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.
Amazon has resumed its drone delivery programme, bringing its Prime Air service to select customers in the Phoenix, Arizona area. After recently ending the service in California, Amazon is now offering drone deliveries for products weighing five pounds or less, covering around 50,000 items. Customers in the West Valley Phoenix Metro Area can choose their delivery spot at checkout, with most items arriving within an hour from a nearby take-off site.
Using the advanced MK30 drone, Amazon has ensured improved delivery capabilities, with the Federal Aviation Administration recently allowing it to fly beyond the operator’s visual line of sight. The MK30 is quieter, can fly further, and operates in light rain, although it is limited to daylight and favourable weather conditions. The MK30 is also being used in College Station, Texas, where Amazon has piloted prescription medicine deliveries since 2023.
Amazon, aiming for efficient and cost-effective operations, has integrated drone deliveries into its same-day delivery network. While the company previously announced plans to expand drone delivery to the UK and Italy by the end of the year, no new updates were provided on these international expansions.
Investigators in France and the Netherlands have conducted searches at Netflix offices as part of a tax fraud probe led by France’s Parquet National Financier (PNF), a unit specialising in financial crime investigations. This inquiry, opened in November 2022, seeks to clarify Netflix’s reported revenues and tax payments within the country, following questions over whether the streaming giant routed income through the Netherlands to reduce its French tax obligations.
The Paris office was searched Tuesday morning, and simultaneous searches took place at Netflix’s European headquarters in Amsterdam. The PNF and Dutch financial crime authorities have coordinated for months on the probe, although a preliminary investigation does not necessarily imply criminal charges.
The probe follows scrutiny from French tax authorities over Netflix’s financial filings; the company reported under €1 million in French taxes between 2019 and 2020 while showing significantly higher revenues beginning in 2021. Netflix, which settled a similar tax issue in Italy in 2022, has stated it complies with tax regulations in all operating regions and cooperates with authorities.
Apple is set to face its first fine under the European Union‘s Digital Markets Act (DMA) for breaching the bloc’s antitrust regulations, according to sources familiar with the matter. This comes after EU regulators charged Apple in June for violating the new tech rules, which are designed to curb the dominance of big tech companies. The fine, expected to be imposed later this month, adds to Apple’s ongoing antitrust challenges in the EU.
In March, Apple was hit with a €1.84 billion fine for restricting competition in the music streaming market through its App Store policies. The company also faces additional investigations related to new fees on app developers and potential violations of the DMA, which could result in penalties of up to 10% of its global annual revenue.
The Digital Markets Act, which came into effect earlier this year, mandates Apple to make changes, such as allowing users to choose default browsers and permitting alternative app stores on its operating systems. Apple has not commented on the impending fine, and the European Commission has yet to provide a response.
Palantir Technologies raised its 2024 revenue forecast for a third time, attributing the surge to rising adoption of AI by government and corporate clients. The data analytics company now expects annual revenue between $2.805 billion and $2.809 billion, exceeding its previous outlook. Investor confidence has grown alongside the company’s strong performance in the AI sector, pushing shares up 13% in extended trading.
Government clients have continued to drive a substantial portion of Palantir’s revenue, with US government contracts alone increasing by 40% in the third quarter. These public sector contracts accounted for over 44% of the company’s third-quarter revenue, totalling $725.5 million and surpassing analyst expectations of $701.1 million. Palantir’s addition to the S&P 500 index and its stock’s 140% increase this year further highlight its impressive growth.
Despite its reliance on government contracts, Palantir’s commercial business is quickly gaining momentum. Industry analysts predict that its corporate sales, bolstered by the company’s AI solutions, may soon surpass government revenue. Palantir’s platform, used to test and debug code and evaluate AI scenarios, is attracting clients who appreciate the flexibility and quick turnaround for software decisions in the commercial sector.
Palantir’s revised forecast also included a rise in its adjusted income from operations to between $1.05 billion and $1.06 billion. Company executives highlighted that revenue growth is now feeding into bottom-line performance, reflecting the increasing demand for AI solutions across sectors. The company’s outlook for the fourth quarter remains strong, with revenue expected to exceed analysts’ projections.
Tenstorrent, a Silicon Valley startup founded by veterans from Apple and Intel, has secured a deal with the Japanese government to train up to 200 Japanese chip designers over the next five years. This partnership, announced on Tuesday, includes a $50 million investment shared between Tenstorrent and Japan’s Leading-edge Semiconductor Technology Centre. It is part of Japan‘s initiative to revitalise its semiconductor industry, which has seen a significant decline since its dominance in the 1980s.
Central to this revitalisation effort is Rapidus, a government-backed contract chipmaker aiming to begin mass production of advanced semiconductors by 2027. To support Rapidus’s goals, the collaboration with Tenstorrent focuses on creating future customers by educating Japanese engineers in the US about chip design. Starting in April 2025, these engineers will work closely with Tenstorrent’s experienced team, including industry veterans who have worked on Apple chips.
The agreement allows Tenstorrent to retain the chip designs created during the training, which will utilise RISC-V, an open chip design architecture. Upon returning to Japan, the engineers will be equipped to leverage their new knowledge to develop their own RISC-V designs, further contributing to the growth of Japan’s semiconductor capabilities. Tenstorrent’s Chief Customer Officer, David Bennett, emphasised that Japan’s proactive investments reflect its commitment to taking control of its technological future.
Deutsche Telekom’s subsidiary, MMS, and Bankhaus Metzler have launched a pilot project to harness surplus renewable energy for Bitcoin mining, aiming to gather data that could help stabilise Germany’s energy grid. Using power generated from renewable sources that would otherwise go unused, the initiative is intended to address the frequent energy surpluses created when supply outpaces grid demand.
Located at Riva GmbH Engineering in Backnang, the project is supported by photovoltaic systems and managed by Metis Solutions. MMS will oversee the mining operations, while Bankhaus Metzler will explore potential financial applications for cryptocurrencies with this sustainable energy use.
Deutsche Telekom’s team views Bitcoin mining as a flexible solution to balance energy grids, with the potential to respond to fluctuating renewable energy production. As Hendrik König from Bankhaus Metzler highlighted, the project aims to expand Germany’s use of blockchain technology, which is becoming increasingly significant in various sectors beyond finance.
Microsoft is under scrutiny from shareholders regarding a potential investment in Bitcoin as they prepare for a crucial vote in December. The proposal, spearheaded by the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), suggests that the tech giant conduct an assessment of investing in the cryptocurrency. Ethan Peck, deputy director of the NCPPR’s Free Enterprise Project, warned that if Microsoft chooses not to invest and Bitcoin’s value rises, it could face legal repercussions from disgruntled shareholders.
Despite the board’s recommendation to reject the proposal, citing existing evaluations of various assets, Peck noted that the discussion initiated by the proposal is significant. He believes it may pave the way for a stronger resubmission in 2025, irrespective of the current vote’s outcome. The NCPPR highlighted the successful investment strategy of MicroStrategy in Bitcoin, pointing out that it has significantly outperformed Microsoft this year.
As Bitcoin trades at approximately $67,035, down from near its all-time high of $73,562, the growing institutional interest in cryptocurrencies, particularly through spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, underscores the urgency for companies like Microsoft to reconsider their stance on digital assets.
In a pioneering move, British pension specialist Cartwright has helped a UK pension fund allocate 3% of its £50 million assets into Bitcoin, marking the first such investment in the country. The decision follows thorough consultations on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, security, and the investment potential of Bitcoin, according to Cartwright’s head of digital assets, Glenn Cameron.
Unlike similar investments where funds have opted for Bitcoin-linked ETFs, this UK pension fund has chosen to hold the asset directly, with private key security spread across five independent institutions. This allocation stands out for its size, as it represents a much larger percentage of assets than recent Bitcoin investments by pension funds abroad, such as the State of Wisconsin’s 0.1% allocation.
Cartwright has also announced a new Bitcoin Employee Benefits scheme, allowing interested employers to pay staff in Bitcoin. With five companies already considering the scheme, Cartwright is positioning itself at the forefront of integrating Bitcoin into UK pension and employment benefits, reflecting its commitment to a forward-thinking approach to digital assets.
