E-commerce and trade

Google and Cassava expand Gemini access in Africa

Google announced a partnership with Cassava Technologies to widen access to Gemini across Africa. The deal includes data-free Gemini usage for eligible users coordinated through Cassava’s network partners. The initiative aims to address affordability and adoption barriers for mobile users.

A six-month trial of the Google AI Plus plan is part of the package. Benefits include access to more capable Gemini models and added cloud storage. Coverage by regional tech outlets reported the exact core details.

Education features were highlighted, including NotebookLM for study aids and Gemini in Docs for writing support. Google said the offer aims to help students, teachers, and creators work without worrying about data usage. Reports highlight a focus on youth and skills development.

Cassava’s role aligns with broader investments in AI infrastructure and services across the continent; recent announcements reference model exchanges and planned AI facilities that support regional development. Observers see momentum behind accessible AI tools.

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MK1 joins AMD to accelerate enterprise AI and reasoning technologies

AMD has completed the acquisition of MK1, a California-based company specialising in high-speed inference and reasoning-based AI technologies.

The move marks a significant step in AMD’s strategy to strengthen AI performance and efficiency across hardware and software layers. MK1’s Flywheel and comprehension engines are designed to optimise AMD’s Instinct GPUs, offering scalable, accurate, and cost-efficient AI reasoning.

The MK1 team will join the AMD Artificial Intelligence Group, where their expertise will advance AMD’s enterprise AI software stack and inference capabilities.

Handling over one trillion tokens daily, MK1’s systems are already deployed at scale, providing traceable and efficient AI solutions for complex business processes.

By combining MK1’s advanced AI software innovation with AMD’s compute power, the acquisition enhances AMD’s position in the enterprise and generative AI markets, supporting its goal of delivering accessible, high-performance AI solutions globally.

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Vision AI Companion turns Samsung TVs into conversational AI platforms

Samsung has unveiled the Vision AI Companion, an advanced conversational AI platform designed to transform the television into a connected household hub.

Unlike voice assistants meant for personal devices, the Vision AI Companion operates on the communal screen, enabling families to ask questions, plan activities, and receive visualised, contextual answers through natural dialogue.

Built into Samsung’s 2025 TV lineup, the system integrates an upgraded Bixby and supports multiple large language models, including Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity.

With its multi-AI agent platform, Vision AI Companion allows users to access personalised recommendations, real-time information, and multimedia responses without leaving their current programme.

It supports 10 languages and includes features such as Live Translate, AI Gaming Mode, Generative Wallpaper, and AI Upscaling Pro. The platform runs on One UI Tizen, offering seven years of software upgrades to ensure longevity and security.

By embedding generative AI into televisions, Samsung aims to redefine how households interact with technology, turning the TV into an intelligent companion that informs, entertains, and connects families across languages and experiences.

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Finland to enforce stricter crypto tax reporting from 2026

Finland will introduce stricter reporting obligations for crypto asset service providers from 2026 as part of international efforts to enhance tax transparency.

The move aligns with the OECD’s Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), which aims to standardise the exchange of crypto-related tax information globally. More than 70 countries and jurisdictions have already committed to the framework.

Finnish and foreign crypto providers must collect and report users’ transaction data, including purchases, sales, and transfers. The Finnish Tax Administration will begin receiving annual reports in 2027, enabling cross-border exchange under the CARF and the amended EU DAC8 directive.

The government proposal, due for parliamentary debate in autumn 2025, would extend Finland’s reporting requirements beyond international standards. Providers must also supply data allowing authorities to calculate capital gains and losses for Finnish residents and estates.

The Tax Administration will review and update its guidance on financial account reporting to align with these changes.

Despite the increased flow of information, individuals trading crypto assets will still need to declare profits, losses, and related income in their annual tax returns. The first international exchange of crypto asset data is expected to take place by September 2027.

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Salesforce strengthens Agentforce with planned Spindle AI acquisition

Salesforce has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Spindle AI, a company specialising in agentic analytics and machine learning. The deal aims to strengthen Salesforce’s Agentforce platform by integrating Spindle’s advanced data modelling and forecasting technologies.

Spindle AI has developed neuro-symbolic AI agents capable of autonomously generating and optimising scenario models. Its analytics tools enable businesses to simulate and assess complex decisions, from pricing strategies to go-to-market plans, using AI-driven insights.

Salesforce said the acquisition will enhance its focus on Agent Observability and Self-Improvement within Agentforce 360. Executives described Spindle AI’s expertise as critical to building more transparent and reliable agentic systems capable of explaining and refining their own reasoning.

The acquisition, subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to be completed in Salesforce’s fourth fiscal quarter of 2026. Once finalised, Spindle AI will join Agentforce to expand AI-powered analytics, continuous optimisation, and ROI forecasting for enterprise customers worldwide.

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Anthropic strengthens European growth through Paris and Munich offices

AI firm Anthropic is expanding its European presence by opening new offices in Paris and Munich, strengthening its footprint alongside existing hubs in London, Dublin, and Zurich.

An expansion that follows rapid growth across the EMEA region, where the company has tripled its workforce and seen a ninefold increase in annual run-rate revenue.

The move comes as European businesses increasingly rely on Claude for critical enterprise tasks. Companies such as L’Oréal, BMW, SAP, and Sanofi are using the AI model to enhance software, improve workflows, and ensure operational reliability.

Germany and France, both among the top 20 countries in Claude usage per capita, are now at the centre to Anthropic’s strategic expansion.

Anthropic is also strengthening its leadership team across Europe. Guillaume Princen will oversee startups and digital-native businesses, while Pip White and Thomas Remy will lead the northern and southern EMEA regions, respectively.

A new head will soon be announced for Central and Eastern Europe, reflecting the company’s growing regional reach.

Beyond commercial goals, Anthropic is partnering with European institutions to promote AI education and culture. It collaborates with the Light Art Space in Berlin, supports student hackathons through TUM.ai, and works with the French organisation Unaite to advance developer training.

These partnerships reinforce Anthropic’s long-term commitment to responsible AI growth across the continent.

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Cars.com launches Carson AI to transform online car shopping

The US tech company, Cars.com, has unveiled Carson, a multilingual AI search engine designed to revolutionise the online car shopping experience.

Instead of relying on complex filters, Carson interprets natural language queries such as ‘a reliable car for a family of five’ or ‘a used truck under $30,000’, instantly producing targeted results tailored to each shopper’s needs.

A new AI feature that already powers around 15% of all web and mobile searches on Cars.com, with early data showing that users engaging with Carson return to the site twice as often and save three times more vehicles.

They also generate twice as many leads and convert 30% more frequently from search to vehicle detail pages.

Cars.com aims to simplify decision-making for its 25 million monthly shoppers, 70% of whom begin their search without knowing which brand or model to choose.

Carson helps these undecided users explore lifestyle, emotional and practical preferences while guiding them through Cars.com’s award-winning listings.

Further updates will introduce AI-generated summaries, personalised comparisons and search refinement suggestions.

Cars.com’s parent company, Cars Commerce, plans to expand its use of AI-driven tools to strengthen its role at the forefront of automotive retail innovation, offering a more efficient and intelligent marketplace for both consumers and dealerships.

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Amazon introduces Kindle Translate for global eBook reach

Amazon has introduced Kindle Translate, an AI-powered translation service designed to help Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) authors reach readers worldwide.

The beta service currently supports translations between English and Spanish, and from German to English, enabling authors to make their eBooks accessible in multiple languages.

Authors can manage translations, set prices, and publish fully formatted books within days, with automated accuracy checks ensuring seamless publication.

The service addresses the limited availability of multilingual titles on Amazon, where fewer than 5% of books are offered in multiple languages. Kindle Translate helps authors reach a wider audience and boost earnings with a cost-effective and reliable translation solution.

Early adopters, including independent authors Roxanne St Claire and Kristen Painter, praised the service for enabling wider international readership and boosting book revenue.

Translated eBooks will be available for purchase on Amazon, with clear labels and preview samples for readers. Titles are eligible for KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited, with more languages planned to expand the library of translated works.

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Jensen Huang of Nvidia rules out China Blackwell talks for now

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the company is not in active discussions to sell Blackwell-family AI chips to Chinese firms and has no current plans to ship them. He also clarified remarks about the US-China AI race, saying he intended to acknowledge China’s technical strength rather than predict an outcome.

Huang spoke in Taiwan ahead of meetings with TSMC, as Nvidia expands partnerships and pitches its platforms across regions and industries. The company has added roughly a trillion dollars in value this year and remains the world’s most valuable business despite recent share volatility.

US controls still bar sales of Nvidia’s most advanced data-centre AI chips into China, and a recent bilateral accord did not change that. Officials have indicated approvals for Blackwell remain off the table, keeping a potentially large market out of reach for now.

Analysts say uncertainty around China’s access to the technology feeds broader questions about the durability of hyperscale AI spending. Rivals, including AMD and Broadcom, are racing to win share as customers weigh long-term returns on data-centre buildouts.

Huang is promoting Nvidia’s end-to-end stack to reassure buyers that massive investments will yield productivity gains across sectors. He said he hopes policy environments eventually allow Nvidia to serve China again, but reiterated there are no active talks.

Circle urges US Treasury to create a clear stablecoin framework under the GENIUS Act

Circle has submitted its comments to the US Department of the Treasury, outlining its support for the GENIUS Act and calling for clear, consistent rules to govern payment stablecoin issuers.

The company emphasised that effective rulemaking could create a unified national framework for both domestic and foreign issuers, providing consumers with safer and more transparent financial products.

The firm urged Treasury to adopt a cooperative supervisory approach that promotes uniform compliance and risk management standards across jurisdictions. Circle warned against excessive restrictions that could harm liquidity, cross-border payments, or interoperability.

It also called for closing potential loopholes that might allow unregulated entities to avoid oversight while benefiting from the US dollar’s trust and stability.

Circle proposed safeguards requiring stablecoins to be fully backed, independently audited, and supported by transparent public reports. The firm stressed recognising foreign regimes, applying equal rules to all issuers, and enforcing consistent penalties.

Circle described the GENIUS Act as a chance to strengthen the stability of digital finance in the US. The company believes transparent, fully backed stablecoins and recognised foreign issuers could strengthen US leadership in secure, innovative finance.

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