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The data centre uninterruptible power supply (UPS) market is set to grow from an estimated USD 8.76 billion in 2025 to USD 12.47 billion by 2030, reflecting a 7.3% compound annual growth rate. This expansion is driven by the rising demands of artificial intelligence workloads, increased cloud data traffic and the global spread of hyperscale data centres.

The UK is laying the foundations for tech leadership—literally. A £10 billion data campus in south Wales, a £10 billion hyperscale AI facility in Blyth, and billions more across Hertfordshire and Essex mark a decisive national strategy: become the global epicentre for responsible AI and digital infrastructure.

The AI infrastructure boom is hurtling forward with missionary zeal—vast data centres, eye-watering capital commitments, and grand visions of transformation. But if the energy transition taught us anything, it's that enthusiasm doesn’t guarantee success. Returns in renewables over the last decade were often underwhelming.

A powerful new alliance between Microsoft, NVIDIA and Anthropic is redrawing the map of the global AI landscape, combining compute power, enterprise scale and model innovation into a single, strategically integrated framework. The centrepiece? Anthropic’s $30bn Azure compute commitment, with Claude models embedded across Microsoft’s platforms, from enterprise suites to productivity tools.

The AI honeymoon is over. As we head into 2026, businesses are under growing pressure to prove that artificial intelligence—particularly generative AI—can deliver hard, measurable returns. According to SAS, CFOs are demanding real value within 6–12 months: cost savings, revenue growth, or productivity boosts. Projects that can’t deliver will be cut.

The explosive rise of artificial intelligence is fuelling a global infrastructure rush, with hyperscalers pouring billions into new data centres. Yet, amid the surge, a critical constraint is emerging: fibre-optic networks. These invisible arteries are vital for transporting the massive volumes of data AI systems generate and consume, but the existing fibre backbone—much of it laid decades ago—is rapidly becoming obsolete.

Japan’s venture capital scene is evolving—and Theta Times Ventures is at the forefront. Officially launching investment activities on 13 November 2025 with a targeted fund size of 10 billion yen, the new VC firm aims to back 40–50 startups with investments ranging from several tens of millions to 500 million yen. But unlike many of its peers, Theta Times isn’t fixated solely on flashy SaaS plays or Silicon Valley-style tech; it’s targeting Japan’s vast, often-overlooked real economy.

Parallel Web Systems, the new venture from former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, has secured $100 million in Series A funding—reaching a valuation of $740 million—as it reimagines how artificial intelligence systems access and interpret real-time web data.

Northern Ireland is undergoing a striking transformation—from post-industrial economy to a thriving global hub for advanced technology, research and innovation. Spearheaded by Invest Northern Ireland, the region is positioning itself as an attractive destination for high-value investment across AI, cybersecurity, fintech and digital health.

In a sharp escalation of US-China technology tensions, former US President Donald Trump has pledged that Nvidia’s most advanced AI chip, the Blackwell, will be reserved exclusively for American use. Speaking on CBS’ 60 Minutes and during remarks aboard Air Force One, Trump confirmed the chip would not be sold to China or other foreign countries, signalling tougher export controls than previously indicated.

Cerebras Systems has unveiled “Cerebras for Nations,” a global initiative aimed at helping governments design and scale sovereign AI capabilities. The California-based company, known for its record-breaking AI chips, is offering countries a full-stack solution—from advanced AI supercomputers to bespoke model development and workforce investment.

Late-night chats with AI have often been predictable—fluent, yes, but frequently shallow. Now, a subtle shift is redefining the dynamic. In a recent exchange using CrewAI, an AI framework built on ReAct principles (Reason + Act), the model paused, sought out context and refined its answer with surprising clarity. This marked a fundamental change: instead of guessing, the AI reasoned.

The rise of automation, robotics and artificial intelligence is reshaping economic growth, labour markets and income distribution. As these technologies advance, their impact on the future of work is becoming increasingly clear—and increasingly complex.

IREN Limited has cemented its position as a key force in AI infrastructure with a landmark $9.7 billion, five-year deal with Microsoft—marking a major strategic expansion into AI cloud services and data centre capabilities. The agreement will see IREN provide access to NVIDIA’s GB300 AI GPUs, significantly enhancing its capacity to support high-density AI workloads.

Figma has acquired AI start-up Weavy in a $200 million deal, rebranding the platform as Figma Weave in a move aimed at accelerating its integration of artificial intelligence into UI/UX design tools.

Salute has launched a dedicated Direct-to-Chip (DTC) liquid cooling operations service tailored for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) data centres, addressing the complex thermal demands of next-generation infrastructure.

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is redrawing the technology landscape, with OpenAI and Amazon taking markedly different paths in pursuit of AI dominance. Both strategies reflect the scale and complexity of the sector, where capital, infrastructure and operational realignment now define competitive advantage.