An investor consortium including BlackRock, Microsoft, Nvidia, and others is acquiring Aligned Data Centers, a leading U.S. data center operator, for $40 billion. This purchase from Australian Macquarie Asset Management marks the first deal by the AI Infrastructure Partnership, which also includes MGX and Elon Musk’s xAI. The acquisition aims to secure vital computing capacity to support artificial intelligence growth, with Aligned offering over 5 gigawatts of operational and planned capacity across the U.S. and Latin America. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink highlighted the investment's role in powering AI’s future. This deal is part of a broader surge in AI infrastructure investments, with major tech firms projected to spend $400 billion this year. Aligned, founded in 2013, has benefited significantly from the AI spending boom and recently raised $12 billion in capital. Key investors also include the Kuwait Investment Authority and Singapore’s Temasek. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2026, with Aligned maintaining its Dallas headquarters under CEO Andrew Schaap.

Walmart will equip its pallets with millions of battery-free ambient Internet of Things (IoT) sensors that harvest energy from environmental sources like radio waves and motion. Currently implemented in 500 stores, this technology will expand nationwide in 2026, covering over 4,600 Walmart locations and distribution centers. This initiative aims to optimize Walmart's vast supply chain by offering real-time, high-resolution data to improve inventory visibility, supply chain efficiency, and cold chain compliance. Walmart's senior VP of transformation highlighted that this enhanced tracking will help deliver consistent value and quality to customers. Financially, Walmart reported strong fiscal growth with $116.9 billion in revenue and a 5.1% increase in diluted earnings per share.