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AI bubble concerns intensify as tech leaders seek returns on trillions in investment

At Davos 2026, the conversation shifted from AI investment excitement to proving returns, with industry leaders declaring it the "year of AI ROI." But growing investor anxiety about trillions of dollars in risk and comparisons to the dot-com bust have economists and market prophets warning of a potential bubble. While companies tout enterprise traction, questions loom about whether massive AI spending can deliver promised productivity gains.

Business6 sources

AI bubble concerns intensify as tech leaders seek returns on trillions in investment

Business6 sources

OpenAI to test ads in ChatGPT for free and Go tier users as it shifts monetization strategy

OpenAI announced it will begin testing advertisements inside ChatGPT for US users on free and $8-per-month Go tiers. The move reverses CEO Sam Altman's 2024 stance calling ads a "last resort." Banner ads will appear at the bottom of answers when relevant sponsored products or services match conversation topics, while Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise subscribers remain ad-free.

Technology73 sources

OpenAI to test ads in ChatGPT for free and Go tier users as it shifts monetization strategy

Technology73 sources

ClickHouse secures $400M at $15B valuation as AI infrastructure demand surges

Database provider ClickHouse raised $400 million in a Series D funding round led by Dragoneer Investment Group, reaching a $15 billion valuation—more than double its $6.35 billion valuation from May 2024. The company also acquired Langfuse, an AI observability startup, to strengthen its position in the competitive AI infrastructure market against Snowflake and Databricks.

Startups5 sources

ClickHouse secures $400M at $15B valuation as AI infrastructure demand surges

Startups5 sources

Sam Altman's Merge Labs raises $252 million to develop non-invasive brain-computer interfaces

Sam Altman's brain-tech startup Merge Labs emerged from stealth with $252 million in seed funding at an $850 million valuation, with OpenAI writing the largest check. The company aims to connect human brains to computers using ultrasound and molecules instead of invasive electrodes, intensifying competition with Elon Musk's Neuralink in the race to enhance human capabilities through AI-powered neural interfaces.

Startups11 sources

Sam Altman's Merge Labs raises $252 million to develop non-invasive brain-computer interfaces

Startups11 sources

Dell Technologies wins Barclays upgrade as AI server orders surge and enterprise markets recover

Dell Technologies secured a Barclays upgrade to Overweight from Equal Weight, driven by surging AI server demand and improving enterprise prospects. The company plans to ship $9.4 billion of AI servers in Q4, pushing full-year AI server shipments to approximately $25 billion. Barclays maintained its $148 price target while citing Dell's resilient operating margin profile and expanding market opportunities.

Business2 sources

Dell Technologies wins Barclays upgrade as AI server orders surge and enterprise markets recover

Business2 sources

Higgsfield secures $80M, hits $1.3B valuation as AI video generation explodes for marketers

Founded by ex-Snap executive Alex Mashrabov, Higgsfield has raised $80 million in Series A extension funding, pushing its valuation to $1.3 billion. The AI video generation startup now serves 15 million users and claims a $200 million annual revenue run rate, with 85% of usage coming from social media marketers creating commercial content.

Startups3 sources

Higgsfield secures $80M, hits $1.3B valuation as AI video generation explodes for marketers

Startups3 sources

Parloa Triples Valuation to $3B in 8 Months as AI Customer Service Competition Intensifies

Berlin-based Parloa raised $350 million in Series D funding led by General Catalyst, pushing its valuation to $3 billion just eight months after reaching unicorn status. The German AI startup builds enterprise platforms for AI agents that automate customer service across voice and digital channels, competing with Sierra and Decagon in a market targeting 17 million contact center agents worldwide.

Startups5 sources

Parloa Triples Valuation to $3B in 8 Months as AI Customer Service Competition Intensifies

Startups5 sources

Skild AI triples valuation to $14 billion as SoftBank leads $1.4 billion robotics software bet

Pittsburgh-based Skild AI secured $1.4 billion in a Series C round led by SoftBank, with backing from Nvidia, Jeff Bezos, and others. The robotics startup, which builds general-purpose AI software that can control any robot without extensive retraining, has tripled its valuation to over $14 billion in just seven months. The company grew from zero to $30 million in revenue within months in 2025.

Startups5 sources

Skild AI triples valuation to $14 billion as SoftBank leads $1.4 billion robotics software bet

Startups5 sources

Etched Secures $500 Million to Challenge Nvidia's AI Chip Dominance with Sohu Processor

AI chip startup Etched raised $500 million in a funding round led by Stripes, with backing from Peter Thiel, reaching a $5 billion valuation. The company's Sohu chip targets Transformer models and promises to deliver performance gains over Nvidia's GPUs. Meanwhile, rival Cerebras Systems is reportedly pursuing $1 billion in funding as competition intensifies in the artificial intelligence chip market.

Startups2 sources

Etched Secures $500 Million to Challenge Nvidia's AI Chip Dominance with Sohu Processor

Startups2 sources

Deepgram raises $130 million at $1.3 billion valuation, acquires YC-backed startup for voice AI

Voice AI startup Deepgram has secured $130 million in Series C funding at a $1.3 billion valuation, led by AVP. The company also acquired Y Combinator-backed OfOne to expand into quick-service restaurants. Deepgram's CEO says the company was cashflow positive and wasn't seeking capital, but strategic investors approached them as voice AI adoption accelerates across enterprises.

Startups7 sources

Deepgram raises $130 million at $1.3 billion valuation, acquires YC-backed startup for voice AI

Startups7 sources

CoreWeave CEO Rebuts Nvidia Circular Financing Claims as Stock Surges 12% on AI Cloud Confidence

CoreWeave CEO Michael Intrator forcefully rejected circular financing allegations involving Nvidia, calling the narrative mathematically unsound. The company's stock jumped 12% after Intrator addressed concerns about GPU useful life and debt-fueled expansion, while revealing older A100 chips retained 95% of their original value in renewed contracts.

Business3 sources

CoreWeave CEO Rebuts Nvidia Circular Financing Claims as Stock Surges 12% on AI Cloud Confidence

Business3 sources

Harmattan AI raises $200M from Dassault Aviation, becomes defense unicorn at $1.4B valuation

French defense tech company Harmattan AI reached unicorn status with a $200 million Series B round led by Rafale fighter jet maker Dassault Aviation. Founded just two years ago, the startup now valued at $1.4 billion will develop embedded AI capabilities for next-generation combat aircraft and scale production of autonomous drones for NATO forces.

Startups4 sources

Harmattan AI raises $200M from Dassault Aviation, becomes defense unicorn at $1.4B valuation

Startups4 sources

Xreal Raises $100 Million as Smart Glasses Competition Intensifies with Google Partnership

Smart glasses maker Xreal secured $100 million in new funding from supply chain partners as it expands its collaboration with Google on Android XR. The Chinese startup, valued above $1 billion, unveiled two new AR glasses models at CES 2026 and aims to deliver affordable spatial computing experiences as competition from Meta, Apple, and other tech giants heats up in the wearables market.

Technology2 sources

Xreal Raises $100 Million as Smart Glasses Competition Intensifies with Google Partnership

Technology2 sources

Alphabet hits $4 trillion valuation as AI strategy and Apple deal reshape investor sentiment

Google's parent company reached a $4 trillion valuation for the first time, surpassing Apple to become the second-most valuable company globally. The milestone follows Apple's decision to use Google's Gemini AI model to power Siri, marking a dramatic shift in investor sentiment as Alphabet's stock surged 65% in 2025.

Business17 sources

Alphabet hits $4 trillion valuation as AI strategy and Apple deal reshape investor sentiment

Business17 sources

Cyera raises $400 million funding at $9 billion valuation as AI data security stakes soar

Cyera secured $400 million in Series F funding led by Blackstone, pushing its valuation to $9 billion just six months after reaching $6 billion. The AI data security startup now protects 20% of Fortune 500 companies as enterprises grapple with agentic attackers and the challenge of securing data while enabling AI transformation across their operations.

Startups3 sources

Cyera raises $400 million funding at $9 billion valuation as AI data security stakes soar

Startups3 sources

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