Britain’s competition regulator has approved Synopsys’ $35 billion acquisition of Ansys after the companies addressed concerns about the potential negative impact on innovation and pricing.
In December, the regulator raised alarms that the deal could reduce competition in the chip design software market, possibly leading to higher prices and less innovation.
However, following negotiations and the companies’ offer of remedies to mitigate these concerns, the regulator decided not to refer the deal for an in-depth phase-2 investigation.
Synopsys, a major player in the chip design software industry, announced the acquisition in January. The deal, which will be a mix of cash and stock, aims to strengthen Synopsys’ portfolio and expand its offerings in the design and development of complex products.
Ansys, a well-established provider of simulation software, is used by a range of industries, from aerospace to sports equipment, to design and optimise products like aeroplanes and tennis rackets.
The acquisition marks a significant move for Synopsys, enhancing its capabilities in the design and development of advanced technology.
The deal is expected to bring together the strengths of both companies, allowing them to offer a broader set of solutions to customers in various sectors, from semiconductor manufacturing to engineering and consumer goods.
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China is set to release new guidance aimed at promoting the use of open-source RISC-V chips nationwide, a move that signals the country’s growing efforts to reduce its reliance on Western technology. The policy, which could be unveiled as early as this month, is being developed by several government bodies, including the Cyberspace Administration of China and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The final release date remains uncertain as discussions continue.
RISC-V, an open-source chip design technology, has gained popularity in China, particularly among state entities and research institutes, due to its lower cost and geopolitical neutrality. It is seen as a viable alternative to more established, proprietary chip architectures, such as those from Intel and AMD, and is gaining traction in various industries, including AI and mobile technology. This shift has raised concerns in the United States, where lawmakers are wary that China may be leveraging RISC-V’s open-source nature to boost its semiconductor sector.
The growing adoption of RISC-V has sparked a positive movement in the Chinese stock market, with shares of local chip design firms such as VeriSilicon and ASR Microelectronics experiencing significant gains. Industry leaders point out that RISC-V’s potential to reduce costs for smaller companies looking to implement AI, particularly with the rise of technologies like DeepSeek, could further drive its adoption.
As tensions between the US and China over technology intensify, the development of China’s semiconductor industry using RISC-V may become a critical aspect of its strategy to become less dependent on foreign chipmakers, while also advancing its own technological ambitions.
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Eutelsat shares surged by over 60% on Tuesday, continuing a remarkable rise that saw them increase by 68% the day before. This spike came after geopolitical tensions raised the possibility of OneWeb satellites, owned by the French satellite operator, replacing Elon Musk’s Starlink service in Ukraine. Since Friday, Eutelsat’s stock has nearly tripled in value following a public dispute between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and former US President Donald Trump, which has cast doubt on the future of Starlink in the country.
Analysts suggest that the surge in Eutelsat’s stock is driven by the potential for OneWeb to secure the Ukrainian military’s satellite contract, with OneWeb being seen as a viable alternative to Starlink. The situation gained further momentum after a White House official revealed that Trump would pause military aid to Ukraine, potentially allowing Europe to increase its support. On Tuesday, the European Commission unveiled an ambitious 800 billion euro defense plan, further strengthening Europe’s role in the region.
Eutelsat has recently committed to increasing its satellite capacity for Ukraine, highlighting its growing importance for European defence. The French satellite operator has faced challenges, including concerns over rising debt and strong competition from US companies like SpaceX’s Starlink. Despite these hurdles, recent developments have rekindled investor confidence, with shares rising sharply after hitting all-time lows in February due to ongoing financial difficulties.
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DeepSeek’s progress is a clear sign of the growing influence of Chinese companies in the AI sector, according to a spokesperson for China’s parliament. Lou Qinjian, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, praised the achievements of DeepSeek’s young team, describing their work as ‘commendable’.
He highlighted the company’s open-source approach and its efforts to spread AI technology globally, contributing ‘Chinese wisdom’ to the world.
The AI startup has been widely celebrated in China, particularly for rolling out AI models that offer a significantly lower cost than those developed by US rivals like OpenAI.
While some countries, including South Korea and Italy, have removed DeepSeek’s chatbot from their app stores over privacy concerns, it has been embraced within China, where local governments and tech firms are integrating it into their systems.
Based in Hangzhou, DeepSeek is rapidly advancing its next-generation model, set to succeed its R1 release from January, as it continues to make waves in the global tech sector.
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Taiwan has announced its support for TSMC’s plans to invest in the US, while also ensuring that the most advanced semiconductor technology remains within the country.
The statement, made by the presidential office on Tuesday, reassured that Taiwan would assist the semiconductor giant in its future US investments.
However, the government emphasised that Taiwan would retain its cutting-edge chip technologies to secure its position as a leader in the global semiconductor industry.
TSMC, Taiwan’s largest chipmaker, revealed plans for a significant $100 billion investment in the US to expand its presence and build five new chip manufacturing facilities over the coming years.
The announcement was made during a meeting between TSMC’s CEO and US President Donald Trump on Monday.
Move like this one is part of a broader push to bolster semiconductor production in the US, particularly in response to global supply chain issues and national security concerns surrounding chip dependence on foreign markets.
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Amazon has announced plans to use AI to help reduce flood risks in Spain’s northeastern region of Aragon, where it is building new data centres.
As part of its $17.9 million investment, Amazon’s cloud computing unit AWS will modernise infrastructure and optimise agricultural water use to tackle flood concerns.
The move follows catastrophic floods that impacted large areas around Valencia and comes as AWS continues its €15.7 billion expansion in the region’s cloud infrastructure.
The region is prone to flooding, especially along the Ebro River, highest-flow river in Spain, which crosses through Aragon on its way to the Mediterranean.
Amazon will deploy advanced cloud computing technologies to create an early warning system combining real-time data collection, sensor networks, and AI-powered analysis.
However, this system will help Zaragoza, the capital of Aragon, monitor flood risks more effectively and provide timely warnings to emergency services.
In addition to its technological investment, local authorities in Zaragoza are building flood defences at the Barranco de la Muerte, or Death Ravine, to mitigate future flood damage.
With these combined efforts, Amazon aims to contribute to reducing the region’s vulnerability to floods while supporting its own expanding data infrastructure.
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Intel has announced a significant delay in its planned $28 billion semiconductor manufacturing project in Ohio, pushing the completion of its first factory to 2030.
Operations are expected to begin between 2030 and 2031, extending the initial timeline by at least five years. The second factory is now scheduled for completion in 2031, with production starting in 2032.
The chipmaker is adjusting its plans in response to financial pressures following its costly push into contract chip manufacturing.
Naga Chandrasekaran, general manager of Intel Foundry Manufacturing, stated that the decision was made to align factory operations with market demand and ensure responsible capital management.
The company has also been cutting costs through workforce reductions, dividend suspensions, and a broader expense reduction strategy.
Intel’s financial restructuring follows a challenging period for the company, which has struggled to regain its position in the semiconductor industry.
The delay in Ohio’s factory construction reflects a cautious approach to investment, with the company aiming to keep operating expenses at approximately $17.5 billion for 2025.
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Chinese AI startup Zhipu AI has raised over 1 billion yuan ($137.22 million) in new funding, following a previous 3 billion yuan investment in December. The latest funding round comes amid growing competition in China’s AI sector, particularly with rival DeepSeek’s large language models, which claim to rival Western models at a lower cost.
Investors in the new round include the state-backed Hangzhou City Investment Group Industrial Fund and Shangcheng Capital. Zhipu AI plans to use the funds to enhance its GLM language model and expand its AI ecosystem, with a focus on businesses in Zhejiang province and the Yangtze River Delta region.
Founded in 2019, Zhipu AI has completed 16 funding rounds and is considered one of China’s leading AI startups. The company aims to release a range of new AI models, including foundation and multimodal models, as part of its open-source strategy. The funding comes as competitors like DeepSeek continue to disrupt the AI landscape with open-source models that challenge established platforms.
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British startup Wayve has announced plans to open a new testing and development hub in Germany, deploying a fleet of test vehicles in the Stuttgart region. The self-driving technology firm aims to enhance features like lane change assistance at the new facility, which will focus on improving its “Embodied AI” system that learns from human behaviour.
Wayve, which operates in the UK and the US, is expanding into Germany as part of its strategy to enter the European market, particularly Germany, the continent’s largest automotive hub. The company received a boost earlier this year, with Uber investing in August and SoftBank leading a $1 billion funding round in May, supported by Nvidia.
Despite the significant investments in autonomous vehicle technology, self-driving systems still face challenges in predicting and assessing risks as accurately as human drivers. Wayve’s technology is already integrated into six vehicle platforms, including electric models like the Jaguar I-PACE and Ford Mustang Mach-E, as part of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
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Singapore‘s government is investigating a fraud case involving servers supplied by US companies, potentially containing Nvidia’s advanced chips. Three men, including a Chinese national, were charged last week in connection with the alleged illegal transfer of these AI chips from Singapore to Chinese firm DeepSeek. Singapore’s Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam confirmed that the servers were provided by Dell Technologies and Super Micro Computer to local firms before being sent to Malaysia.
Authorities are still unsure whether Malaysia was the final destination, but they are working with US officials to determine if the servers contained restricted US export-controlled items. The US is already investigating whether DeepSeek has used banned Nvidia chips, which could lead to violations of export laws. The case forms part of a broader probe into suspected smuggling activities linked to AI chips being moved from countries like Singapore to China.
Singapore, a key market for Nvidia, is also examining allegations that DeepSeek may have acquired thousands of advanced Nvidia chips illegally. However, DeepSeek has denied these claims, stating that it only used legally purchased chips, including the Nvidia H800 model. The investigation is ongoing, with Singapore continuing to cooperate with US authorities.
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