Meta Platforms is seeking to raise $35 billion to help fund the development of its data centres in the US, with Apollo Global Management reportedly leading the financing. The need for increased computational power to support AI systems has driven Meta to focus heavily on expanding its AI infrastructure. The company has already committed to spending up to $65 billion this year on AI development.
The financing deal comes as Meta continues to build new data centres, including a planned $10 billion AI hub in Louisiana, US. The Louisiana centre will run on renewable energy, in partnership with the local utility provider Entergy. Despite the growing demand for data centre space, industry scepticism remains, especially regarding the financial returns from such large-scale investments.
Meta’s push for more AI infrastructure highlights the competitive race among tech companies to meet the rising demand for AI capabilities, with the company planning further expansions in the coming years.
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Meta Platforms is preparing to test a paid subscription model for its AI chatbot, Meta AI, as it looks to compete with industry giants like OpenAI and Microsoft. The test will begin in the second quarter of this year, although significant revenue from the service is not expected until next year. Meta AI, launched in September 2023, offers virtual assistance powered by advanced language models.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s plans to boost the company’s AI capabilities include a $65 billion investment this year to expand AI infrastructure. Meta is also working on humanoid robots under its Reality Labs division. As tech companies race to dominate the AI space, Meta’s move to monetise its chatbot aligns with broader industry trends, with Microsoft and Amazon also making substantial investments in AI.
Despite the rising demand for AI services, Meta has not yet revealed the specific pricing for the new subscription service. However, the development highlights the company’s effort to enhance its AI offerings while positioning itself as a strong competitor in the rapidly expanding AI market.
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ElevenLabs, a Palo Alto-based AI startup valued at $3.3 billion, has introduced its first stand-alone speech-to-text model, Scribe. The company, which is better known for its audio-generation capabilities, now aims to disrupt the speech detection market by providing a faster and more accurate alternative to existing models like Whisper and Deepgram. Scribe supports over 99 languages, with top accuracy in more than 25, including English, French, and Spanish.
The new AI model has already outperformed competitors like Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash and OpenAI’s Whisper Large V3 in benchmark tests. It also includes features like speaker diarisation, accurate subtitles, and sound event tagging, which could appeal to customers in media and content creation. While Scribe currently only works with pre-recorded audio, ElevenLabs plans to release a real-time version soon.
Priced at $0.40 per hour of transcribed audio, Scribe offers a competitive rate, though some rivals currently offer lower prices. With this move into speech-to-text, ElevenLabs is positioning itself to expand its AI offerings and challenge established players in the field.
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Apple is under renewed pressure over its diversity policies after President Donald Trump urged the company to abandon them. His call came a day after shareholders overwhelmingly voted to keep the initiatives, despite growing opposition from conservative groups.
Trump took to Truth Social to demand the complete removal of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, calling them a ‘hoax’ that has harmed the country.
Major US corporations, including Meta and Alphabet, have scaled back DEI efforts since Trump’s return to office. He has argued these policies are discriminatory and has suggested that the Department of Justice could investigate their legality.
His administration has already moved to end DEI initiatives in federal agencies and the private sector, citing concerns over fairness and merit-based hiring.
Apple has defended its approach, stating that it does not impose quotas but focuses on broader inclusion efforts. CEO Tim Cook reaffirmed the company’s commitment to diversity while acknowledging potential adjustments in response to changing legal landscapes. He emphasised that Apple’s core values of dignity and respect would remain unchanged.
Shareholder support for DEI policies at Apple contrasts with recent corporate trends, as many companies have been scaling back such programmes.
Critics warn that continuing these efforts could expose businesses to legal challenges, while supporters argue they are essential for addressing long-standing inequalities. Apple has yet to comment on whether it will revise its policies following Trump’s latest remarks.
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Quantum Machines (QM), a leader in quantum computing technology, has raised $170 million in a mid-stage funding round, bringing its total funding to $280 million. The investment is seen as a significant step in accelerating QM’s role in the rapidly evolving quantum computing industry. With quantum technology on the verge of becoming a major disruptive force, this funding will help QM expand its hardware and software offerings to meet the demands of quantum system developers globally.
Quantum computing holds enormous promise for breakthroughs in fields such as medicine and chemistry, offering the ability to solve problems far beyond the capabilities of classical computers. While the technology is still developing, key milestones are being reached, including IBM and Google’s advancements in achieving over 1,000 qubits. These developments signal that practical quantum computers could soon become a reality.
QM’s growth is supported by strong backing from major investors, including PSG Equity and Intel Capital, reflecting the increasing confidence in the potential of quantum computing. As the technology matures, companies like Microsoft and Nvidia are also contributing to the ecosystem, highlighting that the quantum race is heating up. Despite regional challenges, Israeli tech startups, including QM, are continuing to attract investment, contributing to the country’s growing tech sector.
With this new funding, QM is well-positioned to drive forward its mission to innovate and lead in the quantum computing space, which many consider one of the most important technological developments of the current generation.
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Quora has unveiled a new feature on its Poe platform that allows users to create custom AI-powered applications. Named Poe Apps, the tool enables users to describe the app they want to build, and it generates the necessary code, powered by Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet. The apps can integrate various AI models, such as OpenAI’s o3-mini or Google’s Veo 2, allowing for personalised functionality.
Once created, these apps can be run alongside Poe’s chatbot window or function as standalone web apps, with the option to adjust the underlying code manually. Poe Apps can currently be shared with other users on the web, with iOS and Android versions expected soon. While free users get a daily points allotment to use the models, premium subscribers have access to more flexible packages.
Quora has also hinted at future monetisation options for app creators, expanding the potential of Poe Apps. With this new feature, Quora is not only enabling the creation of unique apps but also setting the stage for users to earn from their AI-driven innovations.
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Apple has unveiled plans to invest $500 billion in the United States over the next four years. The investment will include the construction of a large facility in Texas for the production of AI servers, as well as the creation of 20,000 research and development jobs nationwide. This pledge highlights Apple’s continued commitment to strengthening its presence in the US, despite many of its products being assembled overseas.
Part of the investment will also go towards enhancing Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund, which will grow from $5 billion to $10 billion. This fund will support the production of advanced silicon chips at a facility in Arizona, alongside a collaboration with Foxconn to build a 250,000-square-foot server assembly plant in Houston.
Additionally, Apple will open a new manufacturing academy in Michigan to help local businesses improve their processes and skills. These initiatives follow a similar commitment made in 2018, further cementing Apple’s role in the US economy and its ongoing expansion in research and manufacturing.
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On Valentine’s Day in San Francisco, the NBA Tech Summit took place ahead of the NBA All-Star weekend, showcasing the latest trends in sports, media, and technology. With the help of NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and legendary Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, the audience was introduced to the evolution of event broadcasting, companies set to make significant investments in the coming years, and the future of basketball as a sport.
The panels also included renowned basketball experts, media figures, and former NBA players. A common consensus emerged: robotics and AI will reshape the sport as we know and significantly help athletes achieve far better results than ever before.
However, this is not exactly a novelty, as many innovations were presented ahead of the Paris Olympics, where certain programmes helped analysts and audiences follow their favourite events in greater detail.
The future of the NBA and the role of fans during matches
The same idea applies to the NBA, particularly with the integration of augmented reality (AR) and a feature called ‘Tabletop’, which allows the display of a virtual court with digital avatars tracking player movements in real time.
A feature like this one generated the most interest from the audience, as it enables viewers to watch matches from various angles, analyse performances in real-time, access interactive player data, and simulate alternative outcomes—essentially exploring how the game would have unfolded if different decisions had been made on the court.
An important aspect of these innovations is that fans have the opportunity to vote for competition participants, ask real-time questions, and take part in virtual events designed to keep them engaged during and after match broadcasts.
AI plays a crucial role in these systems, primarily by analysing strategies and performances, allowing coaches and players to make better-informed decisions in key moments of the game.
Player health as a priority
With a packed schedule of matches, additional tournaments, and extensive travel, professional basketball players face daily physical challenges. To help preserve their health, new technologies aim to minimise potential injuries.
Wearable health-tracking sensors embedded in equipment to collect data on physical parameters were introduced at the NBA Summit. This technology provides medical teams with real-time insights into players’ conditions, helping prevent potential injuries.
Basketball spirit through cutting-edge technology: What did the NBA Tech Summit deliver? 10
Biometric sensors, motion-analysis accelerometers, injury-prevention algorithms, dehydration and fatigue tracking, and shoe sensors for load analysis are just some of the innovations in this field.
Ultra cameras, ultra broadcasts, ultra experience
For fans of high-resolution and interactive matches, the latest technological advancements offer new viewing experiences. While still in the final development stages, fans can already enjoy Ultra HD 8K and 360-degree cameras, along with the highly anticipated ‘player cam’ perspective, which allows for close-up tracking of individual players.
It is also possible to independently control the camera during matches, offering a complete view of the court and arena from every possible angle. Additionally, matches can be broadcast as holograms, providing a new dimension in 3D space on specialised platforms.
The integration of 5G technology ensures faster and more stable transmissions, enabling high-resolution streaming without delays.
Fewer mistakes, less stress
Refereeing mistakes have always been part of the sport, influencing match outcomes and shaping the history of one of the world’s most popular games. In response, the NBA has sought to minimise errors through Hawk-Eye technology for ball and boundary tracking.
A multi-camera system monitors the ball to determine whether it has crossed the line, touched the boundary, or shot on time. AI also analyses player contact in real time, suggesting potential fouls for referees to review.
Beyond these features, the NBA now operates a centralised Replay Centre, offering detailed analysis of controversial situations where AI plays a crucial role in providing recommendations for quicker decision-making. Additional innovations include hoop sensors, audio analysis for simulating unsportsmanlike fouls, and more.
Environmental sustainability and awareness
As an organisation reliant on cutting-edge technology, the NBA is also focused on environmental awareness, which is increasingly becoming a key aspect of the league. Modern arenas utilise solar energy, energy-efficient lighting, and water recycling systems, reducing electricity consumption and waste.
Digital tickets and contactless payments contribute to sustainability efforts, particularly through apps that enable quicker and more eco-friendly entry to arenas and access to various services.
Partnerships with environmental organisations are a crucial part of the NBA’s sustainability initiatives, with collaborations including the Green Sports Alliance and the NRDC. These efforts aim to reduce the environmental impact of events while enhancing the fan experience.
For basketball fans (and followers of other sports adopting similar advancements), the most important takeaway is that the fundamental rules and essence of the game will remain unchanged. Despite the inevitable technological progress, the core spirit of basketball, established in Springfield in 1891, will continue to be preserved.
More than 1,000 musicians have joined forces to release a silent album as part of a protest against the UK government’s proposed changes to copyright laws. The changes would allow AI companies to use artists’ work to train models without needing permission, a move critics argue would undermine creators’ rights. The silent album, titled ‘Is This What We Want?’, features empty studios and performance spaces, symbolising the potential loss of control over their work.
The changes have sparked outrage from high-profile artists such as Kate Bush, who warned that this could lead to the exploitation of musicians by tech companies. The protest album, which includes contributions from other major artists like Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa, aims to highlight the negative impact of such reforms on the livelihoods of creators.
The UK government argues that these changes will help boost the AI and creative industries, allowing them to reach their full potential. However, the controversy over copyright law is growing, with many in the music industry urging a rethink before any new regulations are finalised.
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Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani is focusing on small businesses and promoting innovative neuroscience research to boost Reliance’s revenue from the Indian Premier League (IPL). After striking an $8.5 billion merger with Walt Disney, Reliance plans to attract small companies to advertise during the IPL by offering affordable ad packages starting at $17,000. The company has been conducting closed-door seminars in various Indian cities to pitch these packages, aiming to expand its digital ad inventory and increase streaming revenue.
Reliance is also experimenting with “brain mapping” research to show higher engagement rates for its IPL ads compared to rivals like Google and Meta. The company claims its ads have up to four times more focus, engagement, and memorability, based on neural studies of participants. However, the ad rates for IPL streaming have risen by up to 25%, creating competition with lower-cost platforms like Instagram and YouTube, where some businesses find advertising more affordable.
Despite heavy investments in IPL and other cricket rights, Reliance faces challenges in making the venture profitable. The company is battling major global players in India’s growing digital advertising market, where Google and Meta dominate. Reliance’s ad pitch focuses on user data, offering targeted ads based on viewer demographics. Yet, experts argue that Reliance’s efforts, including using brain scans to boost ad appeal, may not be enough to compete with the sheer reach of platforms like YouTube.
The high cost of IPL broadcast rights, coupled with increasing ad rates, puts pressure on Reliance’s strategy. Still, Ambani remains confident in the IPL’s potential to attract advertisers and retain viewers who may subscribe to additional content offerings. With competition intensifying in India’s $28-billion digital ad market, Reliance’s new tactics may shape its future in the entertainment and advertising sectors.
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