From CNBC Technology · 40 stories
Congressional Black Caucus Discusses AI Regulation Amid Safety Concerns
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) focused on artificial intelligence opportunities and regulation during its annual conference, with members expressing strong support for AI guardrails. This discussion occurred as AI models exhibit "concerning model behavior" and "jailbreaks," prompting calls for legislation to protect communities while fostering innovation.
Elon Musk Navigates AI Safety Debates Amidst Conflicting Industry and Political Views
Elon Musk engaged in discussions on AI safety, advocating for industry self-regulation through mutual model testing, while also reportedly advising against an industry-funded regulator. This comes as other tech leaders and political figures express differing opinions on the pace and oversight of AI development.
Palantir CEO Alex Karp Suggests Nationalization of AI Labs Due to "Unlimited Risks"
Palantir CEO Alex Karp stated that leading AI labs might need nationalization due to the "unlimited risks" and potential liabilities associated with advanced AI technology. This suggestion comes amidst ongoing debates among tech leaders and policymakers regarding AI regulation and safety concerns.
Chinese AI firm Moonshot connects Kimi model to Wall Street data providers for financial services
Moonshot, a Chinese AI startup, launched Kimi for financial services, integrating its AI models with leading financial data providers like S&P Global Market Intelligence and Crunchbase. This development allows financial institutions to use Kimi for analysis and reports, indicating a move towards commercial applications of AI in finance.
Pentagon CTO Opposes Government Stakes in AI Companies and Increased AI Regulation
The Pentagon's Chief Technology Officer, Emil Michael, stated that the U.S. government should not acquire stakes in artificial intelligence companies or increase regulatory oversight of the AI industry. Michael argued against nationalization and pre-regulation, suggesting existing laws and company responsibility are sufficient, despite concerns about rapid AI advancement and security incidents.
SEC Establishes Regulatory Path for Tokenized US Stocks with Innovation Exemption
The SEC has issued an Innovation Exemption, creating a regulatory pathway for trading venues to issue tokenized representations of publicly traded U.S. stocks. This move aims to enable responsible innovation in the market and could inform future rulemaking for onchain financial markets.
Reddit Co-founder Alexis Ohanian States Tech Industry Has Been "Tone Deaf" in Explaining AI Risks
Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian stated that the tech industry has failed to adequately explain AI risks to the public, leading to misinformation. He emphasized focusing on substantive risks like agent swarms rather than exaggerated "Terminator" scenarios to foster informed public discourse.
Salesforce forecasts over $63 billion revenue for fiscal 2030, exceeding analyst estimates
Salesforce announced a revenue target exceeding $63 billion for fiscal year 2030, surpassing LSEG analyst estimates of $59.2 billion. This forecast follows a period of concern regarding AI's impact on its business, which the company addressed with better-than-expected recent earnings and new AI integrations.
Qualcomm issues Amazon warrants for $4 billion in stock as part of AI infrastructure deal
Qualcomm issued Amazon warrants to acquire 25 million shares for $4 billion, tied to a data center infrastructure partnership with Amazon Web Services. This collaboration focuses on developing customized silicon for AWS's AI infrastructure, particularly for inference workloads, as Qualcomm expands its presence in the AI chip market.
Sen. Blumenthal Calls for Objective Review of New AI Products Before Release
Senator Richard Blumenthal advocates for an "objective review" of new AI products prior to their release, citing concerns about losing control over rapidly advancing AI models. He emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to regulation that addresses safety risks without stifling global competitiveness.
AI Stocks Decline After Tech CEOs Call for Development Slowdown
Global AI-related stocks fell following calls from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and others for a slowdown in AI development. Investors are concerned an industry-wide slowdown could curb adoption and impact companies across the sector.
Washington Faces Renewed Calls for AI Regulation Amid Industry Warnings
Lawmakers in Washington are under increased pressure to regulate artificial intelligence after AI industry leaders and researchers issued warnings about the technology's rapid advancement and potential risks. This push for action comes as Congress prepares for a recess before midterm elections, highlighting a critical juncture for legislative intervention.
Dell Raises Fiscal 2027 Forecast on Strong AI Server Sales, Shares Up 9%
Dell Technologies reported fiscal second-quarter earnings and revenue that exceeded analyst expectations, driven by significant growth in its Infrastructure Solutions Group, particularly AI-optimized servers. The company subsequently raised its full-year and fiscal 2027 financial forecasts, indicating continued strong demand for its data center hardware. This performance highlights the increasing market demand for AI infrastructure, benefiting hardware providers like Dell.
Nasdaq Invests $100M in Kraken Parent Payward for Tokenized Stock Trading Platform
Nasdaq's venture capital arm invested $100 million in Kraken parent Payward to develop and launch tokenized equities by Q2 2027. This partnership aims to build market infrastructure and surveillance technology for digital representations of securities on a blockchain network, expanding Kraken into a multi-asset trading platform.
Robinhood CEO Defends Stock Tokenization Amidst AMC Criticism
Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev stated that public companies cannot control the tokenization of their shares once they are publicly traded, responding to AMC's criticism of Robinhood's tokenized AMC shares. Tenev argued that tokenized securities, backed by underlying shares and issued by a separate entity, should not require issuer consent, highlighting a conflict over control and shareholder rights in the evolving digital asset space.
Silver Lake Merges Cegid and Silae in €10 Billion Deal to Boost AI Software Investment
Private equity firm Silver Lake is merging its software companies Cegid and Silae in a deal valued over 10 billion euros to create a combined entity focused on AI-powered business management and HR software. This merger aims to scale research and development investments in response to the emerging AI landscape, bringing together payroll, accounting, and digital finance data.
Covenant, a defense startup, opens U.S. missile factory and announces $250M funding
Defense tech startup Covenant has opened a 105,000-square-foot factory in Dallas for missile manufacturing and announced $250 million in funding across three rounds. This development introduces a new player in the defense ecosystem, aiming to provide lower-cost, long-range cruise missiles for the U.S. military.
Hedge fund Bracket22 operates entirely with AI agents, reducing payroll costs significantly
Hedge fund manager Brian Kelly established Bracket22 to operate solely with AI agents, replacing a human staff of seven or eight employees. This shift reduced the firm's annual labor-related costs from approximately $5 million to $30,000-$40,000, demonstrating a significant application of AI in financial operations.
Adobe Appoints Anil Chakravarthy as New CEO, Replacing Shantanu Narayen
Adobe has named Anil Chakravarthy as its new President and CEO, effective December 1, succeeding Shantanu Narayen, who will transition to executive chair. This leadership change occurs as Adobe's stock has experienced declines due to investor concerns about AI's potential impact on software companies.
Zscaler Stock Rises on Q4 Earnings Beat and Upbeat Guidance
Zscaler's stock increased after the company reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue that exceeded analyst estimates. The company's performance was driven by demand for cybersecurity tools, particularly its Zero Trust architecture, amid rising AI-related security risks.
Google launches Gemini 3.8 Flash and new cybersecurity model, wins antitrust case
Google released Gemini 3.8 Flash, its third Flash model in six weeks, focusing on coding and agentic tasks, alongside a new cybersecurity model for government and enterprise clients. Concurrently, a federal judge rejected the Justice Department's attempt to force Google to sell its ad exchange. These developments follow a period of stock decline and aim to bolster Google's position in the AI market and address antitrust concerns.
Equinix Partners with Nvidia and Together AI for New AI Inference Exchange Service
Equinix announced a partnership with Nvidia and Together AI to launch Equinix Inference Exchange, a service allowing customers to run AI models on Together AI's open-source cloud platform within Equinix data centers. This initiative positions Equinix to capitalize on the growing demand for AI infrastructure by providing colocation services for AI workloads, leveraging its global network of 281 facilities.
Thyme Care Raises $125 Million in Series E Funding, Valuing Company Over $2 Billion
Thyme Care, a cancer care navigation platform, secured $125 million in Series E funding, increasing its valuation to over $2 billion. This funding will support the creation of a new parent company, Thyme Companies, to develop additional businesses addressing gaps in cancer care delivery and affordability.
Palantir CEO Alex Karp Backs Ex-Ukrainian Defense Minister's New Defense Tech Startup
Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov is launching a defense technology company with Palantir CEO Alex Karp as its first lead investor. The venture aims to commercialize Ukraine's wartime technology experience for Kyiv and its allies, focusing on applying lessons from the conflict to new defense products.
Palo Alto CEO States $1 Trillion in Cybersecurity Infrastructure Unprepared for AI Threats
Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora stated that approximately $1 trillion of existing cybersecurity infrastructure is not equipped to handle AI-driven threats, necessitating a complete overhaul. This shift is creating new business opportunities for cybersecurity firms as companies modernize their defenses against automated attacks.
Pennsylvania Governor Criticizes Data Center Developers, Citing Community Impact
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stated that many data center developers, particularly those in the AI sector, disregard local communities, leading to growing opposition. He implemented an executive order requiring data centers to meet stringent development criteria and secure local support before state permitting, removing them from a fast-track approval process.
Anthropic modifies data retention policy for enterprise customers after feedback
Anthropic introduced Enterprise Frontier Safeguards, allowing business customers to control data review, storage, and management, replacing a controversial 30-day data retention policy for its advanced AI models. This change addresses enterprise customer concerns regarding data privacy and security, which is crucial for Anthropic's enterprise-focused revenue model and upcoming IPO.
Clarity Act Crypto Bill Faces Uncertain Future in Senate Ahead of September Vote
The proposed Clarity Act, a bill designed to establish a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency, faces an uncertain future in the U.S. Senate, with a key procedural vote scheduled for September 15. Many industry participants express pessimism about its passage this year due to unresolved issues and the upcoming midterm elections, despite significant lobbying efforts.
Softbank's SB Energy Files for IPO, Cites 'Substantial Dependence' on OpenAI
SB Energy, an AI power infrastructure company backed by Softbank, OpenAI, and Nvidia, has filed for an IPO, revealing its business is "substantially dependent" on OpenAI as a tenant and investor. The company has not yet generated revenue from its data center business and incurred $3.2 billion in net losses in the first half of 2026 due to data center investments.
Livestream Shopping Gains Traction in US with TikTok and Whatnot, Reaching $20 Billion Valuation
Livestream shopping, a retail trend popular in China, is growing in the U.S. due to platforms like TikTok and Whatnot, which recently achieved a $20 billion valuation. This shift allows retailers to engage consumers in real-time sales events, moving beyond traditional scheduled broadcasts.
OneRail Launches OmniStar AI Platform with Nvidia for Retail Last-Mile Delivery Optimization
OneRail introduced OmniStar, an AI platform developed with Nvidia, to help retailers optimize last-mile delivery decisions. The platform uses AI to evaluate delivery options for individual orders, aiming to improve efficiency and margins for retailers competing with larger companies.
House Intelligence Committee Warns of 'Black Swan' AI Risks for Terrorist Attacks
The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence issued a report urging U.S. spy agencies to prepare for "Black Swan" AI risks, specifically warning that AI could enable terrorists or adversaries to develop more dangerous weapons and plan deadlier attacks. The report emphasizes that frontier large language models could simplify the creation of destructive attacks by rogue actors, necessitating accelerated adoption of AI capabilities by the U.S. intelligence community.
Coupang dispute escalates U.S.-South Korea tariff pressure
A dispute between the South Korean government and U.S.-based e-commerce company Coupang is straining U.S.-South Korea relations, potentially leading to new U.S. tariffs on South Korea. The conflict stems from a South Korean government response to a Coupang data breach, which a U.S. congressional report alleges is a targeted campaign against the company.
BYD shares decline as first-half earnings are affected by intense China competition
BYD's shares fell nearly 5% after reporting a 20.5% decrease in first-half net profit to 12.3 billion yuan and a 7.1% drop in revenue to 344.8 billion yuan. The company attributed the decline to fierce competition, rising costs, and sluggish domestic demand in China's auto industry, despite strong export growth.
Salesforce CEO Dismisses "SaaSpocalypse" Fears, Citing AI Integration and Strong Earnings
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff stated that fears of a "SaaSpocalypse" due to AI are unfounded, following a strong earnings report and better-than-expected guidance. Benioff argues that AI strengthens rather than cannibalizes SaaS businesses, as evidenced by increased spending from leading AI companies on Salesforce platforms and a new partnership with Anthropic.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer Release Causes Streaming Issues, Signals High Demand
The first official preview of Grand Theft Auto 6 caused streaming platforms like Netflix and Twitch to experience bandwidth issues due to high demand. Analysts project the game could achieve $4.5 billion in sales by its November 19 launch, indicating significant market interest.
DeepSeek Seeks External Funding as Founder's Quant Fund Navigates IPO Volatility
DeepSeek, a Chinese AI lab, is seeking outside investment for its growth, moving beyond its initial financing from founder Liang Wenfeng's High-Flyer Quant hedge fund. This shift occurs as High-Flyer faces revenue instability and increased volatility in the Chinese IPO market, despite securing pre-IPO placements in key tech firms like CXMT and Unitree Robotics.
HP signs multi-year global agreement to license Huawei WiFi patents
HP has entered a multi-year global agreement to license WiFi patents from Huawei, despite Huawei being blacklisted by the U.S. This agreement follows a patent dispute and allows HP access to a pool of 2,000 wireless network connectivity patents.
BlackBerry Identifies Robotics as a Fast-Growing Business within QNX Software Division
BlackBerry's CEO stated that robotics is one of the fastest-growing segments within its QNX software division, positioning the company for growth in physical AI applications. This expansion leverages QNX's safety-critical software, currently used in 275 million vehicles, into industrial, medical, and warehouse robotics.
Goldman Sachs Partner Warns AI Could Degrade Bankers' Reasoning Skills
A Goldman Sachs partner leading an AI project, Chris Churchman, warned that relying too heavily on AI could diminish the critical thinking abilities of future financiers. He stated that outsourcing reasoning to AI models risks "cognitive atrophy" among bankers, similar to how modern inventions have affected navigation and memorization skills. This concern highlights a potential long-term impact on talent development within the financial industry as AI automates more routine tasks.