computer labs

Anthropic has reached a $12 billion agreement with Akamai for AI computing capacity, according to Bloomberg. The deal gives the AI company a major new infrastructure partner, extending its access to the computing power needed to train and run its models. It marks a notable shift toward diversified cloud partnerships among leading AI developers.

Computer science professor and author Cal Newport argues it is time to formally investigate the leading AI labs, in an essay gaining wide attention. He contends the companies racing to build advanced artificial intelligence operate with little outside scrutiny, and that independent investigation into their practices and claims is overdue as the technology's influence grows.

A Hacker News discussion thread asks who still runs DOS machines that their business genuinely depends on. The prompt invites stories of legacy computing: factories, labs, or offices keeping decades-old MS-DOS or PC DOS systems alive because critical software or hardware was never ported to modern platforms. Commenters typically share examples of industrial controllers, embedded equipment, and the challenges of maintaining obsolete hardware, with debate over why such systems persist and how risky they are.

Broadcom has reportedly agreed to lend Anthropic up to $42 billion, with the AI startup using the funds to lease Broadcom chips. The deal, flagged in a market report on the chipmaker's Nasdaq-listed stock, would deepen Broadcom's position in the AI compute supply chain and give Anthropic access to custom silicon at scale. Investors are watching the arrangement closely as chipmakers increasingly finance their biggest AI customers.

Broadcom has reportedly agreed to lend Anthropic up to $42 billion so the AI company can lease chips, deepening the financial ties between chipmakers and AI developers. The reported arrangement underscores how AI labs are securing massive computing capacity through vendor financing as demand for accelerators outstrips supply. The deal adds to a series of large-scale financing pacts across the AI and semiconductor industries this year.