Honda has started producing batteries at its Ohio factory, originally built for electric vehicles (EVs) that were cancelled three months ago. Instead of powering cars, these batteries are now being used for energy storage systems in data centres. This pivot highlights Honda’s strategic shift in response to changing demands in the energy and technology sectors.
Together AI successfully closed an $800 million Series C funding round led by Aramco Ventures, boosting the company's valuation to over $8 billion. Key investors in this round included Vista Equity Partners, General Catalyst, Emergence Capital, Nvidia, March Capital, Pegatron, and SentinelOne’s S Ventures. The company now reports generating over $1 billion in revenue, underscoring its significant growth in the open-source cloud sector.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced a $1 billion investment to establish a Forward Deployed Engineering division, embedding its engineers directly within customer companies. This approach mirrors strategies pioneered by Palantir and later adopted by OpenAI and Anthropic, aiming to deepen collaboration and innovation between AWS and its clients. The initiative highlights AWS’s commitment to closer integration and tailored solutions by placing technical experts on-site with customers.
Rob Hanna highlights a critical oversight in many enterprise AI projects: the tendency to handle language as if it were structured data, ignoring the vital systems that ensure the reliability of knowledge. As the co-founder and CEO of Precision Content, he notes that technical publication teams already have many of the essential skills to build these systems, which are crucial for sustainable AI implementation.
Schneider Electric has announced the acquisition of Cognite, a leading industrial AI company based in Norway, in a $3.1 billion all-cash transaction. The French multinational aims to leverage Cognite's advanced software to enhance the intelligence and automation capabilities of factories and power grids, pushing forward its vision for smarter industrial operations. The deal was finalized on June 30, 2026, marking a significant step in Schneider Electric’s strategy to integrate cutting-edge AI technology into its offerings.
Anthropic has unveiled Claude Sonnet 5, a new mid-tier agent model that delivers performance close to its flagship Opus 4.8 but at less than half the cost. Announced on June 30, 2026, Sonnet 5 is now accessible across all plans. Designed with a focus on actionable intelligence, this model excels at performing tasks, not just providing answers.
Washington lobbying firms have quietly ended their relationships with Alibaba and Tencent in response to a new Pentagon rule that came into effect this Tuesday. Bloomberg reports that since the Defense Department broadened its list of Chinese military-linked companies, Alibaba has lost five lobbying partners and Tencent four, leaving only two firms continuing to represent them. This shift highlights the increasing regulatory and geopolitical challenges these tech giants face in the U.S.
Germany is advancing its capabilities in air warfare by commissioning the Munich-based AI company, Helsing, to develop a central software system. This high-tech program, backed by a €580 million contract, aims to integrate fighters, drones, satellites, and sensors into a cohesive network. The initiative represents a significant effort to modernize Europe’s defense technology, as revealed in documents obtained by Politico.
Amazon is on the lookout for more cost-effective AI solutions following Anthropic's shift to a token-based pricing model for its Claude AI services. This change, expected to take effect next year, could significantly raise AI-related expenses for Amazon. In response, the tech giant is already considering alternatives, including OpenAI, to manage its AI expenditure more efficiently. This move highlights the evolving dynamics in the AI service market and the importance of pricing strategies for large-scale users.
Google has restricted Meta’s access to its Gemini AI models because it cannot supply the level of computing power Meta requested, according to the Financial Times. This limitation impacts several of Google’s clients, with Meta experiencing significant effects. These restrictions are also influencing Meta’s internal AI projects, causing delays and adjustments as the company navigates reduced computational resources.
