Articles[tech] (Page 94)

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Oracle's stake in TikTok US joint venture is worth roughly $2 billion, filing shows

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 03:12)

Oracle's stake in the newly formed TikTok U.S. joint venture is valued at approximately $2 billion. The venture is 80.1% owned by U.S. and global investors, with ByteDance retaining a 19.9% stake; Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX each hold 15% as managing investors.

This deal resolves years of U.S. national security concerns and potential bans, culminating after a 2024 law required ByteDance to divest. Separately, Oracle reported strong quarterly revenue and forecasts continued growth through 2027, driven by demand for AI data centers.

The main topics covered are the TikTok U.S. joint venture ownership structure, the resolution of its U.S. regulatory challenges, and Oracle's separate financial performance and outlook.

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Anthropic in talks with private equity firms on AI joint venture, The Information reports

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 03:22)

Anthropic is in discussions with private equity firms like Blackstone to form a joint venture aimed at selling its AI technology to portfolio companies, using a consulting model similar to Palantir.

These talks have been temporarily affected by an ongoing dispute with the U.S. government, which has labeled Anthropic a supply chain risk and banned the Defense Department from using its AI tools.

However, the Pentagon has also indicated that the use of Anthropic's tools could continue past a phase-out period if deemed critical to national security, and joint venture negotiations remain ongoing.

Main topics: Anthropic's potential AI joint venture with private equity firms; the U.S. government dispute and military ban; the Pentagon's conditional extension for critical use.

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Code-gen startup Cursor in talks for $50 billion valuation: Bloomberg

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 03:26)

Cursor, a code-generation startup, is reportedly in discussions for a new funding round that could value the company at approximately $50 billion.

This potential valuation represents a significant increase from its $29.3 billion valuation in November, which followed a $2.3 billion funding round.

The company has not commented on the report.

The main topics covered are a potential new funding round for Cursor, its reported valuation surge, and the lack of an official comment from the company.

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How the Anthropic-Pentagon dispute over AI safeguards escalated

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 03:54)

The U.S. Department of Defense designated AI company Anthropic as a "supply-chain risk" after the firm refused to remove safety guardrails that would prevent its technology from being used in autonomous weapons and domestic surveillance. This decision, which Anthropic views as retaliatory, jeopardizes the company's government contracts and could cost it billions in revenue.

Legal experts suggest the Pentagon's case may be weak due to legal mismatches, internal contradictions, and evidence the decision was driven by animus rather than genuine security concerns. In response, Anthropic is challenging the designation in court.

The main topics covered are the government-contractor conflict over AI safety guardrails, the economic and legal repercussions for Anthropic, and the broader implications for AI ethics and military procurement.

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Chinese brain interface startup Gestala raises $21M just two months after launch

(TechCrunch / 2026-03-12 04:00)

Chinese startup Gestala, led by Phoenix Peng, has raised $21.6 million in a heavily oversubscribed early-stage funding round, marking the largest such investment in China's BCI industry. The company is developing a non-invasive, ultrasound-based brain-computer interface and plans to use the funds for R&D, team expansion, and building a manufacturing facility.

The main topics covered are the competitive BCI landscape, Gestala's funding and valuation, and the technical and commercial potential of ultrasound BCI technology.

Gestala aims to address the risks of surgical implants by using ultrasound to monitor and stimulate broader brain areas. The startup is initially targeting chronic pain management and exploring applications for various mental health and neurological conditions.

Despite geopolitical tensions, CEO Peng advocates for U.S.-China collaboration in deep-tech, citing complementary strengths in clinical research and scientific talent. The company believes its speed and ability to leverage China's manufacturing scale provide a competitive advantage.

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Sarvam partners EkStep, AI4Bharat to deploy multilingual voice AI agents across India

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 04:34)

A consortium including Sarvam AI launched the "Listen at Scale" initiative to deploy multilingual voice AI agents for public outreach in India. The project aims to replace one-way communication with two-way conversations in local languages, making digital services accessible to non-text users.

During a 31-day pilot, the program engaged approximately 50 lakh unique users across healthcare, agriculture, and governance. The AI agents automated tasks like beneficiary verification and feedback collection, demonstrating significant impact in specific public schemes.

For example, it increased senior citizen health scheme enrollments by 42% and profiled over 4 lakh disabled persons for assistive aid. The initiative also provided data-driven insights for policy, such as identifying gaps in farmer support and detecting potential inefficiencies in welfare delivery.

Main Topics: AI deployment for public service, multilingual voice technology, digital inclusion, public sector applications, and program impact/results.

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Anthropic launches 'Anthropic Institute', expands public policy team

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 04:48)

AI startup Anthropic has launched the Anthropic Institute to research the societal challenges posed by advanced AI. The institute will analyze economic, social, security, and governance implications, focusing on issues like job displacement and cybersecurity risks.

It aims to publicly share its findings and partner with external entities to mitigate risks. The initiative includes key hires to lead research areas and an expansion of Anthropic's public policy team, including a new office in Washington, D.C.

The main topics covered are the establishment and mission of the Anthropic Institute, its research focus areas, and organizational changes including new hires and policy team expansion.

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Anthropic seeks court stay of Pentagon supply-chain risk designation

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 05:35)

Anthropic has requested a U.S. appeals court to pause the Pentagon's designation of the company as a supply-chain security risk, arguing the decision would cause it "irreparable harm."

The company is seeking this stay while it pursues a judicial review of the case. Concurrently, Anthropic has filed a separate lawsuit in a California federal court to block its placement on a national security blacklist.

The main topics covered are a legal challenge by Anthropic against a Pentagon security designation and the company's efforts to avoid being placed on a national security blacklist.

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India prepares smartphone export incentives in a boost for Apple

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 05:42)

India is drafting a new phase of smartphone manufacturing incentives that will explicitly tie government subsidies to exports and the use of more locally made components. This shift aims to embed India more deeply into global supply chains and move beyond assembly to higher-value manufacturing.

The policy is designed to benefit major exporters like Apple and Samsung, and also to encourage Chinese brands manufacturing in India to use the country as an export base. However, challenges remain, including a thin supplier base and high logistics costs compared to established hubs like China.

The main topics covered are India's new smartphone manufacturing incentive policy, its focus on exports and localization, the role of major tech companies like Apple, and the ongoing challenges in building a comprehensive supply chain.

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Razorpay taps Anthropic's Claude to build AI agents for payments

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 06:00)

Razorpay is building AI-powered payment agents using Anthropic's Claude to automate tasks like recovering abandoned purchases, retrying failed subscriptions, and forecasting cash flows. This is part of a broader industry shift toward "agentic commerce," where AI handles financial tasks and enables transactions through chat interfaces.

The company introduced an AI-native platform to simplify business onboarding and payment operations, and it allows businesses to create custom AI agents using simple commands. Razorpay is also testing AI-led in-app commerce with major platforms like Zomato and Swiggy to allow discovery and payment within a single conversation.

The main topics covered are Razorpay's AI agent development, the industry-wide adoption of AI in payments, and the specific functionalities and tests of the new technology.

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Replit’s valuation soars to $9 billion after $400 million funding round, just six months after hitting $3 billion

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 06:02)

Replit, a coding and AI platform, has raised $400 million in a funding round led by Georgian Partners, achieving a $9 billion valuation. The investment will accelerate product development, enterprise features, and a strategic expansion into AI systems focused on human creativity.

The company, now used by 85% of Fortune 500 companies, has seen explosive growth, with annual recurring revenue surging from $2.8 million to $150 million in under a year. Replit is targeting $1 billion in annual recurring revenue by the end of 2026 and is focusing on global expansion in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, with India as its second-largest market by user count.

Main topics: Replit's funding and valuation; planned use of capital and expansion into AI; rapid business growth and metrics; global expansion strategy.

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Induction cooktops sold out on Amazon, quick commerce apps amid LPG cylinder shortage

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 07:07)

A shortage of commercial LPG cylinders has triggered panic buying of induction cooktops by retail consumers, leading to sold-out status on major e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms. This surge in demand has caused extended delivery timelines and prompted platforms to offer significant discounts on the appliances earlier in the week.

The cylinder shortage, due to a government pause in commercial supply, has forced many restaurants and food chains to reduce operations or shut down entirely. Some business owners report cylinders being sold on the black market at highly inflated prices.

The main topics covered are the surge in demand for induction cooktops, the resulting product shortages and delivery delays, the commercial LPG cylinder supply crisis, and the severe impact on the food service industry.

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China’s financial institutions, regulators draw line on OpenClaw as AI frenzy spreads

(Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-12 07:20)

Chinese financial institutions and regulators are effectively blocking the use of the AI agent OpenClaw due to security concerns. Existing workplace IT policies, which restrict software installation and network access, already make its use technically impossible.

Employees at brokerages, banks, and government agencies confirm that only approved, in-house software is allowed on tightly controlled company devices and networks. These measures reflect a strict institutional focus on information security and risk management.

The main topics covered are the de facto restriction of OpenClaw in China's financial sector, the pre-existing IT security policies that enforce this, and the overarching emphasis on cybersecurity within these institutions.

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Infosys expands Mohali centre with Rs 290-crore investment, to add 3,000 seats

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 08:52)

Infosys has formally expanded its Mohali Development Centre with an investment of approximately Rs 290 crore. The new facility will feature a 350,000 sq ft software development block designed to accommodate around 3,000 employees.

The expansion aims to enhance Infosys's capabilities in delivering AI-led, cloud, and digital transformation services for global clients. It is also intended to advance the company's AI-first strategy and operational agility.

State officials, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, highlighted that the investment strengthens Punjab's position as a technology hub and will generate significant employment in the region.

Main topics: Infosys expansion in Mohali, financial investment and facility details, expected employment and capacity increase, focus on AI and digital services, regional economic impact.

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Amazon plans to invest $6.23 billion in Poland in 2026-2028

(Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-12 08:56)

Amazon has announced a significant new investment plan for Poland, totaling 23 billion zlotys (approximately $6.23 billion). This investment is scheduled for the three-year period from 2026 to 2028.

The company states this represents an acceleration of its investment pace, comparing the future three-year sum to the 45 billion zlotys invested over the previous 13-year period from 2012 to 2025. The announcement was made by a senior Amazon executive during a presentation in Warsaw.

The main topics covered are Amazon's corporate investment, the Polish economy, and a specific future financial commitment.

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