Australia’s Defence Agreement with Palantir
A Summary of Tech Highlights in Asia This Week
This week in tech news from Asia, we report on the Global AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Australia’s recent deal with Palantir, and the shift towards liquid cooling in Chinese datacenters.
In New Delhi, India is proudly hosting the Global AI Impact Summit, which has attracted around 35,000 participants, including global leaders and renowned technology figures. This event highlights India’s ambition to establish itself as a leader in artificial intelligence, aiming to draw significant investments to fuel this vision.
One of the standout proposals comes from Andhra Pradesh, where officials are planning to develop an “AI data city” near Visakhapatnam, a bustling port city. The project aims to secure billions in investments, boasting advanced infrastructure and even submarine connections to Singapore. Nara Lokesh, the state’s IT minister, announced an impressive $175 billion in investment agreements supporting 760 projects, including a monumental $15 billion from Google for an AI hub outside the U.S. A collaboration among Reliance Industries, Brookfield, and Digital Realty is also expected to invest $11 billion in a datacenter.
To attract top investors, Andhra Pradesh is offering incentives like land at a mere $0.01 per acre. The plan includes creating a comprehensive ecosystem for server manufacturing and cooling systems, alongside a capacity of 6 GW for datacenters. Lokesh emphasized that the AI data city will utilize “surplus” monsoon water and renewable power sources.
Latest Updates from Australia
In Australia, a recent deal awarded to Palantir, valued at $7.6 million, will assist in mapping the country’s defense industry without a competitive bidding process. This follows scrutiny earned after a KPMG partner was fined for using AI to cheat on training exams, amid reports of over 20 staff members caught cheating since July.
In cybersecurity news, hackers breached YouX, a financial technology company based in Sydney, stealing 141 GB of data related to nearly 630,000 loan applications, along with personal information.
News from China
Chinese tech giant ByteDance has launched the updated version of its popular AI app, Doubao 2.0. Meanwhile, businesses in China are increasingly opting for liquid cooling systems for their datacenters, sparking a remarkable rise in the stock of Shenzhen-based Envicool.
Additionally, Alibaba has released an upgraded version of its AI model, Qwen 3.5, claiming advancements in performance that outshine major U.S. competitors. Start-up NeuroXess is also making headlines with its brain implant technology, entering human trials to facilitate communication between people and machines.
Significant Developments in India
India is also making strides in AI, planning to bring in over $200 billion in AI infrastructure investment within the next two years. The government has backed a venture capital program worth $1.1 billion to support local tech start-ups. However, the country faced setbacks recently, such as significant declines in IT shares and hacking incidents impacting major companies.
Highlights from Japan and South Korea
In Japan, chip-maker Renesas is forging partnerships to enhance semiconductor production in the U.S., while companies like Sony and Asahi have reported data breaches or compromises affecting personal data.
Over in South Korea, Samsung has initiated mass production of HBM4 memory, claiming it as an industry first, and noted a surge in stock popularity among high-net-worth investors.
Other News in Asia
In Vietnam, SpaceX has received the go-ahead to operate Starlink satellite services, while Bhutan has launched a new crypto payment system for tourists, though usage remains low.
This tech roundup captures the dynamic developments shaping the landscape of technology across Asia as countries strive to innovate and attract investment.
