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10 Feb 2026

Microsoft Copilot reaches 15 million paid seats, but only 3.3% of users are actually paying

Microsoft disclosed that Microsoft 365 Copilot has 15 million paid seats, representing 160% year-over-year growth. However, this accounts for just 3.3% of the company's 450 million commercial Microsoft 365 users who have free access. The figures highlight a stark gap between Microsoft's $37.5 billion AI investment and actual paid adoption, raising questions about the return on investment for AI.

2 Sources

AI video generation leads hiring surge as companies prioritize AI skills over coding

Companies are racing to hire workers with AI skills, which grew 109% year-over-year according to Upwork's latest report. The fastest-growing AI skill isn't coding—it's AI video generation and editing, with demand surging 329%. While layoffs remain high and overall hiring stays low, businesses are integrating AI into existing roles rather than replacing workers outright.

2 Sources

Half of xAI's founding team exits as Elon Musk calls departures necessary reorganization

Six of xAI's 12 co-founders have now left Elon Musk's AI company, with at least 11 engineers departing in recent days. Musk frames the exits as strategic reorganization for scale, but the departures come amid regulatory scrutiny over Grok AI's content issues and a pending IPO following the SpaceX merger.

36 Sources

European Insurer Stocks Tumble as AI-Powered Tool Triggers Selloff Across Insurance Sector

European insurance stocks fell sharply on Tuesday following a steep selloff in US insurance brokers after Insurify launched an AI-powered comparison tool built on ChatGPT. Major brokers like Willis Towers Watson, Aon, and Arthur J. Gallagher saw shares plunge 9-12% on Monday, triggering investor concerns about accelerating disruption within the insurance sector and sparking a broader market downturn.

2 Sources

Amazon plans AI content marketplace where publishers can license content to AI firms

Amazon is reportedly developing an AI content marketplace where media companies can license their content directly to AI firms. The Information reports that Amazon Web Services circulated slides mentioning the platform ahead of a publisher conference. The move comes as publishers struggle with declining traffic from AI summaries and seek new revenue streams.

10 Sources

AI Productivity Gains Come With a Hidden Cost: Employee Burnout and Longer Workdays

A Harvard Business Review study tracked 200 tech workers for eight months and found that AI tools led to work intensification rather than relief. Employees took on more tasks, worked longer hours, and experienced burnout despite productivity gains. The research reveals AI's promise to save workers from their jobs may be creating a different problem entirely.

12 Sources

09 Feb 2026

Databricks closes $7 billion financing round at $134 billion valuation, bets on AI agents

Databricks announced completion of a $7 billion investment round at a $134 billion valuation, marking a 34% jump from its September funding. The data and AI platform company reported surpassing a $5.4 billion revenue run rate with over 65% year-over-year growth, driven by surging demand for its AI products which now generate $1.4 billion in annualized recurring revenue.

4 Sources

Apollo Global Management nears $3.4 billion loan to fund AI chips for Elon Musk's xAI

Apollo Global Management is finalizing a $3.4 billion loan to an investment vehicle that will purchase Nvidia chips and lease them to Elon Musk's xAI. The deal, arranged by Valor Equity Partners, could close this week and marks Apollo's second major chip-leasing investment in xAI, following a $3.5 billion loan in November.

3 Sources

Big Tech's $660 Billion AI Boom Gamble: Why Amazon and Meta Are Spending More Than They Earn

Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet are spending more than they generate in operating cash flow for the first time, pouring $660 billion into AI infrastructure. The companies are borrowing hundreds of billions and draining cash reserves to build data centers and chips, abandoning their asset-light business model in a high-stakes bet that AI demand will justify the costs.

2 Sources

STMicroelectronics lands multi-billion dollar AWS deal to power AI data centers

STMicroelectronics announced a multi-year, multi-billion dollar strategic partnership with AWS to supply advanced semiconductors for next-generation AI data centers. The Franco-Italian chipmaker will provide high-bandwidth connectivity chips and power management solutions for hyperscale operations. AWS received warrants to acquire up to 24.8 million STMicro shares at $28.38, vesting based on product payments over seven years.

4 Sources

Firmus Secures $10 Billion from Blackstone to Build Australia's AI Infrastructure Empire

Australian artificial intelligence infrastructure developer Firmus has finalized a $10 billion debt funding package led by Blackstone and Coatue Management to expand its AI training and inference data centers. The company is awaiting a $2 billion computer order from Nvidia and is close to securing Meta as a major customer, positioning Australia as a potential AI export hub.

2 Sources

08 Feb 2026

Elon Musk merges SpaceX with xAI to build AI data centers in space, creating $1.25 trillion entity

Elon Musk announced the merger of SpaceX and xAI, creating a $1.25 trillion tech conglomerate that aims to launch satellite data centers in space. The deal values SpaceX at $1 trillion and xAI at $250 billion, with an IPO expected in June. While Musk claims space-based AI compute will become the lowest-cost option within two to three years, experts question the technological feasibility and timeline of launching up to a million satellites to serve as orbital data centers.

4 Sources

07 Feb 2026

Anthropic raises $30 billion in Series G, doubling valuation to $380 billion as AI race heats up

Anthropic has closed a massive $30 billion Series G funding round, more than doubling its valuation to $380 billion. The artificial intelligence startup, backed by GIC and Coatue, is accelerating its competition with OpenAI while its Claude Code model drives enterprise adoption. With a revenue run rate now at $14 billion and growing 10x annually, Anthropic faces mounting questions about profitability amid heavy infrastructure spending.

33 Sources

06 Feb 2026

Bloom Energy stock surges 400% as AI data centers scramble for faster power solutions

Bloom Energy has emerged from decades of controversy to become a major winner in the AI boom, with its stock surging over 400% in the past year. The company's fuel cells deliver on-site power to data centers in months rather than years, attracting every major hyperscaler. With record revenue of $2.02 billion and a $20 billion backlog, Bloom is betting on AI's insatiable electricity demands.

2 Sources

India's AI data centers promise internet era-type job boom, but IMF warns of 40% displacement

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang claims AI infrastructure will create massive employment across construction, operations, and innovation in India. With $200 billion in expected data center investments and tax holidays until 2047, tech giants are betting big. But the IMF warns AI could disrupt 40% of jobs, creating tension between physical infrastructure optimism and automation reality.

3 Sources

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