OpenAI limits release of new model after US government request
Dubai, UAE --Â ChatGPT developer OpenAI is restricting access to its latest artificial intelligence (AI) model at the request of...
Business
Middle East conflict slows global growth outlook, World Bank says
Most economies saw forecasts downgraded as rising energy costs, inflation and borrowing expenses create fresh challenges for growth and development...
Geostrategy
Economy
Iran declares major lender bankrupt
Iran declared one of the country's largest private banks bankrupt with its assets absorbed by the state, official media reported...
- Founded in 2012, Ayandeh Bank had a network of 270 branches across the country, including 150 in the capital Tehran alone
- But it had more recently been crippled by debt, with accumulated losses amounting to the equivalent of about $5.2 billion
Science
Gartner lists 2026’s defining tech: Faster AI, safer clouds, and smarter security
AI supercomputing platforms integrate CPUs, GPUs, AI ASICs, neuromorphic and alternative computing paradigms, enabling organizations to orchestrate complex workloads while...
- AI supercomputing platforms integrate CPUs, GPUs, AI ASICs, neuromorphic and alternative computing paradigms, enabling organizations to orchestrate complex workloads
- By 2028, Gartner predicts that over 40% of leading enterprises will have adopted hybrid computing paradigm architectures into critical business workflows, up from the current 8%
Economy
China vows massive high-tech sector development in next decade
Beijing, China -- China will develop its high-tech sector on a massive scale in the next decade, top officials vowed...
- The country has poured support and investment into developing its science and technology sectors, part of ongoing efforts to present itself as a world leader in those areas.
- Domestically, China has been beset by sluggish spending, a protracted property sector crisis and a demographic crunch as its population starts to decline.
Science
Anthropic announces massive AI chip deal with Google
San Francisco, United States - Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic said Thursday it was expanding its use of Google cloud computing...
- The arrangement will include Anthropic buying as many as one million Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), which are integrated circuits custom-designed by Google
- The expansion promises to let Anthropic bring more than a gigawatt of new computing power online by the end of 2026, enabling it to meet "exponentially growing demand."
Geostrategy
Oil prices surge as Trump hits Russian crude with sanctions
The international benchmark contract, Brent North Sea crude, jumped 4.8 percent while West Texas Intermediate was up 5.1 percent. Trump on Wednesday announced...
- The move was joined by another round of punishments by the European Union as part of attempts to pressure Moscow to end its three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine.
- According to industry analysts the two companies account for just over half of Russia's oil output, and both also produce natural gas.
Science
Celebrities, AI giants urge end to quest for superintelligence capable of outsmarting humans
Signatories include the "Godfather of AI" and 2024 winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics Geoffrey Hinton; Computer Sciences Professor...
- Most major AI developers are striving for artificial general intelligence (AGI), a stage where AI would match all human intellectual capabilities, and even superintelligence
- Speaking at an event organised by the media group Axel Springer in September, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that superintelligence could be achieved within the next five years
Geostrategy
Norway’s wealth fund to enlist AI for managing climate risks
Oslo, Norway -- Norway's sovereign wealth fund said Wednesday that it would incorporate artificial intelligence tools into its investment analysis...
- The fund's head of active ownership, Wilhelm Mohn, said AI along with its own analysis tools would allow it to "streamline processes and enhance decision-making".
- The fund urges the more than 8,600 companies it invests in worldwide to commit to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Business
OpenAI unveils search browser in challenge to Google
San Francisco, United States - ChatGPT-maker OpenAI on Tuesday announced an "Atlas" search browser, leveraging its artificial intelligence prowess in...
- "This is an AI-powered web browser built around ChatGPT," OpenAI chief Sam Altman said in a streamed presentation
- OpenAI has ramped up its challenge to Google, which has responded by rapidly building more AI capabilities into search and across its platform
Economy
Gold falls again as rally comes to halt, Asian markets drop
Gold and silver tumbled for a second day Wednesday, bringing a rally in the precious metals to a juddering halt,...
- Bullion has seen an eye watering run-up since the turn of the year, helping it climb more than 60 percent and hitting multiple records
- The rally has been built on a range of issues including a weaker dollar, expectations of interest rate cuts, falling bond yields and central bank buying
Business
Iraq bans Roblox game platform citing ‘moral values’
Iraq has banned US gaming platform Roblox over what it described as sexual content, blasphemy and risks of online blackmail...
- The popular site, which lets players build their own games, has repeatedly been accused of failing to protect its youngest players in recent years
- Iraq's communications ministry said late Sunday that it wanted to "protect social order, preserve moral values" and "ensure the safety of internet users in Iraq."
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Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
OpenAI limits release of new model after US government request
Dubai, UAE --Â ChatGPT developer OpenAI is restricting access to its latest artificial intelligence (AI) model at the request of...
Business
Company News
Meta, YouTube face trial over children harm
Geostrategy
Latest News
Dubai moves from importing innovation to exporting it, says Future Solutions Head
Dubai’s innovation ecosystem is entering a new phase, argues Amer Abdulraoof, Head of Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity,...
Interview
Wealthy Asians consider shifting assets from Dubai amid Iran war fears: report
Some wealthy Asian investors are considering moving assets out of Dubai following Iranian missile and drone attacks on the city,...
Economy
Meta, YouTube face trial over children harm
Opening statements in the first trial began in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where Instagram parent company Meta and Google’s...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Economy
Gulf sovereign wealth funds face a strategic test amid escalating conflict
The escalating conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States is emerging as a major test for the Gulf’s sovereign...
- The United Arab Emirates is expected to maintain a fiscal surplus over the next two years
- Saudi Arabia has already been running significant deficits tied to its economic transformation agenda
Economy
GCC agriculture sectors post strong performance
Muscat, Oman -- Gulf Cooperation Council countries recorded strong performance in agriculture, livestock and fisheries during 2024, reflecting the growing...
- Agricultural and fisheries exports rose to $7.8 billion, up 7.5 percent, while imports reached $38.7 billion, an increase of 10.1 percent.
- Vegetables accounted for 45.8 percent of total crop production, the largest share among plant products.
MENA’s next tech breakthrough depends on infrastructure, not hype
Jamil Shinawi, CEO and Co-founder of AHOY and co-founder of Actual VC, speaks to TRENDS about risk, capital efficiency, and...
- In MENA, scalable startups must prioritise execution, defensibility and real traction over hype, Jamil Shinawi told TRENDS
- The real opportunity lies in AI-driven systems that turn data into instant, cross-sector impact, he adds