Anthropic Turns to Custom Chips to Reduce AI Infrastructure Dependence

Anthropic’s reported discussions with artificial intelligence chip startup MatX highlight a strategic problem that is becoming increasingly important for leading artificial intelligence companies: access to computing power is no longer simply a purchasing issue. It is becoming a question of how much control an AI developer wants over the hardware on which its models are…

Shein Rebuilt Its China Ties to Secure a Hong Kong Listing

Shein’s long-awaited stock market debut is the result of a significant strategic adjustment. After spending years presenting itself as a global company and pursuing listings in New York and London, the fast-fashion retailer is preparing to enter public markets through Hong Kong, after obtaining approval from Chinese regulators. The shift reflects more than a change…

Meta Settlement Pushes Social Media Toward Global Child Safety Rules

Meta’s settlement with almost all United States states over alleged harm to teenagers is becoming more than a costly legal resolution. It is emerging as a reference point for governments trying to determine how far social media companies should be required to go in protecting children from platform features that can encourage excessive use. Meta…

AI Upgrade Demand Revives Best Buy’s Electronics Sales

Best Buy’s decision to raise its annual sales and profit forecasts is providing an early indication that artificial intelligence is beginning to influence consumer electronics spending beyond the technology companies building AI itself. The US electronics retailer now expects annual revenue of $42.3 billion to $42.8 billion, compared with its previous range of $41.2 billion…

American Brands Lose China Ground as Local Competition Accelerates

China was once treated by American consumer companies as an almost indispensable engine of global growth. Its huge population, expanding middle class and rapidly developing cities created an opportunity that few multinational brands could ignore. But the assumptions behind that opportunity have changed. For companies such as Nike, Starbucks and General Motors, the problem is…

Coca-Cola Automates Custom Drinks to Capture the Next Beverage Boom

Coca-Cola is moving beyond the traditional soda fountain as changing consumer tastes push restaurants toward customized, visually distinctive and higher-value beverages. Inside its innovation facilities, the company is developing equipment that can automate products such as dirty sodas, refreshers and customized energy drinks, allowing restaurant workers to offer drinks that appear handcrafted without requiring the…

Iran-Oman Hormuz Talks Stall Over Control and US Conditions: Iranian Sources

Iran and Oman are still negotiating the details of a proposed arrangement for the Strait of Hormuz, exposing the gap between political declarations of progress and the practical conditions required to restore normal shipping. A senior Iranian source has said that no final agreement has been reached, despite the Revolutionary Guards previously claiming that Tehran…

Meta $17.1 billion Settlement Forces a New Model for Child Safety Online

Meta’s agreement to pay up to $17.1 billion and impose sweeping new protections for young users marks a significant turning point in the legal battle over children’s safety on social media. The settlement, announced after a federal trial had already begun, does more than put a financial value on years of allegations against Facebook and…

India Targets Firebase as Cybercriminals Exploit Cloud Infrastructure

India’s latest action against fraudulent websites hosted on Google’s Firebase platform reflects a significant change in the country’s fight against digital financial crime. Instead of pursuing only the websites, phone numbers and bank accounts used by individual scammers, authorities are increasingly targeting the digital infrastructure that allows fraudulent operations to function. The Indian Cyber Crime…