Future of work

Salesforce invests $15 billion in San Francisco’s AI future

The US cloud-based software company, Salesforce, has announced a $15 billion investment in San Francisco over the next five years, strengthening the city’s position as the world’s AI capital.

The funding will support a new AI Incubator Hub on the company’s campus, workforce training programmes, and initiatives to help businesses transform into ‘Agentic Enterprises’.

A move that coincides with the company’s annual Dreamforce conference, expected to generate $130 million in local revenue and create 35,000 jobs.

Chief Executive Marc Benioff said the investment demonstrates Salesforce’s deep commitment to San Francisco, aiming to boost AI innovation and job creation.

Dreamforce, now in its 23rd year, is the world’s largest AI event, attracting nearly 50,000 participants and millions more online. Benioff described the company’s goal as leading a new technological era where humans and AI collaborate to drive progress and productivity.

Founded in 1999 as an online CRM service, Salesforce has evolved into a global leader in enterprise AI and cloud computing. It is now San Francisco’s largest private employer and continues to expand through acquisitions of local AI firms such as Bluebirds, Waii, and Regrello.

The company’s new AI Incubator Hub will support early-stage startups, while its Trailhead learning platform has already trained more than five million people for the AI-driven workplace.

Salesforce remains one of the city’s most active corporate philanthropists. Its 1-1-1 model has inspired thousands of companies worldwide to dedicate a share of equity, product, and employee time to social causes.

With an additional $39 million pledged to education and healthcare, Salesforce and the Benioffs have now donated over $1 billion to the Bay Area.

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India’s AI infrastructure gets a $15bn lift from Google

Google has announced a $15 billion commitment for 2026–2030 to build its first Indian AI hub in Visakhapatnam, positioning itself as a foundational partner in India’s AI-first push and strengthening US–India tech ties.

The hub will centre on a purpose-built, gigawatt-scale data-centre campus engineered to Google’s global standards for performance, reliability, and low latency. Partners AdaniConnex and Airtel will help deliver enterprise-grade capacity, enabling large companies and startups to build and scale AI-powered services.

Beyond compute, Google will anchor an international subsea gateway in Visakhapatnam, landing multiple cables to complement those in Mumbai and Chennai, adding route diversity, lowering latency across India’s east coast, and strengthening national connectivity for users, developers, and enterprises.

Clean growth is a core pillar of the plan, with work on transmission lines, new clean-energy generation, and storage in Andhra Pradesh. Google will apply its energy-efficient data centre design to expand India’s diverse clean power portfolio while supporting grid reliability and long-term sustainability goals.

The initiative aligns with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, targeting high-value jobs in India and spillover benefits to US research and development. By combining compute, connectivity, and clean energy at scale, Google aims to accelerate AI adoption across sectors and broaden digital inclusion nationwide.

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NVIDIA-powered Zora AI pairs with Oracle AI Agent Studio

Deloitte unveils Zora AI, powered by Oracle Fusion and OCI, to automate complex work and cut costs. Built on NVIDIA’s stack with Oracle AI Agent Studio, it delivers sharper, more contextual insights. The pitch: faster execution and fewer handoffs.

Deep-reasoning agents in the Zora AI team with embedded Oracle agents as coordinated multi-agent workflows. Finance, HR, customer experience, and supply chains gain real-time recommendations and error detection at scale. Data siloes give way to decisions on a unified Fusion platform.

Security and scale rely on OCI Generative AI and Oracle’s ‘on by default’ protections with Autonomous Database. NVIDIA NIM and NeMo support building, deploying, and optimising agents in regulated settings. Trustworthy AI principles cover governance, risk, and compliance from day one.

‘By running Zora AI on Oracle’s cloud, we’re unlocking end-to-end efficiencies,’ said Deloitte’s Mauro Schiavon. Oracle’s Roger Barga said Fusion integration will ‘accelerate innovation and future-proof’ investments. NVIDIA’s John Fanelli cited ‘digital workers at scale’ boosting productivity and autonomy.

Early deployments span finance, sourcing, procurement, sales, and marketing. Finance agents collaborate with Fusion SCM to predict disruptions and optimise operations. An enhanced partner programme adds enablement, accelerators, and go-to-market support.

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OpenAI and Broadcom unite to deploy 10 gigawatts of AI accelerators

The US firm, OpenAI, has announced a multi-year collaboration with Broadcom to design and deploy 10 gigawatts of custom AI accelerators.

The partnership will combine OpenAI’s chip design expertise with Broadcom’s networking and Ethernet technologies to create large-scale AI infrastructure. The deployment is expected to begin in the second half of 2026 and be completed by the end of 2029.

A collaboration that enables OpenAI to integrate insights gained from its frontier models directly into the hardware, enhancing efficiency and performance.

Broadcom will develop racks of AI accelerators and networking systems across OpenAI’s data centres and those of its partners. The initiative is expected to meet growing global demand for advanced AI computation.

Executives from both companies described the partnership as a significant step toward the next generation of AI infrastructure. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said it would help deliver the computing capacity needed to realise the benefits of AI for people and businesses worldwide.

Broadcom CEO Hock Tan called the collaboration a milestone in the industry’s pursuit of more capable and scalable AI systems.

The agreement strengthens Broadcom’s position in AI networking and underlines OpenAI’s move toward greater control of its technological ecosystem. By developing its own accelerators, OpenAI aims to boost innovation while advancing its mission to ensure artificial general intelligence benefits humanity.

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Google gives students free access to AI tools

Google has launched a 12-month free AI Pro Plan for university students aged 18 and above across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The plan gives access to Google’s top AI tools, including Gemini 2.5 Pro, Deep Research, NotebookLM, Veo 3, Nano Banana, and 2 TB of cloud storage.

Students can use these tools for homework, research, content creation, and creative projects, all designed to enhance learning and skill development.

Guided Learning in Gemini helps students with step-by-step support for math, essays, and test preparation. AI tools let students explore creativity by generating images, editing visuals, and making short cinematic clips with Veo 3 and Nano Banana.

Educators gain over 30 new tools with Gemini for Education and Classroom to plan lessons, create resources, and foster AI literacy. Google is partnering with universities to integrate AI into teaching, helping students gain practical skills for the future workforce.

The initiative reflects Google’s commitment to equipping students with AI skills, boosting critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving while expanding access to knowledge through innovative technologies.

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Nvidia DGX Spark launches as the world’s smallest AI supercomputer

Nvidia has launched the DGX Spark, described as the world’s smallest AI supercomputer.

Designed for developers and smaller enterprises, the Spark offers data centre-level performance without the need for costly AI server infrastructure or cloud rentals. It features Nvidia’s GB10 Grace Blackwell superchip, ConnectX-7 networking, and the company’s complete AI software stack.

The system, co-developed with ASUS and Dell, can support up to 128GB of memory, enabling users to train and run substantial AI models locally.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang compared Spark’s mission to the 2016 DGX-1, which he delivered to Elon Musk’s OpenAI, marking the start of the AI revolution. The new Spark, he said, aims to place supercomputing power directly in the hands of every developer.

Running on Nvidia’s Linux-based DGX OS, the Spark is built for AI model creation rather than general computing or gaming. Two units can be connected to handle models with up to 405 billion parameters.

The device complements Nvidia’s DGX Station, powered by the more advanced GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra chip.

Nvidia continues to dominate the AI chip industry through its powerful hardware and CUDA platform, securing multi-billion-dollar deals with companies such as OpenAI, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon. The DGX Spark reinforces its position by expanding access to AI computing at the desktop level.

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Why DC says no to AI-made comics

Jim Lee rejects generative AI for DC storytelling, pledging no AI writing, art, or audio under his leadership. He framed AI alongside other overhyped threats, arguing that predictions falter while human craft endures. DC, he said, will keep its focus on creator-led work.

Lee rooted the stance in the value of imperfection and intent. Smudges, rough lines, and hesitation signal authorship, not flaws. Fans, he argued, sense authenticity and recoil from outputs that feel synthetic or aggregated.

Concerns ranged from shrinking attention spans to characters nearing the public domain. The response, Lee said, is better storytelling and world-building. Owning a character differs from understanding one, and DC’s universe supplies the meaning that endures.

Policy meets practice in DCs recent moves against suspected AI art. In 2024, variant covers were pulled after high-profile allegations of AI-generated content. The episode illustrated a willingness to enforce standards rather than just announce them.

Lee positioned 2035 and DC’s centenary as a waypoint, not a finish line. Creative evolution remains essential, but without yielding authorship to algorithms. The pledge: human-made stories, guided by editors and artists, for the next century of DC.

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AI remakes the future of music

Asia’s creative future takes centre stage at Singapore’s All That Matters, a September forum for sports, tech, marketing, gaming, and music. AI dominated the music track, spanning creation, distribution, and copyright. Session notes signal rapid structural change across the industry.

The web is shifting again as AI reshapes search and discovery. AI-first browsers and assistants challenge incumbents, while Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot race on integration. Early builds feel rough, yet momentum points to a new media discovery order.

Consumption defined the last 25 years, moving from CDs to MP3s, piracy, streaming, and even vinyl’s comeback. Creation looks set to define the next decade as generative tools become ubiquitous. Betting against that shift may be comfortable, yet market forces indicate it is inevitable.

Music generators like Suno are advancing fast amid lawsuits and talks with rights holders. Expected label licensing will widen training data and scale models. Outputs should grow more realistic and, crucially, more emotionally engaging.

Simpler interfaces will accelerate adoption. The prevailing design thesis is ‘less UI’: creators state intent and the system orchestrates cloud tools. Some services already turn a hummed idea into an arranged track, foreshadowing release-ready music from plain descriptions.

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Japan pushes domestic AI to boost national security

Japan will prioritise home-grown AI technology in its new national strategy, aiming to strengthen national security and reduce dependence on foreign systems. The government says developing domestic expertise is essential to prevent overreliance on US and Chinese AI models.

Officials revealed that the plan will include better pay and conditions to attract AI professionals and foster collaboration among universities, research institutes and businesses. Japan will also accelerate work on a next-generation supercomputer to succeed the current Fugaku model.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said Japan must catch up with global leaders such as the US and reverse its slow progress in AI development. Not a lot of people in Japan reported using generative AI last year, compared with nearly 70 percent in the United States and over 80 percent in China.

The government’s strategy will also address the risks linked to AI, including misinformation, disinformation and cyberattacks. Officials say the goal is to make Japan the world’s most supportive environment for AI innovation while safeguarding security and privacy.

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AI chatbots linked to US teen suicides spark legal action

Families in the US are suing AI developers after tragic cases in which teenagers allegedly took their own lives following exchanges with chatbots. The lawsuits accuse platforms such as Character.AI and OpenAI’s ChatGPT of fostering dangerous emotional dependencies with young users.

One case involves 14-year-old Sewell Setzer, whose mother says he fell in love with a chatbot modelled on a Game of Thrones character. Their conversations reportedly turned manipulative before his death, prompting legal action against Character.AI.

Another family claims ChatGPT gave their son advice on suicide methods, leading to a similar tragedy. The companies have expressed sympathy and strengthened safety measures, introducing age-based restrictions, parental controls, and clearer disclaimers stating that chatbots are not real people.

Experts warn that chatbots are repeating social media’s early mistakes, exploiting emotional vulnerability to maximise engagement. Lawmakers in California are preparing new rules to restrict AI tools that simulate human relationships with minors, aiming to prevent manipulation and psychological harm.

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