Home Blog Page 20

Microsoft announces $10b AI data centre investment in Portugal

Mohammed Fahad
-
0
Microsoft announces $10b AI data centre investment in Portugal
  • Project involves deploying 12,600 next-generation NVIDIA GPUs in the Sines facility.
  • Aims to position Portugal as a benchmark for the responsible and scalable development of AI in Europe.

Microsoft plans to invest $10 billion over the next several years in a cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) data center in Sines, a port city 150 km south of Lisbon.

The initiative marks one of Europe’s largest AI-focused infrastructure projects and underscores Portugal’s emerging role as a strategic tech and data hub.

Key details of investment

  • Microsoft will collaborate closely with Start Campus—a joint venture between US investment firm Davidson Kempner and the UK’s Pioneer Point Partners—alongside AI infrastructure platform Nscale and chipmaker NVIDIA.
  • The project involves deploying 12,600 next-generation NVIDIA GPUs in the Sines facility, greatly expanding the region’s AI processing power and supporting Microsoft’s cloud and AI services across Europe.
  • The Sines project is a part of Start Campus’s broader 8.5 billion euro ($9.9 billion) investment plan to establish a multi-building data centre hub by 2030. One of these six planned buildings is already operational.

Strategic significance

Microsoft’s partnership aims to position Portugal as a leader in responsible and scalable AI development.

“By strengthening the national AI infrastructure through collaboration with Nscale, NVIDIA, and Start Campus, we are helping to position Portugal as a benchmark for the responsible and scalable development of AI in Europe,” said Brad Smith, Microsoft’s Vice Chair and President.

Portugal’s Atlantic coastal location offers a unique advantage as a landing point for subsea cables connecting Europe with Africa and the Americas, reinforcing the country’s status as a backbone for global data and internet connectivity.

Additionally, Sines is attracting significant investment in renewable energy production, vital for powering the energy-intensive needs of modern data centers in a sustainable way.

Global investments in data centres have accelerated since the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022, as cloud computing and AI integration become central to corporate strategies across industries.

SoftBank’s $5.8b Nvidia sell-off sparks AI valuation fears

Ana Mary Joseph
-
0
SoftBank’s $5.8b Nvidia sell-off sparks AI valuation fears
  • Mood follows recent warnings from Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs chiefs about potential downturns and a high-profile short against Nvidia and Palantir.

SoftBank Group’s surprise $5.8 billion sale of its entire Nvidia stake jolted markets on Tuesday, highlighting growing investor unease that the red-hot artificial intelligence sector may be cresting after rapid gains and recent caution from top Wall Street leaders.

The Japanese tech conglomerate revealed in quarterly results that it exited its 32.1 million Nvidia shares in October, timing the sale to fund CEO Masayoshi Son’s sweeping ambitions in AI—most notably, the $500 billion Stargate data centre project in the US and a mammoth commitment of up to $40 billion for OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. Financing specifics for these AI initiatives were not disclosed.

Bubble fears

Market response was swift. Nvidia shares tumbled more than 2 per cent early Tuesday, dragging the S&P 500 lower. Concerns were amplified by CoreWeave, an AI cloud provider, which slashed its revenue forecast due to contract delays—sending its stock down 9 per cent.

The mood follows recent warnings from Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs chiefs about potential downturns and a high-profile short against Nvidia and Palantir from Michael Burry, famed for his bets before the 2008 financial crisis.

The sale has led some analysts to wonder whether Son, famous for audacious technology investments, is signaling that the AI-driven rally responsible for Nvidia’s transformation into a $5 trillion company last month is cooling. Nvidia shares have soared over 1,200 per cent in three years, fueled by the AI boom.

SoftBank’s moves also revive scrutiny of its checkered history with Nvidia. The company previously missed out on over $100 billion in gains by selling shares in 2019, only to repurchase them as demand spiked.

Alongside Nvidia, SoftBank sold about $9.2 billion in T-Mobile shares, amassing capital for bets on AI applications, OpenAI, and the infrastructure underpinning massive next-gen projects like Stargate.

Tighter ties to OpenAI

This deeper commitment comes as SoftBank recovers from huge losses in its Vision Fund and leans harder into OpenAI, which may be eyeing a $1 trillion public listing as early as next year—potentially transforming Microsoft and SoftBank’s fortunes.

Soaring OpenAI valuations buoyed SoftBank’s second-quarter net profits, which more than doubled. However, OpenAI has provided little clarity on plans to finance its AI infrastructure ambitions, reportedly totaling $1.4 trillion. While the firm forecasts $20 billion in annual recurring revenue this year, it has recently backed away from seeking government-backed loans.

AMD projects data centre chip revenue to hit $100b by 2030

Naushad K. Cherrayil
-
0
AMD projects data centre chip revenue to hit $100b by 2030
  • Plans to launch its next-generation MI400 series of AI chips in 2026, targeting both scientific and generative AI applications.
  • Data centre is the largest growth opportunity out there, and one that AMD is very, very well positioned for, CEO says.

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) predicted that its annual revenue from data centre chips would soar to $100 billion within the next five years, fueled by surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

The bold forecast came as the Santa Clara, California−based chipmaker outlined plans to more than triple its earnings, sending shares up by 2.7 per cent to $237.52.

The optimistic outlook was unveiled at AMD’s highly anticipated analyst day in New York—the company’s first such event in three years. CEO Lisa Su told investors the total addressable market for AMD’s data centre products, which include standard processors, networking chips, and specialised AI hardware, is expected to grow to $1 trillion by 2030.

“It’s an exciting market,” Su said. “There’s no question, data centre is the largest growth opportunity out there, and one that AMD is very, very well positioned for.”

OpenAI deal

AMD executives forecast annual business-wide growth of 35 per cent over the next three to five years, with the data centre segment expected to grow at a robust 60 per cent annually, according to Chief Financial Officer Jean Hu.

The upbeat projections come on the heels of a recent multiyear partnership with OpenAI, announced in October, which is expected to generate tens of billions in annual revenue and has driven a 16 per cent rally in AMD’s stock since the deal was released.

While the deal is not expected to immediately challenge Nvidia’s dominance in the AI chip market, analysts say the agreement and AMD’s financial projections should bolster investor confidence in AMD’s ability to capture market share.

Acquisitions

Looking ahead, AMD plans to launch its next-generation MI400 series of AI chips in 2026, targeting both scientific and generative AI applications. The suite will also feature a comprehensive server rack solution to rival Nvidia’s GB200 NVL72 system.

Beyond hardware, AMD continues to invest heavily in software and system integration, recently acquiring server builder ZT Systems and a series of AI-focused software startups, including the latest acquisition of MK1.

“We’ll continue to do AI software tuck-ins,” said Chief Strategy Officer Mat Hein, emphasising the company’s commitment to expanding its technological capabilities and talent pool.

The company also delivered a fourth-quarter revenue forecast that exceeded Wall Street expectations, buoyed by relentless demand for AI chips and strong AI-driven growth in its data centre CPU business.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has likewise projected rapid industry growth, forecasting the broader AI infrastructure market to reach between $3 trillion and $4 trillion by 2030.

AI could usher in three-day work week: JPMorgan CEO

Naushad K. Cherrayil
-
0
AI could usher in three-day work week: JPMorgan CEO

  • Urges corporates to act now—modernise data infrastructure, invest in AI readiness, and plan human-centric job transitions—to harness AI’s benefits and avoid social dislocation.
  • Calls on organisations to proactively plan for retraining, income support, redeployment, and, where appropriate, early retirement to smooth the transition for affected workers.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is urging the business community to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) now, asserting that the technology could eventually reduce the traditional work week to just three and a half days and dramatically reshape the future of work.

Speaking at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women conference during the America Business Forum in Miami, Dimon highlighted both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI. He predicted that, over the next few decades, AI’s impact across applications, jobs, and customer interactions would be transformative.

“My guess is the developed world will be working three-and-a-half days a week in 20, 30, 40 years, and have wonderful lives,” Dimon told attendees. He emphasised that companies must act now—modernising data infrastructure, investing in AI readiness, and planning human-centric job transitions—to harness AI’s benefits and avoid social dislocation.

While acknowledging that AI will eliminate certain roles, Dimon cautioned against denial: “People should stop sticking their heads in the sand.” He called on organisations to proactively plan for retraining, income support, redeployment, and, where appropriate, early retirement to smooth the transition for affected workers.

JPMorgan: A testing ground for AI innovation

JPMorgan Chase has positioned itself at the forefront of AI integration among global banks. Dimon revealed that roughly 2,000 employees are dedicated to developing AI solutions, with approximately 150,000 staff utilising large language models weekly for internal document management. AI use cases already span fraud detection, legal review, reconciliations, and marketing optimisation.

Recognising a knowledge gap within the organisation, the bank has introduced AI master classes aimed at senior management, ensuring leadership is equipped to leverage the rapidly evolving technology.

“You know, technology has downsides. It’s used by bad people.

But embrace it,” Dimon concluded, urging business leaders to adopt AI in all areas and start preparing for a radically different workforce landscape.

India drives global telecom spending growth as global market to hit $1.53tr in 2025

Naushad K. Cherrayil
-
0
India drives global telecom spending growth as global market to hit $1.53tr in 2025
  • Pay TV segment faces slight contraction amid growing competition from Video-on-Demand and over-the-top platforms.
  • EMEA region will continue to outpace others, bolstered by hyperinflation-fueled nominal gains in Turkey, Egypt, and Nigeria.
  • Operators globally are sharpening their focus on margin improvement and technology-driven operational efficiency.
  • AI adoption is accelerating across network management, customer service, and fraud prevention, yielding tangible EBITDA improvements and supporting sustainable growth.

India is emerging as the leading growth engine for global telecommunications, helping to offset regional slowdowns as worldwide spending on telecom and pay TV services is projected to reach $1,532 billion in 2025, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Semiannual Telecom Services Tracker.

IDC’s latest forecast represents a 1.7 per cent year-on-year rise, slightly higher than previous projections. The improved outlook is fueled in large part by India’s exceptional performance, notably robust growth in mobile Average Revenue per User (ARPU), which pushes the region toward double-digit market expansion.

The surge is helping to counterbalance more modest projections for the wider Asia Pacific region, impacted by ongoing economic uncertainty in countries such as China, Japan, and Indonesia.

“India continues to outperform, with exceptional growth in mobile ARPUs pushing the market toward double-digit expansion and helping offset regional value erosion,” Kresimir Alic, Research Director, Worldwide Telecom Services at IDC, said.

Mobile, fixed data lead expansion

Globally, mobile services continue to dominate, driven by climbing data consumption and machine-to-machine (M2M) applications, which are countering declines in traditional voice and messaging.

Fixed data services are also on an upward trajectory as demand for high-bandwidth connectivity intensifies. By contrast, spending on fixed voice is expected to shrink further due to legacy technology declines not fully offset by newer IP voice services.

Meanwhile, the traditional Pay TV segment faces slight contraction amid growing competition from Video-on-Demand (VoD) and over-the-top (OTT) platforms; however, it remains a cornerstone of bundled offerings from telecom companies.

The sector as a whole is forecast to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.5 per cent over the next five years, despite a global business environment marked by protectionism, economic volatility, and persistent inflation in key regions.

Mixed regional dynamics and challenges

The Americas are expected to maintain a largely stable outlook, with minor upward revisions in several Latin American markets. The EMEA region—encompassing Europe, the Middle East, and Africa—will continue to outpace others, bolstered by hyperinflation-fueled nominal gains in Turkey, Egypt, and Nigeria.

Despite these regional differences, operators globally are sharpening their focus on margin improvement and technology-driven operational efficiency. AI adoption is accelerating across network management, customer service, and fraud prevention, yielding tangible EBITDA improvements and supporting sustainable growth.

By leveraging AI for predictive maintenance, dynamic pricing, and personalised service offerings, telecoms aim to bolster ARPUs and reduce churn, while also capturing new revenue opportunities from 5G and edge computing rollouts.

As IDC notes, these technological and strategic shifts position the industry for continued, if measured, growth—provided operators adapt swiftly to evolving regional and economic realities.

Poor password habits remain “widespread and worrisome”

Naushad K. Cherrayil
-
0
Poor password habits remain “widespread and worrisome”
  • Most-used password was “123456,” appearing about 7.6 million times, followed by “12345678” (3.6 million uses), and other weak choices such as “admin,” “password,” and easily recognizable patterns like “Aa123456” and “12345.”
  • Most analysed passwords fall short of recommended security standards—65.8% were under 12 characters, and nearly 7% had fewer than 8 characters.

Despite years of warnings from cybersecurity experts, poor password habits remain widespread and worrisome, according to the latest findings from Comparitech.

The firm’s 2025 analysis, which examined over two billion real passwords leaked on data breach forums this year, reveals that millions of users continue to rely on easily guessed combinations—posing a significant risk for both individuals and the organisations they access.

The data shows the most-used password was “123456,” appearing about 7.6 million times, followed by “12345678” (3.6 million uses), and other weak choices such as “admin,” “password,” and easily recognisable patterns like “Aa123456” and “12345.”

Variations of common words and names, like “minecraft,” “welcome,” and “root,” also featured prominently, with “minecraft” alone being used nearly 90,000 times in various forms.

List of the Top 10 most-used passwords in 2025:

  1. 123456
  2. 12345678
  3. 123456789
  4. admin
  5. 1234
  6. Aa123456
  7. 12345
  8. password
  9. 123
  10. 1234567890

Researchers found alarming trends within the data:

  • 25 per cent of the top 1,000 passwords consisted solely of numbers.
  • 38.6 per cent contained the sequence “123,” and 3.1 per cent included “abc.”
  • Weak single-character passwords like “111111” and “********” ranked among the most common.

Most analysed passwords fell short of recommended security standards—65.8 per cent were under 12 characters, and nearly 7 per cent had fewer than 8 characters. Security experts generally advise passwords be at least 12–14 characters—16 or more is optimal—and include a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols to thwart brute-force attacks.

Comparitech cited Hive Systems research indicating that a 12-character password using a blend of numbers, letters, and symbols would take an attacker three billion years to crack, whereas a 16-character complex password could take up to 94 quadrillion years.

In stark contrast, a password of just numbers can often be compromised instantly, unless extended to 16 digits, which could still take a cybercriminal roughly 2,000 years.

Best practices for secure passwords:

  • Use more than 12–14 characters (16+ preferred)
  • Mix uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols
  • Avoid obvious patterns or common phrases
  • Opt for unique passwords on each site
  • Enable two-factor authentication wherever possible

Comparitech’s researchers stress that password complexity alone is not a guarantee. “Every password should be unique so that it cannot be used in credential stuffing attacks. When possible, users should enable two-factor authentication to prevent account takeovers even if a password is compromised,” the analysis concluded.

As digital threats evolve, security experts warn that organizations must continue to educate users—and enforce robust password and authentication protocols—to avert breaches and protect both personal and business data.

1...192021...271Page 20 of 271