Smartphone prices are about to jump. A new report claims Xiaomi, Samsung, and Apple are all planning price hikes of around 10% for their 2026 flagship phones, starting with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. The culprit is the skyrocketing cost of memory chips, fueled by an AI-driven industry “supercycle.”
Sapporo Holdings is offloading its real estate division to private equity giants KKR and PAG in a deal worth over 400 billion yen. The move comes after a lengthy campaign by activist investors pushing the brewer to shed non-core assets. The new owners aim to boost profits by attracting new tenants.
Marissa Mayer is back with a new AI venture called Dazzle. After shutting down her previous startup, Sunshine, she’s raised an $8 million seed round at a $35 million valuation to build what she hopes is a world-changing personal assistant.
In a massive bet on AI’s energy needs, Alphabet is buying data center energy specialist Intersect Power for $4.75 billion. The deal is expected to close in the first half of next year, with Intersect operating independently afterward.
Financial regulators are finding that the rush to deploy generative AI is outpacing basic governance. Firms are struggling with transparency, version control, and third-party risks, creating potential compliance and security headaches.
According to a senior energy analyst, the core challenge of the shift to renewables is profound uncertainty about future demand and technology adoption. The solution isn’t better single-point forecasts, but a move to scenario modeling that explores multiple possible futures.
In a stark policy reversal, Russia’s central bank is preparing to let retail investors buy cryptocurrencies domestically. The plan includes strict annual caps and mandatory tests, marking a dramatic shift driven by sanctions.
Google is planning AI-powered smart glasses for 2026, a project tied directly to Demis Hassabis’s vision. This isn’t just a product launch; it’s a test of his “world models” theory against the chatbot-dominated AI landscape. Success could define Google’s next era.
Eight years after its acquisition, Whole Foods and Amazon still aren’t aligned on Microsoft software, an internal review found. Deloitte recommended a 24-month integration to fix security and productivity gaps.
Instacart has abruptly ended a program that allowed retailers to run AI-driven price tests on its platform. The move comes after a Consumer Reports investigation found price swings of up to 23% for identical items. The company says all customers at the same store will now see the same prices.
