Goodman Group has emerged as a standout performer in Australia’s real estate sector this year, with its stock soaring 45.8%, marking its strongest run since 2006. The surge is driven by a boom in AI, which has sparked frenzied demand for data centres. Global tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta have poured billions into expanding their data centre capacity, fueling growth for developers like Goodman.
At the end of September, 42% of Goodman’s A$12.8 billion ($7.96 billion) development portfolio was dedicated to data centres, a jump from 37% last year. Analysts like John Lockton of Sandstone Insights see this focus as a key strength, noting the company’s access to land with power supply, a critical factor for future data-centre projects.
Despite the optimism, some caution remains. Analysts warn that soaring valuations in the data-centre sector could cool investor enthusiasm. Goodman’s high stock prices and concerns over risks like obsolescence and increased competition raise questions about long-term returns. Nonetheless, with robust demand for AI infrastructure, Goodman’s pipeline and strategic positioning keep it well-poised for continued growth.
AI is transforming education for students with disabilities, offering tools that level the playing field. From reading assistance to speech and language tools, AI is enabling students to overcome learning barriers. For 14-year-old Makenzie Gilkison, who has dyslexia, AI-powered assistive technology has been life-changing, allowing her to excel academically and keep pace with her peers.
Schools are increasingly adopting AI for personalised learning, balancing its benefits with ethical considerations. Tools like chatbots and text-to-speech programs enhance accessibility while raising concerns about over-reliance and the potential for misuse. Experts emphasise that AI should support, not replace, learning.
Research and development are advancing rapidly, addressing challenges like children’s handwriting and speech impediments. Initiatives such as the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education aim to refine these tools, while educators work to ensure students and teachers are equipped to harness their potential effectively.
The automation industry is evolving beyond Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to embrace multi-agentic AI systems capable of autonomous decision-making. Companies like Automation Anywhere are at the forefront, introducing AI Agent Studio to help enterprises streamline operations across finance, HR, IT, and customer service. These agents accelerate workflows, reduce costs, and enhance operational efficiency by up to 90%.
Automation Anywhere executives highlight how these advanced AI agents surpass earlier systems by integrating retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) with decision-making capabilities. Unlike static models, these agents learn from user interactions, ensuring adaptability and accuracy. Their blend of RAG and AI offers enterprises scalable, secure, and flexible solutions tailored to specific needs.
The shift from RPA to Agentic Process Automation (APA) marks a milestone, enabling automation of complex processes while fostering innovation and redefining job roles. With applications spanning healthcare, finance, retail, and manufacturing, AI agents are poised to disrupt industries and drive significant growth.
Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S25 Ultra is set to debut with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, bringing advanced AI features directly to the device. A standout capability of the chipset enables on-device AI-powered image editing, enhancing privacy and reducing reliance on internet connectivity.
Code leaks have highlighted a feature called ‘FEATURE_GEN_EDIT_ON_DEVICE,’ which points to AI tools operating locally on the phone. Alongside this, Samsung plans to introduce a revamped AI-powered Bixby assistant with the Galaxy S25 lineup, aiming to outpace competitors like the iPhone 16.
All Galaxy S25 models are expected to exclusively use Snapdragon processors, with no signs of Exynos chipsets in the series. A leaked specifications sheet also suggests the Ultra variant will boast up to 16 GB of RAM, improving overall AI performance.
As manufacturers increasingly focus on AI, these features are only the beginning of a broader transformation. The Galaxy S25 Ultra represents a significant step in showcasing how powerful AI can reshape mobile experiences.
OpenAI and Microsoft have reportedly agreed on a financial benchmark to define AGI. According to ‘The Information’, AGI will be achieved only when OpenAI’s AI systems generate profits exceeding $100 billion. This definition departs from traditional technical interpretations of AGI and suggests the milestone is many years away.
Despite growing speculation about the progress of models like OpenAI’s o3, the company is currently unprofitable. It expects significant losses this year and predicts profitability only by 2029. The high computational costs associated with advanced AI models pose additional challenges to meeting the ambitious profit target.
Microsoft’s access to OpenAI’s technology hinges on this definition. Under their agreement, Microsoft retains access to OpenAI’s models until AGI is achieved. This provision has sparked discussions, as some believe OpenAI could prematurely declare AGI to gain strategic advantage, though the profit-centric definition may delay such claims.
Experts remain divided on whether the o3 model represents meaningful progress toward AGI. Its performance gains are tempered by substantial expenses, underscoring the tension between innovation and commercial viability in AI development.
Chinese AI firm DeepSeek has unveiled DeepSeek V3, a groundbreaking open-source model designed for a range of text-based tasks. Released under a permissive licence, the model supports coding, translations, essay writing, and email drafting, offering developers the freedom to modify and deploy it commercially.
In internal benchmarks, DeepSeek V3 outperformed major competitors, including Meta’s Llama 3.1 and OpenAI’s GPT-4o, especially in coding contests and integration tests. The model boasts an impressive 671 billion parameters, significantly exceeding the size of many rivals, which often correlates with higher performance.
DeepSeek-V3!
60 tokens/second (3x faster than V2!) API compatibility intact Fully open-source models & papers 671B MoE parameters 37B activated parameters Trained on 14.8T high-quality tokens
DeepSeek V3 was trained on a dataset of 14.8 trillion tokens and built using a data centre powered by Nvidia H800 GPUs. Remarkably, the model was developed in just two months for a reported $5.5 million—far less than comparable systems. However, its size and resource demands make it less practical without high-end hardware.
Regulatory limitations influence the model’s responses, particularly on politically sensitive topics. DeepSeek, backed by High-Flyer Capital Management, continues to push for advancements in AI, striving to compete with leading global firms despite restrictions on access to cutting-edge GPUs.
New research by The Guardian reveals that ChatGPT Search, OpenAI’s recently launched AI-powered search tool, can be misled into generating false or overly positive summaries. By embedding hidden text in web pages, researchers demonstrated that the AI could ignore negative reviews or even produce malicious code.
The feature, designed to streamline browsing by summarising content such as product reviews, is susceptible to hidden text attacks—a well-known vulnerability in large language models. While this issue has been studied before, this marks the first time such manipulation has been proven on a live AI search tool.
OpenAI did not comment on this specific case but stated it employs measures to block malicious websites and is working to improve its defences. Experts note that competitors like Google, with more experience in search technology, have developed stronger safeguards against similar threats.
AI startups specialising in sales development representatives (SDRs) are experiencing rapid growth as businesses embrace new technologies to streamline outreach. These startups, leveraging large language models (LLMs) and voice technology, automate tasks like crafting personalised emails and placing calls to potential customers. This sector has seen an unprecedented surge, with multiple companies achieving notable success in a short span, according to Shardul Shah of Index Ventures. However, investors remain cautious about whether this trend will yield lasting results or fade once the novelty wears off.
The appeal of AI SDRs is particularly strong among small and medium-sized businesses, which find it easier to experiment with these tools. Arjun Pillai, founder of Docket, attributes the popularity to declining reply rates for traditional cold emails, prompting businesses to explore AI-driven solutions. Startups like Regie.ai, AiSDR, and 11x.ai, as well as incumbents like ZoomInfo, are vying for market share, boasting impressive revenue growth. Yet, as Tomasz Tunguz of Theory Ventures noted, some businesses report that while AI SDRs generate substantial leads, they don’t necessarily translate into higher sales, highlighting a gap in effectively integrating AI into sales strategies.
Despite the enthusiasm, the rise of AI SDRs faces significant challenges. Industry leaders such as Salesforce and HubSpot, which control vast customer data, could introduce similar AI features, potentially outpacing smaller startups. Investors also point to cautionary tales like Jasper, a copywriting AI startup that stumbled after the launch of ChatGPT, emphasising the uncertainty surrounding the longevity of AI adoption in sales. For now, the potential of AI SDRs to revolutionise sales processes is undeniable, but their ability to sustain growth and deliver tangible results remains to be seen.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Sora, and developer API experienced a significant outage on Thursday, disrupting services for over four hours. The issue began around 11 a.m. PT, with partial recovery reported by 2:05 p.m. PT. By 3:16 p.m. PT, OpenAI stated that Sora was operational, though ChatGPT users might still encounter issues accessing their chat history.
According to OpenAI’s status page, the outage was caused by one of their upstream providers, but the company did not provide further details. This marks the second major outage for OpenAI’s services in December. Two weeks ago, a similar incident attributed to a telemetry service malfunction resulted in a six-hour disruption, a notably longer downtime than usual.
Interestingly, popular platforms utilising OpenAI’s API, such as Perplexity and Siri’s Apple Intelligence integration, appeared unaffected during the outage, as confirmed by their status pages and independent testing. OpenAI is actively working to ensure full restoration of its services while addressing the root causes behind these recurring disruptions.
Jet.AI has introduced a cutting-edge AI model, ‘Ava,’ designed to revolutionise private jet bookings. Customers can communicate with Ava via phone or text to receive real-time pricing, aircraft availability, and personalised guidance. According to Jet.AI‘s founder Mike Winston, the agentic AI model offers a cost-efficient solution that enhances customer convenience while streamlining operations.
Updates to Jet.AI’s CharterGPT app accompany Ava’s launch, providing features like carbon tracking, enhanced notifications for travel updates, and deep linking for seamless access to trip details discussed with the AI. These upgrades prioritise eco-conscious decisions and user-friendly functionality.
Agentic AI, which operates autonomously to handle entire processes, is gaining momentum across industries. Intuit, for instance, plans to expand agentic AI across its platforms like TurboTax and QuickBooks through 2025, enhancing efficiency while maintaining human expert support when necessary.
