Goldman Sachs has named Daniel Marcu, a former Amazon executive, as its global head of AI engineering and science. Marcu, who previously led Amazon’s AGI division, brings over 30 years of experience in academia, start-ups, and multinational corporations. He joins a team of technology experts at Goldman, including Marco Argenti, the bank’s Chief Information Officer and a fellow Amazon alumnus.
The Wall Street bank has been heavily investing in AI to modernise its technology infrastructure, boost productivity, and enhance its engineering capabilities. CEO David Solomon recently highlighted the use of AI in transforming operations during the company’s quarterly earnings call. As part of its AI initiatives, Goldman has introduced a generative AI assistant, GS AI, to approximately 10,000 employees, with plans to expand access to all knowledge workers by the end of the year.
In his new role, Marcu will oversee the development of AI platforms and products, working alongside Rahul Sharma, head of GS AI platform engineering, and Bing Xiang, head of AI research. Marcu’s extensive background, which includes two decades at the University of Southern California and the Information Sciences Institute, positions him to lead Goldman’s ambitious AI agenda as the bank continues to innovate in the competitive financial technology space.
The US administration under President Donald Trump is weighing stricter controls on Nvidia’s H20 chips, which were specifically designed for the Chinese market. Discussions, still in the early stages, build on previous export restrictions established by former President Joe Biden to limit the shipment of advanced AI chips to China. Nvidia’s H20 chips comply with existing US regulations but could face additional curbs due to concerns about China’s rapid progress in AI technology.
The potential restrictions come amid mounting unease about China‘s competitive edge in AI. Recent developments, such as the launch of DeepSeek‘s cost-efficient AI assistant, have intensified worries that China may be narrowing the gap with the US in AI development. RAND researcher Lennart Heim revealed that the possibility of further controls on AI chip exports had been discussed for over six months, originating during Biden’s tenure.
Nvidia has expressed its willingness to collaborate with the US government as the administration formulates its policy on AI exports. The company’s stock, already trading lower, saw additional losses following the report. Despite previous restrictions, Nvidia’s H20 chips have so far remained compliant with US regulations and available for shipment to China.
Alphabet’s self-driving unit, Waymo, has announced plans to expand testing of its autonomous driving technology into over 10 new cities by 2025. The company highlighted successful adaptation of its Waymo Driver system in diverse environments, encouraging this expansion. Current test sites include destinations such as Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Tokyo, with new testing set to include San Diego and Las Vegas, among other yet-to-be-revealed locations.
The testing process will begin with manual driving through high-traffic and complex areas, including city centres and freeways. Trained human specialists will oversee the vehicles during this phase. Each city will host fewer than 10 vehicles for several months to collect data and refine the technology. Waymo previously expanded its autonomous ride-hailing service to Miami, Florida, as part of its broader strategy to capture market share in the competitive autonomous vehicle industry.
Waymo’s growth comes as the firm faces heightened scrutiny from regulators following incidents involving autonomous driving systems. In October, the company secured $5.6 billion in funding led by parent company Alphabet, aimed at bolstering its technological advancements and operational expansion.
Microsoft has introduced Chinese startup DeepSeek’s R1 AI to its Azure cloud platform and GitHub tool for developers. The R1 model is now part of Microsoft’s extensive model catalogue, which includes over 1,800 AI models. The move reflects Microsoft’s efforts to diversify beyond OpenAI’s ChatGPT and integrate third-party AI technologies into its flagship Microsoft 365 Copilot product.
DeepSeek has recently gained attention for its cost-effective AI assistant, which surpassed ChatGPT in downloads on Apple’s App Store shortly after its launch. However, its use of servers in China for storing user data has raised privacy concerns in the United States. To address such issues, Microsoft announced plans to allow customers to run the R1 model locally on Copilot+ PCs, offering enhanced control over data-sharing.
The rise of DeepSeek has triggered a competitive response from AI industry leaders. OpenAI is investigating allegations that its data may have been misused by a group linked to DeepSeek, while releasing a tailored ChatGPT version for US government agencies. China’s Alibaba has also launched an updated version of its Qwen AI model, underscoring the intensifying race in the global AI sector.
Google has quietly launched its latest AI model, Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental, through a changelog update for its Gemini chatbot app. The new model, now available to Gemini Advanced subscribers, promises improved accuracy and performance, particularly in coding and mathematics-related tasks.
The release comes as competition in the AI space intensifies, with Chinese startup DeepSeek gaining attention for its high-performing models. Unlike previous Gemini versions, Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental does not support real-time data access and may exhibit unexpected behaviours as it remains in an early preview phase.
Alongside this update, Google has also rolled out its Gemini 2.0 Flash model to all users of the Gemini app. The company continues to iterate rapidly on its AI technology, positioning Gemini as a key player in the evolving AI market.
Apple has announced that its AI suite, Apple Intelligence, will support additional languages starting in April, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese. The update will also introduce localised English versions for India and Singapore, broadening access to the technology beyond its initial US English release.
The expansion follows a December update that brought support for various English dialects, including those used in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK. However, Apple has yet to confirm when its AI suite will be available in the EU or mainland China.
CEO Tim Cook also revealed that the next version of Siri, which will feature improved on-screen contextual understanding, is expected to launch in the coming months. The update marks Apple’s latest effort to strengthen its AI ecosystem and compete with rivals in the artificial intelligence space.
Intel has received $2.2 billion in federal grants as part of the US CHIPS and Science Act, supporting its efforts to boost domestic semiconductor production. The funding, awarded by the Department of Commerce, is part of a total $7.86 billion grant announced last November, aimed at expanding Intel’s manufacturing and advanced packaging operations across several states.
While an additional $5.66 billion is still to be disbursed, concerns have emerged over the future of the US CHIPS Act under the Trump administration. A proposed federal funding freeze, currently blocked by a judge, could impact the Commerce Department’s work on semiconductor subsidies. Despite this uncertainty, Intel’s leadership remains optimistic, citing ongoing discussions with the new administration.
Intel executives have expressed confidence in continued government support, highlighting shared goals of strengthening US semiconductor production. The company plans to use the funds to enhance its facilities in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oregon, reinforcing America’s position in the global chip industry.
ABB is optimistic about the growth of the data centre market despite recent concerns over the rise of energy-efficient AI models such as DeepSeek. The Chinese AI system, which requires fewer chips to run, recently triggered a selloff in tech stocks, raising fears that demand for high-power data centre infrastructure could decline. However, ABB CEO Morten Wierod said key customers have confirmed their investment plans remain unchanged.
The company has benefited significantly from the expansion of data centres, with orders in this segment rising by 23% annually between 2019 and 2023. The sector now accounts for 15% of ABB’s electrification business, up from 8% in 2022. While Wierod declined to give a forecast for 2025, he expressed confidence in continued demand, particularly in China.
ABB sees further opportunities in helping data centres reduce energy consumption. Its technology, including motors and power management systems, can improve efficiency by up to 60%. With AI infrastructure investments accelerating, spurred by a $500 billion commitment from the US government, the company believes the sector will remain a key driver of growth in the coming years.
General Motors is pivoting towards its advanced driver assistance system, Super Cruise, after shutting down its loss-making robotaxi business. The technology, similar to Tesla’s Autopilot, enables hands-free driving and is now available on around 20 high-end models, including Cadillacs and large SUVs. GM expects the system to generate $2 billion in annual revenue within five years.
Unlike traditional car sales, Super Cruise provides an ongoing revenue stream through subscriptions. Customers receive three years of free access before being charged $25 per month or $250 per year. The technology relies on a sophisticated combination of cameras, radar, and driver-monitoring sensors to ensure safety, offering a more robust system than Tesla’s.
Despite this push into software-driven revenue, GM’s stock has yet to see the kind of growth Tesla enjoys. Investors remain cautious, especially amid concerns over potential tariffs on Canada and Mexico. However, CEO Mary Barra remains optimistic, aiming to double the number of Super Cruise-enabled vehicles in 2025 and significantly increase subscription renewals.
The US Commerce Department is investigating whether DeepSeek, the Chinese AI company that recently launched a high-performing assistant, has been using US chips in violation of export restrictions. These chips are prohibited from being shipped to China, raising concerns about DeepSeek’s rapid rise in the AI sector. Within days of launching, its app became the most downloaded on Apple’s App Store, contributing to a significant drop in US tech stocks, which lost around $1 trillion in value.
The US has imposed strict limits on the export of advanced AI chips to China, particularly those made by Nvidia. These restrictions aim to prevent China from accessing the most sophisticated AI processors. However, reports suggest that AI chip smuggling from countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and the UAE may be circumventing these measures. DeepSeek has admitted to using Nvidia’s H800 chips, which were legally purchased in 2023, but it is unclear whether it has used other restricted components.
The controversy deepened when Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei commented that DeepSeek’s AI chip fleet likely includes both legal and smuggled chips, some of which were shipped before restrictions were fully enforced. While DeepSeek has claimed to use only the less powerful H20 chips, which are still permitted to be sold to China, the investigation continues whether these practices undermine US efforts to limit China’s access to cutting-edge AI technologies.
