First Pass

78 stories from 20 sources

Data-center politics starts constraining AI’s expansion

Day’s Recap

Supporting Articles

Activists stormed the site of a proposed Microsoft data centre in Amsterdam, escalating opposition to the project.

11:08 PMAl Jazeera

OpenAI plans to continue investing in AI data centers even as voters backed candidates who support tighter limits on data center development.

5:25 PMCNBC

Texas, which holds roughly a quarter of planned US data center capacity, elected a governor who promised to pause new approvals. The election centered on who should receive access to the power, water and land needed for expansion.

11:41 AMHousing Wire

Texas governor-elect Gina Hinojosa said she is not opposed to data centers in principle, but argued that projects should proceed only with community approval.

5:20 AMMarketWatch

BBC Verify examines whether voter backlash against the rapid growth of data centres influenced the US midterm results. It also considers whether opposition to artificial intelligence and the infrastructure supporting it could threaten the industry's expansion.

1:01 AMBBC

Investors increasingly expect Anthropic to pursue a public valuation below the previously discussed $1.5 trillion target as enthusiasm for AI stocks weakens.

4:07 PMCNBC

Other Developments

A curated list of other prominent stories from this day.

China's Ministry of State Security reportedly recruited Megaspeed executive Alice Huang to gather information on Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, US AI chips, and the company's technology strategy. The effort allegedly also sought to influence Nvidia's position on making advanced chips available to China.

6:00 PMThe Verge

Fable Studio says a 30-person team made the AI-generated animated feature "Gods Don’t Give Gifts" in nine months. The production still depended on human directors, writers, voice actors and artists, illustrating how AI is entering filmmaking as a production tool rather than a fully autonomous replacement.

5:29 PMBloomberg Markets

Sysco is using AI for delivery routing and transportation bidding across its large food-service distribution network. The company expects these tools to help generate roughly $500 million in savings.

5:11 PMPYMNTS

Coty is piloting AI discovery technology across six leading brands, including efforts to improve how its products appear in generative search results. The initiative also gives internal teams new tools and insights to track changing consumer needs.

4:54 PMConsumer Goods Technology

Mondelez is connecting its cloud ERP system with AI agents to consolidate cash-to-order operations across customer service, supply chain, and finance. The system will cover the process from order placement through payment collection across millions of global transactions.

4:16 PMConsumer Goods Technology

Meta has introduced Spaces, a feature for interacting with its Muse AI agents. The company is positioning it as a new way to collaborate with the assistants through shared spaces and integrations.

1:44 PMTechCrunch

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