Economic

AI200 and AI250 set a rack-scale inference push from Qualcomm

Qualcomm unveiled AI200 and AI250 data-centre accelerators aimed at high-throughput, low-TCO generative AI inference. AI200 targets rack-level deployment with high performance per pound per watt and 768 GB LPDDR per card for large models.

AI250 introduces a near-memory architecture that boosts adequate memory bandwidth by over tenfold while lowering power draw. Qualcomm pitches the design for disaggregated serving, improving hardware utilisation across large fleets.

Both arrive as full racks with direct liquid cooling, PCIe for scale-up, Ethernet for scale-out, and confidential computing. Qualcomm quotes around 160 kW per rack for thermally efficient, dense inference.

A hyperscaler-grade software stack spans apps to system software with one-click onboarding of Hugging Face models. Support covers leading frameworks, inference engines, and optimisation techniques to simplify secure, scalable deployments.

Commercial timing splits the roadmap: AI200 in 2026 and AI250 in 2027. Qualcomm commits to an annual cadence for data-centre inference, aiming to lead in performance, energy efficiency, and total cost of ownership.

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FDA and patent law create dual hurdles for AI-enabled medical technologies

AI reshapes healthcare by powering more precise and adaptive medical devices and diagnostic systems.

Yet, innovators face two significant challenges: navigating the US Food and Drug Administration’s evolving regulatory framework and overcoming legal uncertainty under US patent law.

These two systems, although interconnected, serve different goals. The FDA protects patients, while patent law rewards invention.

The FDA’s latest guidance seeks to adapt oversight for AI-enabled medical technologies that change over time. Its framework for predetermined change control plans allows developers to update AI models without resubmitting complete applications, provided updates stay within approved limits.

An approach that promotes innovation while maintaining transparency, bias control and post-market safety. By clarifying how adaptive AI devices can evolve safely, the FDA aims to balance accountability with progress.

Patent protection remains more complex. US courts continue to exclude non-human inventors, creating tension when AI contributes to discoveries.

Legal precedents such as Thaler vs Vidal and Alice Corp. vs CLS Bank limit patent eligibility for algorithms or diagnostic methods that resemble abstract ideas or natural laws. Companies must show human-led innovation and technical improvement beyond routine computation to secure patents.

Aligning regulatory and intellectual property strategies is now essential. Developers who engage regulators early, design flexible change control plans and coordinate patent claims with development timelines can reduce risk and accelerate market entry.

Integrating these processes helps ensure AI technologies in healthcare advance safely while preserving inventors’ rights and innovation incentives.

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AMD powers US AI factory supercomputers for national research

The US Department of Energy and AMD are joining forces to expand America’s AI and scientific computing power through two new supercomputers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Named Lux and Discovery, the systems will drive the country’s sovereign AI strategy, combining public and private investment worth around $1 billion to strengthen research, innovation, and security infrastructure.

Lux, arriving in 2026, will become the nation’s first dedicated AI factory for science.

Built with AMD’s EPYC CPUs and Instinct GPUs alongside Oracle and HPE technologies, Lux will accelerate research across materials, medicine, and advanced manufacturing, supporting the US AI Action Plan and boosting the Department of Energy’s AI capacity.

Discovery, set for deployment in 2028, will deepen collaboration between the DOE, AMD, and HPE. Powered by AMD’s next-generation ‘Venice’ CPUs and MI430X GPUs, Discovery will train and deploy AI models on secure US-built systems, protecting national data and competitiveness.

It aims to deliver faster energy, biology, and national security breakthroughs while maintaining high efficiency and open standards.

AMD’s CEO, Dr Lisa Su, said the collaboration represents the best public-private partnerships, advancing the nation’s foundation for science and innovation.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright described the initiative as proof that America leads when government and industry work together toward shared AI and scientific goals.

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Virginia’s data centre boom divides residents and industry

Loudoun County in Virginia, known as Data Center Alley, now hosts nearly 200 data centres powering much of the world’s internet and AI infrastructure. Their growth has brought vast economic benefits but stirred concerns about noise, pollution, and rising energy bills for nearby residents.

The facilities occupy about 3% of the county’s land yet generate 40% of its tax revenue. Locals say the constant humming and industrial sprawl have driven away wildlife and inflated electricity costs, which have surged by over 250% in five years.

Despite opposition, new US and global data centre projects continue to receive state support. The industry contributes $5.5 billion annually to Virginia’s economy and sustains around 74,000 jobs. Additionally, President Trump’s administration recently pledged to accelerate permits.

Residents like Emily Kasabian argue the expansion is eroding community life, replacing trees with concrete and machinery to fuel AI. Activists are now lobbying for construction pauses, warning that unchecked development threatens to transform affluent suburbs beyond recognition.

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Celebrity estates push back on Sora as app surges to No.1

OpenAI’s short-video app Sora topped one million downloads in under a week, then ran headlong into a likeness-rights firestorm. Celebrity families and studios demanded stricter controls. Estates for figures like Martin Luther King Jr. sought blocks on unauthorised cameos.

Users showcased hyperreal mashups that blurred satire and deception, from cartoon crossovers to dead celebrities in improbable scenes. All clips are AI-made, yet reposting across platforms spread confusion. Viewers faced a constant real-or-fake dilemma.

Rights holders pressed for consent, compensation, and veto power over characters and personas. OpenAI shifted toward opt-in for copyrighted properties and enabled estate requests to restrict cameos. Policy language on who qualifies as a public figure remains fuzzy.

Agencies and unions amplified pressure, warning of exploitation and reputational risks. Detection firms reported a surge in takedown requests for unauthorised impersonations. Watermarks exist, but removal tools undercut provenance and complicate enforcement.

Researchers warned about a growing fog of doubt as realistic fakes multiply. Every day, people are placed in deceptive scenarios, while bad actors exploit deniability. OpenAI promised stronger guardrails as Sora scales within tighter rules.

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Qualcomm and HUMAIN power Saudi Arabia’s AI transformation

HUMAIN and Qualcomm Technologies have launched a collaboration to deploy advanced AI infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, aiming to position the Kingdom as a global hub for AI.

Announced ahead of the Future Investment Initiative conference, the project will deliver the world’s first fully optimised edge-to-cloud AI system, expanding Saudi Arabia’s regional and global inferencing services capabilities.

In 2026, HUMAIN plans to deploy 200 megawatts of Qualcomm’s AI200 and AI250 rack solutions to power large-scale AI inference services.

The partnership combines HUMAIN’s regional infrastructure and full AI stack with Qualcomm’s semiconductor expertise, creating a model for nations seeking to develop sovereign AI ecosystems.

However, the initiative will also integrate HUMAIN’s Saudi-developed ALLaM models with Qualcomm’s AI platforms, offering enterprise and government customers tailor-made solutions for industry-specific needs.

The collaboration supports Saudi Arabia’s strategy to drive economic growth through AI and semiconductor innovation, reinforcing its ambition to lead the next wave of global intelligent computing.

Qualcomm’s CEO Cristiano Amon said the partnership would help the Kingdom build a technology ecosystem to accelerate its AI ambitions.

HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin added that combining local insight with Qualcomm’s product leadership will establish Saudi Arabia as a key player in global AI and semiconductor development.

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Anthropic boosts cloud capacity with Google’s AI hardware

Anthropic has struck a multibillion-dollar deal with Google to expand its use of cloud computing and specialised AI chips. The agreement includes the purchase of up to one million Tensor Processing Units, Google’s custom hardware built to train and run large AI models.

The partnership will provide Anthropic with more than a gigawatt of additional computing power by late 2026. Executives said the move will support soaring demand for its Claude model family, which already serves over 300,000 business clients.

Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI employees, has quickly become a major player in generative AI. Backed by Amazon and valued at $183 billion, the company recently launched Claude Sonnet 4.5, praised for its coding and reasoning abilities.

Google continues to invest heavily in AI hardware to compete with Nvidia’s GPUs and rival US tech giants. Analysts said Anthropic’s expansion signals intensifying demand for computing power as companies race to lead the global AI revolution.

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Apple may have to pay $1.9B in damages to UK consumers over unfair App Store fees

Apple could face damages of up to £1.5 billion ($1.9 billion) after a British court ruled it overcharged consumers by imposing unfair commission fees on app developers.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal found that Apple abused its dominant position between 2015 and 2020 by charging excessive commissions, up to 30%, on App Store purchases and in-app payments. Judges ruled that the company’s fees should not have exceeded 17.5% for app sales and 10% for in-app transactions, concluding that half of the inflated costs were passed on to consumers.

The total damages, to be set next month, would compensate users who paid higher prices for apps, subscriptions and digital purchases. Apple said it will appeal, arguing that the App Store ‘helps developers succeed and provides consumers with a safe and trusted place to discover apps and make payments’.

The ruling comes as Apple continues to resist more burdensome antitrust regulation in Europe, which adds to Apple’s growing list of competition battles across Europe. Courts in the Netherlands and Belgium have accused the company of blocking alternative payment methods and charging excessive commissions, while similar lawsuits are ongoing in the United States.

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MoonshotAI released KIMI-K2 and OK Computer

KIMI-K2 is a large language model (LLM) developed by Beijing-based Moonshot AI, offering strong performance in writing and coding across diverse applications. Open-source and versatile, it delivers high-quality outputs across multiple domains, from text generation to programming.

Alongside KIMI-K2, the developers introduced OK Computer, an agent that extends the model’s abilities. Using this agent, users can build websites, conduct research, generate images, and create presentations or graphics from a single prompt, making complex workflows simpler and more accessible.

These tools reflect a growing trend in AI, which is combining multiple capabilities into one accessible system. By offering open-source solutions, KIMI-K2 and OK Computer empower users to tackle creative, technical, and research tasks with minimal effort.

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UN cybercrime treaty signed in Hanoi amid rights concerns

Around 73 countries signed a landmark UN cybercrime convention in Hanoi, seeking faster cooperation against online crime. Leaders cited trillions in annual losses from scams, ransomware, and trafficking. The pact enters into force after 40 ratifications.

UN supporters say the treaty will streamline evidence sharing, extradition requests, and joint investigations. Provisions target phishing, ransomware, online exploitation, and hate speech. Backers frame the deal as a boost to global security.

Critics warn the text’s breadth could criminalise security research and dissent. The Cybersecurity Tech Accord called it a surveillance treaty. Activists fear expansive data sharing with weak safeguards.

The UNODC argues the agreement includes rights protections and space for legitimate research. Officials say oversight and due process remain essential. Implementation choices will decide outcomes on the ground.

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