Nvidia is seeking antitrust approval from the European Union for its planned acquisition of Israeli AI startup Run:ai valued at approximately $700 million. The European Commission has raised concerns that the merger could harm competition in the markets where both companies operate, prompting increased scrutiny of tech giants acquiring startups. This move reflects a broader regulatory trend aimed at preventing potential monopolistic practices in the tech sector.
Although the acquisition does not meet the EU’s turnover threshold for automatic review, it was flagged by Italy’s competition agency, which requested the EU to investigate further. The Commission has accepted this request, indicating that the transaction could significantly impact competition across the European Economic Area.
In response to the regulatory review, Nvidia expressed its readiness to cooperate and answer any questions regarding the acquisition. The company is committed to ensuring that AI technologies remain accessible across various platforms, emphasising its role as a leader in the chip industry, particularly for AI applications like ChatGPT.
Indonesia has banned sales of Google’s Pixel smartphones due to regulations requiring a minimum of 40% locally manufactured components in devices sold within the country. This decision follows a similar ban on Apple’s iPhone 16 for failing to meet these content standards. According to Febri Hendri Antoni Arief, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s industry ministry, the rules aim to ensure fairness among investors by promoting local sourcing and partnerships.
Google stated that its Pixel phones are not officially distributed in Indonesia, though consumers can still import them independently if they pay applicable taxes. Officials are also considering measures to deactivate unauthorised imports to enforce compliance.
Despite Google and Apple not being leading brands in Indonesia, the market holds significant potential for global tech firms due to its large, tech-savvy population. However, Bhima Yudhistira from the Centre of Economic and Law Studies warned that these restrictions may deter foreign investment, creating what he calls ‘pseudo protectionism’ that could dampen investor sentiment in the region.
The EU‘s voluntary code of practice on disinformation will soon become a formal set of rules under the Digital Services Act (DSA). According to Paul Gordon, assistant director at Ireland’s media regulator Coimisiúin na Meán, efforts are underway to finalise the transition by January. He emphasised that the new regulations should lead to more meaningful engagement from platforms, moving beyond mere compliance.
Originally established in 2022 and signed by 44 companies, including Google, Meta, and TikTok, the code outlines commitments to combat online disinformation, such as increasing transparency in political advertising and enhancing cooperation during elections. A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed that the code aims to be recognised as a ‘Code of Conduct’ under the DSA, which already mandates content moderation measures for online platforms.
The DSA, which applies to all platforms since February, imposes strict rules on the largest online services, requiring them to mitigate risks associated with disinformation. The new code will help these platforms demonstrate compliance with the DSA’s obligations, as assessed by the Commission and the European Board of Digital Services. However, no specific timeline has been provided for the code’s formal implementation.
The founder of cryptocurrency firm MyTrade, Liu Zhou, pleaded guilty in Boston federal court on Wednesday to charges of market manipulation and wire fraud. Zhou, who described himself as the ‘mastermind’ behind the company, entered the plea just weeks after being indicted along with 14 others as part of a groundbreaking FBI investigation dubbed ‘Operation Token Mirrors.’ This operation was notable for involving the creation of a digital token by the FBI itself to uncover fraud in the crypto sector.
Prosecutors revealed that MyTrade was one of three market makers involved in providing illicit trading services to cryptocurrency firms. During the investigation, Zhou agreed to manipulate the market for a token backed by the FBI, known as NexFundAI, which operates on the Ethereum blockchain. As part of a plea agreement, Zhou faces a maximum prison sentence of 1.5 years and must refrain from appealing if sentenced within that timeframe. Additionally, MyTrade must stop facilitating fraudulent trades that had previously manipulated the trading volumes of about 60 cryptocurrencies.
Zhou founded MyTrade in 2021, a British Virgin Islands-registered company that offered services like ‘volume support,’ where automated bots were used to inflate trading volumes. Prosecutors characterised this practice as ‘wash trading,’ which artificially boosts an asset’s trading activity. Zhou’s discussions with NexFundAI promoters included plans for market manipulation and ‘pump and dump’ schemes. Following a meeting on 23 September, Zhou quickly agreed to plead guilty after the FBI approached him. Four others involved in the investigation have also pleaded guilty.
Microsoft took the unusual step of publicly accusing Google of conducting ‘shadow campaigns’ in Europe to undermine Microsoft’s reputation with regulators. According to a blog post by Microsoft lawyer Rima Alaily, Google allegedly hired the advisory firm DGA Group to organise the Open Cloud Coalition, enlisting European cloud companies to act as a front while Google finances and directs its operations. The coalition, recently launched, purports to advocate for a ‘fair, competitive, and open cloud industry’ across Europe.
Alaily claims this is part of Google’s pattern of targeting Microsoft, citing Google’s involvement in the Coalition for Fair Software Licensing and a separate effort to sway Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe with significant financial offers to oppose Microsoft’s proposed antitrust settlement. The conflict adds fuel to the rivalry between the two tech giants, who already compete intensely across cloud infrastructure, online advertising, AI, and productivity software.
In response, a Google spokesperson noted that Microsoft’s cloud licensing practices create vendor lock-in, potentially stifling competition, cybersecurity, and innovation. Hours after Microsoft published accusations, the Open Cloud Coalition formally announced its formation, listing Google as a member and calling on European authorities to intensify scrutiny on cloud competition issues. In September, Google said it was filing a complaint against Microsoft with the European Commission over what Google considers unfair practices for licensing the Windows Server operating system.
Meta is working on a new AI search engine to lessen its reliance on Google and Microsoft’s Bing. The move places Meta among other tech giants, such as OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft, in the race to dominate the evolving AI-powered search landscape.
The new search tool aims to enhance Meta’s chatbot on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook by offering conversational responses to real-time queries about news and events. Meta currently depends on Google and Bing to provide users with information on topics like news, stock markets, and sports.
As competition intensifies, Google is pushing its Gemini AI model into core services, including Search, to offer more interactive and intuitive experiences. OpenAI, meanwhile, continues to use Bing, leveraging its close partnership with Microsoft for topical queries.
The use of web data to train AI systems and build search engines has sparked debates about copyright and fair compensation. Meta recently announced that its chatbot would incorporate Reuters content to provide up-to-date answers to questions related to news and current events.
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) has introduced version 1.0 of its Open Source AI Definition (OSAID), setting new standards for AI transparency and accessibility. Developed over the years in collaboration with academia and industry, the OSAID aims to establish clear criteria for what qualifies as open-source AI. The OSI says the definition will help align policymakers, developers, and industry leaders on a common understanding of ‘open source’ in the rapidly evolving field of AI.
According to OSI Executive Vice President Stefano Maffulli, the goal is to make sure AI models labelled as open source provide enough detail for others to recreate them and disclose essential information about training data, such as its origin and processing methods. The OSAID also emphasises that open source AI should grant users freedom to modify and build upon the models, without restrictive permissions. While OSI lacks enforcement power, it plans to advocate for its definition as the AI community’s reference point, aiming to combat “open source” claims that don’t meet OSAID standards.
The new definition comes as some companies, including Meta and Stability AI, use the open-source label without fully meeting transparency requirements. Meta, a financial supporter of the OSI, has voiced reservations about the OSAID, citing the need for protective restrictions around its Llama models. In contrast, OSI contends that AI models should be openly accessible to allow for a truly open-source AI ecosystem, rather than restricted by proprietary data and usage limitations.
Maffulli acknowledges the OSAID may need frequent updates as technology and regulations evolve. OSI has created a committee to monitor its application and adjust as necessary, with an eye on refining the open-source definition to address emerging issues like copyright and proprietary data.
A new app called Loops is aiming to be the TikTok of the fediverse, an open-source social network ecosystem. Loops, which just opened for signups, will feature short, looping videos similar to TikTok’s format. Although still in development, the platform plans to be open-source and integrate with ActivityPub, the protocol that powers other federated apps like Mastodon and Pixelfed.
Loops is the latest project from Daniel Supernault, creator of Pixelfed, and will operate under the Pixelfed umbrella. Unlike mainstream social media, Loops promises not to sell user data to advertisers, nor will it use content to train AI models. Users will retain full ownership of their videos, granting Loops only limited permissions for use.
Like other fediverse platforms, Loops will rely on user donations for funding rather than investor support, with plans to accept contributions through Patreon and similar platforms. The app will also allow users on other federated networks, like Mastodon, to interact with Loops content seamlessly. Loops is currently seeking community input on its policies and looking for moderators to guide the platform’s early stages.
Apple’s iPhone 16 will not be available for sale in Indonesia after the tech company failed to meet the country’s local content requirements. According to the Indonesian industry ministry, smartphones sold domestically must contain at least 40% locally made components, a threshold the iPhone 16 did not meet. Ministry spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief confirmed that while imports of the device for personal use are permitted if proper taxes are paid, Apple has not secured the necessary local content certification to market the phone widely in Indonesia.
Apple’s absence from the market could give a further edge to leading competitors OPPO and Samsung, who hold the top two positions in Indonesia’s smartphone market. The country’s large, tech-savvy population makes it a critical market for tech investment, and Indonesian officials have encouraged Apple to partner with domestic firms to meet local content requirements.
While Apple has no manufacturing plants in Indonesia, it has invested in app developer academies since 2018, amounting to around $101.8 million to support local talent and development.
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has agreed to a $433.5 M settlement to resolve a US class-action lawsuit accusing the company of monopolistic practices. The lawsuit, filed in 2020, claimed that Alibaba misled investors by denying any anti-monopoly or unfair competition violations while allegedly pressuring merchants to stick to a single platform.
Although Alibaba denies any wrongdoing, the company opted for the settlement to avoid the costs and potential disruptions associated with prolonged legal battles. The settlement, which covers investors in Alibaba’s American depositary shares between 13 November 2019, and 23 December 2020, is pending approval from US District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs have praised the deal, describing it as “an exceptional result” considering the potential damages in the case. Had the investors continued litigating, they could have sought up to $11.63 B in damages, far beyond the settlement amount. Approval of the settlement would mark the end of a major legal challenge for Alibaba, as it seeks to move forward from a period of regulatory scrutiny.
