AI This Week

Nvidia and Deutsche Telekom are launching a one-billion-euro industrial artificial intelligence hub in Germany, a significant move in the global AI race. The project represents Europe’s latest bid to make up lost ground against the United States and China. Based in Munich and set to go live in early 2026, the center will offer companies access to powerful AI for processes from design to robotics, all operating on secure IT infrastructure. A key focus is “data sovereignty,” keeping sensitive industrial data secure on the continent. German industrial giants SAP and Siemens are also partners, aiming to enhance their own AI capabilities and client services.

In a stunning breakthrough, artificial intelligence has uncovered 303 new geoglyphs hidden in southern Peru’s desert, doubling the number of known Nazca Lines. An international team from Japan’s Yamagata University and IBM accomplished the feat in just six months, completing work that once took years in a fraction of the time. The ancient figures, dating from 200 B.C. to 650 A.D., depict felines, fish, and human forms. The AI system identified the patterns by analyzing vast amounts of satellite and drone imagery, spotting lines nearly invisible to the human eye. Archaeologists later confirmed each finding on the ground. This technology is accelerating archaeological discovery worldwide.

Four of the world’s wealthiest technology companies are dramatically increasing their AI spending. Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon are pouring billions more into building data centers, stating they cannot keep up with the intense demand for AI computing power. This spending spree, with capital expenditures from the four totaling over $360 billion in the last year, is sparking fears of a dangerous tech bubble. While the Federal Reserve chair distinguishes the situation from the dot-com boom because these companies are profitable, investors remain cautious. Following its announcement to raise spending to at least $70 billion, Meta’s stock fell 11 percent. The companies, however, point to massive future sales contracts as justification.

OpenAI is laying the groundwork for a historic initial public offering, a move that could value the ChatGPT creator at up to $1 trillion. People familiar with the matter report that while discussions are preliminary, a potential listing could occur as soon as late 2026. An IPO would open new avenues for raising capital, helping to finance CEO Sam Altman’s ambitious plans for AI infrastructure and support major acquisitions. This preparation follows a complex corporate restructuring and comes as the company faces mounting losses despite a projected $20 billion revenue run rate. CEO Sam Altman has publicly called an IPO the company’s “most likely path.”

OpenAI is offering its ChatGPT Go plan free for one year to all users in India, beginning November 4 for a limited promotional period. This move focuses on solidifying the company’s standing in one of its largest markets. Existing Go subscribers will also receive the complimentary 12-month access. India presents an immense opportunity with its vast internet and smartphone user base. However, making money from ChatGPT’s paid services has proven difficult, despite millions of downloads. ChatGPT Go offers ten times the usage of the free version for generating responses, creating images, and improving memory for personalized interactions. This robust offering arrives as rivals like Perplexity and Google also vie for India’s large user base. OpenAI plans further India-specific announcements at its upcoming DevDay Exchange in Bengaluru.