TL;DR

Taiwan tightens AI chip exports to China; Nvidia, Amazon expand AI infrastructure; xAI tests Grok 3.5.

Highlights

• Taiwan blacklists Huawei and SMIC , tightening export controls on AI chip technology to China 1.
• xAI internally tests Grok 3.5 with new voice capability; Musk claims it will be the “smartest AI” 2.
• Nvidia maintains ~92% desktop GPU and 80%+ global AI chip market share; European demand accelerates 3.
• Amazon to invest AU$20B (US$13B) in Australian data centers and solar farms to meet AI/cloud growth 5.
• US-China trade truce leaves rare-earth and advanced AI chip export restrictions unresolved 6.
• Chinese researchers confirm AI models can form human-level cognition, raising alignment and regulatory concerns 4.
• BT CEO signals further job cuts as AI automation drives workforce reductions beyond 55,000 already planned 7.
• Baykar and Leonardo form LBA Systems JV, debuting advanced AI-enabled drones at Paris Air Show 9.
• Vietnam passes Digital Technology Law to legalize crypto from 2026, setting clear regulatory framework 10.
• Bybit launches USDT-settled CFDs on 78 US stocks, gold , and forex directly in-app 12.
• WestJet investigates cybersecurity incident affecting app and systems; flight operations unaffected 13.
• South Korea’s president to attend G7, with AI and energy policy on the agenda in talks with US and Japan 15.

Commentary

Geopolitical friction continues to impact AI supply chains, with Taiwan’s new export controls on Huawei and SMIC further restricting China’s access to advanced semiconductor technology 1. This aligns with broader efforts to limit China’s progress in AI hardware, but the unresolved US-China dispute over rare-earth exports leaves critical vulnerabilities for both Western and Chinese chipmakers 6. AI professionals should closely monitor these developments, as further restrictions or supply disruptions could affect hardware procurement and deployment timelines.

On the technology and enterprise front, Nvidia ’s entrenched market dominance is reinforced by robust European demand and continued leadership in both desktop GPU and AI chip segments 3. Amazon ’s AU$20B commitment to Australian data center and renewable infrastructure signals sustained growth in AI/cloud workloads and the need for scalable, energy-efficient compute 5. Meanwhile, xAI’s internal testing of Grok 3.5 with voice and advanced reasoning features highlights the ongoing push for differentiated LLM capabilities, as competition intensifies among model developers 2.

Research advances are also notable: Chinese scientists’ confirmation of human-level cognition in AI models will likely accelerate both investment and regulatory scrutiny, especially around alignment and safety 4. BT’s acknowledgment of further workforce reductions tied to AI automation exemplifies the operational impact of these technologies and the need for organizations to adapt workforce strategies accordingly 7.

In defense and infrastructure, the Baykar-Leonardo JV’s debut of AI-enabled drones at the Paris Air Show underscores the growing integration of AI in military and aerospace applications 9. New regulatory moves, such as Vietnam’s legalization of crypto, and product expansions like Bybit’s USDT-settled stock CFDs, reflect the broader trend of digital and AI-driven financial innovation 1012. Finally, cybersecurity remains a core concern, as seen in WestJet’s ongoing incident response 13.