US drugmaker Amgen has announced a $200 million investment in a new technology centre in southern India, which will focus on using AI and data science to support the development of new medicines. The centre, located in Hyderabad, is expected to have a workforce of around 2,000 by the end of the year, with 300 employees already on-site. Amgen plans to make additional investments in the coming years as part of its ongoing expansion in India.
Amgen’s decision to invest in India reflects the growing importance of the country in the global pharmaceutical industry, often referred to as the ‘pharmacy of the world.’ The company’s new centre aligns with broader efforts by global pharmaceutical companies to increase their presence in India. The BioAsia conference in Hyderabad will feature executives from major drugmakers, including Amgen, Eli Lilly, and Novartis.
Amgen’s move comes amid heightened cooperation between India and the US, which recently launched discussions for an early trade deal. A key focus of these talks is to promote collaboration in critical and emerging technologies, which includes areas like pharmaceuticals. US officials have praised Amgen’s expansion as a model for how both countries can work together to harness innovation and technology.
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Huawei’s founder Ren Zhengfei told President Xi Jinping that China’s concerns about a lack of domestically developed chips and operating systems have eased, following a meeting with key entrepreneurs. According to Chinese state media, Ren expressed confidence that China would rise faster, thanks to its advancements in technology, particularly in semiconductors and software. The phrase ‘lack of core and soul,’ which refers to the absence of critical technology like chips and operating systems, was first used in 1999 to highlight challenges in China’s information industry.
The meeting, which included prominent founders such as BYD’s Wang Chuanfu and Xiaomi’s Lei Jun, discussed the achievements and growth in sectors like electric vehicles and electronics. Ren’s comments reflected the progress made despite challenges like US sanctions, with Huawei playing a key role in pushing for China’s self-sufficiency. Wang shared how China’s EV industry had grown significantly, while Lei praised Xi’s leadership, stating that under his guidance, any challenges could be overcome.
Other entrepreneurs, including representatives from Will Semiconductor, Unitree Robotics, and New Hope Group, also spoke at the meeting, although details about their comments were not widely disclosed. The meeting was part of a broader push for China to strengthen its technological independence.
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Spotify has partnered with ElevenLabs to introduce AI-narrated audiobooks on its platform, aiming to expand its library and offer more options for authors and listeners.
ElevenLabs, a leading AI audio provider, enables authors to create audiobook narrations in 29 languages. To publish AI-narrated audiobooks, authors must download files from ElevenLabs and upload them via Findaway Voices, Spotify’s audiobook distribution service, where recordings undergo a review process before release.
Spotify ensures transparency by labelling all AI-narrated titles, giving listeners a clear choice. Authors can use ElevenLabs’ free plan, which offers 10 minutes of text-to-speech each month, or opt for the $99/month Pro plan for up to 500 minutes of narration.
The partnership follows Spotify’s earlier collaboration with Google Play Books and reflects its ongoing efforts to grow its audiobook catalogue through AI technology.
While the expansion of AI-generated audiobooks is expected to increase content availability, it has sparked debate within the publishing industry.
Critics argue that AI narration may compromise the listening experience, raising concerns about the balance between innovation and quality in the audiobook market.
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Google is reportedly preparing to launch YouTube Premium Lite, a cheaper alternative to its full subscription service, in several countries, including the US, Australia, Germany and Thailand. Bloomberg reports that the service will cater to users who want an ad-free experience for most videos but do not necessarily need access to YouTube Music.
YouTube previously tested a similar version of Premium Lite in parts of Europe in 2021, but the plan was discontinued in 2023. However, recent tests suggest that the updated version may include limited ads rather than a completely ad-free experience. Pricing remains unclear, but in Australia, a test version was listed at $8.99 AUD per month, significantly lower than the standard YouTube Premium price.
A YouTube spokesperson confirmed that the company is working on a new subscription tier with ‘most videos ad-free’ and hopes to expand it with support from its partners. While no official launch date has been announced, the move could provide a middle ground for users seeking fewer interruptions without committing to the full YouTube Premium package.
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Amazon has announced that its Appstore will no longer support Android devices from 20 August, 2025. While the marketplace will remain available on Fire TV and Amazon tablets, the company has not provided a clear reason for the change. Apps previously downloaded through the Appstore may continue to function, but Amazon warns they will no longer receive updates and may stop working over time.
This decision follows Microsoft’s move to discontinue Amazon’s Appstore support on Windows in early March. Alongside this, Amazon is also shutting down its Amazon Coins programme, a virtual currency used for app purchases. Users can spend their remaining balances until 20 August, after which refunds will be issued for any unused coins.
Despite attempts to compete with Google’s Play Store, Amazon’s Appstore struggled to gain widespread traction. While it initially offered unique features like app test drives and exclusive deals, its market share has diminished over time. With this latest move, Amazon appears to be shifting focus away from third-party Android devices, consolidating its ecosystem around its own hardware.
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STMicroelectronics has announced the launch of a new computer chip aimed at the rapidly expanding AI data centre market. Developed in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), the photonics chip uses light rather than electricity, which helps increase speed and reduce power consumption in AI data centres. These chips are expected to be used in transceivers, which are crucial components in data centre infrastructure.
As top US software companies plan to invest $500 billion into AI infrastructure, there is rising demand for specialised chips, not only for computing but also for memory, power, and communications applications. ST’s new chip targets the communications sector, with a focus on improving the efficiency of transceivers, which are essential in AI data centres. The company also has a collaboration agreement with AWS to deploy this technology in their infrastructure later this year.
ST is working with a leading provider of optical solutions, although the company’s name has not been disclosed, to integrate the new chip into next-generation transceivers. The market for such devices, valued at $7 billion in 2024, is expected to grow significantly, reaching $24 billion by 2030. ST will begin mass production of these chips at its facility in Crolles, France.
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AI start-up Sanas has raised $65 million in a new funding round, valuing the company at over $500 million. The firm, founded in 2020, uses artificial intelligence to modify call centre workers’ accents in real time, aiming to reduce discrimination and improve communication. Its software preserves the speaker’s emotions and identity while adjusting phonetic patterns instantly.
The company was inspired by a call centre worker’s struggle with accent bias, leading its founders to develop a solution that enhances clarity without replacing human connection. Despite concerns that such technology may homogenise voices rather than promote acceptance of diverse accents, Sanas insists its mission is to break barriers and reduce discrimination.
With an annual revenue of $21 million and a growing client base across healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing, Sanas is rapidly expanding. The company plans to develop new AI-driven speech technologies, increase its global presence, and open an office in the Philippines, a major hub for call centres.
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The European Commission has approved a €920 million German state aid package for Infineon to build a new semiconductor manufacturing plant in Dresden. This funding will support the company’s MEGAFAB-DD project, which aims to produce a wide variety of chips. The new facility, expected to reach full capacity by 2031, will play a key role in strengthening Europe’s technological autonomy and security of supply in semiconductor technologies, aligning with the European Chips Act’s goals.
This move is part of a global trend where chipmakers are investing heavily in new plants, taking advantage of subsidies from the US and the EU to maintain the West’s edge in semiconductor technology over China. The European Commission has allocated €15 billion for public and private semiconductor projects by 2030, further reinforcing the region’s commitment to securing its position in the industry.
Infineon’s €3.5 billion investment, the largest in its history, will help address the growing demand for semiconductors used in industrial, automotive, and consumer applications. The company has committed to ensuring the plant benefits the wider EU semiconductor value chain, including research and development for the next generation of chips. The plant will also contribute to crisis preparedness by prioritising orders in case of supply shortages.
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Elon Musk’s social media company X is currently in discussions to raise funds from investors at a $44 billion valuation, according to Bloomberg News. Musk purchased the platform, formerly known as Twitter, for the same price in 2022.
The financing talks are still ongoing, with the potential for details to change or even for the discussions to be abandoned altogether, the report added. The US company has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter.
In related news, last month, it was reported that Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and Barclays were preparing to sell up to $3 billion in debt holdings in X.
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President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he was in active discussions with China over the future of TikTok, as the US seeks to broker a sale of the popular app. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump revealed that talks were ongoing, underscoring the US government’s desire to address national security concerns tied to the app’s ownership by the Chinese company ByteDance. The move comes amid growing scrutiny over TikTok’s data security practices and potential links to the Chinese government.
The Trump administration has expressed concerns that TikTok could be used to collect sensitive data on US users, raising fears about national security risks. As a result, the US has been pushing for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US operations to an American company. This would be part of an effort to reduce any potential influence from the Chinese government over the app’s data and operations. However, the process has faced complexities, with discussions involving multiple stakeholders, including potential buyers.
While the negotiations continue, the future of TikTok remains uncertain. If a sale is not agreed upon, the US has indicated that it could pursue further actions, including a potential ban of the app. As these talks unfold, the outcome could have significant implications for TikTok’s millions of American users and its business operations in the US, with both sides working to find a solution that addresses the security concerns while allowing the app to continue its success.
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