Anthropic expands restricted AI security model access to 150 more organizations

• Chinese AI lab DeepSeek is reported to be preparing a 6 billion euro external funding round as it tries to stay competitive in the global model race. • The fundraising would be one of the largest recent AI capital raises, reflecting continued investor appetite for frontier-model developers even as costs and compute needs surge.

• President Biden issued an executive order aimed at promoting innovation and enhancing security within the field of advanced artificial intelligence. • The Director of OMB, alongside the National Cyber Director and CISA, must determine within 30 days if existing Federal grant programs can fund advanced AI vulnerability detection.

• The European Union's €20 billion ($23.3 billion) investment plan to establish five massive AI data centers is currently floundering due to funding issues and significant delays. • In Germany, major entities including Deutsche Telekom and the Schwarz Group (owner of Lidl) have expressed interest in leading consortium bids to develop one of the planned gigafactories.

• The Responsible AI Conference 2026 will take place as a one-day, practitioner-led event in London, UK, on 23 June 2026. • The event focuses on operational and compliance challenges rather than technical breakthroughs, featuring speakers from high-scrutiny organizations including HSBC, JPMorgan, BBC, and Channel 4.

• The European Commission has announced a strategic plan to strengthen Europe's tech sovereignty and establish the region as a global leader in artificial intelligence. • The initiative focuses on increasing digital self-reliance by enhancing capacities in semiconductors, AI, cloud computing, and open-source technologies.

• The European AI ecosystem is currently experiencing a period of extreme hype, characterized by stratospheric valuations and massive funding rounds as of 2026. • Experts warn that "nice-to-have" startups are particularly vulnerable to a potential collapse due to the escalating costs of implementing and maintaining AI technology.

• A surge of Chinese robotics firms are preparing for initial public offerings (IPOs) to fund the next phase of artificial intelligence development. • In Hong Kong alone, at least 46 robotics-related companies are currently in the IPO pipeline, representing over 10% of all applicants.

• Leo Li of Ant Digital Technologies asserts that Southeast Asian banks' adoption of AI depends on trust established through tangible outcomes rather than marketing slogans. • Regional regulators are actively addressing AI risks, with Bank Negara Malaysia publishing a discussion paper in 2025 to gather feedback on financial sector AI regulations.

• Southeast Asian banks are eager to adopt AI, but Leo Li of Ant Digital Technologies emphasizes that adoption depends on trust built through tangible outcomes rather than marketing slogans. • To establish this trust, regulators are taking proactive steps, such as Bank Negara Malaysia publishing a 2025 discussion paper to gather feedback on AI's regulatory and developmental approach.

• Asia has a critical three-year window to establish global AI leadership by prioritizing digital sovereignty and rethinking digital borders. • To remain competitive, the region must integrate trust and security directly into the architecture of AI systems.

• European stocks and U.S. futures declined on Wednesday following a rise in oil prices for the third consecutive session. • The market volatility was triggered by renewed hostilities in the Gulf after peace talks between the U.S. and Iran stalled.