The U.S. government has added OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic to its list of approved AI vendors. Through a revamped Multiple Awards Schedule, federal agencies can now access these leading AI platforms using pre-negotiated contracts, easing procurement and accelerating digital transformation. This move signals a major shift in how governments work with cutting-edge AI tools and the growing recognition of generative AI’s transformative potential across public services.
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Indian mobile gaming platform STAN has raised $8.5 million in a Series A round led by Google’s AI Futures Fund and top Japanese gaming firms. With 25 million downloads and rapid product-driven growth, STAN now supports 5.5 million monthly users and has scaled revenues to $7.87 million in FY25. The funding will support expansion to other mobile-first markets and boost its AI-powered personalization and blockchain-based gamer profiles. In a booming Indian gaming market expected to hit $9.1 billion by 2029, STAN stands out with voice clubs and mobile-focused features targeting tier-2/3 cities.
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Google has launched Gemini 2.5 Deep Think, its most advanced multi-agent AI model, exclusively for AI Ultra subscribers. Priced at $249.99/month, Deep Think sets a new benchmark in parallel reasoning, outperforming OpenAI and xAI on tests like Humanity’s Last Exam and LiveCodeBench V6. The model’s unique parallel thinking allows it to explore multiple solutions at once, boosting problem-solving power, especially in math and coding challenges. While a research variant won gold at the 2025 International Mathematical Olympiad, the consumer version delivers faster, bronze-level performance on similar tasks.
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Google is investing $6 billion to build a 1-gigawatt hyperscale data center in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, marking the largest such facility in Asia by capacity and investment. This project includes a $2 billion allocation for renewable energy to sustainably power the data center, supporting India’s growing digital infrastructure needs. The investment aligns with Google’s global $75 billion expansion plan across Asia, also involving countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Andhra Pradesh aims to develop 6 gigawatts of data center capacity over five years, bolstered by new high-capacity cable landing stations enhancing connectivity and regional tech growth.
Read more: reuters
Bitcoin has nearly doubled in value over the past year, recently touching $123K before settling around $116K. Unlike past rallies, this surge is being driven by growing institutional demand, massive ETF inflows, and rising adoption from major firms like BlackRock and GameStop. Spot Bitcoin ETFs traded on U.S. exchanges have now amassed more than $150 billion in assets. Meanwhile, Congress is actively discussing crypto regulation during “Crypto Week,” with bills that may reshape the legal landscape. The proposed Clarity Act could finally provide clear oversight, giving the CFTC control over digital commodities like Bitcoin — paving the way for broader institutional involvement.
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After years of struggling to find accurate data on global consumer behavior, Joseph Rutakangwa launched Rwazi in 2021 to solve the problem. The startup has now secured $12 million in Series A funding led by Bonfire Ventures. Rwazi offers companies real-time, voluntarily shared data directly from consumers — also known as zero-party data—instead of relying on outdated reports or surveys. With operations in 190+ countries and clients like Coca-Cola and Visa, the company plans to scale its AI tools and expand its engineering team to better serve global markets.
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Joby Aviation has expanded its pilot manufacturing facility in Marina, California, to 435,500 sq. ft., doubling production capacity as it prepares to launch electric air taxis (eVTOLs) commercially. The upgraded site can now produce up to 24 aircraft annually and will support pilot training, testing, and FAA certification. Backed by Toyota’s $500M investment, Joby is also developing a larger facility in Dayton, Ohio, capable of building 500 aircraft yearly. A sixth Joby aircraft has just earned airworthiness certification. The company will start from Dubai for its first trials in 2026, followed by a U.S. rollout.
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Cognition has officially acquired Windsurf, the agentic IDE, bringing in its product, IP, brand, and talented team. With $82M ARR, 350+ enterprise clients, and a rapidly growing user base, Windsurf strengthens Cognition’s mission to revolutionize software engineering. The Windsurf team will continue operations for now, while their tools and IP will soon integrate into Cognition’s offerings like Devin. Notably, all Windsurf employees will benefit financially and receive full equity vesting. This move signals a major leap toward the future of autonomous software development, positioning Cognition as a powerful force in the evolving AI engineering landscape.
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In a surprise twist, OpenAI’s $3B deal to acquire AI coding startup Windsurf has collapsed — and Google swooped in smartly. Instead of buying the company, Google acqui-hired key Windsurf talent, including CEO Varun Mohan, for $2.4B. They also secured a non-exclusive license to Windsurf’s tech. The rest of Windsurf stays independent under a new interim CEO. This clever move gives Google DeepMind top AI coding brains without full acquisition hassles. Meanwhile, OpenAI is left empty-handed. The race for elite AI talent is heating up, and Google just played a masterstroke.
Credit: CNBC
