Billion

• The AI security market is projected to reach nearly $4.8 billion by 2027, reflecting a rapid growth rate of 68.7%. • This surge is driven by increased enterprise investment in AI and the emergence of new vulnerabilities related to AI models and supply-chain attacks. • The rise of specialized tools for AI application security and usage control has led to a growing number of startups entering the sector.

Stanley Druckenmiller said he was ‘proud of using it’ as wider media grapples with parameters around AI useStanley Druckenmiller, a billionaire investor, said he used artificial intelligence to pen his viral Wall Street Journal op-ed in which he sharply criticized the interference of Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, in the US bond market.Many news outlets, including the Guardian, covered the editorial, highlighting Druckenmiller’s rebuke of his former mentee, Bessent. As the story circulated online, some readers questioned rhetorical choices that resembled AI-generated text. Continue reading...

• Southeast Asia's data center investment is projected to grow from $15.72 billion in 2025 to $35.08 billion by 2031, according to a report by Arizton. • The market is expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.32%, supported by 306 currently operational facilities across nine countries. • This growth is driven by increasing digital infrastructure needs, with an additional 173 data centers already in the development pipeline.

• Vietnam is experiencing a surge in large-scale data center investments driven by the accelerating demand for AI, cloud computing, and the broader data economy. • Current installed capacity of approximately 104MW is projected to grow five-to-six-fold, reaching nearly 600MW by 2030. • This boom positions Vietnam as one of the highest-potential markets in the region, attracting billions of dollars in foreign and domestic capital.

• Using the James Webb Space Telescope, an international team led by the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics discovered three actively feeding supermassive black holes in a single distant galaxy. • The light from this galaxy traveled over 12.5 billion years to reach Earth, providing a glimpse of the universe when it was only 1.2 billion years old. • This discovery is significant because it reveals that multiple supermassive black holes could coexist and feed within a single galaxy during the very early stages of cosmic history.

• Senator Elizabeth Warren has criticized Donald Trump and the GOP, accusing them of prioritizing billionaire interests, such as those of Mark Zuckerberg, over public health. • Warren claims that Republican policies threaten the healthcare access of approximately 15 million Americans. • The dispute coincides with a new proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding payment changes for home health agencies (HHAs).

UN secretary general has said UN faces ‘imminent financial collapse’ due to unpaid contributions from member statesThe Trump administration has started the process to transfer $725m to the United Nations, a congressional notification seen by Reuters ⁠showed – a move aid experts said ⁠was a welcome step towards paying ​billions in dues owed.There was no immediate response from Washington DC to questions about the reasons for the payment from an administration that has slashed funding to many UN agencies and blasted the global body for not living up to ⁠its potential. Continue reading...

• Treasury Secretary Bessent announced a potential buyback operation exceeding $4 billion to "make a market" in longer-dated securities. • The move targets securities like the 30-year bond, which has seen yields surge to levels not witnessed since before the 2008 global financial crisis. • This intervention aims to stabilize the market and ensure fundamentals drive pricing, despite the benchmark 10-year yield recently climbing to 4.704%.

• South Korea's KOSPI index surged 5.89%, reversing previous losses and boosting investor confidence. • The rally was primarily driven by SK Hynix's announcement of a massive $28.69 billion share buyback plan. • Additional support for the market came from easing U.S. Treasury yields, which helped spark a sharp rebound in chip-related stocks.

• 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. • This initiative matters as it addresses the funding gap for high-risk, long-term research and development that traditional short-term investment cycles often overlook.

• Nvidia and six major investment firms have announced a plan to channel over $500 billion (€433bn) into AI infrastructure. • The initiative establishes "compute financing platforms" using private credit, insurance funds, and institutional capital to fund the construction of data centers. • This arrangement is significant because it allows tech companies to scale their AI capabilities without loading massive infrastructure costs onto their own balance sheets.

US tax policy deprives the government of revenue and overwhelmingly serves the interests of the richAfter the House passed its version of Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) last year – the one that paired a $5tn-plus tax cut with $1tn-plus of cuts from food stamps and Medicaid – the House speaker, Mike Johnson, explained that “this is not giving tax cuts to the millionaires”. The beneficiaries, he said, were “small business owners” that “provide the jobs in every community in America”.Johnson was playing to the myth of the modest, sturdy Main Street job creator. It is an appealing story. It’s also the most consequential piece of BS distorting American policy that deprives the government of tax revenue, stunts American capitalism, twists regulations, thwarts competition and overwhelmingly serves millionaires’ interests. Continue reading...

• NASA officially debunked a viral conspiracy theory on Wednesday, Aug. 12, claiming that Earth is losing its gravity. • The agency specifically pushed back against claims regarding a "Project Anchor," a supposed secret billion-dollar initiative designed to help humans survive a gravitational anomaly. • This clarification matters as it addresses misinformation spreading through social media that suggests a global existential threat.

Interim report calls for carve-up deal that has only benefited Western Australia to be ‘reshaped’ as it has achieved almost none of its objectivesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Productivity Commission (PC) has criticised the controversial GST deal with Western Australia as a costly mistake that should be reversed, saying tens of billions of dollars of taxpayer money has since gone to the country’s richest state.An interim report from a PC review of the deal said the reform – requested by WA and implemented under the former Morrison government with Labor’s support – had achieved almost none of its objectives and had made the system less equitable. Continue reading...

• Venture capital firm Accel has raised $3.5 billion specifically to fund early-stage artificial intelligence startups. • The investment strategy targets innovative companies located across three primary global regions: the United States, Europe, and India. • This massive capital allocation underscores the rapid growth of the AI landscape and Accel's goal to support startups capable of transforming various industries.

• The Kospi index surged 3.68% to close at 6,579.04 on August 12, gaining 233.51 points and nearly ending a seven-week losing streak. • The rally was driven by foreign investors net buying $2 billion, with semiconductor giants Samsung and SK Hynix leading the market gains. • Positive after-hours earnings from U.S. AI infrastructure firms CoreWeave and Supermicro dispelled fears regarding semiconductor demand, boosting investor sentiment in South Korea.

• Christopher Nolan’s epic film *The Odyssey* has officially become his highest-grossing movie to date. • As of August 10, 2026, the film has reached a massive global box office milestone of $1.1 billion. • This achievement marks a significant commercial peak for Nolan, further cementing his status as a powerhouse in the $2.83 trillion global entertainment industry.

• China is leveraging its $28 trillion capital markets to fund AI development, highlighted by CXMT raising $9.8 billion through a new listing. • State investors are actively propping up the Chinese market to ensure continued funding for critical technology sectors. • In a separate deal, Thailand's Minor Group is acquiring the Korean-founded chicken franchise Bonchon.

Largest for-profit hospital system and operator in the US reported $6.8bn in profits, while employees find it difficult to make ends meetUnion workers with HCA Healthcare, the largest for-profit hospital system and operator in the US, are holding picket protests across the country as they push for pay and staffing increases in a new contract.The hospital system has over 300,000 employees in the US and the UK, with 22,000 US workers represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) who are in contract negotiations with HCA. Workers are asking for a pathway to a $25 an hour minimum wage, improved wage scales and raises that match the increased cost of living, along with benefits including paid vacation, sick time and bolstered work protections. Continue reading...

• Christopher Nolan’s epic film, *The Odyssey*, has officially become his highest-grossing movie to date. • As of August 10, 2026, the film has reached a massive global box office milestone of $1.1 billion. • This achievement marks a significant commercial peak for Nolan, surpassing all his previous cinematic records.

• Hedge fund Situational Awareness has reportedly invested $400 million to $500 million in Source Foundry, a semiconductor startup valued at $5 billion. • Source Foundry aims to reinvent chip manufacturing by developing advanced lithography tools to address critical bottlenecks in the AI supply chain. • This aggressive bet comes shortly after Situational Awareness experienced what has been described as the "most catastrophic hedge fund blowup" of the year.

• The European Commission is investing €30 billion to establish "AI Gigafactories," designed as industrial infrastructure to provide essential computing power and data control. • This initiative aims to reduce Europe's reliance on non-EU markets for AI development resources and strengthen the region's digital sovereignty. • The project has seen significant initial interest, with 76 expressions of interest submitted for 60 potential locations across 16 Member States.

• Defense tech startup Hadrian has reached a valuation of nearly $8 billion following a fresh round of funding. • The company joins other high-value firms like Shield AI, valued at $12.7 billion in March, and autonomous ship maker Saronic, valued at $9.25 billion. • This surge in investment is driven by President Trump's strategic plans to modernize and upgrade the U.S. military infrastructure.

• Hadrian has raised $1.37 billion in a Series D funding round to develop "Factories of the Future." • This investment has significantly increased the company's valuation to $7.87 billion. • The funding is intended to scale advanced manufacturing capabilities and automate the production of critical aerospace and defense components.

• Forbes Asia released its 2026 Best Under A Billion list on August 4, highlighting 200 top-performing small and mid-sized listed companies across the Asia-Pacific region. • Malaysia saw a significant surge in representation, with the number of included firms more than doubling to 19 companies. • The growth is largely attributed to the AI boom and the expanding data center industry, exemplified by the debut of Southern Cable Group on the list.

• Index Ventures has raised approximately €1.7 billion ($2 billion) in new funding, increasing its total investing capital to nearly €3 billion. • The fundraise coincides with the 30th anniversary of the firm, which was founded in 1996 to support entrepreneurs across seed, venture, and growth stages. • This capital expansion strengthens the firm's ability to back high-profile portfolio companies such as Adyen, Figma, Revolut, Robinhood, and Wiz.

• In late July 2026, the Situational Awareness AI fund suffered a catastrophic collapse, losing approximately three-quarters of its assets within a few days. • The crash was driven by a market shift where investors stopped funding "pipeline" potential and demanded signed contracts with creditworthy tenants. • KBW downgraded Core Scientific to Market Perform, highlighting "model-layer risk" where developers are exposed if AI lab tenants fail to meet expectations.

• Federal lobbying expenditures reached a record $5.08 billion in 2025, with one in four lobbyists now focusing on artificial intelligence. • AI startups are increasingly selling specialized technology back to the influence trade to optimize how lobbying is conducted in Washington. • The trend highlights a "black box" shift in political influence, where AI tools are used to navigate and manipulate the complex federal regulatory environment.