Japan
SoftBank is said to weigh buying top U.S. security firm allied
SoftBank is said to weigh buying top U.S. security firm allied SoftBank head Masayoshi Son is exploring the use of AI-powered robots across various industries. SoftBank Group is considering an acquisition of Allied Universal, the largest security services company in the U.S., people familiar with the matter said, as founder Masayoshi Son explores ways to deploy AI-powered robots across industries. The potential transaction may give closely held Allied an equity value of as much as $18 billion, said some of the people, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private. The security company, whose backers include private equity firm Warburg Pincus and Canadian pension fund La Caisse, also has about $12 billion of publicly traded debt, across loans and bonds, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That could bring a total deal value close to $30 billion.
Your eyes dilate depending on your thoughts
Brain activity and verbalization can both affect our pupils. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. The subtle changes may help assess linguistic development in children who otherwise are too young too communicate to researchers. Your eyes really can betray your thoughts, but don't get too self-conscious about it. Researchers in Japan believe that the subtle signs our eyeballs make are more useful to neuroscientists than the interrogation room.
CoreWeave's slump spotlights growing burden of debt behind AI boom
CoreWeave's slump fueled a global rout in AI stocks, underscoring investor doubts about whether future revenue from the technology can keep pace with the spending. Shares of Nvidia-backed CoreWeave steadied on Thursday after a sharp slump, as investors worried about the debt financing behind the artificial intelligence build-out. The loss-making cloud company has about $50 billion in debt and has become a focus of concerns that the data-center boom is being fueled by credit, straining newer players and pressuring cash flows even at giants such as Alphabet and Meta Platforms. CoreWeave's slump fueled a global rout in AI stocks, underscoring investor doubts about whether future revenue from the technology can keep pace with the spending. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
Robots dance the 'Macarena' at Japan tech expo
Humanoid robots were seen performing the "Macarena" and skateboarding as tech innovators from around the world are showcasing their latest breakthroughs at the annual CEATEC technology exhibition in Chiba, Japan. Israeli'ad' firm helped infect spyware into Al Jazeera devices Why are migrants risking their lives at sea to reach Yemen?
U.S. chip project significant for Japan-U.S. AI edge: Akazawa
Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday. Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa on Thursday praised the U.S. semiconductor plant project selected for the third round of Japanese funding in the United States under the two countries' tariff agreement. The project "holds great significance for Japan and the United States to work together to secure a competitive advantage in the age of artificial intelligence," Akazawa said during a news conference. In the agreement concluded last year, Japan pledged to provide the United States with $550 billion in investment and loans in exchange for U.S. tariff cuts for imports from the Asian country. Under the project, led by U.S. semiconductor contract manufacturer GlobalFoundries, two new plants are set to be built in the state of New York with funding of up to $21 billion.
What is Starshield, SpaceX's military version of Starlink?
A Ukrainian serviceman prepares a Starlink satellite internet systems near the front line in Donetsk region, Ukraine, in 2024. WASHINGTON - Ukraine said on Wednesday that Elon Musk's SpaceX had restricted "military-grade" Starlink services, hampering Ukrainian drone strike missions and air defenses. The complaint has drawn renewed attention to the distinction between Starlink, SpaceX's commercial satellite internet service, and Starshield, a military version developed for the Pentagon. While Musk has said the two systems are separate, in many cases they share the same underlying satellite technology. "Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government," Musk said on Wednesday in a post on social media platform X, adding that any limits on speed or usage are decided by the U.S. military or the U.S. president.
Banking watchdogs scrutinize AI use amid stability fears, sources say
Banking watchdogs are ramping up their scrutiny of artificial intelligence as fears mount over its effect on stability, sources say. NEW YORK/LONDON - Banking regulators are stepping up efforts to contain growing artificial intelligence risks, six people familiar with the matter have said, with some pointing to the potential for cyberattacks on banks or rogue agents undermining global financial stability. The regulatory scrutiny reflects growing recognition that advances in frontier AI may require costly investments in cyberrecovery, greater attention to dependencies on external technology providers and in some jurisdictions more formal regulatory guidance, sources said. Three top regulators in the United States, including the Federal Reserve, are quizzing banks about their use of advanced artificial intelligence models, two of the people said, which adds to prior scrutiny. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
SoftBank junk bond sale raises stakes for CEO Son's all-in AI bet
SoftBank junk bond sale raises stakes for CEO Son's all-in AI bet SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son's bets have a mixed track record -- his investment in Chinese tech giant Alibaba was a major success, but he also directed $16 billion to Adam Neumann's WeWork, which ultimately went bankrupt. SoftBank's promise to pay its highest-ever yields in a record $11 billion junk-bond offering highlights the pressure on CEO Masayoshi Son to secure returns on his all-in bet on artificial intelligence amid concerns about possible overheating in the market. The SoftBank debt issuance last month added to a sharp surge in corporate borrowing this year, including major bond sales from Amazon, Alphabet and Tencent. The scale of Son's investments, which include backing totaling $64.6 billion for ChatGPT maker OpenAI, in particular, has made the technology-and-investing conglomerate a bellwether for AI sentiment. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
FBI arrests Saudi OpenAI engineer over covert recording device, DOJ says
OpenAI discovered a recording device plugged into a USB port on the back of a television in an executive conference room at one of its San Francisco buildings last month. U.S. federal agents have arrested a Saudi national who was an OpenAI engineer and charged him with installing a hidden audio recording device in an executive conference room at the AI company, the Justice Department said on Tuesday. The case highlights growing security concerns around sensitive AI research as companies and governments compete fiercely for the talent and technology that could confer economic and strategic advantages. Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, had worked as an engineer at OpenAI since July 2025, the Justice Department said in a statement. An email sent to an address associated with that name did not elicit a response, and it was not immediately clear who his lawyer was.
In 1960, scientists predicted the world would end on November 13, 2026
But they were both great at getting attention. Public Domain Indeed, academics at the time reportedly sent flustered letters to the editor at calling the prediction "ridiculous" and "manifestly absurd." "There was never, even at that time, any reason to think that it would keep growing fast like that."