Nvidia has committed $20 billion in cash to license Groq’s technology and hire its top executives, while publicly avoiding the term acquisition. Key leaders including Groq’s CEO Jonathan Ross will move to Nvidia, and Groq will continue operating as an independent company under CFO Simon Edwards. Analysts say the non-exclusive license structure mirrors other Big Tech AI talent deals, helping Nvidia move quickly while limiting antitrust scrutiny.

According to Google's latest quarterly filing, the company now tracks "European Commission fines" as a recurring expense, totaling $10.5 billion by September 30. In 2024, EU actions brought €3.8 billion in penalties on U.S. tech firms, while Apple, Meta, and X were hit with nine‑figure fines under the DSA and DMA.

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to raise support for advanced semiconductors and artificial intelligence to about ¥1.23 trillion for the fiscal year starting April 2026, nearly quadrupling current levels. The overall METI budget will increase by almost 50% after cabinet approval, with funds directed to projects such as Rapidus, domestic AI models, decarbonization and next-generation nuclear power, alongside a separate stimulus package worth about ¥21.3 trillion.

Tsinghua University in northwest Beijing has emerged as a core hub for China’s AI strategy, with government backing, homegrown chips, and startups like DeepSeek founded by its alumni. Between 2005 and the end of 2024, the university filed 4,986 AI and machine learning patents, while students developed models that reportedly rivaled larger systems from US labs. China has expanded AI education from elementary school onward and dramatically increased its share of the world’s top AI researchers, even as US institutions still lead in the most influential patents and top-performing models.

On Thursday, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said Grok, X's AI chatbot, makes the platform more truth-seeking by challenging users' assumptions. He argued it is a net improvement despite concerns about fine-tuning and recent hallucinations, while Elon Musk blamed adversarial prompting for errors.

By late 2025, investors began to separate AI companies that generate strong cash flows from those pouring capital into infrastructure with uncertain returns. Asset-heavy spending by Big Tech on data centers and GPUs contrasts with suppliers like Nvidia and Broadcom that collect the revenue. Market strategists warn that high valuations, debt-funded AI build-outs, and unproven startups could tighten profit margins and force sharper differentiation among AI players.

AI-enhanced phishing now produces tailored messages, look‑alike sites, and synthetic voice or video lures that are harder to detect. This overview outlines five tactics attackers use and offers practical safeguards such as verification, URL inspection, and basic security tools. With awareness and routine checks, users can reduce exposure to these evolving threats.

AI-focused crypto tokens have fallen about 75% year over year, erasing roughly $53 billion, according to CryptoPresales.com. Losses intensified into December, which alone accounted for nearly $10 billion, and the combined market value stood around $16.8 billion at the time of writing.