SoftBank leads US-Japan alliance investing US$33.3B in Trump gas power plant

SoftBank Group (SBG) is spearheading an investment alliance to develop a US-based natural gas-fired power plant project valued at US$33.3 billion, aiming to support infrastructure demands driven by artificial intelligence (AI). This initiative is one of three projects launched under the US-Japan trade agreement signed with President Donald Trump in 2025.

Continue reading

Nvidia challenges Intel, AMD with AI laptop chips

Nvidia is returning to the consumer PC market with AI-focused laptop processors designed to power next-generation Windows systems. According to The Wall Street Journal, Nvidia’s system-on-chip (SoC) processors are expected to debut this year in laptops from Dell and Lenovo. Analysts do not expect a near-term earnings impact, but the move secures Nvidia a role in the emerging AI PC upgrade cycle.

Continue reading

Meta goes after Apple with AI-first smartwatch revival

Meta is reviving its smartwatch ambitions as part of a broader push to define the next era of AI-powered consumer hardware, setting up a fresh competitive battle with rivals including Apple and Google. According to The Information, Meta plans to release its first smartwatch, code-named “Malibu 2,” in 2026. The device will feature health-tracking capabilities and a built-in Meta AI assistant. This revival comes after the company abandoned an earlier smartwatch project in 2022 amid cost-cutting at its Reality Labs hardware division.

Continue reading

US deploys Tech Corps to counter China’s AI expansion in developing markets

The Trump administration plans to overhaul the 60-year-old Peace Corps to support US artificial intelligence (AI) exports and counter China’s expanding AI presence in developing markets. The initiative, branded the “Tech Corps,” would send thousands of US science and engineering graduates overseas to promote American AI hardware, models, and software in markets where Chinese systems are gaining ground, as noted by The Business Times and Bloomberg.

Continue reading