Batelco and Qareeb Data Centers have partnered to enhance digital infrastructure in Bahrain by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum 2024. The collaboration aims to develop the first White Space Data Centre in Bahrain, a key component of Beyon’s Data Oasis project, which will become the Kingdom’s largest technology hub.
The partnership aligns with Batelco’s strategy to expand its presence in the growing data centre market and digital infrastructure sector. Together, the companies will focus on delivering colocation services, implementing regional Data Centre initiatives, and offering managed digital services to meet the increasing demand for scalable and flexible solutions in the region.
As the data centre market in the region continues to grow, particularly in demand for local edge colocation services, Batelco and Qareeb Data Centers are well-positioned to capitalise on these trends. With Qareeb’s regional expansion objectives and Batelco’s established infrastructure capabilities, the partnership will drive advancements in Bahrain’s technology sector and contribute to the broader digital economy across the Gulf region.
Dubai Customs and DP World have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance digital trade and logistics solutions in Dubai, supporting the city’s ambition to become one of the top three global economic cities. The partnership aligns with Dubai’s economic agenda, D33, and aims to boost the city’s competitiveness as an international trade hub.
The MoU focuses on transforming customs systems by integrating advanced digital technologies, streamlining trade and logistics processes, and improving stakeholder experiences. By leveraging cutting-edge digital solutions, both organisations seek to modernise customs operations, offer faster, more efficient services, and facilitate smoother cross-border trade flows, ultimately meeting the evolving demands of international trade.
Furthermore, this collaboration highlights a commitment to fostering innovation within the trade and logistics sector, creating a more seamless business experience. The partnership is expected to propel the industry toward more efficient trading methods, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a competitive and connected business hub in the global trade ecosystem.
Germany’s SAP, the global software giant, plans to significantly expand its workforce in India, with the region soon set to surpass its German headquarters in employee numbers, CEO Christian Klein announced on Wednesday. SAP’s India division, with 15,000 employees, already hosts the largest number of engineers in the company worldwide and is among SAP’s top ten revenue-generating markets.
The company’s primary investments in research and development, as well as customer success roles, will be directed toward India, though specifics on hiring timelines were not disclosed. SAP is also building a new office in Bengaluru that will accommodate an additional 15,000 employees as part of this growth plan.
Despite concerns about generative AI’s impact on jobs, Klein expressed confidence that demand for new developers would continue to grow alongside Germany‘s SAP’s business. He also highlighted that India is home to SAP’s core AI development team, emphasising the country’s critical role in driving the company’s technology strategy.
OpenAI has acquired Chat.com, adding another high-profile domain to its portfolio. Starting today, the website redirects directly to ChatGPT, the company’s popular AI chatbot, marking a significant move in expanding OpenAI’s online footprint. Though OpenAI has yet to reveal the acquisition price, reports indicate the domain previously sold for $15.5M when bought by HubSpot co-founder Dharmesh Shah, making it one of the largest known domain sales.
Last year, Shah sold Chat.com to an undisclosed buyer, which he recently confirmed on social media to be OpenAI. The sale may have included OpenAI shares as part of the deal, but no further details have been shared. While Chat.com now directs users to ChatGPT, it does not represent a rebranding. The domain acquisition aligns with OpenAI’s ongoing strategy of increasing accessibility to its AI offerings by securing memorable, high-value digital properties.
Apple has launched the AI-powered version of iOS 18.2, bringing new features to public beta users. These include tools like Genmoji, an AI-powered emoji generator, Image Playground for creating AI-generated images and ChatGPT integration with Siri. The update also introduces Visual Intelligence, which uses the iPhone 16’s camera for real-time object and place identification. These features were previously available only to developers but are now open to select users, with some requiring a waitlist for access.
The new capabilities, grouped under “Apple Intelligence,” promise to enhance Siri’s functionality, including offering writing and proofreading assistance across apps. Apple plans to extend these AI tools to third-party developers, potentially increasing their impact. For now, users can experiment with ChatGPT for text generation and image creation, as well as generate custom emojis and edit rough sketches using Image Wand.
While Apple Intelligence is enabled by default on some devices, others will need to sign up for the new features. However, there’s a waitlist for certain tools, which Apple is managing to ensure a safe rollout. Concerns over misuse, like the creation of NSFW emojis, have contributed to the cautious approach.
The update follows AI improvements introduced in iOS 18.1, such as enhanced writing tools and updated Siri features. Alongside iOS 18.2, Apple also released public betas for iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, and tvOS 18.2, continuing to expand its AI-driven ecosystem.
Donald Trump is expected to scale back some of the antitrust policies introduced under President Joe Biden, including potentially softening the approach to breaking up large tech companies like Google. While Trump is likely to continue pursuing cases against Big Tech, such as the ongoing Department of Justice (DOJ) cases against Google and Apple, his recent comments indicate a more cautious stance. Trump questioned whether breaking up Google would destroy the company, suggesting that fairer practices could be achieved without drastic measures like a breakup.
The DOJ’s cases against Google over its dominance in online search and advertising technology are still in progress, with potential remedies, including divesting parts of its business, yet to be decided. The trial over these remedies won’t happen until 2025, providing Trump the opportunity to influence how the cases proceed. Additionally, Trump is expected to ease policies that have frustrated dealmakers, including the Biden administration’s strict merger review guidelines.
Trump’s approach to antitrust enforcement is likely to be less aggressive than Biden’s, especially regarding mergers and acquisitions. While he may ease restrictions on noncompete clauses and other regulatory measures, such as those championed by FTC Chair Lina Khan, his policies are expected to maintain some level of antitrust action.
Microsoft is introducing AI-powered text editing to Notepad, allowing users to rewrite text with ease. The new feature, called Rewrite, is now available in preview for Windows Insiders. It lets you modify text by rephrasing sentences, adjusting the tone, and changing the length of content. To use it, simply highlight the text you want to adjust, right-click, and select the ‘Rewrite’ option. You can choose from three different reworded versions to replace the original text.
The Rewrite feature requires a Microsoft account for authentication and is available in select countries including the US, UK, and Germany. This feature is part of a broader update to Microsoft’s productivity tools, including improvements to Notepad, such as spell check and autocorrect, rolled out in July.
In addition to updates in Notepad, Microsoft is also testing AI-powered tools in Paint. The Generative Fill feature lets users add new content to images based on a text prompt, while the Generative Erase tool removes parts of an image and blends in the surrounding space. These tools are available to Windows Insiders, with some features rolling out on specific devices.
Singapore’s Keppel has announced an agreement to acquire an AI-ready data centre being developed by Japan’s Mitsui Fudosan in Tokyo. The deal comes shortly after Keppel revealed plans to significantly increase its data centre funds under management, aiming to take advantage of the growing AI sector.
Mitsui Fudosan will handle the core and shell development of the facility, while Keppel’s private fund will oversee the fit-out works. The data centre is expected to be completed by 2027, with Keppel taking on the role of facility manager, which will contribute to its recurring income stream.
Keppel emphasised its ongoing partnership with Mitsui Fudosan to develop a strong pipeline of assets for its upcoming Keppel Data Centre Fund III. Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed due to confidentiality agreements.
Caitlin Kalinowski, previously Meta’s head of augmented reality (AR) glasses, has announced she will join OpenAI to lead its robotics and consumer hardware initiatives. Kalinowski, who managed Meta’s AR glasses and VR goggles divisions, is expected to leverage her expertise in hardware to advance OpenAI’s efforts in robotics and develop consumer-focused AI products. She will focus on bringing AI into the physical world through collaborative projects and new technology partnerships.
This move is part of OpenAI’s growing commitment to hardware. Recently, OpenAI teamed up with Jony Ive’s LoveFrom to design a consumer AI device aimed at creating a computing experience that minimises social disruption. OpenAI has also resumed hiring robotics engineers after a previous shift away from hardware, reflecting a renewed interest in integrating its AI models into physical applications.
Kalinowski joins at a time when several companies, including Apple, are beginning to integrate OpenAI’s AI models into consumer technology. With the addition of Kalinowski, OpenAI aims to bring advanced AI functionality into robotics and consumer devices, promising transformative new products.
Amazon’s Prime Video has introduced ‘X-Ray Recaps‘, a new feature that provides spoiler-free summaries of TV episodes and seasons using AI technology. Designed to spare viewers from accidental spoilers, the feature offers concise synopses of individual episodes, entire seasons, and even specific scenes. Amazon assures that the AI-generated recaps have built-in safeguards to prevent any unwanted plot reveals, enabling viewers to enjoy their favourite shows worry-free.
X-Ray Recaps builds on Prime Video’s X-Ray feature, which traditionally offers information about cast members and trivia when viewers pause a scene. To access the new summaries, users can visit a TV show’s detail page and select from three options: episode recap, season recap, or previous season recap. Currently in beta, X-Ray Recaps is initially available to Fire TV users in the United States, with plans for broader device support by year’s end.
The feature is powered by Amazon’s own AI models developed with Amazon Bedrock and SageMaker, which analyse video, subtitles, and dialogue to craft summaries of key moments without revealing significant plot points. X-Ray Recaps also synchronises with where viewers are in an episode, delivering personalised recaps that align with the scene in progress.
The rollout comes as Prime Video’s competitor Google TV recently introduced its own AI-generated summaries for TV shows and movies, signalling growing interest in AI-powered tools for enhancing viewer experience.
