more disciplined, fundamentals‑focused model. The firm plans to prune underperformers, redeploy $1 billion of exit proceeds, and double down on winners such as Revolut, ByteDance, and AI/autonomous‑driving firms, while warning of inflated AI valuations.