Artificial Intelligence (AI)

India’s central bank warns that AI disruption and geopolitical fragmentation are elevating external shock risks, even as domestic banks show record-low bad loans. Stress tests reveal hidden vulnerabilities that could surface under adverse scenarios.

Global markets gained $7 trillion in H1 2026, overcoming a $9 trillion Iran war shock. An AI surge in Asia and a yen crisis are reshaping risks, while gold and tech giants falter.

IIT Bombay and SBI Life Insurance have established the Bharat AI & Cyber Innovation Hub to create homegrown AI-powered cybersecurity solutions for India's insurance industry. The initiative aims to reduce foreign tech dependence while training the next generation of specialists.

China’s leadership held dual meetings to address the widening gap between its thriving AI and export sectors and sluggish domestic consumption. The talks highlighted new growth drivers and structural risks, with calls for expanded imports and investment.

The US stock market's second-half outlook hinges on AI spending returns, stretched earnings targets, and a hawkish new Fed chair. Investor caution is rising after June pullbacks.

India is poised to shape the AI era with unique strengths in talent, regulatory openness, infrastructure, and clean energy. The country must now move from potential to scaled deployment to become an indispensable global AI node.

Amazon Web Services is increasing prices for reserved AI GPUs by 20% on July 1, the second hike this year. A shortage of high-bandwidth memory is capping GPU production, driving up costs across the tech industry.

Tech journalist Joanna Stern spent a full year letting AI run her life—from driving to dating. Her new book, I Am Not a Robot, reveals surprising wins and awkward failures, offering a balanced look at how close the AI future really is.

A single AI data center can need 50,000 tons of copper, driving prices to record highs. With supply unable to keep pace, investors are treating copper as a new AI proxy trade and inflation hedge.

OpenAI is considering delaying its IPO to 2027 to chase a $1 trillion valuation, as a 2026 listing risks falling short. The move comes amid competitive pressure from Anthropic and massive planned spending on computing.

Nicholas Spiro of Lauressa Advisory challenges the view that AI will hurt Asia's real estate sector. He points to tight supply, young demographics, and a booming data center market as reasons for resilience.

Corporate borrowing for AI is breaking records across currencies and deal structures. Amazon and Alphabet lead a $60 billion bond blitz, while new lease-backed notes test investor appetite as spending nears $725 billion.

OpenAI’s new report maps AI’s potential labor market impact across the EU, identifying four occupational archetypes and highlighting stark country-level differences. It urges policymakers to use granular data for proactive planning rather than waiting for headline unemployment shifts.

Surging AI bills are upending corporate strategies, driving a shift from premium models to cost-effective alternatives. Tech CEOs now champion smaller models for most tasks, as usage-based pricing delivers budget shocks and open-source gains ground.

Asian markets traded choppily on Monday as investors weighed AI-driven growth against rising cost pressures, with South Korea's KOSPI sliding further and Taiwan's rally pausing. A fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire added to the uncertainty, keeping oil prices and the dollar elevated.

AWS CEO Matt Garman rejects predictions that AI will wipe out half of entry-level jobs, calling them overblown. He reveals Amazon’s plan to hire 11,000 new graduates, arguing their energy and adaptability are essential even as the company cuts thousands of roles.

Investment banking analysts face an AI revolution that can build models in seconds, but senior dealmakers insist the two-year analyst programme will endure. Trust issues and cost structures protect the juniors, though the job's grueling hours may persist.

Kunlunxin, Baidu’s AI chip unit, is seeking a $50 billion valuation in its Hong Kong IPO—a 17-fold jump from December. The move highlights extreme AI market exuberance and a disconnect with Baidu’s own stock.

Brokerages see Chinese stocks rising further in H2 2026, fueled by AI tech strength and energy transition benefits. Earnings growth and household inflows support the bullish case.

South Korea’s president announces three mega-projects for AI and chips, including a $651 billion semiconductor hub in the southwest. The plan aims to boost growth and narrow regional gaps, but faces political criticism and infrastructure challenges.

Indian markets fell 8-10% in 2026, but AI-linked hardware and power firms soared. Foreign investors boosted stakes in these invisible enablers of the global AI boom.

Baidu's AI chip unit Kunlunxin is planning a Hong Kong IPO at a $50 billion valuation, with investors required to buy chips worth 3-7x their share subscription. The move highlights China's push for semiconductor self-sufficiency but raises questions about demand and valuation.

Austria is urging the EU to host Anthropic's advanced AI models within its borders, countering new U.S. restrictions on foreign access. The initiative aims to secure European access to frontier AI and boost digital sovereignty.

Firmus Technologies and Nvidia have signed a strategic partnership to provide cost-effective AI computing power. The deal leverages immersion cooling to reduce energy costs, targeting emerging AI companies in Australia and beyond.

The BIS Annual Economic Report highlights rising global risks from AI-driven overinvestment, record public debt, and financial fragilities. Policymakers face urgent calls to reinforce stability through coordinated action.

Google has capped Meta's access to its Gemini AI models due to overwhelming demand, causing project delays. The move reveals deep infrastructure constraints even among tech giants.

Hong Kong is investing heavily in AI infrastructure, but high electricity costs and a narrow focus raise questions about its global competitiveness. Regina Ip calls for a broader vision and more realistic goals.

LLM-powered knowledge bases are transforming how individuals and companies store and retrieve context. This article breaks down automated capture strategies and compares grep-based versus embedding-based inference for maximum impact.

A new PwC study shows AI-exposed entry-level jobs now require skills like strategic decision-making once reserved for veterans. The infrastructure to support graduates hasn't kept pace, creating a critical skills gap.

OpenAI has hired former Uber India President Prabhjeet Singh as its managing director for India. He will lead consumer growth, enterprise adoption, and partnerships starting September.