Clouds

Microsoft is announcing Maia 300, the third generation of its in-house AI chip, intended to serve as the primary AI inference system across its products and services. The company says the chip improves the cost and efficiency of running AI workloads in the cloud while delivering greater capability. The announcement underscores Microsoft's push to reduce reliance on outside chip suppliers for its AI infrastructure.

Ukraine has carried out strikes on Yandex data centres in Russia, according to a Financial Times report. The attack targets infrastructure supporting the Russian tech giant's search, cloud and AI services, and has drawn wide attention online, with commenters debating the military significance of hitting civilian digital infrastructure and what it signals about the widening scope of the war.

A third Yandex Cloud data center has been hit, according to an incident notice published on Yandex Cloud's official status page. The company is providing updates on service disruption through the incident tracker, and discussions online are focusing on the reliability and continuity of Yandex's cloud services after repeated damage to its infrastructure.

The Dutch tax administration has cancelled its planned migration to Microsoft 365 cloud services and will instead pursue open source alternatives. The move makes it one of the most prominent public bodies to walk back a major Microsoft cloud commitment, and it is drawing attention as a possible signal for other governments weighing dependence on US software vendors.

Microsoft is pushing forward with the Maia 300, a custom AI accelerator designed to run artificial intelligence workloads on its own silicon rather than relying solely on external suppliers like Nvidia. The chip is tied to Microsoft's Azure cloud infrastructure, and discussion is framed around whether in-house hardware can reduce Microsoft's dependence on Nvidia for AI computing.

Meta and Apple, long-standing rivals in tech, are working together to run Meta's open-weight AI models on Apple Mac computers. The collaboration would let Mac users run large language models locally rather than in the cloud. The pairing of two companies known for their competition and public feuds is drawing attention across the tech industry.

ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, is close to agreeing a chip supply deal with Taiwan's MediaTek to power its data centres, according to Bloomberg News. The arrangement would help the company secure processors for its expanding AI and cloud infrastructure despite US export restrictions on advanced chips to China.

CNN Business reports that small semiconductor chips could help data centers reduce wasted power. As AI workloads drive surging electricity demand, improving energy efficiency in data centers has become a major focus for chipmakers and cloud providers. The piece highlights how specialized hardware may cut power consumption in an industry facing growing scrutiny over its environmental footprint and energy costs.

ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, is reportedly in talks with Taiwan's MediaTek to develop custom AI chips for its data centers. The move would help the company secure AI computing power for its large language model and recommendation workloads amid tightening US export controls on advanced Nvidia chips. A partnership with MediaTek would echo similar custom-silicon efforts by other major cloud and AI players, and highlights how Chinese tech firms are seeking alternatives to restricted US hardware.

Speculation is circulating through UN diplomatic corridors about the race to succeed António Guterres as Secretary-General. The contest, already shaped by opaque great-power bargaining, is being clouded by rumors over which candidates the Security Council's permanent members will back. Observers worry the whispered campaigns and vetoes-by-anecdote could overshadow the formal selection process and the candidates' platforms.

Amazon Web Services and Anthropic are racing to scale up teams of specialized engineers, a move seen as critical to proving that massive corporate AI investments will deliver returns. The competition highlights how cloud and AI firms are betting that deployment expertise — not just models — will determine whether enterprise AI spending pays off.

A SpaceX rocket launch before dawn left a glowing, jellyfish-shaped cloud in the sky, with video of the spectacle circulated by ABC News. The phenomenon occurs when exhaust from rockets launching at twilight catches sunlight high in the atmosphere, creating an expanding luminous plume visible from far away. Sightings like this typically draw widespread attention and photos from observers across the region.

US technology companies are warning European policymakers that reducing reliance on American tech firms could cost Europe's economy as much as €115 billion. The claim comes amid ongoing European debates about digital sovereignty and moves to build alternatives to US cloud, software and AI services. Critics are questioning the figure and the motives behind the warning, while supporters see it as evidence of how deeply US technology is embedded in European business.

Nvidia shares are moving higher even as Microsoft launches its Maia 300 AI chip, a move seen as an attempt to reduce reliance on Nvidia's GPUs. Investors appear unshaken, with coverage noting Nvidia's stock is up despite the new in-house Microsoft hardware. Discussion centers on whether custom chips from big cloud customers threaten Nvidia's dominance in AI computing.

A claim circulating online says US technology companies have warned Europe that a move away from American tech could cost the EU economy €115 billion. The figure is framed as a warning against European efforts at digital sovereignty and reducing dependence on US cloud, software and platform providers. Reactions online are sceptical, with many reading it as lobbying pressure amid ongoing EU-US tensions over tech regulation and digital infrastructure.

ByteDance has reportedly enlisted MediaTek to design custom data center chips, according to a news report. The move would give the TikTok parent a dedicated silicon partner for its AI and cloud infrastructure as demand for specialized processors grows.

The Dutch tax administration has cancelled its planned migration to Microsoft 365 and will instead move toward open-source alternatives, according to a ZDNet report being widely shared. The decision is being framed by privacy and free-software advocates as a win for digital sovereignty, cybersecurity and data protection, and may influence other European public bodies weighing dependence on US cloud vendors.

ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, has commissioned MediaTek to design custom chips for its data centers, according to a report. The move would help ByteDance secure its AI and cloud computing infrastructure amid US restrictions on advanced chip exports to China. The news lifted interest in MediaTek, a Taiwanese chip designer, as companies increasingly turn to custom silicon.

The Dutch tax authorities have cancelled their Microsoft 365 cloud migration and are instead turning to open source software. The move, reported by ZDNET, marks a significant reversal for a major government body and is being discussed as a notable win for open source advocates and a possible signal for other European public institutions reassessing dependence on US tech vendors.