AI upgrades and data center shifts shape tech landscape

It’s been a busy day in tech, with artificial intelligence continuing to spread into new areas. Ant International, the global arm of China’s Ant Group, is rolling out AI agents across its financial platforms to help users manage payments and foreign exchange. At the same time, Anthropic has opened a bio research lab in San Francisco for physical experiments, following up on its earlier work in AI-driven drug discovery. But while AI advances, the infrastructure to support it is hitting snags. OpenAI and Anthropic are now turning to small data center rentals because the massive Stargate project — meant to build AI-focused data centers across the US with $500 billion in funding — is facing delays. To help ease strain on the power grid, Google, Nvidia, and Emerald AI have formed an alliance to create frameworks that let data centers adjust their electricity use based on real-time grid conditions. On the security front, hackers stole nearly six terabytes of data from Berlin’s government networks, though officials say they won’t pay any ransom. And in quantum technology, EigenQ has raised $45 million ahead of a planned Nasdaq listing.