Nomagic, a fast-growing Polish startup, has secured $44 million in funding to develop its robotic arms used in logistics operations like picking, packing, and moving. The company plans to use this investment to expand its technology and business, aiming to sell its robots in North America. Nomagic’s technology, which uses AI and automation software, has already gained significant traction in industries like e-commerce and pharmaceuticals, with a 220% growth in annual recurring revenue last year.
The funding round, led by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), highlights the growing importance of robotics in rebuilding industrial competitiveness in Europe. Nomagic’s approach focuses on software rather than hardware, enabling its robotic arms to perform across various use cases with ease. This strategy sets it apart from other robotics companies and positions it to capitalise on the increasing demand for automation.
Nomagic’s competitors, such as Covariant, are also seeing success in the field, with Amazon hiring Covariant’s founders and licensing its technology. Industry leaders like Nvidia and SoftBank are also investing in robotic technology, underscoring the potential of this growing market. With government backing and increasing private investment, robotics is playing a key role in modernising logistics and manufacturing industries.
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Estonia has launched a new initiative aimed at preparing students and teachers for the age of AI. The ‘AI Leap’ programme will provide access to popular AI chatbots, including an educational version of ChatGPT, to help build digital skills. Starting in September 2025, the programme will involve 20,000 high school students and 3,000 teachers, with plans to expand to vocational schools and an additional 38,000 students and 3,000 teachers in 2026.
Education Minister Kristina Kallas emphasised that Estonia’s economic competitiveness depends on how well the country adapts to AI, ensuring young people are equipped for the future. As part of the initiative, Estonia will also invest in teacher training to support the integration of AI in classrooms.
The programme is a public-private partnership, with negotiations underway with major AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic. OpenAI has expressed its pride in collaborating with Estonia to bring ChatGPT Edu to the education system, aiming to better prepare students for the workforce. Estonia’s use of AI in education is seen as a model that other countries may follow as the EU pushes to increase digital skills across Europe by 2030.
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Nvidia has forecast strong growth for the first quarter, reinforcing confidence in the booming demand for AI chips. Orders for the company’s new Blackwell semiconductors were described as ‘amazing’, with CEO Jensen Huang stating that AI is advancing rapidly.
Investors had raised concerns last month after Chinese startup DeepSeek claimed to have developed cost-efficient AI models, but Nvidia’s results eased doubts.
Shares initially rose before fluctuating in extended trading, continuing a trend that has seen Nvidia’s stock surge over 400% in two years. The company generated $11 billion in revenue from Blackwell-related products in the fourth quarter, accounting for around half of its total data centre revenue.
Analysts had expressed scepticism about the transition to Blackwell and competition from DeepSeek, but the latest figures reassured investors.
Margins remain under pressure, with Nvidia forecasting a slight drop to 71% in the first quarter, below Wall Street estimates. Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress expects a recovery later in the year as production scales up and costs decline.
Despite some concerns about oversupply in AI infrastructure, Chinese firms have reportedly increased orders for Nvidia’s H20 AI chip, further supporting demand.
Nvidia’s fourth-quarter revenue rose 78% to $39.3 billion, surpassing expectations. Data centre sales surged 93% to $35.6 billion, continuing strong growth from the previous quarter.
Investors remain focused on Nvidia’s ability to maintain momentum in a competitive AI landscape, particularly as tech giants like Microsoft and Meta commit substantial investments to AI expansion.
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China accused Taiwan on Wednesday of attempting to hand over its semiconductor industry to the United States, claiming that the island’s government was using the industry to gain political support from Washington. The accusation comes amid reports that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, may be negotiating a stake in Intel. However, neither TSMC nor Intel has confirmed the talks and Taiwan’s government says it has not received such investment proposals from TSMC.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson, Zhu Fenglian, suggested without providing evidence that Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was using TSMC to seek foreign support for independence, accusing the island of ‘selling out’ its companies to the US. Taiwan, however, rejected these claims, with Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council affirming the importance of TSMC to the island’s economy and stressing its commitment to maintaining a leading role in semiconductor technology.
The US has been critical of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, with former President Donald Trump calling for more manufacturing to return to the United States. Despite China’s claims, Taiwan maintains that it is responsible for its foreign investment decisions. The island continues to rely on the US for military support, though the US does not formally recognise Taiwan’s government.
TSMC, which supplies major companies like Apple and Nvidia, did not comment on the reports. Taiwan’s government, however, vowed to support the company amid rising tensions surrounding its semiconductor industry.
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Meta Platforms is reportedly in talks to build a new data centre campus for its AI projects, potentially costing over $200 billion, according to sources familiar with the matter. The company is considering locations in states like Louisiana, Wyoming, and Texas, with senior executives visiting potential sites this month.
This comes as the AI sector sees a surge in investment, especially following the launch of Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022. Companies are eager to incorporate AI into their products, leading to significant spending on AI infrastructure.
Despite the report, a Meta spokesperson denied the claims, stating that its data centre plans and capital expenditures have already been disclosed and calling the rest ‘pure speculation’. Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, had previously mentioned that the company plans to invest up to $65 billion this year to expand its AI infrastructure.
In comparison, Microsoft has pledged around $80 billion in data centre investments for fiscal 2025, while Amazon has indicated its 2025 spending could exceed $75 billion.
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Apple is set to begin selling its iPhone 16 in Indonesia following a new agreement with the government, which includes the establishment of a manufacturing plant and a research and development centre. The country’s industry minister, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, confirmed on Wednesday that Apple would soon receive the required local content certificate to allow sales of the device. However, he did not specify when the certificate would be issued.
Indonesia had previously banned the iPhone 16 due to Apple’s failure to meet the local content requirement, which mandates that a certain percentage of parts must be sourced domestically or through local partnerships. Although Apple has no manufacturing facilities in Indonesia, it has been operating developer academies in the country since 2018. Indonesia, with its population of 280 million, is keen to attract more tech-related investment.
Analysts have warned that the local content ban could harm investor confidence and fuel concerns about protectionism, but the new agreements between Apple and the Indonesian government may help address these issues.
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Alibaba has made its AI model Wan 2.1 publicly available, enhancing competition in video and image generation. The move aligns with growing interest in open-source AI, following the recent rise of cost-effective models from firms such as DeepSeek.
The company introduced four variants of Wan 2.1, capable of generating images and videos from text and image input. Each model supports varying levels of complexity, with the most advanced handling 14 billion parameters for improved accuracy.
In January, the company unveiled an upgraded version of its AI model, later rebranded as Wan, with a focus on generating highly realistic visuals. The model has achieved top rankings on VBench, a leaderboard assessing video generative AI capabilities.
A preview of Alibaba’s reasoning model, QwQ-Max, was also released, with plans for an open-source launch.
The firm announced a $52 billion investment in cloud computing and AI infrastructure over the next three years. The commitment highlights its long-term focus on advancing AI and maintaining a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving sector.
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Alibaba is set to release an open-source version of its video and image-generating artificial intelligence model, Wan 2.1. The company announced the move on X, with full details to be revealed in a recorded video.
The tech giant originally introduced its AI model in January under the name Wanx before renaming it Wan. Alibaba has promoted its capability to generate highly realistic visuals and noted its strong performance on VBench, a ranking platform for video-generating models.
The company also previewed its reasoning model, QwQ-Max, with plans to make it open source in the future.
Major investments in AI and cloud computing are also underway, with at least 380 billion yuan ($52 billion) committed over the next three years.
Alibaba is positioning itself as a key player in the AI industry while competing with global leaders moving towards closed-source models.
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On Valentine’s Day in San Francisco, the NBA Tech Summit took place ahead of the NBA All-Star weekend, showcasing the latest trends in sports, media, and technology. With the help of NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and legendary Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, the audience was introduced to the evolution of event broadcasting, companies set to make significant investments in the coming years, and the future of basketball as a sport.
The panels also included renowned basketball experts, media figures, and former NBA players. A common consensus emerged: robotics and AI will reshape the sport as we know and significantly help athletes achieve far better results than ever before.
However, this is not exactly a novelty, as many innovations were presented ahead of the Paris Olympics, where certain programmes helped analysts and audiences follow their favourite events in greater detail.
The future of the NBA and the role of fans during matches
The same idea applies to the NBA, particularly with the integration of augmented reality (AR) and a feature called ‘Tabletop’, which allows the display of a virtual court with digital avatars tracking player movements in real time.
A feature like this one generated the most interest from the audience, as it enables viewers to watch matches from various angles, analyse performances in real-time, access interactive player data, and simulate alternative outcomes—essentially exploring how the game would have unfolded if different decisions had been made on the court.
An important aspect of these innovations is that fans have the opportunity to vote for competition participants, ask real-time questions, and take part in virtual events designed to keep them engaged during and after match broadcasts.
AI plays a crucial role in these systems, primarily by analysing strategies and performances, allowing coaches and players to make better-informed decisions in key moments of the game.
Player health as a priority
With a packed schedule of matches, additional tournaments, and extensive travel, professional basketball players face daily physical challenges. To help preserve their health, new technologies aim to minimise potential injuries.
Wearable health-tracking sensors embedded in equipment to collect data on physical parameters were introduced at the NBA Summit. This technology provides medical teams with real-time insights into players’ conditions, helping prevent potential injuries.
Basketball spirit through cutting-edge technology: What did the NBA Tech Summit deliver? 11
Biometric sensors, motion-analysis accelerometers, injury-prevention algorithms, dehydration and fatigue tracking, and shoe sensors for load analysis are just some of the innovations in this field.
Ultra cameras, ultra broadcasts, ultra experience
For fans of high-resolution and interactive matches, the latest technological advancements offer new viewing experiences. While still in the final development stages, fans can already enjoy Ultra HD 8K and 360-degree cameras, along with the highly anticipated ‘player cam’ perspective, which allows for close-up tracking of individual players.
It is also possible to independently control the camera during matches, offering a complete view of the court and arena from every possible angle. Additionally, matches can be broadcast as holograms, providing a new dimension in 3D space on specialised platforms.
The integration of 5G technology ensures faster and more stable transmissions, enabling high-resolution streaming without delays.
Fewer mistakes, less stress
Refereeing mistakes have always been part of the sport, influencing match outcomes and shaping the history of one of the world’s most popular games. In response, the NBA has sought to minimise errors through Hawk-Eye technology for ball and boundary tracking.
A multi-camera system monitors the ball to determine whether it has crossed the line, touched the boundary, or shot on time. AI also analyses player contact in real time, suggesting potential fouls for referees to review.
Beyond these features, the NBA now operates a centralised Replay Centre, offering detailed analysis of controversial situations where AI plays a crucial role in providing recommendations for quicker decision-making. Additional innovations include hoop sensors, audio analysis for simulating unsportsmanlike fouls, and more.
Environmental sustainability and awareness
As an organisation reliant on cutting-edge technology, the NBA is also focused on environmental awareness, which is increasingly becoming a key aspect of the league. Modern arenas utilise solar energy, energy-efficient lighting, and water recycling systems, reducing electricity consumption and waste.
Digital tickets and contactless payments contribute to sustainability efforts, particularly through apps that enable quicker and more eco-friendly entry to arenas and access to various services.
Partnerships with environmental organisations are a crucial part of the NBA’s sustainability initiatives, with collaborations including the Green Sports Alliance and the NRDC. These efforts aim to reduce the environmental impact of events while enhancing the fan experience.
For basketball fans (and followers of other sports adopting similar advancements), the most important takeaway is that the fundamental rules and essence of the game will remain unchanged. Despite the inevitable technological progress, the core spirit of basketball, established in Springfield in 1891, will continue to be preserved.
Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani is focusing on small businesses and promoting innovative neuroscience research to boost Reliance’s revenue from the Indian Premier League (IPL). After striking an $8.5 billion merger with Walt Disney, Reliance plans to attract small companies to advertise during the IPL by offering affordable ad packages starting at $17,000. The company has been conducting closed-door seminars in various Indian cities to pitch these packages, aiming to expand its digital ad inventory and increase streaming revenue.
Reliance is also experimenting with “brain mapping” research to show higher engagement rates for its IPL ads compared to rivals like Google and Meta. The company claims its ads have up to four times more focus, engagement, and memorability, based on neural studies of participants. However, the ad rates for IPL streaming have risen by up to 25%, creating competition with lower-cost platforms like Instagram and YouTube, where some businesses find advertising more affordable.
Despite heavy investments in IPL and other cricket rights, Reliance faces challenges in making the venture profitable. The company is battling major global players in India’s growing digital advertising market, where Google and Meta dominate. Reliance’s ad pitch focuses on user data, offering targeted ads based on viewer demographics. Yet, experts argue that Reliance’s efforts, including using brain scans to boost ad appeal, may not be enough to compete with the sheer reach of platforms like YouTube.
The high cost of IPL broadcast rights, coupled with increasing ad rates, puts pressure on Reliance’s strategy. Still, Ambani remains confident in the IPL’s potential to attract advertisers and retain viewers who may subscribe to additional content offerings. With competition intensifying in India’s $28-billion digital ad market, Reliance’s new tactics may shape its future in the entertainment and advertising sectors.
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