Amazon is reportedly negotiating a major investment of at least $50 billion in OpenAI, which is seeking $100 billion in new funding that could lift its valuation to $830 billion. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is leading talks with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, while OpenAI also explores capital from sovereign wealth funds and tech giants. The deal is expected to close by the end of the first quarter, highlighting Amazon’s deep ties to the AI sector through its AWS partnership with Anthropic and a new $11 billion data‑center campus in Indiana. Read more →

The European Commission has launched a €307 million funding call under Horizon Europe to support research and development in artificial intelligence, data services, robotics, quantum technologies, and photonics. The program emphasizes trustworthy AI, ethical standards, and strategic autonomy, positioning Europe’s approach as values‑driven in contrast to the commercial speed of the United States. While the funding signals a strong policy commitment, officials acknowledge challenges in scaling infrastructure, talent, and market adoption needed to turn normative leadership into technological leadership. Read more →

OpenAI has made the largest single investment in Merge Labs, the brain‑computer interface startup founded by Sam Altman and other tech leaders. The seed round, valued at $850 million, aims to develop non‑invasive technologies that connect to neurons using molecules and ultrasound. OpenAI’s involvement includes collaborating on scientific foundation models and AI tools to accelerate research. The move positions Merge Labs alongside other high‑profile BCI efforts such as Elon Musk’s Neuralink, while highlighting OpenAI’s strategy of investing in frontier technologies that could expand human interaction with artificial intelligence. Read more →

Depthfirst, an AI‑focused cybersecurity startup, announced a $40 million Series A round led by Accel Partners with participation from SV Angel, Mantis VC, and Alt Capital. Founded in October 2024, the company offers its General Security Intelligence platform, an AI‑native suite that scans codebases, protects against credential exposures, and monitors threats to open‑source and third‑party components. The new capital will fund expanded research, engineering, product development, and sales teams. Co‑founder and CEO Qasim Mithani emphasized the need for defenses that keep pace with AI‑driven attacks, while the leadership team brings experience from Databricks, Amazon, Square, and Google DeepMind. Read more →