France is set to announce private sector investments totalling around 109 billion euros ($112.5 billion) in its AI sector at the Paris AI summit, according to President Emmanuel Macron. The investment package includes 20 billion euros from Canadian investment firm Brookfield and up to 50 billion euros from the United Arab Emirates, which will also fund a 1-gigawatt data centre.
Brookfield’s investment is expected to focus on developing data centre infrastructure, crucial for AI technology that requires massive amounts of energy to operate.With the demand for AI technology rising, Europe is aiming to secure necessary investments to meet the growing need for energy and infrastructure.
This comes amid global competition, as US President Donald Trump recently announced that companies like OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle would invest $500 billion in AI infrastructure over the next four years to ensure the US stays ahead in the global AI race.
Stellantis, the world’s fourth-largest carmaker, has announced an expanded partnership with French AI firm Mistral. The move aims to accelerate the company’s ability to analyse industry data, improving decision-making speed. The integration of AI is becoming more common in the automotive sector, with many manufacturers using the technology to assess customer feedback and monitor manufacturing quality.
Ned Curic, Stellantis’ Chief Engineering and Technology Officer, highlighted the significance of this collaboration, noting that it enables the company to perform data analysis in minutes rather than weeks. This rapid processing allows for quicker decision-making, improving operational efficiency.
This strategic shift comes shortly after Stellantis underwent management changes following the unexpected departure of CEO Carlos Tavares in December. The restructuring appears to be part of a broader effort to streamline operations and better position the company for the future.
Britain’s security officials have reportedly ordered Apple to create a so-called ‘back door’ to access all content uploaded to the cloud by its users worldwide. The demand, revealed by The Washington Post, could force Apple to compromise its security promises to customers. Sources suggest the company may opt to stop offering encrypted storage in the UK rather than comply with the order.
Apple has not yet responded to requests for comment outside of regular business hours. The Home Office has served Apple with a technical capability notice, which would require the company to grant access to the requested data. However, a spokesperson from the Home Office declined to confirm or deny the existence of such a notice.
In January, Britain initiated an investigation into the operating systems of Apple and Google, as well as their app stores and browsers. The ongoing regulatory scrutiny highlights growing tensions between tech giants and governments over privacy and security concerns.
Japanese startup ArkEdge Space revealed on Friday that it helped build an observation satellite for Taiwan’s space agency that has captured what may be the highest-quality Earth imagery from a spacecraft smaller than a suitcase. The optical satellite, ONGLAISAT, took 2.5-metre resolution images after being launched into orbit around 400 km above Earth in December.
Takayoshi Fukuyo, ArkEdge’s CEO, described the clarity of the images as comparable to aerial photography, despite the satellite’s small size. Black-and-white photos, including those of Seattle suburbs and Argentina’s Patagonia, were released showing impressive detail. The satellite, co-developed with the University of Tokyo, mounts Taiwan’s space agency’s optical equipment onto a compact cubesat.
ONGLAISAT’s mission will conclude in early March, but the optical technology demonstrated during the mission will contribute to future satellite projects. Taiwan, keen to strengthen its space infrastructure amid rising tensions with China, is also progressing with other space ventures, including weather satellites and satellite internet collaborations with Amazon’s Kuiper. Additionally, Taiwan’s space agency has deepened partnerships with Japanese space companies like Space One and ispace.
OpenAI announced on Thursday that it is evaluating US states as potential locations for data centres supporting its ambitious Stargate project, which aims to secure the US’s lead in the global AI race. The project is seen as crucial for ensuring that AI development remains democratic and open, rather than falling under authoritarian control, according to Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer.
Stargate, a venture backed by SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle, and other investors, is set to receive up to $500 billion for AI infrastructure. A significant portion of this investment, $100 billion, will be deployed immediately, with the rest scheduled over the next few years. Texas has been designated as the flagship location for Stargate’s data centres. An initial site under construction in Abilene is expected to begin operations later this year.
The announcement follows the rise of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI model that challenges the traditional view that AI development requires large, specialised data centres. DeepSeek’s use of cheaper chips has raised concerns among investors, leading to a significant drop in tech stock values, including a record $593 billion loss for Nvidia, the leading AI chipmaker.
OpenAI is considering data centre locations in approximately 16 states, with plans to expand the Stargate network to five to ten campuses in the coming months.
France and the United Arab Emirates have reached an agreement to develop a 1 gigawatt artificial intelligence data centre, with investments estimated between $30 billion and $50 billion. President Emmanuel Macron met with Emirati leader Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in Paris to discuss the project, ahead of an upcoming AI summit.
The February 10-11 summit will bring together representatives from around 100 countries, aiming to highlight France and Europe’s role in the AI sector. The initiative is part of broader efforts to compete with the US and China, which currently dominate the industry. Both nations expressed their commitment to strategic AI collaboration and future investments in the sector.
Planned investments will cover AI advancements in France and the UAE, including high-performance chips, data centres, and talent development. The agreement also involves creating virtual data embassies to strengthen cloud and AI sovereignty. The first investment announcements are expected at the Choose France summit later this year.
The French government has identified 35 potential sites for AI data centres, supporting the country’s ambition to become a major AI hub.
SingTel has secured a S$643 million ($476 million) green loan to fund the development of a new 58 MW data centre in Singapore.
The financing comes from a group of major lenders, including DBS Group, OCBC, Standard Chartered, HSBC, and United Overseas Bank. Green loans, designed to support environmentally sustainable projects, are becoming increasingly relevant as demand for AI and cloud computing rises.
The upcoming DC Tuas data centre is expected to be operational by 2026, providing a high-density environment tailored for AI workloads. SingTel’s group chief financial officer, Arthur Lang, emphasised that the loan aligns with the company’s net zero ambitions while supporting Singapore’s growing digital economy.
As Southeast Asia’s largest telecoms provider, SingTel has been actively investing in sustainable infrastructure. A previous green loan of S$535 million, secured in December 2023, was used to refinance debt and fund two other data centres in Singapore.
The latest financing reinforces the company’s commitment to balancing technological advancements with environmental responsibility.
Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing will visit France from Sunday until February 12 to attend the AI Action Summit as a special representative of President Xi Jinping. The summit will bring together representatives from nearly 100 countries to discuss the safe development of AI.
A foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, said China is eager to strengthen communication and collaboration with other nations at the event. China also aims to foster consensus on AI cooperation and contribute to the implementation of the United Nations Global Digital Compact.
Vice President JD Vance is leading the US delegation to the summit, but reports suggest that the US team will not include technical staff from the AI Safety Institute.
Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, has announced plans to collaborate with Chinese researchers on AI projects. The move comes as China’s DeepSeek has disrupted the global tech industry with its low-cost AI models, challenging US rivals like Nvidia. Sberbank, which has transformed from a Soviet-era state savings bank into a major AI player under CEO German Gref, aims to leverage its network of scientists to join forces with China’s AI researchers.
Sberbank’s First Deputy CEO, Alexander Vedyakhin, confirmed the plans but refrained from naming specific Chinese partners. DeepSeek, a startup based in Hangzhou, has gained significant attention for its ability to produce advanced AI models at a fraction of the cost of American counterparts. This development could further fuel competition in the AI sector, especially amid growing tensions between the West and nations like Russia and China.
The strategic partnership between Russia and China is deepening, with both countries emphasising AI as a key area of cooperation. As Moscow faces Western sanctions due to the war in Ukraine, collaboration with China is seen as essential for advancing in AI and other technological fields. However, Russia’s AI projects remain somewhat secretive, making it difficult to assess their true capabilities. Despite this, Sberbank’s First Deputy CEO noted that DeepSeek’s models have outperformed Russia’s GigaChat in scientific tasks, though Sberbank’s model remains competitive in banking applications.
Vedyakhin also highlighted the efficiency of DeepSeek’s approach, noting that its success proves high-quality AI can be achieved without massive investments in infrastructure. This philosophy aligns with Sberbank’s strategy, which focuses on low-cost AI solutions rather than the large-scale projects seen in the US. The bank’s AI platforms, like its Kandinsky text-to-image model and GigaChat Lite, are publicly available, following the transparent approach that has made DeepSeek successful.
The Trump administration’s move to end tariff-free low-cost imports into the US is expected to impact fast fashion retailer Shein more severely than online dollar-store competitor Temu. Both companies have heavily benefited from the ‘de minimis’ rule, which exempts shipments under $800 from import duties, with a significant portion of US daily packages coming from these retailers. While the Biden administration has scrutinised the rule, Temu has been quicker to adapt, diversifying its shipping strategy to minimise reliance on this exemption.
Temu, owned by PDD Holdings, has made considerable shifts in its model, including a move to bulk shipping to US warehouses instead of directly to consumers. By late 2023, about 50% of its US sales came from local warehouses. The company has also increased sea freight for bulkier items like furniture. This strategy contrasts with Shein’s continued dependence on air freight for its fast-fashion inventory, despite opening US centres and expanding its supply chain to countries like Brazil and Turkey.
While the Trump administration’s decision is set to raise prices for American consumers ordering from Shein and Temu, analysts believe the impact will not be catastrophic for these Chinese e-commerce giants. Shein, despite its reliance on fast inventory turnover and speed, is seen as capable of adapting, though the new tariffs and regulations will accelerate the need for supply chain diversification.
Recent changes in US Postal Service policies have added further uncertainty, reversing decisions on accepting parcels from China and Hong Kong. Analysts estimate that de minimis shipments could drop by up to 60%. However, experts remain confident that both Shein and Temu will navigate the changes, given the flexibility and competitiveness of their supply chains.
