Singapore curates 2,000 AI job, training opportunities-Xinhua

• Market expert Jeff Cook reports that the gov tech investment market remained steady in Q2 2026, performing above average despite falling short of previous record highs. • Rubicon has invested in CaseWorthy, a company providing a connective platform that unifies data intake, service coordination, and funder reporting for organizations.

• The Retail Technology Innovation Hub has highlighted 20 retail tech ventures that recently secured significant investments across sectors like AI shopping, live commerce, and warehouse robotics. • Among these, EAIGLE, a specialist in AI-powered gate and yard automation, secured an undisclosed funding round led by Noro-Moseley Partners with support from In Revenue Capital and Boreal Ventures.

• South Korea's Financial Services Commission has officially launched an ₩880 billion (approximately $630.9 million) Ultra-Long-Term Technology Investment Fund. • The fund is specifically designed to provide capital for up to 16 years to companies developing foundational and advanced technologies that require extended timelines for commercialization.

• Tech funding in South Korea nearly tripled year-on-year during the first half of 2026, according to data released on Wednesday. • The recovery is characterized as uneven, as a small number of "mega-rounds" specifically targeting artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors drove the majority of the growth.

• OpenAI has slowed the training of its latest models, including a two-week pause in reinforcement learning (RL) for models intended for deployment. • The company officially attributes this pacing to cybersecurity risks, opting to run smaller, contained evaluation rounds before proceeding with its largest planned frontier RL run.

• New startup funding statistics for 2026 compare venture funding, deal counts, and mega-round concentrations against 2025 data. • Israel has emerged as one of the world's most capital-dense markets, securing an estimated $16.7 billion across 801 funding rounds.

• OpenAI is expanding its ChatGPT advertising footprint to 31 European countries starting next week. • The rollout includes major markets such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Austria.

• OpenAI is launching an advertising program for ChatGPT users in the Netherlands starting next week. • This rollout expands to 31 European markets, including major economies such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Austria.

• AIA Group reported a 10% increase in its new business value for the first half of the year, with positive growth across all reportable segments except Thailand. • The insurer maintains a broad operational footprint across 18 Asian markets, including mainland China, Singapore, and South Korea, as well as Australia and New Zealand.

• Palo Alto Networks has officially launched a new AI-driven defense program designed to enhance cybersecurity capabilities. • The initiative focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence to proactively detect and neutralize sophisticated cyber threats.

• Asian AI and semiconductor stocks experienced a sharp decline as rising yields sparked renewed concerns over company valuations. • Major South Korean indices were hit hard, with the KOSPI plunging 5.2%, while Samsung Electronics fell 7.5% and SK Hynix Inc dropped 10%.