AI

Core Summary European defense AI company Helsing has completed an $1.8 billion funding round, reaching an $18 billion valuation, according to CNBC. The company, often described as Europe’s answer to Anduril Industries, specializes in AI-powered defense solutions for NATO member states. This marks one of the largest funding rounds in European defense tech history, underscoring Europe’s accelerated push for defense modernization amid rising geopolitical tensions. Event Details Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, Helsing was established by former Palantir executives. The company’s core products include AI-based battlefield awareness systems, autonomous drone defense platforms, and military intelligence analysis tools. Its clients include defense ministries of multiple NATO members, including Germany, the UK, and France. ...

Global chip stocks faced significant selling pressure on Monday as investors adopted a more cautious stance amid the AI investment boom. Market focus is shifting from AI hype to actual profitability and valuation rationality. According to CNBC, semiconductor stocks declined broadly as investors reassess the true value of AI-related investments. After months of substantial gains driven by AI enthusiasm, the market is now scrutinizing actual earnings performance and valuation levels. ...

Core Summary Meta has suspended an internal program that tracked employees’ computer usage to collect AI training data, after only two months of operation. The decision came following strong concerns raised by employees and privacy advocates. Overview According to the BBC, Meta had begun tracking employees’ computer activity records as a source for generating AI training data. The practice quickly triggered internal backlash, with workers concerned about privacy invasion and lack of transparency about how data was being used. ...

[Brief] Intel Appoints New Foundry EVP, Invests in Diamond Wafer Technology Intel announced on June 22 the appointment of Seok-Hee Lee as Executive Vice President of Intel Foundry, reporting directly to CEO Lip-Bu Tan. Lee will lead advanced packaging, systems integration, and back-end technology development. Previously, Lee served as CEO of both SK On and SK Hynix. Separately, CEO Lip-Bu Tan revealed Intel has invested in a diamond wafer company, viewing synthetic diamond as a superior thermal conductivity material for chip cooling as advanced processes approach physical limits. ...

[Brief] Microsoft Announces 2GW Data Center Campus in Texas Microsoft announced on June 22 it will build a new data center campus in Pecos, Texas, adding approximately 2GW of global data center capacity. This is the company’s largest single expansion in history, with tens of billions of dollars invested over five to seven years. Peak construction is expected to support over 6,000 construction jobs and create hundreds of permanent operations positions. ...

UK Information Commissioner John Edwards resigns citing inappropriate humour. He has led the data watchdog since January 2022.

📅 Daily Briefing — 2026-06-13 (Saturday) Your daily digest of global headlines. 💰 Crypto Markets Coin Price (USD) 24h Change BTC $63,283 +1.78% ETH $1,662 +0.99% SOL $65.20 -2.10% BNB $562.40 +0.85% DOGE $0.098 -1.50% Market Overview: Global crypto market cap $2.25T (+1.7%), Fear & Greed Index 12 (Extreme Fear). Bitcoin rebounds above $63,000 on U.S.-Iran peace talk breakthroughs. BlackRock files for Bitcoin premium income ETF, Strategy Inc. adds 1,550 BTC. ...

[Brief] Google has made strategic adjustments to its AI subscription services, drawing industry attention. According to TechCrunch, this move is seen as an important signal in the AI subscription price war. Google’s adjustment to Google One AI Premium reflects its latest thinking on AI commercialization. The AI subscription market is highly competitive, with OpenAI’s ChatGPT Plus, Anthropic’s Claude Pro, and various tech companies vying for users. This pricing shift may signal a broader industry transition from experimental pricing to mature commercial models. ...

[Core Summary] The US Pentagon has issued a statement alleging that Chinese tech companies including Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, and Unitree Robotics provide support to the Chinese military. This declaration further intensifies the technology competition and geopolitical tensions between the US and China, and could have profound implications for these companies’ international business operations and investment profiles. Background According to TechCrunch, the Pentagon named four Chinese tech giants in a public statement, designating them as “military-associated enterprises.” The accusation spans multiple sectors – from e-commerce and search engines (Alibaba, Baidu) to electric vehicles (BYD) and robotics (Unitree) – signaling an expanding scope of US scrutiny over China’s technology industry. ...

Microsoft placed Windows back at the center of its strategy at Build 2026, announcing the MAI family of AI models covering reasoning, voice, and code generation capabilities. The company emphasized Windows as a trusted development platform, marking a strategic refocusing on the operating system amid the AI revolution.