AI News

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24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

In another wild turn for AI chips, Meta signs deal for millions of Amazon AI CPUs

Meta has acquired a significant portion of Amazon's custom CPUs for AI workloads, marking the start of a new chip race. This move highlights the increasing competition among major companies to develop AI technologies, with Meta aiming to leverage these CPUs to enhance its systems' performance. This strategic shift focuses on using CPUs instead of traditional GPUs, indicating a change in how AI systems are designed. Previously, GPUs were the preferred choice, but now, CPUs are gaining importance in AI applications.

Models

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

DeepSeek has launched a beta version of its new model, DeepSeek V4, aimed at competing with closed models from major American companies like OpenAI and Google.

DeepSeek has launched a beta version of its new model, DeepSeek V4, aimed at competing with closed models from major American companies like OpenAI and Google. This new model supports a context of up to one million tokens, enhancing its capability to handle large datasets. The design focuses on cost reduction, making it an attractive option for developers looking to minimize expenses. The availability of two main versions, Pro and Flash, further expands its accessibility to users.

Infrastructure

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Why China’s optical communications sector is the latest AI boom beneficiary

Shares of Zhongji Innolight, the world's largest optical module producer, surged tenfold over the past year, reflecting the increasing demand for high-speed communication technologies in data centers. These optical modules enhance connection speeds, contributing to data efficiency amid the rising reliance on AI and modern technologies. New market entrants are part of a significant industrial shift, competing with major companies in the sector.

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Google invests millions into enterprise agentic AI

What impact do you think Google's investment will have on the Arab market?

Agents

China plans to invest billions on a robot army to run its power grid

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Agents

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

China plans to invest billions on a robot army to run its power grid

China's State Grid Corporation has announced an ambitious plan to deploy thousands of intelligent robots in vital infrastructure. The company will allocate 6.8 billion yuan (approximately 1 billion USD) for the development of these robots, which will perform various tasks including inspecting remote substations and maintaining high-voltage power lines. This initiative is part of China's efforts to enhance the use of artificial intelligence across sectors, with robots expected to improve efficiency and reduce human risks.

Models

China’s DeepSeek previews new AI model a year after jolting US rivals

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Models

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

China’s DeepSeek previews new AI model a year after jolting US rivals

DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, unveiled its next-generation AI model V4 on Friday, claiming it can compete with leading US systems from Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI. This model is touted as a significant advancement, particularly in coding capabilities, which are crucial for AI agents and tools like ChatGPT Codex. The V4 model represents a major improvement over previous iterations, emphasizing enhanced programming performance. Additionally, it marks a milestone for China's chip industry, as DeepSeek highlighted its compatibility with domestic Huawei technology.

Business

BT collaborates with Nscale on developing UK sovereign AI

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Business

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

BT collaborates with Nscale on developing UK sovereign AI

BT Group has partnered with AI start-up Nscale to establish up to 14 megawatts of sovereign AI data center capacity in the UK, utilizing Nvidia's infrastructure. Nscale will develop AI capabilities across three existing BT sites, ensuring secure, UK-controlled services. This initiative addresses data residency, security, and compliance needs, allowing organizations to run AI workloads locally. BT links this effort to its launch of the UK's first full sovereign services portfolio, which includes connectivity, voice, cloud, and AI.

Business

Egypt's Sinai.ai raises $1.45 million pre-seed to build interactive AI-native books

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Business

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Egypt's Sinai.ai raises $1.45 million pre-seed to build interactive AI-native books

Sinai.ai, an Egypt-based startup, has secured $1.45 million in a pre-seed funding round led by KAUST Innovation Ventures and DisrupTech Ventures. The round also saw participation from Maza Ventures, YOUXEL Ventures, and angel investors, highlighting strong market interest in educational technology. Founded in 2024 by Ahmed Kamel and his team, Sinai.ai aims to transform traditional books into interactive experiences through its patented aiBook™ format. This format allows for personalized learning and real-time interaction, setting it apart from generic AI tools.

Business

VAST Data closes Series F round at $30B valuation

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Business

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

VAST Data closes Series F round at $30B valuation

VAST Data, a US-based AI infrastructure company, has raised around $1 billion in a Series F funding round, achieving a valuation of $30 billion. The round was led by Drive Capital, with Access Industries co-leading, alongside investors like NVIDIA, Fidelity, and NEA. Founded in 2016 by Renen Hallak, VAST Data is developing an AI Operating System that integrates data, compute, and real-time processing. The new funding will accelerate its global expansion and strategic acquisitions, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Business

iSchool moves beyond edtech with Rubikal acquisition

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Business

24 Apr 20267 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

iSchool moves beyond edtech with Rubikal acquisition

iSchool, an Egypt-based edtech company, has acquired software engineering firm Rubikal to enhance AI-driven education systems. Founded in 2018, iSchool offers gamified coding classes, while Rubikal, established in 2016, specializes in scalable web applications. This acquisition integrates Rubikal's 21 engineers into iSchool, boosting its technical capabilities.